Audience listening to a speaker

The In Print Festival of First Books is a two-day celebration of literary writing and publishing. The first night features a reading by writers from three genres (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction) who have just published their debut books. For the second night these writers are joined by an editor or publisher from a small press or literary journal for a panel discussion on literary editing and publishing. This event is free and open to the public. No registration necessary.

What Makes This Event Unique?

  • The participating In Print authors, having just published their first books, are often recent college graduates with practical advice to give about the journey from “creative writing student” to “published author.”
  • In addition to our writers, our participating In Print editor visits our creative writing classrooms and offers students direct insight into various types of literary careers and the ins and outs of literary editing and publishing.
  • Our students read and study the work of our In Print authors in preparation for the opportunity to talk one-on-one with them in our creative writing classes.
  • In addition to hosting a standing-room-only reading the first night (200+ from Ball State and the Muncie area typically attend), In Print also features a “Panel on Publishing” on the second night that enables students and the community to learn more about paths to publication.

The In Print Festival of First Books

"A Brief History of In Print" by founder Jill Christman

In Print XVII (2022) featured poet Ananda Lima, fiction writer Dionne Irving, and creative nonfiction writer J.R. Jamison, with special guest editor Abigail Cloud.

In Print XVI (2021) featured poet Joy Priest, fiction writer Nancy Wayson Dinan, and creative nonfiction writer Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn, with special guest editor Suzi F. Garcia.

While the 2020 festival was ultimately cancelled due to the pandemic, we were fortunate to read the work of these amazing first-book artists in our classes that year: creative nonfiction writer Noam Dorr, fiction writer Hadley Moore, and poet Jake Skeets.


Poster of 2019 In Print Festival of First Books XIV featuring Poet Chen Chen, fiction writer Maria Romasco Moore, creative nonfiction writer Dustin Parsons and editor Allison Joseph
In Print XIV (2019) featured poet Chen Chen, fiction writer Maria Romasco Moore, creative nonfiction writer Dustin Parsons, with special guest editor Allison Joseph.
In Print 2018 Poster 

In Print XIII (2018) featured poet Carolina Ebeid, fiction writer Nick White, and creative nonfiction writer Jan Shoemaker, with special guest editor Kristen Eilas Rowley.

In Print 12 Poster in 2017

In Print XII (2017) featured poet Iliana Rocha, fiction writer Sequoia Nagamatsu, and creative nonfiction writer Dan Raeburn, with special guest poet and editor Mary Biddinger.

In Print 11 poster in 2016

In Print XI (2016) featured fiction writer Gabriel Urza, nonfiction writer Sarah Einstein, poet Sarah Blake, and editor Keith Tuma.

In Print 10 Poster in 2010

In Print X (2015) featured authors Celeste Ng, Tyler Gobble, Kerry Howley, with guest editor and author Jodee Stanley.

In Print 9 Poster in 2014

In Print IX (2014) featured authors Mario Alberto Zambrano, Natalie Shapero, T Fleischmann, with guest editor and author Jodee Stanley.

In Print 8 Poster in 2013

In Print VIII (2013) featured authors Eugene Cross, Elena Passarello, Marcus Wicker, with guest editor and author Sarah Wells.

In Print 7 Poster in 2012

In Print VII (2012) featured authors Caitlin Horrocks, Glenn Shaheen, Bonnie J. Rough, and special guest Christopher Newgent of Vouched Books.

In Print 6 Poster in 2011

In Print VI (2011) featured authors Tina May Hall, Paul Killebrew, Debra Gwartney, and the editor of Artifice magazine, James Tadd Adcox.

In Print 5 Poster in 2010

In Print V (2010) featured authors Mary Miller, Mitchell Douglas, Kao Kalia Yang, and editor Matt Bell.

In Print 4 Poster in 2009

In Print IV (2009) featured authors Nickole Brown, Laurie Lindeen, and Kyle Minor, and editor Mehdi Okasi.

In Print 3 Poster in 2007

In Print III (2007) featured authors Alan DeNiro, David Griffith, and Sharmila Voorakkara, as well as editor Tracy Truels.

In Print 2 Poster in 2006

In Print II (2006) featured authors Joy Castro, poet Victoria Chang, Ander Monson, and special guest editor Nickole Brown.

In Print 1 in 2005 Poster

In Print I (2005) featured authors Amy Benson, Nickole Brown, Christopher Coake, Cynie Cory, and Brad Land.