Rising Writers
New Mexico Writers is committed to supporting aspiring writers in New Mexico through its Rising Writers program. Rising Writers is a chance for aspiring, unpublished writers to spend time in conversation with an established writer in their chosen genre. Rising Writers sessions are held at coffee shops, book stores, and non-profit conference rooms. Both established and rising writers are enthusiastic about the experience and excited to create a supportive writing community. Click the years below to see previous session hosts.
In its third season, the Rising Writers program is expanding throughout the state. Established writers hosting the 2025 sessions are: Sue Boggio and Mare Pearl (presenting in Albuquerque), Rus Bradburd (Las Cruces), Zahra Marwan (Gallup), Byron Aspaas (Farmington area), John Fayhee (Silver City), and Justin Golding (Albuquerque). Details for the 2025 Rising Writers sessions are below.
If you are interested in attending a 2025 session, please Sign Up. First come, first served, so don’t delay!
For questions or comments about the Rising Writers program, please Email our Rising Writers Committee Chair, Lucy Moore.
Rising Writers Sessions
The 2025 Rising Writers sessions will be hosted by:
- John Fayhee ~ Creative Non-fiction and Outdoor Nature Writing
February 5, 2025 | Silver City | Miller Library, Western New Mexico University - Justin Golding ~ Writing Visually for the Screen: Show it, don’t say it, and if you have to say it, don’t show it!
February 19, 2025 | Albuquerque | University Heights United Methodist Church - Sue Boggio and Mare Pearl ~ Working Together: Strategies for Fiction and Non-fiction Projects
February 22, 2025 | Albuquerque | Books on the Bosque - Zahra Marwan ~ Writing and Illustrating Children’s Books
March 13, 2025 | Gallup - Rus Bradburd ~ Writing a Novel and Using Satire
March 21, 2025 | 3:00-4:30 p.m. | Las Cruces - Byron Aspaas ~ Poetry and Creative Non-fiction – Diné
April 22, 2025 | 2:00-4:00 p.m. | Farmington | San Juan Center for Independence
The 2024 Rising Writers sessions were hosted by:
- Alexandra Diaz (children, YA)
- Cynthia Sylvester (fiction, hybrid books, poetry)
- Elizabeth Trupin-Pulli (Let’s Talk about Getting Published)
- Joseph Badal (action, mystery, thriller)
- Sandra Blakeslee (Writing about Science & Medicine)
- Sharman Apt Russell (science, nature, personal essay)
The 2023 Rising Writers sessions were hosted by:
- Alexandra Diaz (children, YA)
- Arthur Sze (poetry)
- David Morrell (thriller, mystery, horror)
- Johnny Boggs (western)
- Ron Bloomberg (screen and play writing, directing, producing)