HP Literary Festival
February 21, 2025
First, choose your class period
Then take a look at past presentations below
Note, however, that enrollment ended on Feb 12, 2025.
Telling Your Story: How to Craft Distinctive Personal Essays for College Applications and Beyond
Writing a personal essay that will attract the attention of college admission officers isn’t as easy as it sounds. It involves a lot more than laying out your unique qualities, achievements, and goals. It’s about telling your personal story in a way that’s engaging, surprising and memorable. To turn a personal essay into art requires a heightened attention to detail that allows readers to see, hear and witness, as if at first hand, what the writer has experienced. The challenge involves using a variety of literary techniques – metaphor, pacing, interior monologue, reconstructed dialogue, and other aesthetic strategies of fiction to enable your personal essay to resonate with your readers.
SpeakerGeorge Getschow
George Getschow is a Pulitzer Prize finalist for National Reporting and winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Award for distinguished writing about the underprivileged. He has earned numerous other awards for his writing and was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2012 for “distinctive literary achievement.” He spent 16 years at The Wall Street Journal as a writer, editor, bureau chief and Mexico correspondent. In 2007, he was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Writing, Creative Nonfiction, from Spalding University, Louisville, KY. He spent 12 years serving as writer-in-residence and co-founder of the nationally renowned Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. During that same period, he teamed up with Larry McMurtry to conduct writing workshops in McMurtry’s hometown of Archer City, TX. After McMurtry’s death in 2021, Getschow curated and edited Pastures of the Empty Page, an acclaimed literary anthology about Larry McMurtry’s epic life.
zzz Excused School Sponsored Absence
This is to be used in place of a workshop if you have an excused SCHOOL SPONSORED activity during this class period. You will be COUNTED UNEXCUSED until you provide the appropriate paperwork to your Attendance Office to verify your absence, unless provided by your coach.
Speaker*** Excused School Sponsored Absence
Full Presentations
"40 Million Streams Later" - How I Wrote Songs, Got Signed & Toured the World
Ever wonder how a song gets written? Recorded? Released? And Streamed millions of times? Want to be entertained by a guy who’s played 2,000+ shows to millions of people all over the world? Then my fun, energetic, inspired & inspiring workshop is for you. I’ll bring my guitar, sing some songs and talk about my 37+ year career in the music biz. We’ll go back to my humble beginnings as a student at SMU, to my band getting courted by all the major labels in LA and New York – to writing songs that got millions of streams and two Grammy nominations. I’ll talk about what’s working and what’s not – especially in this “New Music Business” where social media has become almost as important as the music itself. (+ maybe you’ll be in our next post 😉)
SpeakerCary Pierce
An HP Dad,* Cary is a Grammy-Nominated Songwriter, Performer and Producer. His songs and co-writes have been streamed over 40 Million times and he’s had record & publishing deals with Universal, Capitol and Warner Brothers. He’s toured the world and shared stages with John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band and many others. He has appeared on Conan O’Brien, countless other national and local TV shows and has written songs with artists as diverse as Katy Perry & Chris Tomlin. Cary & Jack O’Neill founded the band Jackopierce as SMU theater majors. After spending 5 years relentlessly recording & releasing music and touring the country they were signed to major label A&M Records.
For 37 years now, Jackopierce has toured the world in 48 states, 10 countries, on 3 continents and they’ve sold about 500,000 albums. They play about 50 shows per year and will be at the Granada in Dallas Friday, Apr 4. He lives in Dallas with his HP grad wife Cara and three *HP boys: Jordan ‘19, Jaron ‘26 and Elijah ‘28.
Building with Concrete: Replacing Abstract Language with Sensory Details in Poetry
In this generative, 45-minute workshop we’ll work to transform concepts—such as anger, liberty, beauty, and greatness—into poems that feature tangible and sensory details. We will determine the texture, the smell, and the shape of these concepts in order to bring them to life on the page. After discussing one or more examples from poems written by contemporary poets, each participant will be invited to choose their own concept and to share ideas about the physical qualities they might assign to it. We will end the workshop by allowing a few minutes for everyone to begin working on their own “concrete concept” poems. A handout will be provided; participants are additionally asked to bring a pen or pencil and scratch paper.
