Writing Festival Gets a Glow Up
Writing Festival Gets a Glow Up
November 2, 2026
Written by Kari Borne
Since 1985, UW-Whitewater has hosted the Creative Writing Festival for high school writers. For its 41st offering, the Festival has a new name and new director. The either/or Creative Writing Festival has partnered with UWW’s new national literary magazine, either/or to design this year’s event. It is now directed by Chessy Normile, an award-winning author and poet whose book Great Exodus, Great Wall, Great Party was named one of the Best Poetry Books of 2020 in The New York Times.
During the festival, participants attend workshops, keynote speeches, and participate in competitions. These workshops cover a wide range of topics, including poetry, novels, creative nonfiction, and short fiction, as well as special sessions on literary publishing. Students learn new writing techniques, explore different genres, and gain insights from published authors. The festival also provides a space for networking and building connections with fellow writers and professionals in the industry.
Prior to the festival, participants are encouraged to submit original works for evaluation and competition. Pieces can be submitted in a range of categories, including children’s literature, horror and mystery, poetry, screenplay and fan fiction/science fiction/fantasy. Workshop facilitators, primarily UW-Whitewater faculty, provide feedback on all submissions and prize money is awarded to the best pieces.
“I'm honored to help continue this amazing tradition as the new either/or Creative Writing Festival director,” Chessy said. “Poetry became central to my life when I was a teenager. I don't know if I fully realized it at the time, but I was seriously reading it, writing it, and even, when I finally worked up the courage to do so, sharing what I wrote with a few other poets at my school who shared their poems with me, too.” Chessy shared that an event like this would have been beneficial when she was younger. “I think attending a festival like this-- where I could spend the day learning from contemporary poets and meeting peers from other high schools who were equally interested in reading, writing, and discussing poems-- would have been so impactful for me back then.”
This year’s guest artist is Dantiel W. Moniz. Born and raised in Jacksonville, FL Moniz is a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree, a 2024 USA Fellow, the recipient of a Pushcart Prize, the Alice Hoffman Prize for Fiction, and Fellowships from Yaddo and MacDowell, among others. Her first book was a collection of short stories called Milk, Blood, Heat, and her debut novel, Beholder, is forthcoming. Moniz is an Assistant Professor at UW-Madison.
In addition to receiving feedback from professionals, all attendees will receive a copy of either/or, the publication at the heart of the new name. “either/or magazine is a world-class literary journal and working on it is a unique opportunity for the undergraduate students who come here,” Chessy said. “I love the idea that the high school writers who attend this festival, and who might consider attending UWW for college, will get to know about this project and the option to get involved with it should they decide to continue their education here.”
Over 200 students from more than 15 schools from across Wisconsin and Illinois participate in the event each year. The either/or Creative Writing Festival will be held on Wednesday, December 2.