Writing
Writing Program
Find your voice, explore new ideas, and connect with a community of writers. Through workshops, readings, and creative opportunities, the Hoffman Writing Program welcomes writers of all experience levels to develop their craft and share their stories.
Every Story Starts
Somewhere
Whether you're putting pen to paper for the first time or refining your craft, the Writing Program offers space to discover what's possible with words. Learn from accomplished writers, exchange ideas, and find inspiration in the creative community of Oregon's North Coast.
Writing Program Events
Explore upcoming writing workshops, author readings, and literary events designed to inspire new ideas and strengthen your creative practice.
North Coast Squid
The North Coast Squid is a literary journal published by the Hoffman Center for the Arts Writing Program, featuring work from writers and artists connected to the North Oregon Coast. Published every other year, the Squid showcases stories, poetry, essays, and visual art.
The 10th edition was released in Fall 2025 alongside a gallery exhibition and community celebration in Manzanita.
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Available at select bookstores and shops along the North Oregon Coast, including:
Manzanita — Hoffman Gallery, Cloud & Leaf Bookstore, Manzanita News & Espresso, Wild Manzanita
Nehalem — Wild Coast Goods
Wheeler — The Roost
Rockaway Beach — Seaquest Treasures
Tillamook — Tillamook County Pioneer Museum
Cannon Beach — Cannon Beach Book Company, Cannon Beach Gallery
Seaside — Beach Books
Astoria — Salty Siren Bookstore, Godfather’s Books
Writing Opportunities
Author Presentations
Experience the power of storytelling through author readings, book signings, and the Manzanita Writers Series, featuring local, regional, and nationally recognized voices.
Neahkahnie Mountain Poetry Prize
An annual celebration of poetry from writers connected to the North Oregon Coast. Submit original work for a chance to be recognized, published, and celebrated.
Word & Image
Where writing and visual art meet. This collaborative project pairs writers and artists to inspire original work, culminating in an exhibition and published collection.
Writing Workshops
Develop your voice and explore new genres through guided workshops led by experienced writers. From creative exploration to focused craft development, there's room to grow at every stage.
Have a Story to Share?
Your words deserve to be heard. Explore opportunities to submit your writing, connect with fellow artists, and contribute to the creative spirit of our community.
Saturday, October 24th
5:00-6:30pm
Free admission
Please register in advance
Join us for an evening with award-winning author Rene Denfeld in conversation with Dan DeWeese of Propeller Books. Rene will read from her latest novel The Talking Bone and open to a lively literary discussion with Dan about writing and publishing with Q&A from the audience and a book signing event.
Cloud & Leaf Bookstore will have copies of books available for sale on site.
Free admission to this event is supported by a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation.
About Rene Denfeld
Rene Denfeld is the bestselling author of five novels, including The Enchanted, The Child Finder and The Talking Bone. Her novels have won numerous prestigious literary awards, including a French Prix, an ALA Medal of Excellence listing, a Carnegie listing, and an IMPAC listing. The Child Finder was a USA Today Bestseller. Rene's literary thrillers are inspired by her day job. For almost twenty years she has worked as a licensed death row investigator. In the past, she was the Chief Investigator for a public defense firm. Rene lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is the proud mom to kids she adopted from foster care. Her grandparents, Eldridge "Pops" Appleton and Maggie Appleton, were longtime residents of Manzanita and were credited with helping create the library.
For more info, click here to visit Rene’s website
About Dan DeWeese
Dan DeWeese is the author of the novels Double Standard, Gielgud, and the Oregon Book Award-nominated You Don't Love This Man. His story collection, Disorder, was the inaugural title of the Oregon Book Club, and his fiction has appeared in publications including Tin House, New England Review, and The Normal School. He is the managing editor of the Northwest Collection, a series of reissued titles that represent the literary history of the Pacific Northwest, and he teaches writing, rhetoric, and film at Portland State University.
For more info, click here to visit Dan’s website