Blue Parlor Tips

We’re excited to welcome you to the Blue Parlor Reading Series. Participant readings are a hallmark of the Bread Loaf experience.

Overview of the Blue Parlor Reading Series

  • This year’s reading series will take place in the Barn Tent (located just outside the Barn). 
  • All Blue Parlor readings will be open to general contributors. We encourage you to sign up, and encourage your friends from your workshop to sign up, too.
  • The Blue Parlor events also include three special readings: the LGBTQ+ Reading; the From the Dark Tower Reading* (for BIPOC writers); and the One Minute in Heaven Reading (where each reader will read for one minute in the Little Theater). These readings are open to contributors, scholars, and fellows. Please be mindful that for these readings we may prioritize readers who have not yet read in the Blue Parlor.
  • There are a limited number of slots available, so those interested in reading are asked to sign up in advance.

Sign-Up Process

  • Sign-ups are on a first come first serve basis via a Google Sheets link, and each sign-up will include a wait list. The sign-up links will be shared via email (see the email schedule below).
  • If you will be using a mobile device to sign up, you may need to install the Google Sheet App from your app store in advance in order to access and edit the live file. We recommend looking into this before the signup sheets go out.
  • 15 sign-up slots are available for each event, and each person will read for 3 minutes. Writers of all genres are invited to sign up. 

Sign-Up Link Schedule

All sign-up links will go out via email.

  • Friday, August 18 at 8:30 a.m. -  Sign-ups for Week 1 Readings (this will include slots for the August 18, 19, and 21 Readings)
  • Friday, August 18 at 1 p.m. -  Sign-ups for the LGBTQ+ Reading (August 20)
  • Tuesday, August 22 at 8:30 a.m. - Sign-ups for Week 2 Readings (this will include slots for the August 23 and 25 readings)
  • Tuesday, August 22 at 1 p.m. - two sign-up emails will go out, one for the From the Dark Tower Reading (August 24) and one for the One Minute in Heaven Reading (August 25)

Blue Parlor Reading Schedule

Readings will take place in the Barn Tent, except where noted.



Friday, August 18 at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 19 at 5:30 p.m.

LGBTQ+ Reading - Sunday, August 20 at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, August 21 at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 23 at 5:30 p.m.

From the Dark Tower Reading - Thursday, August 24 at 9:30 p.m.

One Minute in Heaven Reading - Friday, August 25 at 10:10 a.m. (in the Little Theater)

Friday, August 25 at 5:30 p.m.

Preparing to Read

The Blue Parlor readings are a part of the Bread Loaf tradition and community and we’re grateful to share this space with you. 

When choosing an excerpt from your work to read, please be aware that you won’t have much (if any) time to provide context and consider if it will work for the Bread Loaf audience.

Please be considerate of your peers’ time and attention. To that end:

  • Choose a 3 minute or less sample you can read at a comfortable pace. Expect to read under 3 pages, and prose should be double-spaced.

     
  • Please practice and time yourself out of consideration for yourself and the Blue Parlor community.

     
  • You’ll be sharing your work in a supportive community of fellow writers. Consider your audience and please select your reading with care for the space. Depending on the reading selection, content warnings can be helpful to preface work that might be difficult for some. 

If you think your reading could be offensive, ask someone else to listen to it first and offer feedback. 

We thank you for being mindful about our coming together to share work while building a respectful community.

Your Hosts

This year’s Blue Parlor reading series will be hosted by co-coordinators Megan Pinto and Sebastián Páramo and held inside the Barn Tent.

Please join them in the Barn Tent for the Blue Parlor Informational Meeting on August 17th (more information will be provided when you arrive on the mountain). 



*The title of the From the Dark Tower Reading comes from the poem by Countee Cullen, in which he addresses how discussions of race are often kept in the dark. Cullen rallies for elevating such communication to a tower, whereby all can hear and benefit.