Literary programming at Centrum began in 1974 with the founding of the Port Townsend Writers' Conference by novelist Bill Ransom and poet Carolyn Forché. These writers created an egalitarian, non-hierarchical writers' conference where the emphasis was on the craft of literary writing and the development of a year-round literary community that nurtured and challenged writers. 

In the years since, some of the finest writers in North America come to Centrum to teach, take workshops, or simply come as writers-in-residence. Some of the writers who have passed through include Margaret Atwood, William Stafford, Ken Kesey, Kenneth Rexroth, Alice Walker, Raymond Carver, and many, many others.

And it's all happening again in 2010–but with more workshops, participants, and locations than ever before. Registration for the 37th-annual Port Townsend Writers' Conference, as well as new workshops we're not quite ready to publicize yet, will open on November 9, at 9 am.

We've restructured the summer Conference only very slightly, to add one more morning-exercises class, led by legendary writing guide Ellie Mathews from 9 to 10:30 pm, daily.

We're also bringing back the final, celebratory Saturday night book-signing, with the Bookstore open, and a full complement of wine options.

The other morning workshop faculty members will include fiction writer Chris Abani, nonfiction writer Denise Chávez, poet Martín Espada, poet Dana Levin, fiction writer Micheline Aharonian Marcom, travel writer Tom Miller, nonfiction writer Bich Minh Nguyen (leading a master class), and fiction writer Ana Menéndez.

Afternoon workshop faculty members will include Wendy Call, Sam Ligon, Susan Landgraf, Susan Rich, Deborah Poe, Lana Ayers, Kelli Russell Agodon, Maya Jewell Zeller, Tamara Sellman, Kitty Hoffman, and others.

Registration will be available in ten days! On November 9, registration will be available here, or by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x131 or x117.