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The Poets & Writers Gala celebrates the indispensable contributions of writers both to our national discourse and to the inner lives of readers. Funds raised will enable Poets & Writers to provide broad access to information about publishing and help writers from all backgrounds connect with opportunities, advance their careers, and build community. 

The 2025 Gala will take place on Monday, March 24, at Pier Sixty in New York City. Dominique Raccah, publisher and CEO of Sourcebooks, is our gala chair. Author Sloane Crosley will host. The event will honor Kimberly Blaeser, Angie Cruz, and Kiese Laymon with the 2025 Writers for Writers Awards. Morgan Entrekin, Elisabeth Schmitz, and Peter Blackstock of Grove Atlantic will each receive the 2025 Editor’s Award. Learn more about the honorees here [1]. 

Purchase tickets or tables here [2]

View Sponsorship Opportunties Here

2025 GALA HOST: SLOANE CROSLEY

sloane_crosley_crop_credit_beowulf_sheehan.jpg [3]

Sloane Crosley is the author of the New York Times best-selling books Grief Is for People (MCD, 2024), How Did You Get This Number (Riverhead Books, 2010), and I Was Told There’d Be Cake (Riverhead Books, 2008)—a finalist for the 2009 Thurber Prize for American Humor. She is also the author of Look Alive Out There (MCD, 2018), a finalist for the 2019 Thurber Prize for American Humor, and of the novels Cult Classic (MCD, 2022) and The Clasp (FSG, 2015), both of which she has adapted for film. She has been featured in The 50 Funniest American Writers (Library of America, 2011), The Best American Nonrequired Reading (Mariner Books, 2011), Phillip Lopate’s The Contemporary American Essay (Anchor, 2021), and elsewhere, and is the editor of The Best American Travel Writing (Mariner Books, 2011). (Credit: Beowulf Sheehan)

View the gala invitation here [4]. For additional information, contact gala@pw.org. [5]

Literary Table Hosts*

Jessica Anthony
Destiny Birdsong
Mahogany L. Browne
Brian Castleberry
Colin Channer
Naima Coster
Michael Cunningham
David Santos Donaldson
Cornelius Eady
Janet Fitch
Kelli Jo Ford
Temim Fruchter
M. Gessen
Adam Gidwitz
Francisco Goldman
Rigoberto González
Kimiko Hahn
Isabella Hammad
Patrick Hoffman
Susan Isaacs
Tayari Jones
Robert Jones, Jr.
Beena Kamlani
Joseph Kanon
hurmat kazmi
Pamela Kelley
Christina Baker Kline
Jean Hanff Korelitz
R. F. Kuang
Mark Kurlansky
Betsy Lerner
Andrew Lipstein
Sam Lipsyte
Megha Majumdar
Emily St. John Mandel
Sally Wen Mao
Sarah Thankam Mathews
Anna Sophia McLoughlin
Kelly Mustian
Chinelo Okparanta
José Olivarez
Chris Pavone
Imani Perry
Deesha Philyaw
Roxana Robinson
Evie Shockley
Joan Silber
Patricia Spears Jones
Lynn Steger Strong
Douglas Stuart
Terese Svoboda
Michael Thomas
Lily Tuck
Tony Tulathimutte
Danielle Valentine
Colson Whitehead
Meg Wolitzer
John Yau
Jenny Zhang

2025 GALA SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT AS A GALA SPONSOR HERE [6]

Premier Underwriter Sponsorship ($100,000)
• Premier seating at the gala(two tables, 16 tickets) • Premier logo placement in the program and at the gala • Four passes to Honoree Reception • Acknowledgment from the podium during the gala • Acknowledgment in Poets & Writers Magazine

Lead Underwriter Sponsorship ($50,000)
• Premier seating at the gala (up to two tables, 16 tickets) •  Lead logo placement in the program and at the gala • Two passes to Honoree Reception • Acknowledgment from the podium during the gala • Acknowledgment in Poets & Writers Magazine

Underwriter Table ($25,000)
• Premier seating at the gala (8 tickets) • Logo placement in the program and at the gala • Two passes to Honoree Reception •  Acknowledgment from the podium during the gala • Acknowledgment in Poets & Writers Magazine

Champion Table ($15,000)
• Prime seating at the gala (8 tickets) • Logo placement in the program and at the gala • Acknowledgment in Poets & Writers Magazine

Benefactor Table ($10,000)
• Preferred seating at the dinner (8 tickets) •  Sponsor listing in the program and at the gala • Acknowledgment in Poets & Writers Magazine