Fiction Writing Communities in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix offers a vibrant literary community with year-round writing events, workshops, and networking opportunities for writers of all levels.

Phoenix's literary heritage blooms like a desert flower after rain, rooted in the ancient storytelling traditions of indigenous peoples and nourished by waves of writers drawn to the Sonoran Desert's stark beauty. The city has become a beacon for mystery writers, with The Poisoned Pen Bookstore serving as an international hub for crime fiction. From Diana Gabaldon's time-traveling epics to Barbara Kingsolver's environmental narratives, Phoenix authors have captured both intimate human stories and sweeping desert landscapes. The literary community thrives through institutions like Arizona State University's prestigious MFA program and the beloved Changing Hands Bookstore, which has anchored the local book scene for nearly five decades. Phoenix's unique position as a multicultural crossroads has fostered a rich bilingual literary tradition, while its dramatic natural setting continues to inspire writers exploring themes of survival, transformation, and the relationship between humanity and the harsh beauty of the American Southwest. The city's literary culture reflects its desert environment: resilient, diverse, and surprisingly vibrant.