Writer Calvin Hennick
Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence
Calvin Hennick – A Year in Review
Calvin Hennick offered a variety of writing programs for the Library community during his time as the 2024-2025 Writer-in-Residence, which kicked off with a Meet the Writer-in-Residence event, where attendees participated in a group exercise to spark conversation and storytelling.
Drawing on his professional experience, Calvin’s Intro to Freelance Writing program offered tips on how to come up with compelling article ideas, approach editors and build a client roster. Food & Family: One-night Writing Workshop was a generative session focused on family meals and holiday gatherings as writing prompts. Another one-night session was a Baseball Storytelling & Nostalgia Night, where Calvin was joined by Library Director Will Adamczyk for an informal evening of reminiscing and sharing baseball card stories, connecting to ideas about childhood, family and Americana. Calvin also offered numerous informal Drop-in Writing Workshops for those interested in sharing their writing and ideas to get real time feedback.
For both beginning and experienced writers interested in more robust opportunities, Calvin offered multi-session workshop series for participants to generate material and share and receive feedback. Series included New Year Short Story Bootcamp, Writing from Experience, and a Fiction and Nonfiction Writing Series. Some of these participants shared samples of their work at the Writer-in-Residence Closing Ceremony, where Calvin also read from his novel-in-progress.
Calvin also shared his expertise with our younger library users. Along with his teenage artist son Nile, Calvin presented Create Comics with the Writer-in-Residence, which guided kids through the basics of graphic storytelling, including character design, page layout, and dialogue balloons. For teens, Calvin invited Brown University professor and former admissions essay consultant Grace Talusan to present a College Essay Writing Workshop, which was followed up by two additional workshops, where Calvin further worked with students to develop their ideas and polish their essays.
The Milton Public Library is excited to announce that local writer Calvin Hennick has been selected as the 2024-2025 Dr. Herb Voigt Writer-in-Residence.
Calvin Hennick has spent the past two and a half decades writing fiction, creative nonfiction, newspaper articles, white papers, magazine features, corporate blog posts, travel stories, graphic novels, business case studies, and the occasional unpublished poem. His debut memoir Once More to the Rodeo received the Pushcart Press Editors’ Book Award and was named one of the Best 100 Books of the Year by Amazon. The Washington Post called the book a “must-read,” and #1 New York Times bestselling author Celeste Ng called it “hilarious and deeply moving.”
Calvin’s writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, Esquire, Runner’s World, Poets & Writers, and dozens of other publications. For the past several years, he has been making comic books with his teenage artist son Nile, and together they have exhibited their work at shows including Fan Expo Boston and Rhode Island Comic Con. Previously, Calvin has taught writing at UMass Boston, Grub Street, and the New York City Public Schools. He lives in Milton with his wife and two children.
Calvin offered workshops and events for library patrons throughout his residency. The community had the opportunity to welcome Calvin at a “Meet The Writer-in-Residence” event at the Library on November 7th, 2024.
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:
- Completion of an original piece of work while in residence
- Provide a variety of public programs; these can be a combination of original programming and partnership with the Library on existing programs
- Provide scheduled availability to give guidance to other aspiring local writers
- 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.