SpeakerMag Gabbert
Dr. Mag Gabbert has a Ph.D. in English, with a focus in creative writing, from Texas Tech University, an MFA in creative writing from The University of California at Riverside, and a BA in English from Trinity University. Her debut full-length poetry collection, which was published in 2023, won the Charles B. Wheeler Prize in Poetry from The Ohio State University and the Writers League of Texas Book Award in Poetry. Her awards also include a 92NY Discovery Award from the 92NY Unterberg Poetry Center, a Pushcart Prize, and fellowships from The Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshop, Idyllwild Arts, and Poetry at Round Top. She teaches at Southern Methodist University and currently serves as Poet Laureate for the city of Dallas.
Creating a Story: Plotting vs. Pantsing & Choosing the Right Voice
Students will learn about two very different writing processes, “plotting” and “pantsing,” and how to use various brainstorming techniques when developing a work of fiction. We’ll also discuss the importance of choosing the right narrator for your story and follow this up with an exercise that playfully explores several narrative styles. At the end, students will be invited to share their work.
SpeakerK.E. McMahon
K.E. Davenport graduated from HPHS in 2000 and went on to study film, storytelling, and animation at NYU and later at The University of Texas, where she graduated in 2004.
She worked as a distance learning coordinator, a controller for JP Morgan, a home remodeler, and a teacher before becoming a full-time author. She has also volunteered as an animal rescuer, transporting and fostering animals on behalf of local shelters, as well as running social media for one of her favorite rescue groups.
During the last five years, K.E. has immersed herself in learning the world of independent publishing while releasing her science fantasy trilogy: The Moon Travelers. Currently, she's in the process of developing two new series that will be released later this year and in 2025.
K.E. spends most of her leisure time with her husband, kids, and pets. When she's not daydreaming, writing, or editing, she can be found hiking or having fun outdoors with her family.
Do It For the Plot
One of the questions authors get asked most is, “Where do you get your ideas?” And while everywhere is the most common answer, it’s not exactly helpful. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how to ethically steal ideas from our favorite books and movies, the world around us, and our own lives. Students will walk away with a worksheet of their own personal “rabbit holes” they wish to explore further in their writing, as well as strategies to turn those interests into fully realized characters, scenes, and plots.
SpeakerAshley Schumacher
Ashley Schumacher is an author of whimsical and romantic books for teens and adults with a degree in creative writing from the University of North Texas. A full-time writer, she feels more than a little vindicated for having spent lots of math classes reading beneath her desk. When Ashley isn’t working, you’ll most likely find her playing cozy video games, planning trips to far-off places, leafing through the folklore and fairytale anthologies she is always acquiring “for research”, or traipsing about her North Texas home with her husband and son.
Editorial Cartoons & Illustration: Visual Storytelling That Matters
Editorial cartoons and illustrations have for centuries provided an engaging alternative for commenting on the issues of the day, and when done right deliver real impact. This workshop will provide students with a broad understanding of the world of editorial cartoons and illustration, including historical context and recent implications, rounded out by some hands-on cartooning.
Areas covered: – A short history of the craft, illustrated by examples leading to where the field stands today. – The many challenges of being a cartoonist/illustrator in today’s ever-evolving media landscape. – How visual storytelling can drive businesses and other organizations – Attendees will be taught creative tools in an interactive cartooning session.
SpeakerKarl Wimer
Karl Wimer is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator, published in books, magazines, and newspapers across five continents. Karl’s been a syndicated cartoonist for WoodyPaige.com, Mile High Sports Magazine, Denver Business Journal, and Central European Business Weekly. His cartoons have won multiple 1st Place Awards (Society of Professional Journalists, Colorado Press Association, and others), and have been featured extensively in the Best US Editorial Cartoons of the Year, in USAToday, NPR, Fox News, and in economics textbooks. Karl’s background (BA History/Yale, MBA/Kellogg, Grad Degree/London School Economics), business experience (29 years as a successful marketing executive), sports bonafides (2-sport college athlete: football, All-America in lacrosse, successful coach at many levels), and international interest (several years living and working in places as varied as Prague and Bangkok), all find their way into his art.
Just Great Screenwriting!
