Writer-in-Residence - Bexley Public Library

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The Bexley Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence (WIR) Program is designed to cultivate and amplify the vibrant literary community in central Ohio. By offering a platform for aspiring writers to grow and connect, the program provides invaluable opportunities for inspiration, learning, and collaboration.

About the BPL Writer-in-Residence Program

The Bexley Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence (WIR) Program is designed to cultivate and amplify the vibrant literary community in central Ohio. By offering a platform for aspiring writers to grow and connect, the program provides invaluable opportunities for inspiration, learning, and collaboration.

The BPL Writer-in-Residence will play a key role in bridging the library with the local literary scene by:

-Leading Writing Workshops: Inspiring and instructing emerging writers on how to hone their craft and explore new creative possibilities.
-Showcasing Central Ohio’s Literary Talent: Curating content for the BPL Blog and BPL Podcast, organizing engaging library programs, and fostering meaningful connections between the library and the writing community.
-Enhancing BPL’s Writing Programs: Assisting in the development and promotion of writing-related events, resources, and learning opportunities for writers at every stage of their journey.

To learn more about the program, including eligibility and application details, visit the Requirements & Criteria page.

For any questions, please contact us at programming@bexleylibrary.org.

About the Writer

Cynthia Amoah

Cynthia Amoah is a Ghanaian-American poet, national speaker, and teaching artist. She received her MFA from The New School where she was awarded the prestigious Paul Violi Poetry Prize and cited for Excellence in Poetry. Cynthia began competing nationally in recitation and motivational speaking engagements in 2006. Since then, her dynamic voice and strong stage presence has captured and inspired diverse audiences, both locally and globally.

Cynthia’s voice reflects the strong and colorful oral traditions of her homeland, Ghana, which undoubtedly cultivates and shapes her work. Although influenced by diasporic motifs, Cynthia transcends limitations and labels, instead embracing a holistic, multifaceted identity.

Her work can be found published in OURS Magazine, Nimrod Journal, Ohio Humanities: Pathways, and The African Poetry Book Fund’s New-Generation African Poets Chapbooks by Akashic Books. Cynthia’s chapbook ‘Handrails’ was published by Akashic in Fall 2021.

Click here for more information!

Joy Is a Homeland - Cynthia Amoah Reading Recommendations

This collection gathers voices that reclaim joy, rest, and selfhood across borders, generations,
and identities. Through memoir, fiction, and poetry, these works explore what it means to come
home to yourself—even when the world asks you to forget.

About the BPL Writer-in-Residence Program

The Bexley Public Library’s inaugural Writer-in-Residence (WIR) Program is designed to cultivate and amplify the vibrant literary community in central Ohio. By offering a platform for aspiring writers to grow and connect, the program provides invaluable opportunities for inspiration, learning, and collaboration.

Running from March 1 – August 31, 2025, this exciting inaugural initiative is made possible through an LSTA grant from the State Library of Ohio. The BPL Writer-in-Residence will play a key role in bridging the library with the local literary scene by:

Leading Writing Workshops: Inspiring and instructing emerging writers on how to hone their craft and explore new creative possibilities.
Showcasing Central Ohio’s Literary Talent: Curating content for the BPL Blog and BPL Podcast, organizing engaging library programs, and fostering meaningful connections between the library and the writing community.
Enhancing BPL’s Writing Programs: Assisting in the development and promotion of writing-related events, resources, and learning opportunities for writers at every stage of their journey.

Are you a published author with a passion for mentoring others? Apply to be the next BPL Writer-in-Residence and make an impact on the future of central Ohio’s literary community.

To learn more about the program, including eligibility and application details, visit the Requirements & Criteria page.

For any questions, please contact us at programming@bexleylibrary.org.

BPL Writer-in-Residence

The BPL Writer-in-Residence (WIR) aims to build on the dynamic creative arts and literary community around Columbus and to create opportunities for aspiring writers to find inspiration, gain instructional knowledge from published authors, and connect with each other at the Bexley Public Library.

Check back in February for more information on the inaugural BPL Writer-in-Residence and upcoming writing workshops.

BPL Writer-in-Residence

The BPL Writer-in-Residence aims to build on the dynamic creative arts and literary community around Columbus and to create opportunities for aspiring writers to find inspiration, gain instructional knowledge from published authors, and connect with each other at the Bexley Public Library.

Writing Workshops, Programs, and Resources

(Check back for BPL Writer-in-Residence workshop dates & information)

Feed of writing workshops & events
Blog entries from the WIR
Podcast episodes from the WIR
About the Writer-in-Residence (author bio)

About the BPL Writer-in-Residence Program

The inaugural BPL Writer-in-Residence will run from March 1 - August 31, 2025 and is funded through a competitive grant from the State Library of Ohio. The BPL Writer-in-Residence serves as a liaison between the Bexley Public Library and the central Ohio literary community by:

Teaching instructional writing workshops for aspirational writers to learn and hone their craft
Connecting with the community through library programming, creating content for the BPL Blog and BPL Podcast, and fostering opportunities for engagement between the Bexley Public Library and local writers
Assisting with the coordination and promotion of BPL writing programs and developing new resources for aspiring writers

Are you an author interested in becoming the next BPL Writer-in-Residence? Learn more about the BPL Writer-in-Residence program on the Overview & Requirements page.

[This last line will only be visible on the page when we’re looking for applications, the Overview & Requirements page should be a “hidden” page that we link to during the application process]

APPLY TO BECOME THE NEXT BPL WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE

Joy Is a Homeland - Cynthia Amoah Reading Recommendations

About the BPL Writer-in-Residence Program

APPLY TO BECOME THE NEXT BPL WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE

BPL Writer-in-Residence

Check back in February for more information on the inaugural BPL Writer-in-Residence and upcoming writing workshops.

BPL Writer-in-Residence

Writing Workshops, Programs, and Resources

About the BPL Writer-in-Residence Program