In addition to its roster of free events, Word, the Blue Hill literary arts festival (October 23-36) is noted for craft workshops taught by professional writers from Maine and beyond.

This year’s workshops are: “How to Scare Your Reader” (crime and thriller writer Elizabeth Hand), “Poetopia: Reimagining the Future” (poet melissa christine goodrum), email newsletter and blog-writing (journalist Andrew Revkin), arresting first pages (literary agent Ann Rittenberg), flash memoir (writer and mentor Kate Moses) and the ever-popular “Song-crafting” with singer-songwriter Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul & Mary fame) and composer-conductor George Emlen.

Registration for workshops is required, and spaces fill up quickly. Registration links and complete festival information are at wordfestival.org.

Other Word events include the launch of journalist/historian Colin Woodard’s latest book on Maine’s historical divisions, a discussion of Maine crime writing by Paul Doiron and Elizabeth Hand, Georgia O’Keeffe biographer Roxana Robinson introducing the documentary based on her book, and a poetry crawl through the Blue Hill business district. An art show, a word game party, and a children's program featuring Phuc Tran and “Cranky Makes a Friend” round out the weekend.

Complete festival information is at wordfestival.org.

Word is funded by the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation and other generous donors. The festival’s media partner is WERU-FM. Its fiscal sponsor is Blue Hill Community Development.