Jump to navigation Skip to content
Megan Fernandes talks transformative poetry; Bilal Qureshi on finding quiet in a noisy society; Josh Cook’s tips for supporting indie bookstores during the pandemic; and other stories.
Michigan saw its first coronavirus (COVID-19) case early last week. In an effort to be preventative, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency last Tuesday. Organizations across Detroit have closed offices and asked team members to work from home. Detroit Public Schools Community District and surrounding districts have been ordered to close their buildings to students through April 6. Whitmer also ordered an official ban that prohibits gatherings of over 250 people, and recommended gatherings of over 100 people to be canceled or postponed, and reminded the public to wash hands frequently, stay home if sick, and to check in on family and friends.
I find it important to look at each of the ways we are responding to best understand the enormous circumstance that has been placed upon those who don’t have the resources to simply stay home and be safe. Students being out of school doesn’t mean that their parents have the same luxury of staying home, and lack of food security could put many families in crisis. Several literary events have been cancelled thus drying up the main source of income for many full-time artists. These are just a few ways that the coronavirus outbreak puts people at risk beyond just exposure to illness, and it will get worse before it gets better.
With that said, resources are popping up left and right within the community to help get us through the next few weeks. For parents looking to make sure their young ones are able to keep up academically, a Google Doc has been created that lists free educational resources. In addition, Kekere Emergency Childcare Collective is forming mutual aid childcare for families with an online sign-up sheet for those who can help with childcare, transportation, supplies, and food. I am keeping an eye out for resources for artists who are losing funds due to canceled readings or their own canceled event series. Many writers are taking to Twitter for ways to support working artists by buying books, merch, or making other financial contributions. Keep up with my findings on Twitter, @Detroitpworg, and stay safe!
Justin Rogers is the literary outreach coordinator for Poets & Writers in Detroit. Contact him at Detroit@pw.org or on Twitter, @Detroitpworg.
Emma Copley Eisenberg finds inspiration on the open road, driving more than ten thousand miles in three months.
The author of more than thirty books of fiction and nonfiction imagines how a world without writing might function.
An analysis of reading habits in the United States; Lawrence Wright’s prescient pandemic novel; Ed Simon on literary responses to pandemics through the ages; and other stories.
Maris Kreizman puts the cancellation of Woody Allen’s memoir in context; New York City Penguin Random House staff work from home; Emma Warren’s guide for managing imposter syndrome; and other stories.
Jane Hirshfield discusses her life in poetry; Mira Jacob considers the advantages of graphic narrative; Alex Halberstadt turns his journalistic eye inwards; and other stories.
Booksellers in the time of coronavirus; Sonya Chung on being a latecomer to the literary life; David Grundy remembers Sean Bonney; and other stories.
Although Poets & Writers was not able to attend the AWP conference in San Antonio last week and the literary outreach coordinators could not have our panel discussion, it was good to see Instagram photos, tweets, and videos online of many writers I admire enjoying the conference. Thanks to those Houston writers, poets, playwrights, and publishers that made their way after the AWP Board of Directors announced that the conference would continue despite concern about the coronavirus. I was happy to see Houston gente representing at AWP—shout-out to Bloomsday Literary, Defunkt Magazine, Glass Mountain, and Writespace, as well as writers Daniel Peña, Reyes Ramirez, and Icess Fernandez Rojas!
From all the posts and messages I came across, I know three things:
1. AWP 2020 was all about engagement. There might have been fewer people and fewer panels, but all the readings and events were packed.
2. This was the birth of the #AWPVirtualBookFair—publishing houses and literary magazines that were not able to attend AWP engaged online through a community Google Doc and on Twitter and it paid off. Folks supported writers and works from publishers big and small.
3. Texas-based writers came out in full force, especially Latinx writers. I saw posts from every corner of the state in ways I hadn’t seen before at any other AWP conference. And it was glorious.
I hope this momentum continues next year for #AWP21 in Kansas City, Missouri!
Lupe Mendez is the literary outreach coordinator for Poets & Writers in Houston. Contact him at Houston@pw.org or on Twitter, @houstonpworg.Brandon Taylor talks Real Life; an interview with the multigenerational team behind Chicken of the Sea; Refinery29 celebrates powerful women in the literary world; and other stories.
