A tradition of writers<\/p>\n
Festival founder Sammy Ginsberg<\/a> has a passion for small literary festivals. She fell in love with them while studying abroad in the United Kingdom, and once she moved back to Los Angeles, her love continued.<\/p>\n Sammy Ginsberg (right) poses for a picture at a Los Feliz Writers with L.A. Poet Laureate Brian-Sonia Wallace (left).<\/p>\n (<\/p>\n Sammy Ginsberg<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Sammy Ginsberg<\/p>\n )<\/p>\n Keep up with LAist.<\/p>\n If you’re enjoying this article, you’ll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. <\/p>\n Last year she set about hosting one in her own neighborhood, Los Feliz.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s a tradition of writers and artists being in Los Feliz. Joan Didion lived in Los Feliz for a bit. Charles Bukowski went to Jumbo’s [Clown Room],\u201d Ginsberg said.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s inaugural festival had six events and about 100 people. This year, there are 1,000 RSVPs for its 13 events.<\/p>\n Local Feliz<\/p>\n Writers living in Los Feliz are leading all of the workshops. Like William J. Meyer<\/a>, who\u2019s published his fantasy and sci-fi writing as podcasts. His workshop is at the diner Fred 62 this afternoon, focused on how to write with audio in mind.<\/p>\n Attendees at a Los Feliz Writers Festival event.<\/p>\n (<\/p>\n Sammy Ginsberg<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Sammy Ginsberg<\/p>\n )<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s about taking that writing and making it fun for an audio recording. Tone, voice, and things like that,\u201d said Ginsberg.<\/p>\n Willa Lane<\/a> is a writer and tarot reader. She\u2019ll perform tarot readings today at her workshop in Barnsdall Art Park, using the cards and their symbolism as writing prompts.<\/p>\n Willa Lane sits in front of a table with her tarot cards.<\/p>\n \u201cSylvia Plath<\/a> had a deck of tarot cards that she used. So a lot of artists and creatives have been using tarot to inform their work at some level,\u201d Lane said.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s events culminate in a live reading of a zine<\/a> put together by Los Feliz Writers<\/a> for the festival. The Barnsdall Art Park event will feature a mix of short stories, a screenplay, an audio play, and more.<\/p>\n \u201c\u200aI wanted to represent different voices in the neighborhood and different backgrounds and I really think that this does,\u201d Ginsberg said.<\/p>\n A literary event for every neighborhood<\/p>\n The festival continues through tomorrow with an open mic at the Vermont Triangle, a panel and performances from writers of color, and a mixer for activists and writers.<\/p>\n Ginsberg wants to continue the literary tradition in Los Feliz \u2014 for all kinds of writers, emerging or established.<\/p>\n \u201cLive, work, or play. It’s L.A., that’s the energy. Like, we want you to be part of this,\u201d Ginsberg said.<\/p>\n She said the wider vision is to help and inspire other neighborhoods to build their own literary events.<\/p>\n “There\u2019s 99 neighborhood councils in Los Angeles. That\u2019s like 99 writers’ festivals and 99 poet laureates,” Ginsberg said. “That is magical.”<\/p>\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1787448861_908_.jpeg\")
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