First Draft: A Creative Writing Social with Nadine Pinede

Miami Book Fair presents First Draft, a series of free and informal writing events where community, craft, and rapid-fire creativity meet for monthly themed virtual salons where writers get social, share their work, and leave with great stories.

Theme: Writing History in the Present Tense

Step into the time machine of your imagination. History speaks—and in this workshop, it sings. Join poet and author Nadine Pinede to explore historical verse novels—a powerful form that blends poetry and storytelling to bring the past to life, so it speaks to the present. Inspired by Zora’s evocative words and trailblazing legacy, we’ll discover how verse rooted in real events can give voice to untold stories and help us imagine bold, better futures. Through writing prompts and discussion, you’ll learn how to build lyrical narratives that speak across time. Whether you’re drawn to ancient civilizations, hidden heroes, or your own family’s stories, this workshop will give you the tools to start turning history into your story.

Nadine Pinede is the daughter of Haitian exiles from the Duvalier dictatorship. She created her own interdisciplinary major at Harvard and then continued on to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. She also has an MFA in fiction and poetry and holds a PhD from Indiana University. Her debut novel in verse, When the Mapou Sings, was named a 2025 Américas Award Honor Book.

You may also like the following events from Miami Book Fair:

• This Saturday, 11th October, 02:00 pm, Image and Text, Text as Image, and Image as Text: A Poetry Masterclass with Diana Khoi Nguyen in Miami
• This Sunday, 12th October, 12:00 pm, The Big Read 2025: Writing Home: Telling Stories with Heart: A Creative Writing Workshop with Ruth B in Miami Beach
• Next Thursday, 16th October, 10:30 pm, The Big Read 2025: LatinoLand: An American History With Marie Arana in Miami, Florida

Also check out other Arts events in Hoboken, Literary Art events in Hoboken, Workshops in Hoboken.