Interviews & Features
PEN America produces a breadth of interviews and features throughout the year.
Vanessa Chan | The PEN Ten Interview
I don’t believe you can go through a publishing journey alone, especially as a writer of color. More
Chelsea G. Summers Interview
Chelsea G. Summers discussed the genesis of her first novel, moving between nonfiction and fiction, her response to the virality of her writing, trends in contemporary fiction and media,… More
Andrés N. Ordorica | The PEN Ten Interview
Guarding generational stories and wisdom is important especially when so many stories are now being policed. More
Hisham Matar | The PEN Ten Interview
I am fascinated by how time is both linear and circular, by how any given moment often contains within it remnants of the past and our aspirations for the… More
10 Writers on Writing: PEN America Interviews
PEN America has been in conversation with authors, poets, and other artists from its inception. This holiday season, we are sharing 12 pieces of writing advice. More
101-Year-Old Grace Linn: ‘Banning Books and Burning Books Are the Same’
Others protesting book bans have held up signs in protest. Grace Linn held up a quilt. The 101-year-old talked to PEN America about the importance of spreading the word… More
Jennifer Finney Boylan on PEN America, the Crisis for Free Expression and the Power of Storytelling
I think that in some ways the most important thing to understand about each other’s humanity is imagination. And if you want to open a door to the imagination,… More
Zahra Hankir | The PEN Ten Interview
Eyeliner’s power as such lies in its precision and the profound impact it can have on how one is perceived by the world. More
Roxane Gay Interview
Roxane Gay spoke to PEN America about Opinions, avoiding being pigeonholed, and more. More
Laurie Halse Anderson: Speaking for the Voiceless
Laurie Halse Anderson’s celebrated young adult novel Speak was an immediate target for censors. We talked to Anderson about the current book banning crisis. More