Live Readings for Writers: Practical Tips for Performing Your Work in Front of an Audience: What we don’t talk about when we talk about literary readings: they’re kind of boring. As writers, we are more concerned with the words on the page rather than our performance abilities—understandably so. We’re not actors. We’re not stand-up comedians. However, attending and giving readings are an essential piece of literary culture, and writing beautiful prose and reading aloud beautiful prose are two distinct skill sets. Writer to writer, I have a set of tips and tricks to help even the most introverted writer prepare for and perform a reading whether locally or at AWP.

Stephanie Austin is the author of Something I Might Say, a CNF chapbook from WTAW Press. Her debut novel Burn will be out in 2026 with Cowboy Jamboree. Her writing has appeared over the years in American Short Fiction, The Sun, Wigleaf, the New England Review, and others.

This event is exclusively for our Lunch Break Members. Learn more about becoming a member here!