Tacoma is home to a thriving arts scene, and if you’re a writer (or someone who just loves the written word!), there are some awesome ways to get involved with Tacoma’s writing communities! We’ve put together a beginner’s list, but this is by no means comprehensive—if you have something you’d like to share, we’d love to hear about it in the comments! Here are a few ways to get plugged into Tacoma’s writing community:
1. Check out the Creative Colloquy community
This rad nonprofit’s mission “is to foster the creative community through unique literary events and publications.” There are a few ways you can participate in Creative Colloquy’s offerings—they hold readings and a literary open mic for the all ages crowd at Honey at Alma Mater in Downtown Tacoma once a month, they host an annual Creative Colloquy Crawl, and all kinds of other writerly gatherings throughout the year. Whether you’re a writer or just a lover of the literary, this is a great way to meet new Tacoma peeps, share your work, improve your work, and celebrate the written word!
- You can start by following Creative Colloquy on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out on events.
- Marguerite did an episode of TryTacoma.tv about Creative Colloquy’s Open Mic night!
- We also interviewed Creative Colloquy’s founder Jackie Casella on the Move to Tacoma podcast, which is a great intro to understanding what Creative Colloquy is all about!
2. See what’s new with Write 253, a Tacoma nonprofit
This amazing nonprofit’s offerings include after school programs for kids, writing programs at Remann Hall, college essay writing help, and the Louder Than a Bomb Poetry Slam Festival. They also host occasional workshops, competitions, and partner with other Tacoma organizations to host events.
- Be sure to follow Write 253 on Facebook so you can get updates on events and happenings! (They have an active Twitter as well if that’s more your speed!)
- Listen to our interview with Michael Haeflinger, Executive Director of Write 253, on the Move to Tacoma podcast here!
3. Follow Tacoma Poet Laureate, Kellie Richardson
Born and raised in Tacoma, Kellie Richardson is working “to create spaces of cross cultural dialogue and healing to cultivate human connection you might not have otherwise.” You can learn all about Kellie’s wonderful work on our podcast, and keep up with happenings on her website, Facebook page, and Twitter.
4. Check out Destiny City Comics
Located in Tacoma’s Stadium District, not only can you pick up a huge variety of comics and graphic novels at Destiny City Comics, but they also offer some great events all year long. Click here to follow them on Facebook and bookmark events to make sure you don’t miss out!
5. Take advantage of resources offered by the Tacoma Public Library
The library is a pretty cool place, y’all! There are SO MANY resources offered for free by the Tacoma Public Library, including the occasional writing workshop! Be sure to check the calendar for events like fan fiction write-ins and writing workshops for tweens.
6. Attend a workshop with Cascade Writers
This rad nonprofit hosts educational seminars and workshops for writers. Cascade Writers workshops routinely feature authors, agents, illustrators, editors, and others from the writing and publishing world. Check out their informative website for info on events and follow them on Facebook for updates!
7. Visit King’s Books
King’s Books in the Stadium District is a haven for readers, and writers will feel right at home in this community gathering space + bookstore. In addition to hosting several book clubs, be sure to check the schedule for occasional visiting writers and other literary events.
8. Attend a Continuing Education writing class or event at one of Tacoma’s college campuses
Whether you’re working on a degree or would like to take a class or two for fun, Tacoma Community College offers a wide selection. Check out info on their English classes here, and take a look at their Continuing Education catalog to see what’s new. The University of Washington Tacoma also has a writing program, and we recommend bookmarking their calendar so you can stay on top of public workshops and visiting writers. Additionally, many writing-related events at the University of Puget Sound are also open to the public—click here for the schedule of events.
9. Join a writing Meetup group
Meet locals who are just like you and want to connect with other writers! Find a Tacoma writers group to join here.
10. Follow the Blue Cactus Press Literary Events Calendar
A boutique publishing company, Blue Cactus Press is “dedicated to crafting distinct, quality books by authors of the Pacific Northwest.” They also do a wonderful job of compiling literary events around Tacoma—click here for their events calendar.
