Writer-in-Residence - Bexley Public Library

Reset to standard size

Font size options

Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.

Reset to default contrast

Contrast options

Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.

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 2026 BPL Writer-in-Residence program is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

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

Grace Ellis

Grace Ellis is a New York Times–bestselling, award-winning writer of graphic novels, plays, prose, and animation. She’s best known as the co-creator of the comics Lumberjanes, Moonstruck, and Flung Out of Space, along with her extensive work for DC Comics. Her writing is noted for its humor, heart, and character-driven storytelling.

Outside of publishing, Grace is an active member of the Columbus arts community. She founded and curates Columbus Stage Times, a comprehensive weekly calendar spotlighting more than 150 Central Ohio theater companies, and she serves on the education board of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus.

Grace loves helping writers discover their creative voice across any medium, genre or ability level. She has a particular passion for demystifying storytelling and helping writers (i.e. you) feel confident on the page. When she's not writing, she can be found watching women's hockey or going for a lil walk.

Click here for more information!

Previous Writers

Plot Doctor - BPL Writer-in-Residence Podcast Series with Grace Ellis

Do you have questions about writing or publishing that you'd like to ask a published author? Submit your questions to writer@bexleylibrary.org and BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis will answer them on a special BPL Podcast Plot Doctor series. Visit BexleyLibrary.org/Podcasts for current and past BPL Podcast episodes.

Upcoming Writer-in-Residence Events

Write the First Page - With BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis

Thu, Feb 26, 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Bexley Public Library - Bexley Library Auditorium

Everyone has a book they want to write, but that first blank page can be a huge hurdle. This workshop explores techniques for getting started and looks at what makes an impactful opening page.

Reader's Theater - With BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis

Tue, Mar 24, 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Bexley Public Library - Quiet Reading Room

Join BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis for a community Reader's Theater! We'll choose a script to read through together and discover what works, and what doesn't, as we "act" out a play.

How to Write a Script: Writing Workshop - With BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis

Tue, Apr 14, 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Bexley Public Library - Quiet Reading Room

So many forms of writing are scripts: plays, movies & TV, of course, but also comic books, podcasts, TikToks & more. This workshop explores the fundamentals of scriptwriting & what makes a script work

Explicit Content for Teens Reader's Theater - With BPL Writer-in-Residence Grace Ellis

Tue, May 05, 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Bexley Public Library - Bexley Library Auditorium

Join us as we read through Grace's own play, Explicit Content for Teens, which explores "the delicate balance between free speech, censorship, and artistic expression."

See all events

Books by Grace Ellis

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

Plot Doctor - BPL Writer-in-Residence Podcast Series with Grace Ellis

Books by Grace Ellis

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