How does mental health impact the way that writers write and readers read? How are mental health and creativity intertwined, and how do writers who have mental illnesses address health in their writing practices and in their written work? How can we ensure that the literary arts supports mental health awareness and inclusion for individuals who have mental illnesses? Join Deep Vellum for a panel conversation with writers Joe Clifford, Heather Harper Ellett, and Patricia Smith to explore the role that mental health plays for writers and readers in the literary community.

Register here. This is a pay what you can event. All proceeds will support the writers on this panel. Make a contribution here.

Panelists: Heather Harper Ellett is a Dallas-based writer and therapist whose debut novel Ain't Nobody Nobody was released by Polis last year. Joe Clifford is an acclaimed thriller writer and author of multiple books including Junkie Love, an autobiographical account of his battle with drugs in San Francisco. Patricia Smith is the author of Remember (Polis, 2019), a fictional account of mental illness and addiction.