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Writing seminars

Eric Puchner holding a copy of his novel, "Dream State"
Q+A
Life's indignities unfold in a darkly engaging 'Dream State'
Published April 11, 2025
Writing Seminars chair Eric Puchner talks with a former advisee about why 'dark books' resonate with readers like Oprah Winfrey, who chose his new bestselling novel, 'Dream State', for her renowned book club
Painting of Mary Jo Salter, a woman with short hair and glasses
Q+A
What makes a poem good
Published Winter 2024
Chatting with Mary Jo Salter, the guest editor of The Best American Poetry 2024 / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Synchronized swimmers in water
Swimming in synch
Published Summer 2024
A new book by Vicki Valosik, 'Swimming Pretty,' probes the push and pull between art and athletics as it chronicles the untold story of women in water. / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Chris Childers
Arts+culture
Chris Childers' epic accomplishment
Published June 12, 2024
Ten years in the making, poet and Writing Seminars alum Chris Childers' 956-page translation of Greek and Latin lyric verse is a 'personal odyssey' gathering over 80 poets from across eight centuries
John Barth
In memoriam
John Barth, prolific author and revered mentor, dies at 93
Published April 2, 2024
Barth, a JHU graduate who later taught at his alma mater for more than two decades, was known for his postmodernist, unpredictable fiction and his exacting, generous teaching
Sal Gentile
Q+A
From pen to picket line
Published July 19, 2023
Krieger School alum and Emmy-nominated late-night comedy writer Sal Gentile talks about the ongoing Hollywood writers' strike
Marc Lapadula
In Memoriam
Marc Lapadula, playwright and screenwriter, dies at 62
Published Aug 23, 2022
Marc Lapadula's influence lives on through his creation of the screenwriting program at Hopkins and the lasting impact he had on his students
What About the Baby
Essays
Writing counsel
Published Fall 2021
Reviewing Academy Professor Alice McDermott's new collection of essays, 'What About the Baby?: Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction' / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Author Danielle Evans poses in front of a bookcase
Explorations of the past and present
Published Winter 2020
The seven short stories in "The Office of Historical Corrections," Danielle Evans' latest collection, revolve around characters wrestling with the long shadows of the past. / Johns Hopkins Magazine
Jennifer Finney Boylan
A life in dog years
Published Winter 2020
In her new memoir, writer and activist Jennifer Finney Boylan recalls her past through seven beloved canines. / Johns Hopkins Magazine