Since 2005, East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma has hosted the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival on the first weekend in April.
The three-day festival typically hosts feature presentations from more than 50 regional, published and emerging authors.
Over the years, at least 12 state poet laureates, 3 national poet laureates, at least 10 National Book Award winners/runnersup from various organizations, at least 6 National Western Heritage Award winners, and at least two Pulitzer prize winners have presented at the Festival.
The Scissortail Creative Writing Festival also features Oklahoma’s most prestigious high school creative writing competition. The annual Darryl Fisher Creative Writing Contest, which began in 2004, is open to all state high school students submitting poetry or short works of fiction.
All sessions are free and open to the public.
19th Annual: Scissortail Creative Writing Festival
April 4 - 6, 2024
East Central University
Ada, Oklahoma
Saturday, April 6
XXII. 9:00 – 10:25 Estep Auditorium
Paul Juhasz: Seminole State College
The Fires of Heraclitus
Roseanna Alice Boswell: Stillwater, Oklahoma
In the House | In the Woods
Corbett Buchly: Richardson, Texas
Finding New Portals
Molly Sizer: Lawton, Oklahoma
The Pain of Being
XXIII. 9:00 – 10:25 Regents Room
Hank Jones: Tarleton State University
Press the Soil Down
Aly Allen: Oklahoma State University
Paying for Gas with Quarters
John Yozzo: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Rhythms & Riddles: Loss & What Follows
D.L. Lang: Vallejo, California
The Journey and the Destinations
XXIV. 10:35 -11:50 Estep Auditorium
Paul Bowers: Northern Oklahoma College
Tortuga Jorge
Denise Tolan: San Antonio, Texas
from Italian Blood
Chris Murphy: Northeastern State University
Mazza
Ky George: Gallup, New Mexico
Fire in the Pulpit
XXV. 12:15 – 1:00 pm Estep Auditorium
Grand Finale, Featuring:
Quraysh Ali Lansana