Writer-in-Residence

The Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence Program

The Milton Public Library Writer-in-Residence (WIR) program was established to honor and memorialize a long time Library supporter, Dr. Herbert Voigt.  Serving as both a Library Trustee and a Director of the Library Foundation, Dr. Voigt championed library services and in particular the providing of a space to explore creativity.

The WIR is an aspiring or published writer who furthers the Library’s fundamental mission by using their time to create an original piece of work and sharing their expertise through creating and offering library programming.

Make a Donation to the Dr. Herb Voigt Fund

Milton Public Library begins search for 2026-2027 Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence

The Milton Public Library is excited to announce the search is underway for the 2026-2027 Dr. Herbert Voigt Writer-in-Residence. This position provides the opportunity for a local writer to become more involved with the Library and within the community. The Trustees of the Milton Public Library will be sponsoring this one year position.

The Writer-in-Residence will be an aspiring or published writer, residing in Milton, who furthers the Library’s fundamental mission through the creation of an original piece of work and sharing their expertise through developing and offering library programming.  The candidate search will take place over the coming weeks, with an application deadline of June 26, 2026, and the position will run from September 2026 through August 2027.

The position is named in honor of former Library Trustee Herbert Voigt. Dr. Voigt was a member of the Library Board of Trustees from 2012 until his passing in 2018. Dr. Voigt championed library services and the providing of space to explore creativity.

Click here to access the position requirements, expectations and application instructions.

 

Kim McLarin – A Year in Review

Kim McLarin offered a variety of programs for the Library community during her time as the 2025-2026 Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence, which kicked off with a Meet the Writer-in-Residence event, where attendees met Kim and participated in a conversation about why reading and writing are important and meaningful to them personally.

Drawing on her professional experience, Kim’s Writer-for-Hire: The Fine Art of Ghostwriting program offered attendees the opportunity to learn about the invisible art of ghostwriting, hear inside tales and practice learning how to write in the voice of someone else. A fun bonus was Kim’s sharing of a famous figure who hired her for a project.

Kim’s respect for readers and all genres was behind the pop fiction panel titled Aliens, Vampires and Love. Fellow authors talked about the enduring popularity of romance, fantasy, mysteries, science fiction and other genre writing. After all, as Kim says, there’s really only two types of fiction: good and bad.

A Salon Series was introduced to Milton by Kim, offering space to explore ideas. Why Poetry Is Not A Luxury was a discussion of why poetry matters now more than ever. (Kim brought this program to Fuller Village attendees as well). And at the Desert Island Book salon, participants presented the one book they would choose to have on a desert island. Kim hopes the Library community will continue to come together to share at future Salons.

The MPL has been hosting book discussions around an initiative called MA250: Reading the Revolution: 250 Years of Incendiary and Inspiring Books. Kim graciously hosted one of these sessions where the group discussed books from the African American Freedom Struggle reading list, including Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs.

Kim led a Memoir Writing workshop series to help writers craft compelling memoirs. Aspiring writers were able to get live help with one-on-one Works-in-Progress feedback sessions. Kim’s program Moving from Scribbler to Published Writer offered advice on the next steps in the writing journey, including the revision and publishing process.

Kim also shared her expertise with our younger library users. A Desert Island Book interactive program was presented with our Children’s Department. Milton High School students in the Creative Writing classes were visited by Kim and our Teen Librarian Tyler for a dynamic session where they learned about the ways to follow their writing interests and engaged with Kim and her experiences.

Kim concluded her programming with a Closing Session, where some students read from their work, and Kim read from a recently published Slate.com essay Her Best Life, exploring questions of dignity and memory for her mother and those who are experiencing dementia . The MPL community has benefited greatly from Kim’s expertise, and we thank her for her commitment to being the Writer-in-Residence this past year.

 

Local writer Kim McLarin has been selected as the 2025-2026 Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence.

 

Kim McLarin is an award-winning novelist, essayist and cultural critic. She is the author of three novels, two essay collections and the memoir Divorce Dog: Men, Motherhood and Midlife. Her most recent book, Everyday Something Has Tried to Kill Me and Has Failed, was named a 2024 Nonfiction Honors title by the Massachusetts Book Awards.  Her work has appeared in The Sun Magazine, The New York Times, Glamour, The Washington Post and many other publications and been honored by PEN New England, the Massachusetts Center for the Book, the Hurston/Wright Foundation and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. She was formerly a staff writer for The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Associated Press, and formerly hosted Basic Black on WGBH. McLarin is Professor of Creative Writing at Emerson College in Boston.

Kim will be offering workshops and events for library patrons throughout her residency. The community welcomed Kim at a “Meet The Writer-in-Residence” event at the Library on Thursday, November 20th, 2025 at 7 PM.

 

 

About the Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence Program

The Milton Public Library Writer-in-Residence is an aspiring or published writer, residing in Milton, MA who furthers the library’s fundamental mission through the creation of an original piece of work and sharing their expertise through developing and offering library programming.

The Milton Writer-in-Residence Selection Committee selects a Milton Public Library Writer-in-Residence for a one-year term.

The Writer-in-Residence will participate in the following activities:

1. Endeavor to complete an original piece of work while in residence.
2. Provide a variety of public programs; these can be a combination of original programming and partnership with the Library on existing programs
3. Provide scheduled availability to give guidance to other aspiring local writers
4. Participate in promotional engagements for the Milton Public Library as related to the WIR program

Dr. Herb Voigt was a member of the Library Board of Trustees from 2012 until his passing in 2018. Dr. Voigt was a committed Library supporter, both as a Trustee and a member of the Milton Library Foundation. In addition to Dr. Voigt’s distinguished scientific and academic career, he was a lover and supporter of the arts. This Writer-in-Residence program celebrates Dr. Voigt’s commitment to libraries and to the arts.