Making Space: The Art of Centering is more than a book—it’s an open invitation. It’s a living, breathing guide for anyone who has ever dreamed of creating literary gathering spaces, whether you’re a seasoned organizer or someone just beginning to imagine what community could look like.

I wrote this book for the builders, the hosts, the question-askers—for those who want to make room for wonder, for mistakes, for letting go, and for beginning again. If you’ve ever felt outside the gates of publishing or unsure where to start, this book is for you. It demystifies the art of gathering, offering practical tools and reflections for organizing events—physical, virtual, or hybrid—that center care, accessibility, and radical hospitality.

You’ll find guidance on:

• Designing inclusive, accessible events that welcome all bodies and voices

• Building resilient communities around your gatherings

• Navigating the logistics of space, ritual, and flow

• Sustaining yourself and your collective through cycles of rest and renewal

Drawing from my years with Nomadic Press, which I founded and ran from 2011–2023, as well as my work with Bay Area Book Festival, I center the margins—not as a reaction, but as the ground from which all else grows. Every insight here is the fruit of collective labor, shaped by many hands and voices. I encourage you to compost what no longer serves, risk mistakes, and center joy and rest as acts of resistance.

This book is a companion for your journey. Whether you’re creating a reading series in your living room, launching a small press, running a literary festival, or hosting a virtual open mic, you’ll find tools, stories, and invitations to help you build spaces where literature, community, and transformation can thrive. The work is never finished. The mycelium is always growing. Welcome to the network—let’s make space, together.