Writing Programs
For writers at any stage, this is a place to get words down and push them further.
Through guided workshops and open exploration, you’ll develop your voice, refine your work, and stay engaged in the practice.
Writing
Where ideas are brought into focus
Writers are given the space to experiment, deepen their craft, and shape work with intention.
What It Is
Offered throughout the year, writing workshops create space for people to develop their voice, explore ideas, and strengthen their craft. Programs range from introductory sessions to more focused, skill building experiences, welcoming writers at every stage.
Through workshops, readings, and opportunities to share work, the program fosters connection, creative exchange, and a deeper engagement with the writing process. Led by working writers and educators, it supports thoughtful expression, critical thinking, and the confidence to put words into the world.
Author Presentations
The Writing Program hosts author readings, book signings, and workshops year round through the Manzanita Writers Series. These events bring local, regional, and nationally recognized writers to the community, offering opportunities to hear new work, gain insight into the craft, and connect through shared stories.
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 journal creates space for local voices, stories, poetry, essays, and visual art to be shared in print.
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
Word & Image
Word & Image is a collaborative project pairing writers and visual artists in creative response to one another’s work. Inspired by the tradition of ekphrasis, the project explores the relationship between language and visual expression through original writing, artwork, printed broadsides, and a gallery exhibition.
Produced in even numbered years, the project culminates in a public exhibition and the release of the accompanying Word & Image book, available through the HCA Gallery.
Submissions for writers and visual artists open each April in even numbered years.
Neahkahnie Mountain Poetry Prize
Each year, the Neahkahnie Mountain Poetry Prize invites poets connected to the North Oregon Coast to submit original work for consideration. Submissions are accepted annually from January 15 through February 15 through the HCA Submittable page.
The 2026 contest is now closed and judging has been completed. Winning poets are announced below.
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First place receives $250, second place receives $100, and third place receives $50, with winning poems published on the Hoffman Center for the Arts website. Honorable Mention selections are featured on the Poetry Post in the HCA Wonder Garden throughout the year.
Winning and Honorable Mention poets are also invited to read their work during HCA’s annual National Poetry Month celebration in partnership with .
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David J. S. Pickering
A native of Tillamook County, David J. S. Pickering is the author of Jesus Comes to Me as Judy Garland, winner of the 2020 Airlie Prize. His work has appeared in numerous literary journals, with several poems nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Explore Writing Workshops & Events
Discover workshops, author readings, and literary events that inspire creativity, connection, and storytelling for writers of all levels.