Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Search

Aspen Summer Words Public Panels with Literary Luminaries

Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.

Jun 18 – 21 2018
Aspen, CO

Date

Jun 18 – 21 2018
12:00am

Location

Aspen, CO
The Gant
610 S. West End St

Contact

    ellie.scott@aspeninstitute.org
    970-925-3122

Hosts

  1. Aspen Words

Series passes ($75 Member / $100 Non-member) are available in advance and include access to all five panels.
$25 individual tickets can be purchased at the door with cash or credit card.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

Workshop students and Readers’ Retreat participants do not need to purchase a pass – this is included with tuition.

Doors open 30 minutes prior to the event start-time. Passholders should arrive early to guarantee their seats.

Author Bios

MONDAY, JUNE 18

How to Start a Writing Project and Make It to the Finish Line
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Moderator: Caroline Tory
Panelists: Helen Schulman, Anthony Marra, Tina Chang, Bruce Handy

Just like in stories, beginnings and endings are important in your writing process. Helen Schulman, Anthony Marra, Tina Chang and Bruce Handy share advice about how to launch a new project, navigate the revision stage and make it to the finish line.

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. HAPPY HOUR WITH CASH BAR

Real Life Stories and How to Tell Them
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Moderator: Jamie Kravitz
Panelists: Margot Lee Shetterly, Heather Harpham, Beth Nguyen, Aran Shetterly

Why do personal stories–whether memoir or narrative nonfiction–matter and who has the right to tell them? Margot Lee Shetterly, Heather Harpham, Beth Nguyen and Aran Shetterly discuss the art of writing about your own life, or someone else’s, in a compelling way.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19

No author events due to evening Summer Benefit, taking place at the Hotel Jerome Grand Ballroom from 6pm-10pm. This event requires a separate ticket. Click here for more info.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

What Every Writer Should Know about Working with Agents + Editors
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Moderator: Elizabeth Nix
Panelists: J. Courtney Sullivan, Brettne Bloom, Ben Loehnen, Barbara Jones, Ayesha Pande

What does it take to have a successful working relationship with an agent and editor? Writer- agent pair J. Courtney Sullivan and Brettne Bloom will be joined by editors Ben Loehnen and Barbara Jones and agent Ayesha Pande to discuss the dynamics of effective literary collaborations.

The Writer’s Life: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
The Belly Up | 6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. *Please note the different location for this event
Moderator: Adrienne Brodeur
Panelists: J. Courtney Sullivan, Margot Lee Shetterly, Peter Ho Davies

The world can feel like a complicated place these days. What does it mean to be a writer in this cultural and political moment? Margot Lee Shetterly, J. Courtney Sullivan and Peter Ho Davies discuss how to navigate the noise and create art in chaotic times.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

The Take Away
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 4:00pm – 5:15pm
Moderator: TBA
Panelists: Helen Schulman, Tina Chang, Heather Harpham, Peter Ho Davies, Anthony Marra

After a creative, inspiring week in Aspen, how do you keep the momentum going when you return to your writing desk? Summer Words faculty share their advice and discuss what they wish they’d known before publishing their first books, among other topics.

Series passes ($75 Member / $100 Non-member) are available in advance and include access to all five panels.
$25 individual tickets can be purchased at the door with cash or credit card.

IMPORTANT DETAILS

Workshop students and Readers’ Retreat participants do not need to purchase a pass – this is included with tuition.

Doors open 30 minutes prior to the event start-time. Passholders should arrive early to guarantee their seats.

Author Bios

MONDAY, JUNE 18

How to Start a Writing Project and Make It to the Finish Line
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Moderator: Caroline Tory
Panelists: Helen Schulman, Anthony Marra, Tina Chang, Bruce Handy

Just like in stories, beginnings and endings are important in your writing process. Helen Schulman, Anthony Marra, Tina Chang and Bruce Handy share advice about how to launch a new project, navigate the revision stage and make it to the finish line.

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. HAPPY HOUR WITH CASH BAR

Real Life Stories and How to Tell Them
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Moderator: Jamie Kravitz
Panelists: Margot Lee Shetterly, Heather Harpham, Beth Nguyen, Aran Shetterly

Why do personal stories–whether memoir or narrative nonfiction–matter and who has the right to tell them? Margot Lee Shetterly, Heather Harpham, Beth Nguyen and Aran Shetterly discuss the art of writing about your own life, or someone else’s, in a compelling way.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19

No author events due to evening Summer Benefit, taking place at the Hotel Jerome Grand Ballroom from 6pm-10pm. This event requires a separate ticket. Click here for more info.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

What Every Writer Should Know about Working with Agents + Editors
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Moderator: Elizabeth Nix
Panelists: J. Courtney Sullivan, Brettne Bloom, Ben Loehnen, Barbara Jones, Ayesha Pande

What does it take to have a successful working relationship with an agent and editor? Writer- agent pair J. Courtney Sullivan and Brettne Bloom will be joined by editors Ben Loehnen and Barbara Jones and agent Ayesha Pande to discuss the dynamics of effective literary collaborations.

The Writer’s Life: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
The Belly Up | 6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. *Please note the different location for this event
Moderator: Adrienne Brodeur
Panelists: J. Courtney Sullivan, Margot Lee Shetterly, Peter Ho Davies

The world can feel like a complicated place these days. What does it mean to be a writer in this cultural and political moment? Margot Lee Shetterly, J. Courtney Sullivan and Peter Ho Davies discuss how to navigate the noise and create art in chaotic times.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

The Take Away
The Gant Conference Center | Maroon Room | 4:00pm – 5:15pm
Moderator: TBA
Panelists: Helen Schulman, Tina Chang, Heather Harpham, Peter Ho Davies, Anthony Marra

After a creative, inspiring week in Aspen, how do you keep the momentum going when you return to your writing desk? Summer Words faculty share their advice and discuss what they wish they’d known before publishing their first books, among other topics.

Aspen Ideas Festival 2025

Bold ideas. Bright minds. One transformative week.

Psychedelics and the Brain: Unlocking New Possibilities for Healing

Featuring Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, Ralph Metzner Distinguished Professor in Neurology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco.

Food, Family, and Tradition: A Conversation with Lidia Bastianich

Featuring Lidia Bastianich, acclaimed chef, restaurateur, best-selling author, and Emmy-winning TV personality.

Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America

Featuring Barbara McQuade, former US Attorney, professor from practice at the University of Michigan Law School and best-selling author.

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain

Featuring Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, renowned psychologist, neuroscientist, best-selling author, and University Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University.

Advancing America’s Prosperity

Join the Aspen Economic Strategy Group for a conversation with economic experts about ongoing developments in US economic policy.

Citizenship, Democracy, and America’s Role in the World

Featuring Dr. Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.”

The Future of Journalism: Trust, Truth, and Technology in a Changing Media Landscape

Featuring Meredith Kopit Levien, president and chief executive officer, The New York Times Company.

Reagan: His Life, Legacy, and the Shaping of Modern Conservatism

Featuring Max Boot, historian, foreign policy analyst, and best-selling author.

75th Anniversary Community Celebration – Humanism and the Possibilities of Renewal

Featuring David Brooks in conversation with Todd Breyfogle.