“Write about it.” Those are the words my novelist mother would say whenever I was upset about something. Even when I was tearful or furious because of something she had uttered or done. It was always the same advice: “Write about it.”
It’s advice that I have taken, and I have given to others — although not with the same no-frills three-word directive that my mother used. As the director of the literary festival Islanders Write, which is put on by The MV Times, my approach to encouraging people to write about it has been to bring aspiring writers together with established ones. To ask biographers and novelists, memoirists and cookbook authors, journalists and children’s book authors to discuss their craft. And to convene writers working across genres for conversations about what it means to create a well-rounded character, or an unreliable narrator; how to write compelling dialogue, a fascinating essay, or to debate whether it’s OK to write about what you don’t know.
For the first time since we launched Islanders Write in 2014, this summer’s event will take place in mid-July, rather than in August. It will kick off on the evening of Wednesday, July 15, and continue throughout the day on Thursday, July 16.
Thursday’s happenings begin with Judith Hannan’s early morning “Wake Up and Write!” workshop, which will lead into a day of panel discussions focused on the art, craft, and business of writing. I am still in the throes of figuring out who will be speaking and what topics we will be covering, but I can confirm that the Pitch Panel will be returning to Islanders Write, and even though July might seem far away, we are now seeking pitches from writers who want to pitch their book project live at the event.
The Pitch Panel is made up of a publisher and editor, literary agent, author, and publishing executive who offer advice live at the event about the pitch they’ve just heard, and the project. Pitching your book is a necessary skill when traveling down the road to publication; learning the ins and outs of pitching your book will help open doors that like to remain shut.
If you are a writer with a book project and you’re interested in pitching it live at Islanders Write, please go to islanderswrite.com or email me a short description of the book and a short bio. My email address is kate@mvtimes.com.
We consider all genres for the Pitch Panel. In fact, we want all genres! The pitches that will ultimately be chosen will reflect a variety of genres. We like to hear pitches for a novel, a nonfiction book, a memoir, a children’s book, etc. Why? In part, because the feedback from the Pitch Panel, while specific to the book being pitched, is incredibly useful for any of us working on a book project — regardless of genre or topic. And in part, because we know the people joining us at the event are working on a wide variety of books.
Writers will have three minutes to make their book pitch, and then they will hear from the members of the Pitch Panel. Please note that you must be on the Vineyard and at the event to make your pitch.
For books that have been successfully pitched, and published, Edgartown Books will have an onsite pop-up bookstore, and will be hosting Islanders Write author signings throughout the event.
From its inception, Islanders Write has been focused on bringing together writers who are connected to the Vineyard. It’s where you will meet authors who live, visit, create, and struggle through writer’s block on the Island, which is one of the many reasons we love holding the event at Featherstone Center for the Arts — a gallery that promotes and celebrates Vineyard-connected artists. During this summer’s Islanders Write, the gallery will be showing a photography exhibit curated by Michael Johnson — who took one of the Vineyard’s most iconic photos, ”Joy”; the image is of a circle of swimmers on an early morning in Oak Bluffs with arms raised above their heads — and is of work by photographers who have presented at Featherstone’s Tuesday Photo Salons over the past 15 years.
Islanders Write programming and mission have expanded over the past 12 years. Early on we partnered with the Island libraries to launch the “Islanders Read the Classics” program. For the past two years, we have held a March event at Featherstone. And in 2025, we launched the Island Writer program, an exciting initiative that mentors and funds a new generation of Island journalists. For more information on Islanders Write and Islanders Write programs, go to islanderswrite.com.
PULL QUOTE: I can confirm that the Pitch Panel will be returning to Islanders Write, and even though July might seem far away, we are now seeking pitches from writers who want to pitch their book project live at the event.