Industry Talks: A Writing Life as a Practice of Play
Join us at Hugo House’s Lapis Theater for Industry Talks: Careers in the Literary Arts, an engaging evening that explores the many professional paths within the world of writing, publishing, and literary production.
This event brings together authors, editors, publishers, literary agents, and other industry professionals for insightful conversations about their work and the evolving landscape of the literary arts. Attendees will gain exposure to the diverse opportunities available across the field—whether in creative writing, editing, marketing, or event programming and learn how different roles contribute to the broader literary ecosystem.
The evening will feature a moderated discussion, followed by an open Q&A session and networking opportunities, offering a welcoming space for writers, readers, and anyone passionate about storytelling to connect and exchange ideas.
Who Should Attend:
Members of the public interested in literature, writing, publishing, and creative careers.
Event Schedule:
· 6:30 PM: Hugo House Intro
· 6:35 PM: Industry Professional Intro
· 6:40-7:40 PM: Lecture
· 7:45 PM: Q&A from the audience
· 8:00 PM-8:30 PM: Meet and Greet/Networking
Jeffrey Overstreet has been widely published as a fantasy novelist (Auralia’s Colors) and a film critic (Through a Screen Darkly) over 30 years of exploring art and faith. Here, he’ll share some of the formative experiences of his circuitous writing life. He’ll talk about childhood routines that still shape his work and vision; the wisdom of his best teachers; how he has adapted writing practices while working a variety of jobs; the essentiality of poetry to writing in any genre; the challenges of writing for difficult audiences; the priorities that led to publication; and the rewards of cultivating occasions for play with writers and artists. Jeffrey will stick around to talk with you and to sign copies of his novels and his new memoir Lost & Found in the Cathedral of Cinema (Broadleaf Books, 2026) for you and for your film-loving friends!
Reduced admission to this event is made possible with support from 4Culture.
Jeffrey Overstreet
Jeffrey Overstreet is the author of two memoirs about cinema and faith—Through a Screen Darkly (2007) and Lost and Found in the Cathedral of Cinema (2026)—as well as the fantasy novel Auralia's Colors (2007) and its three sequels. He is an associate professor of creative writing and film at Seattle Pacific University, where students voted him Undergraduate Professor of the Year in 2024. Overstreet formerly served as senior film critic at Christianity Today, and his writing on art, faith, and culture has been published at Image, Bright Wall/Dark Room, Paste, and Comment, and in many other journals. He lives in Shoreline, Washington.
