Featured Writers
Janna Knittel
Janna Knittel is from the Pacific Northwest and has lived in Minnesota since 2004. Her book, Real Work, is a 2023 Minnesota Book Award finalist. Knittel’s work includes the chapbook Fish & Wild Life and poems in Blueline, Breakwater Review, Constellations, Cottonwood, North Dakota Quarterly, Pleiades, Whale Road Review, and…
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Maya Washington
Maya Washington is an award-winning multi-hyphenate artist: writer, poet, director, narrative and documentary filmmaker (writer/director/producer), actress, creative director, visualist (photography), and arts educator. Her award-winning film, Through the Banks of the Red Cedar, about her father, Vikings football legend Gene Washington, premiered on PBS in 2022. Her memoir, Through the…
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Will McGrath
Will McGrath is an award-winning writer and journalist based in Minneapolis. His debut, Everything Lost Is Found Again, is a joyous investigation into the southern African kingdom of Lesotho, where he lived for several years. That book won the Disquiet Open Borders Book Prize, as well as the Society of…
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Roberta Walburn
Roberta Walburn is a Minneapolis attorney who has been named among the most influential members of the legal profession in state history and recognized by the University of Minnesota for “shaping the legal landscape for the benefit of society.” Previously, she worked as a reporter for the Star Tribune and as a legislative assistant to…
Lauren Stringer
Lauren Stringer creates paintings, drawings, and books in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her first illustrated picture book, Mud, won an IRA Children’s Choice Award, Crayola Kids Best Book of the Year Award, and was declared a “Flying Starts” by Publisher’s Weekly. Since Mud, Stringer has written and illustrated many celebrated picture books. Her book When Stravinsky Met…
Andrea Swensson
Andrea Swensson is an author, podcast host, and music journalist in Minneapolis. She hosts the Official Prince Podcast in collaboration with The Prince Estate and has contributed music journalism to numerous publications including NPR Music, Pitchfork, Star Tribune, City Pages, and The Current, where she previously hosted The Local Show. Her first book, Got to…
Virginia Wright-Peterson
Virginia Wright-Peterson specializes in revealing untold narratives, especially the hidden stories of women. Her most recent book, A Woman’s War, Too reveals the roles taken by women from Minnesota during WWII, when they served in all branches of the military, and in industry, the home, and the community. Their heroism has not been adequately recognized.…
Kao Kalia Yang
Kao Kalia Yang is an award-winning Hmong-American writer. She is the author of the memoirs: The Latehomecomer, The Song Poet, and Somewhere in the Unknown World. Her children’s books include: A Map Into the World, The Shared Room, and The Most Beautiful Thing. She co-edited the ground-breaking collection What God is Honored Here?: Writings on…
Cathy Wurzer
Cathy Wurzer is one of Minnesota’s most recognizable broadcast journalists who has spent her career behind a microphone and in front of television cameras with time carved out to write books and produce documentaries. A multiple Emmy Award winning journalist, Wurzer is the co-host of “Almanac” on Twin Cities Public Television. On weekdays, she is…
신 선 영 Sun Yung Shin
신 선 영 辛善英 Sun Yung Shin’s third book of poetry Unbearable Splendor won the 2017 Minnesota Book Award for poetry. She is the Korean-born author of four books of poetry including most recently The Wet Hex in 2022 and is the editor of three acclaimed anthologies of essays including A Good Time for the…
Mike Wohnoutka
Mike Wohnoutka is the author and illustrator of Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster and Dad’s First Day, both Minnesota Book Award finalists. He has illustrated more than 20 other children’s books, including Moo! winner of the 2014 Minnesota Book Award and the Star of the North Picture Book Award. Ever since he can…
The Minnesota Writers Directory is a project of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book. The Library of Congress designated The Friends as Minnesota’s Center in 2012, and in that role The Friends promotes reading, literacy, and libraries throughout Minnesota. Learn more >>
How To Get Listed on the Directory
Thanks for your interest! If you currently live in Minnesota and have your work published in book form, you can apply to be listed. (Before applying, please read the Eligibility Criteria to see if you are eligible for listing.) We will contact you after we’ve reviewed your application.
Criteria for all applicants
- You must live and work in Minnesota. If you live in Minnesota for part of the year, please outline your availability in your application. You will be accepted at the discretion of the Minnesota Center for the Book.
- You must be willing to provide an email address for your profile. (This will not be listed on the website, but it will be used to create a unique contact form linked to your email address.)
- You must be willing to have your location in Minnesota (county only) listed in the directory.