Don’t Miss Sam Waterston’s Keynote at the Author Dinner-Buy Tickets Before They Sell Out!
Enjoy dining and discourse, brief author readings, a wine reception and more at the November 6th author dinner. Read More…

Workshops and Lectures Are Filling Fast-Reserve Today!
The Nature of Words festival starts November 3rd — don’t miss out! Read More…

From Prisoner to Poet: Be Inspired by Jimmy Santiago Baca
Celebrated poet, memoirist, teacher and inspirational speaker will present at The Nature of Words festival. Read More…

Guest Author Reading Tickets Still Available at the Tower Theatre!
Visit www.towertheatre.org or call 541.317.0700. Reading tickets are sold out on The Nature of Words site. Read More…

David Whyte Fans: Meet Him at The Nature of Words!
Spiritual Poet, Author and Naturalist Wil...

Judges have chosen winning entries in fiction, literary non-fiction, poetry and nature essay
The competition, now in its fifth year, is awarded at the annual festival, scheduled for November 3-7, 2010 in Bend, Oregon. Prizes will be awarded in fiction, literary non-fiction, nature essay and poetry in two age categories, 15-18 and 19-25. Winning writers will receive a $100 cash prize, trophy, inclusion of their winning entry in an anthology, recognition in an awards ceremony at the November festival, and a scholarship to one of The Nature of Words workshops in their winning genre. Honorable Mention winners receive a trophy, inclusion of their winning entry in an anthology, and recognition at an awards ceremony at the November festival.

In its fifth year, the Rising Star competition received...

Jimmy Santiago Baca
Category: Literary Nonfiction
Memorist, poet, education crusader who learned to read and write, and discovered his writing talent, in prison Read More…

Michael Dickman
Category: Poetry
Rising young star of the poetry world and twin brother of 2009 guest author Matthew Dickman. Read More…

Gary Fisketjon – Editor
Category: Editor
Vice-President and Editor-at-Large for Alfred A. Knopf Publishers Read More…

Kent Haruf
Category: Fiction
A masterful writer of dialogue and detail, whose novels are set in his native Colorado. Read More…

Hillary Jordan
Category: Fiction
Her first novel, Mudbound, was released to critical acclaim, and depicts the fury and terror of racism. Read More…

Anne Lamott
Category: Non-fiction
A ruthlessly honest and funny best-selling author of fiction an...

Scheduled Events
You won’t want to miss any of this literary long weekend!

Sorry, No Refunds on any tickets. Instead, sell your tickets to someone who will also enjoy The Nature of Words!
Ticket or event questions? Email here or call Elise Bartow at 541.647.2233.

Attending from out of town?
Click here for VisitBend (the Bend Visitors and Convention Bureau) and a wealth of travel, lodging and area info!

Driving Directions to the Central Oregon Community College/OSU-Cascades Campus

Find locations of workshops, Baca, Lamott & Whyte lectures and Rising Star Awards

Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Rising Star Creative Writing Competition Awards Ceremony and Reception and Book Launch for Student Anthology, Words Without Walls
Sponsored by the University of Oregon
Judges: Carol Barrett, Marion David...

Click on the Calendar to Buy Tickets for Festival Events with These 2010 Guest Authors & Speakers
(Click on an author name to read a short bio)

Jimmy Santiago Baca * Michael Dickman * Gary Fisketjon (Editor) * Kent Haruf *
Hillary Jordan * Anne Lamott * Barry Lopez * Paulann Petersen

Brian Turner * David Whyte * Sam Waterston (Dinner Keynote)

The mission of The Nature of Words is to foster an appreciation of the literary arts and humanities in the High Desert region of the Northwest through community interaction with acclaimed authors, and through creative writing programs for students and adults.

Mondays and Thursdays - The Storefront Project. These popular drop-in creative writing workshops continue each month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
October Storefront: Write and perform spoken word poetry with Micah Bournes, a Bend-based spoken word artist.
November Storefront: Story Telling with Elijah Goodall, 2011 Rising Star winner
December: The Storefront takes a break.
January: Performance Poetry with MOsley WOtta
February: Drama with Derek Sitter

November 1 – December 31: Peace, Love and Literature Art Show by John Hillmer, creator of NOW’s 2010 and 2011 festival artwork and NOW’s logo. Featuring paintings and prints inspired by literature and Hillmer’s travels to San Miguel, Mexico.

November 1- 30: Juried Broadside Exhibition at Atelier 6000 in conjunction with NOW’s November fe...

Other Events at The Nature of Words:
The Storefront Project takes a break in December.
January: Performance Poetry with MOslely WOtta
February: Drama with Derek Sitter

The Story You Came To Tell starts January 17th
This popular 6-week series is instructed by
Ellen Waterston.

December 2nd First Friday Art Walk Features
Artist John Hillmer
and Poet Ellen Welcker                

The Nature of Words to Offer Adult Haiku Class
The popular five-week series, Level II, starts January 19th, with instructor Jeb Barton. Read More…

Ellen Waterston’s The Story You Came To Tell Workshop Starts January 17th
Seven-session series helps writers explore fiction, literary nonfiction and poetry with emphasis on the relationship of fiction and nonfiction. First-time writers and those with ongoing projects welcome! Read More…

The Nature of Words Launches Search for New Executive Director
Founder and Executive Director Ellen Waterston will assist in transition and remain active in Central Oregon’s literary arts community, including supporting conceptualization of proposed MFA in Creative Writing to be offered by OSU-Cascades. Read More…

The Nature of Words Announces Sponsorship of Onl...

Rising Star Creative Writing Competition

The Nature of Words has issued the call for entries to the seventh annual Rising Star Creative Writing Competition for emerging writers. Entries for the 2012 competition are due by March 10, 2012 in three genres—fiction, literary nonfiction and poetry—and in three age categories: 15-18, 19-25 and 25+. The competition is open to writers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. All entries must be submitted to The Nature of Wordsvia this entry link (http://thenatureofwords.submishmash.com/submit). No submissions will be accepted through mail or email.

The Nature of Words Rising Star Creative Writing Competition is sponsored by the University of Oregon.

Winners and honorable mentions of the competition are recognized in an awards ceremony at The Nature o...

Thank you to everyone who attended BOOKPLATE and supported NOW’s annual auction!

If you missed the guest author announcement, click here to find out who will appear in the November festival. 

Starting July 11 – WOW: Week of Words for Kids!

Creative writing workshops for ages 5 to 14.

Broadside Exhibition

Call to Artists! 

Atelier 6000 Juried Broadside
Exhibition – A collaboration with The Nature of Words
for the November festival