Claudia Emerson
The state poet laureate of Virginia since August 26, 2008, Claudia Emerson, is the winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for her collection Late Wife. She is a professor of English and Arrington Distinguished Chair in Poetry at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She is a contributing editor of the literary magazine Shenandoah.

Blackbird
Blackbird, an online journal of literature and arts, publishes outstanding poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama, as well as multi-modal works such as process presentations in the visual arts and video essays. The journal takes advantage of its electronic production to include audio, video, digital photography, and other modes of presentation not possible in print, while continuing to exercise the judgement and careful selection inherited from the traditions of the best print journals. Blackbird is published in partnership by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Creative Writing Program and New Virginia Review, Inc.

The Blue Moon Review
The Blue Moon Review (founded as The Blue Penny Quarterly) is an online magazine that has been published continuously since early 1994. The editors accept submissions for poetry, hypermedia, audio, and literary blogs.

Bogg
A magazine of poems mainly from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, America and Canada. The magazine emphasizes poetry, prose poems, experimental forms, and modern haiku. Contact the magazine at 422 North Cleveland Street Arlington, VA 22201, (703) 243-6019.

Gargoyle
Founded in 1976, Gargoyle presents an eclectic mix of graphics, interviews, reviews and poetry and fiction, and is legendary for changing format from issue to issue. Edited by Richard Peabody and Lucinda Ebersole, Gargoyle appears annually from Paycock Press.

Meridian
Meridian is the semi-annual literary journal from the Creative Writing Program at the University of Virginia. The journal has included poems also published in Best American Poetry, as well as Pushcart Prize winners, and the work of several poet laureates.

No Tell Motel/No Tell Books
No Tell Motel is an online literary magazine edited by Reb Livingston and Molly Arden that features a single poet’s work for a full week, revealing a new poem each day. No Tell Books is No Tell Motel's print publishing branch that has produced books by some of today’s hottest younger poets.

Orchises Press
This Alexandria-based press publishes five to eight books a year and has currently a list of approximately ninety-five titles, many of them original poetry.

Phoebe
George Mason's quarterly literary magazine publishes fiction and poetry, and sometimes nonfiction from Mason students and writers across the country.

The Powhatan Review
The Powhatan Review is a bi-annual journal publishing work by both new and established authors, poets, and visual artists.

The Roanoke Review
A publication of Roanoke College since 1967, The Roanoke Review accepts poetry and short fiction submissions and is printed each spring.

Shenandoah
The Washington and Lee University quarterly review that features poetry, fiction, essays and reviews.

So To Speak
A feminist literary magazine published quarterly by George Mason University that features poetry and fiction with a feminist theme from GMU students and writers from across the country.

Verse
Verse, the literary journal of the University of Richmond, focuses on contemporary poetry in English and translation. They also feature innovative short fiction, interviews with writers, and criticism. Past contributors include John Ashbery, Hayden Carruth, Inger Christensen, Barbara Guest, Tomaz Salamun, and James Tate. Work from the journal has received the Pushcart Prize and has been reprinted in numerous editions of The Best American Poetry.

The Virginia Quarterly Review
A national journal of literature and discussion that publishes poetry, articles, essays, memoirs, and short stories.

On April 17, 2007, the poet Nikki Giovanni closed a ceremony commemorating the April 16 Virginia Tech massacre by leading the crowd through a chant poem, stating "We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech... We do not understand this tragedy... No one deserves a tragedy."

"While it is not her best writing—and is much more powerful to watch than just to listen to, because its power was so amplified by the reaction of the audience—it may well be her finest moment as a poet," wrote poet Ron Silliman, reporting on Giovanni's performance. "In just 90 seconds, she provided a larger context for suffering and a sense of belonging to every person in that building."

Hear the poet's chant poem here.

Associated Writing Programs (AWP)
AWP is a national organization based at George Mason University in Fairfax that supports writers and writing programs through annual conferences, book fairs, and a magazine.

