Ball State’s creative writing program is holding a two-day festival on Wednesday and Thursday to showcase three authors and release this year’s edition of "The Broken Plate."
The In Print Festival will feature three upcoming poets and their recently released first books. The authors are from different genres of writing. The featured authors are Mary Biddinger, who will talk about publishing; Iliana Rocha, the author of "Karankawa," Dan Raeburn, the author of "Vessels" and Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of "Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone."
“We want it to be culturally diverse. We don’t try to bring in just mixed genders,” said Matthew Mullins, director of creative writing at Ball State.
In the past, In Print has featured many cultural communities. Rocha is Mexican American and her poetry reflects her life and her experiences. Nagamatsu is Asian American and his book plays on Asian-American culture and a Japanese demon.
The first night of the event will feature an authors discussion about their novels and journeys in creative writing. Literature students have studied these authors in class and will have the opportunity to introduce them at the discussion. The authors will also visit some of the classes.
Night two features the authors as well as Biddinger, who will discuss the process writers go through to get books out to the public. The event is based around these authors' release and the impact it can have on the students who want to publish their work as well.
“In general, what we want to do with the In Print Festival [is] celebrate the first books of the authors,” Mullins said. “We want to do it in a way that brings the students into the process and shows them and gives them insight into ‘this is what it's lead a literary life — a writer’s life.'”
In Print provides a variety of genres and cultural backgrounds to bring more interest and attract different groups of people. The festival also functions as the release party for this semester’s edition of the literary magazine "The Broken Plate."
"The Broken Plate" is put together by the students of a year-long English course. Submissions for the magazine are accepted both internationally and nationally. The students then choose which submissions to include.
The In Print authors are showcased in the magazine along with several Ball State students.
In Print will be in the Art and Journalism Building Room 175. Refreshments and a book signing will be available.
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