The Writer's Center, founded in 1976, is an independent literary center that is housed in a 12,200-square-foot (1,130 m2) facility in the arts and entertainment district of

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

. The organization consists of approximately 2,500 writers, editors, small press publishers and other artists who support each other in the creation and marketing of literary texts. The Writer's Center offers workshops, hosts readings and literary events, and maintains a community of writers, workshop leaders, publishers and audiences for contemporary writing at its Bethesda headquarters as well as in

Leesburg, Virginia Leesburg is a town in the state of Virginia, and the county seat of Loudoun County. Settlement in the area began around 1740, which is named for the Lee family, early leaders of the town and ancestors of Robert E. Lee. Located in the far northeas ...

Arlington, Virginia Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...

, and at other locations around the greater

Washington, D.C. metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the National Capital Region, is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of the states of Maryland, Virgi ...

. The Writer's Center also publishes '' Poet Lore'', the longest continuously running poetry journal in the United States. The Writer's Center annually conducts hundreds of workshops in various genres of writing. Workshop participants share with one another their work-in-progress under the guidance of an experienced instructor who is also a published author. The Writer's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Writer's Center is supported in part by The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, and by grants from organizations including the Maryland State Arts Council, and the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

. The Writer's Center also hosts literary events, readings and conferences; sells books and literary magazines; and offers an environment for writing groups to meet. It is a voluntary, membership organization open to all skill levels.The Writer's Center Official Website
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Notable instructors

Lee Gutkind Lee Gutkind is an American writer, speaker, and founder of the literary journal called Creative Nonfiction. Gutkind has written or edited more than 30 books, covering a wide range of subjects from motorcycle subculture to child and adolescent ...

Richard Blanco Richard Blanco (born February 15, 1968) is an American poet, public speaker, author and civil engineer. He is the fifth poet to read at a United States presidential inauguration, having read the poem " One Today" for Barack Obama's second ...

* Stanley Plumly * Sandra Beasley *

Rod Jellema Rod Jellema (1927–2018) was an American poet, teacher, and translator. Life Jellema held a B.A. from Calvin College and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland). He began teaching at the University of Maryland, College Park in 1955, w ...

* Barbara Goldberg

References

External links

*
Writer's Center official blog
Buildings and structures in Bethesda, Maryland Non-profit organizations based in Maryland Writing circles Buildings and structures completed in 1976 1976 establishments in Maryland {{Maryland-struct-stub Arts organizations based in Washington, D.C.