Cave Canem
A national organization that is committed to the discovery and cultivation of new voices in African American poetry through retreats, regional workshops, a poetry prize, publications and readings. Cave Canem is based in Charlottesville.

New Virginia Review
New Virginia Review supports the cultivation and development of audiences for literature by placing writers in schools; hosting conferences and readings; and publishing chapbooks and an online journal, Blackbird.

Poetry Daily
Poetry Daily, a website run from Charlottesville, is an online anthology of contemporary poetry which each day brings you a new poem from books, magazines and journals currently in print.

Poetry Society of Virginia
Poetry Society of Virginia is a membership-based organization that holds poetry contests and readings and has a website that features information about workshops, conferences, and the craft of writing poetry.

Virginia Writers Club
The Club, founded in 1918, is a non-profit association of published writers in various fields for the promotion of exchanging ideas and stimulating the art and craft of professional writing. With 10 local chapters, the VWC strives to support local writers with peer critiques of their work, networking opportunities, various awards, and speakers.

The Annual Literary Festival at Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University in Norfolk hosts an annual literary festival that brings poets and fiction writers to the area to read their work, and conduct panels and workshops. Every two years a faculty member in the English department redesigns the festival, and the theme changes from year to year.

Blue Ridge Writers Conference
A day-long conference held in Blacksburg featuring workshops hosted by Virginia writers.

Fall for the Book Festival
An annual event for all ages held in September at George Mason University in Fairfax. The festival includes readings, panel discussions, poetry slams, and a street fair.

GMU's Visiting Writer Series
The visiting writer's program brings eight to a dozen nationally and internationally known writers to its campus each year.

VCU's Visiting Writer Series
Each year VCU invites a number of writers to campus for readings, discussion sessions and workshops.

University of Richmond Reading Series
Since 2005, the University of Richmond Reading Series has featured readings by Charles Wright, James Tate, Charles Simic, Marilyn Chin, Rosmarie Waldrop, Tomaz Salamun, Kevin Young, Dara Wier, Eric Pankey, Joy Katz, Lydia Davis, Ales Debeljak, and Piotr Sommer.

Virginia Festival of the Book
Held in Charlottesville each March, the festival features readings, panels, and discussions to promote literacy and celebrate reading and books.

George Mason University (GMU)
Established in 1980 and located in Fairfax, the Masters of Fine Arts program requires 48 semester hours of writing workshops and literature courses, which takes at least four semesters. GMU also is home to Associated Writing Programs; Fall for the Book Festival; a reading series; and three literary journals, Phoebe, So To Speak, and The George Mason Review.

Hollins College
Located in Roanoke, Hollins College has a small, intensive one-year M.A. program in creative writing and literary criticism which allows students to study and write with established writers on the faculty, as well as a writer-in-residence.

The University of Virginia (UVA)
This Masters of Fine Arts Program, a small, two-year course of graduate study, is the highest nationally ranked graduate program at the University, which is located in Charlottesville. The University also hosts a reading series and publishes a number of literary journals, including Inkstone, Local Tea, Meridian, Rag & Bone, 3.7, Virginia Literary Review, and the Virginia Quarterly Review.

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, a working retreat in Sweet Briar for writers, visual artists, and composers, provides residential fellowships of two weeks to two months in a rural setting.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
VCU's MFA program requires forty-eight semester hours, which usually takes three years to complete. Located in Richmond, VCU also publishes an online journal, Blackbird, with New Virginia Review; hosts a visiting writers reading series; and awards the annual Levis Reading Prize.

Old Dominion University Creative Writing Program
A range of 25-35 students each semester work with the program’s talented 7-member creative writing faculty in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. In addition, the program offers Writer-in-Residence Program each semester; Writers-in-Community program offering students opportunities to assist with writing workshops in community centers, schools, and libraries; Annual four-day Literary Festival. Faculty includes Michael Blumenthal, Luisa Igloria, John McManus, Michael Pearson, Janet Peery, Sheri Reynolds, and Tim Seibles.