Weird Lit Does AWP Baltimore!

The annual Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference and Bookfair is in Baltimore this year, and we editors here at Weird Lit Mag are preparing for a week of literary shenanigans along with thousands of other writers, editors, publishers, and readers.

Taking place March 5-7, this is the 60^th anniversary of AWP. What better spot to throw the big party at than such a writerly city as Baltimore? It’s the home of Edgar Allan Poe, Frederick Douglass, Upton Sinclair, Ta-Nehisi Coates, John Barth, Adrienne Rich, Tom Clancy, and let’s not forget my patron saint, the Sage of Baltimore, H.L. Mencken. And with this year’s keynote speech coming from John Waters, well, there must be something in that good sea air.

Thousands of visitors flock to AWP’s three-day conference each year, attending an impressive list of writing and publishing-related talks and panels. Additionally, AWP hosts booksellers, literary magazines, and other professionals at the Bookfair, where vendors display their offerings. Here authors, editors, and others in publishing mingle and bond over literary passions and pursuits.

We plan on attending several panels and talks, but there will always be a few us of holding down the fort at the Bookfair. We’ll be at Table 431, right across from The Yale Review and catty-corner from Pinch. We’re looking forward to seeing our friends from ARTWIFE and Does It Have Pockets? as well as making some new pals in the literary community. Stop on by, chat with us about weird literature, and pick up some new WLM swag—our artist buddy Tom DesLongchamp designed us two new stickers! We’ll have some other surprises we hope you’ll love too.