Visiting Writers

Throughout the year, MPW hosts a series of panel discussions and classroom visits featuring notable writers from all genres, as well as recruits working writers to teach specialized courses as guest lecturers. Recent and upcoming visitors include:

• Lynell George (journalist, No Crystal Stair)

• Tom Bissell (journalist, Magic Hours)

• Kay Ryan (poet, The Best of It)

• Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (TV writer, Family Guy)

• Natalie Chaidez (TV writer, Heroes)

• Emma Forrest (memoirist, Your Voice in My Head)

• Denis Johnson (author, Jesus' Son)

• Jamaica Kincaid (author, A Small Place)

• Susan Orlean (author, The Orchid Thief)

• Blake Nelson (novelist, Girl)

• Rachel "Maude" Reilich (novelist, Poseur)

• Ned Vizzini (novelist, Be More Chill)

• Dana Gioia (poet, Interrogations at Noon)

• Mike Birbiglia (author, Sleepwalk with Me) [via Skype]

• Julie Hébert (TV writer, The Good Wife)

• Jon Robin Baitz (playwright, The Substance of Fire)

• Dawn Prestwich (TV writer, The Killing)

• Nicole Yorkin (TV writer, The Killing)

• Mary Roach (author, Bonk)

• Gail Lerner (TV writer, Happy Endings)

• Yiyun Li (author, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers)

• Claire Hoffman (journalist, Rolling Stone)

• Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum (novelist, Ms. Hempel Chronicles)

• Eavan Boland (poet, New Collected Poems)

• Eric Lax (memoirist, Faith, Interrupted)

• Heather King (memoirist, Redeemed)

• Mark Salzman (novelist, Lying Awake)

• Alexander Woo (TV writer, True Blood)

• Adrienne Sharp (novelist, The True Memoirs of Little K)

• Bill Odenkirk (TV writer, The Simpsons)

• Rebecca McClanahan (author, Word Painting)

• Jane Smiley (novelist, A Thousand Acres) [via Skype]

• Kyle Patrick Alvarez (screenwriter, Easier with Practice)

• William Wheeler (screenwriter, The Hoax)

• Iris Yamashita (screenwriter, Letters from Iwo Jima)

• Paul Attanasio (TV writer, House)

• Jonathan Gold (food critic, LA Weekly)

• Robin Swicord (screenwriter, The Jane Austen Book Club)

• Michael Tolkin (novelist/screenwriter, The Player)

• Meghan Daum (author, My Misspent Youth)

• Lan Samantha Chang (novelist, All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost)

• D.A. Powell (poet, Chronic)

• John D'Agata (essayist, Hall of Fame)

• Sapphire (novelist, Push)