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First Draft Writers' Series
Third Thursday of each month, always FREE

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Ursula LeGuin reading at First Draft.

The First Draft Writers’ Series brings authors and poets of note to the Pendleton stage to share new work. On the third Thursday of each month people who love the written word gather at the PCA’s Pearson Auditorium to hear our featured authors as well as three to five minute open mic readings by local emerging writers.

“Truly, [First Draft] was one of the best adventures of my writing career, right up there with winning the PNBA awards and being interviewed by Studs Turkel.”   - Craig Lesley

Our Open Mic readers add incredible life to First Draft. Whether you're a professional, emerging literary artist, amateur or just get a burst of inspiration to write one thing, we'd love to have you read your original 3-5 minute piece for the audience. Up to ten people can sign up each month to share their work after the featured author and a quick Q&A. Just send us a note in the Zoom chat that you'd like to read.

 

NEXT: Beth Piatote

Thursday, June 18, 2026
7:00 p.m.  BOTH in person and via Zoom
Zoom link HERE
(Having trouble with the link? Text or call Roberta at 541-310-7413 and she'll send it to you directly.)

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Beth Piatote is a Nez Perce scholar, playwright, poet, and associate professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Her books include The Beadworkers, which was longlisted for the PEN/Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection and the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the scholarly monograph Domestic Subjects. Her play, Antíkoni, had its world premiere with Native Voices in Los Angeles in November 2024.

Her poems, scholarly essays, and short stories have appeared in multiple journals and anthologies, including American Quarterly, The Kenyon Review, Poetry, World Literature Today, and PMLA. An enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Piatote is devoted to the study of her heritage language of Nez Perce and is an Indigenous language revitalization activist. She lives in Berkeley, California.

Coming soon:

July: Chris La Tray (in person)
August: Crossing Paths: Queer Moments the Changed Everything, edited by Paul Iarrobino.  Readers: Joy Holmes (in person), with Heidi Bruins Green, Jamison Green, Paul Iarrobino, and Scott Strickland via Zoom
September (Round-Up Break)
October: Marina Richie (Zoom only)
November: Ruby Hanson Murray and Laura Da' (in person)

Check out the list of esteemed writers who have headlined First Draft since 2013.

Become a Friend of First Draft HERE.