Sometimes a screenplay is written that is the perfect blueprint for a phenomenal movie. In 1976, Rocky took the world by storm and walked away with the Oscar for Best Picture. In this interactive workshop, we will discuss the specific elements of the screenplay that laid the foundation for the film’s extraordinary success. It is highly recommended that attendees watch the film, but it is not required.
SpeakerKurt Voelker
Kurt Voelker was born and raised in Dallas, graduated from Harvard and went to graduate film school at USC. He has since written feature screenplays for Warner Bros, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Sony, MTV Films, Screen Gems and more. His work includes the Warner Bros release SWEET NOVEMBER, starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves, and Lionsgate/Huayi Brothers’ animated feature ROCK DOG. Kurt also wrote and directed the award-winning, independent features PARK and THE BACHELORS, starring J.K. Simmons and Julie Delpy. He is currently writing a limited series about Mary Wollstonecraft and a feature about Olympic speedskater Irving Jaffee. He is also attached to direct the feature film SCRATCH.
Photography as Witness in the Virtual Era
In an age when images flashing across your screen may look like photographs but might be entirely computer generated, what is the role of photography? How do visual journalists use photography to tell authentic stories that are valuable to society and perhaps to the future? In this workshop, we will reflect on the history of photography as a witness to the human experience and consider how visual storytellers add to the stream of images that help define us. Bring your cell phone camera and be ready to photograph.
SpeakerKael Alford
Kael Alford is a photographer, writer, and educator. Her work explores legacies of political violence, our relationship to the ecosystems that sustain us and our tenuous relationships to others. She develops photography-based projects that bring individual stories into dialogue with public discourse, backed by extensive research and long-term commitment to topics and subjects. Her photographs have been widely exhibited in North America and Europe and are held in the permanent collections at the High Museum of Art (Atlanta) and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art (New Orleans) and in private collections. She lives in Denton, Texas.
Short and Sweet: Crafting Micro-Stories for Brands
In this hands-on session, “Short and Sweet: Crafting Micro-Stories for Brands,” students will discover the power of concise storytelling for brand marketing. They’ll explore how to create impactful brand narratives using intentional language, tone, and word choice—crafting messages that capture attention in just a few words. Through exercises and group activities, students will practice turning a brand’s essence into a micro-story that resonates with its target audience, proving that sometimes, less really is more. Whether it’s for social media, advertising, or personal branding, this workshop will teach you how to tell compelling stories in the shortest form possible.
SpeakerLizzie Combs & Sarah Galaro
Sisters Sarah Galaro and Lizzie Combs are Dallas-based writers and marketers. Together, they have formed Tabletop Marketing. Sarah has over a decade of experience as a brand marketer and quarterback of national campaigns. Complementing her is Lizzie, combining experience as a strategist at a New York-based agency with a background in the arts. Tabletop offers full-stack marketing, crafting comprehensive solutions with a special emphasis on strategic planning and brand development. In addition to their work as marketers, Sarah and Lizzie are involved in the Dallas Arts community. Sarah regularly contributes to Arthouse Dallas’ creative writing and poetry workshops. Lizzie has had several original plays and monologues featured in local and national festivals.
Why We Love Murder Stories
While actual crime rates have been declining for decades, true crime has never been more popular. Documentaries, podcasts, books, magazine stories — few topics attract more eyes and ears than murder. In this session, we’ll talk about a real-life local crime — involving a seemingly boring married couple, $32 million in missing money, and a series of comically inept hitmen — all while examining why crime stories are so compelling.
SpeakerMichael Mooney
Michael J. Mooney is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle. He’s a regular contributor to The Atlantic, GQ, ESPN the Magazine, Texas Monthly, and Politico. His stories have appeared in multiple editions of The Best American Crime Reporting and The Best American Sports Writing. His GQ story about a 21-year-old man who convinced an entire Texas town that he was a 15-year-old orphan — and then became the star of the high school basketball team — is currently in pre-production with producer Andrew Hevia, who won an Oscar for Best Picture with Moonlight. Mooney’s Atlantic feature about a married mother who ran a prison dog program, fell in love with a convicted murderer, and then helped him escape, was recently optioned by Warner Bros. Television Studios. He’s been interviewed as a subject-matter expert on Dateline NBC, and on a variety of shows on CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, and Investigative Discovery. He lives in the Dallas area.