FEATURING 40+ INDUSTRY EXPERTS ONLINE VIA ZOOM, SATURDAY JUNE 26
“The return of AAWW’s long-running publishing conference serves as a necessary stake in the ground for writers who work every day to articulate the multi-dimensional narratives that make up the very idea of Asian America. This conference isn’t just about demystifying the opaque publishing industry or showcasing the best of Asian American artistry (although we will do that too!)—it is a clarion call that our histories and lived experiences unequivocally make up a rich tapestry in the cultural fabric of America.”
—Jafreen Uddin, AAWW Executive Director
“For thirty years, AAWW has been at the forefront of Asian American literary culture, celebrating and bearing witness to this eclectic, oft-overlooked universe of writing as it has grown, innovated, and found new audiences. It’s great to welcome back PAGE TURNER, our celebration of everything that excites us right now. It’s meant to spark conversation about reading and writing, craft and the publishing industry, all the new avenues emerging for writing and storytelling. But mostly, it’s an opportunity for us to conspire, collaborate, and imagine solidarity with new friends.”
—Hua Hsu, AAWW Board Member
June 10, 2021
New York, NY — Today, the ASIAN AMERICAN WRITERS’ WORKSHOP (AAWW) announced PAGE TURNER, the 2021 Publishing Conference, which will convene experts and authors across industries and genres to share candid insights, advice, and experiences. From the latest generation of literary editors to some of the newest voices in the speculative genre, from academics to Hollywood screenwriters, AAWW invites conference attendees to explore deeply the craft of writing and publishing with this incredible lineup of panels featuring highly sought-after industry insiders.
The conference will open with a keynote address from bestselling author Matthew Salesses (Craft in the Real World, Disappear Doppelgänger Disappear, The Hundred Year Flood), exploring alternative modes of thinking about craft and writing workshops, particularly for writers of color.
Scheduled panels include:
- The New Editorial Vanguard, discussing equity in publishing and steps towards an anti-racist industry, featuring Ibrahim Ahmad (Executive Editor at Viking Penguin), Jennifer Baker (Senior Editor at Amistad Books, creator/host of Minorities in Publishing podcast), Yuka Igarashi (Executive Editor at Graywolf Press, founder of Catapult magazine), Yahdon Israel (Senior Editor at Simon Schuster), and Nadxieli Nieto (Executive Editor at Flatiron Books);
- Podcast Production as Storytelling, discussing alternative forms of narrative, storytelling, and creating space for radical conversations about Asian America, featuring the hosts of Time to Say Goodbye podcast Jay Caspian Kang (writer at large for New York Times Magazine), E. Tammy Kim (contributing opinion writer at The New York Times), and Andy Liu (historian of modern China); and
- Screenwriting and Writing for Television, discussing “making it” in Hollywood as a working screenwriter and carving out space for BIPOC stories, featuring Prashant Venkataramanujam (co-creator, executive producer, and head writer of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj), Lisa Takeuchi Cullen (TV writer, author, and journalist, consulting producer on Law & Order: SVU), Ursula Taherian (award winning actor, filmmaker, and writer), and Reza Aslan (bestselling author, professor, and Emmy-nominated producer)
PAGE TURNER will conclude with an exclusive performance by Utsav Lal, internationally recognized pianist and composer acclaimed for his groundbreaking handling of Indian classical music that treads the line between an ancient tradition and an innate desire for innovation. Lal’s impressive career includes headlining performances at global venues like Carnegie Hall-NYC, Southbank Centre-London, Kennedy Center-Washington DC, Steinway Hall-New York, and others. This performance is being co-presented with the Irish Arts Center.
Additional speakers and moderators will include: Manan Ahmed, Nawaaz Ahmed, Saba Ahmed, Anuk Arudpragasam, Tamiko Beyer, Tashie Bhuiyan, K-Ming Chang, Jaya Chatterjee, Ruoxi Chen, Stephanie Cohen, Nicole Counts, S. B. Divya, Hua Hsu, Nur Nasreen Ibrahim, Jack Jung, Julia Kardon, Sheba Karim, Madhu Kaza, Esther Kim, Kevin Lozano, Mimi Mondal, Jyothi Natarajan, Abdi Nazemian, Lily Philpott, Tejal Rao, Elda Rotor, Sanjena Sathian, Jeremy Tiang, and Jennifer L. Wilson.
The Asian American Writers’ Workshop (AAWW) is devoted to creating, publishing, developing and disseminating creative writing by Asian Americans, and to providing an alternative literary arts space at the intersection of migration, race, and social justice. Since its founding in 1991, AAWW has been dedicated to the belief that Asian American stories deserve to be told.
Tickets for PAGE TURNER are available for purchase now.
For more information about AAWW, visit us on Instagram — Twitter — Eventbrite — Website
For press and media inquiries, contact Lily Philpott at events@aaww.org.