Melanie Figg

Poet

Silver Spring, MD
Maryland US

Author's Bio

Melanie Figg is an award-winning poet and inspiring writing mentor and coach. Her collection of poems, Trace, won the Many Voices Project competition from New Rivers Press. Her long poem, “Leaving a Trace” won the 2018 Iron Horse Literary Review Trifecta and is issued as an e-single with lovely photographs. Her chapbook, Hurry, Love, was printed in standard and fine arts editions with paper artist Doug Abbott. Her poems, essays, and reviews have been published in dozens of literary journals, including The Iowa ReviewNimrodColorado Review and Conduit

Living in the DC metro area, Melanie teaches poetry at The Writer’s Center and in private homes and curates Literary Art Tours in DC galleries (a Washington Post Editor’s Pick). As a certified professional coach, she offers writing retreats and works one-on-one with writers to improve and submit their work, finish their manuscripts, tame their inner critics, create sustainable writing routines, and most of all--express themselves and enjoy their writing lives.

Publications & Prizes

Book:
Trace (New Rivers Press, 2019)
Prizes won: 

National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship 2017-2019
The Iron Horse Literary Review 2018 Trifecta
Many Voices Project Award 2017
Academy of American Poets Prize, Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize Finalist, Anderson Center Residency Award for Outstanding Loft Instructors, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County Individual Artist/Scholar Grant, AWP Intro Award, Bennett Cerf Endowed Prize, Centrum Writing Studios, Denny Prize for Distinction in Writing, Harry Scherman Writing Award, Jerome Foundation Artist Fellowship (2), Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant, Larry Levis Prize, McKnight Foundation Artist Fellowship, New York Mills Regional Cultural Center Artistic Residency, Pablo Neruda Prize Finalist, Walt Whitman Award Finalist, Wendy Parrish Prize & Pushcart Nominations (2).

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Prefers to work with: 
Adults, Incarcerated individuals, Mental Health, Teachers, Women
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Raised in: 
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: May 04, 2019