Literary Festival Events

When Elizabeth de Veer's daughter was little, they watched 1950s animated  Disney Cinderella movie together. Growing up, it had been de Veer's favorite movie. This time, however, she found the story flat, lacking—and decided to fix it.

Boston-based etiquetteer Robert Dimmick looks at examples of beautiful letters through history, discusses efforts in this century to cultivate handwritten correspondence, and provides tips for writing a letter your recipient will want to read.

Author and longtime public relations professional Norman Birnbach will guide authors of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry through the intricacies of pitching their work, developing a launch timeline, and crafting key messages for—and conducting interviews with—the media.

In this workshop, tweens and teens will work on plotting and character development as a fun and supportive group. We will also discuss story elements such as setting, voice, dialogue, and point-of-view. Participants may bring something they’re already working on or they can start something new.

This generative workshop with Katie Naoum Rogers invites young writers ages nine to 14 to experiment, play, and craft new work. We’ll read short poems and mentor texts, try a variety of creative prompts and games, and spend most of our time writing.

Captain Raymond H. Bates, Jr., well-known Marblehead lobsterman, scallop and SCUBA diver, and lifelong maritime historian, is a man with stories to tell—and he tells them well.

Back by popular demand is M.P Carver’s popular erasure poetry workshop. Erasure—or blackout—poetry is a form of found poetry wherein one takes an existing text and erases, blacks out, or otherwise obscures a large portion of the text, creating a wholly new work from what remains.

Join local literary scholar and author Tom Connolly on a walking tour that tracks the many fiendish and foul deeds—both fictional and factual—that haunt Marblehead’s streets and shores. Limited spots available and going fast, purchase your ticket ASAP!