Written by Pauletta Hansel, Writer-in-Residence, Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

Cincinnati is bursting with writers’ communities of various types, both old and new. From the venerable Literary Club, founded in 1849, to Hit the Mic, founded in 2019, writers find inspiration and connection by coming together around the written—and spoken—word. In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, I speak with representatives of four such literary groups:

• Joanne Greenway, President, Greater Cincinnati Writers League, opens a new window
• Richard Hague, President, Literary Club of Cincinnati, opens a new window
• MoPoetry Phillips, Founder, Hit the Mic Cincy, opens a new window
• Lisa Cors Rocklin, Executive Director, Women Writing for (a) Change, opens a new window

Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about finding the balance between solitude and support, growing Cincinnati’s literary community and more!

Subscribe to “Inside the Writer's Head” on Apple Podcasts, opens a new window, Google Podcasts, opens a new window, Stitcher, opens a new window, Spotify, opens a new window, or your favorite podcast app.

Writing Our Lives with the Writer-in-Residence

Sometimes people believe that you have to have led an extraordinary life to write memoir. But really, each of our lives is extraordinary in its own way, and each story from each person tells us more about what it means to be human—and that is what literature offers both readers and writers, an opportunity to enter other lives, and discover more about our own.

Memories, “abiding images,” family stories, reflections on the relationship between our current experiences and our lives today: these are the raw material for memoir. On Saturday, Jan.29, join me in a free virtual workshop where teen and adult participants will be prompted to write freely about meaningful memories and/or family stories, and then offered craft and revision activities to help develop those stories into engaging and insightful creative nonfiction pieces.

Register in advance, opens a new window to receive a Zoom link to join the conversation.

Learn More About Pauletta

Throughout the year, Pauletta Hansel will host a monthly podcast, write blog posts, hold office hours, lead writing workshops, and more. Watch the video to learn more about Pauletta's life, her writing, and what she hopes to do during her year-long Writer-in-Residence term at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.

The Library Foundation’s Writer-in-Residence serves as our literary ambassador to the community. Find out more and view upcoming event dates on our Writer-in-Residence page.