Arts Club of Washington Pride Poet-in-Residence
Sharing some exciting news: I’m honored to have been selected for the 2026 Pride Poet-in-Residence program at the Arts Club of Washington! My fellow cohort […]
Author: Marlena Chertock
Marlena is a digital storyteller and poetry editor at District Lit. Her first poetry book, On that one-way trip to Mars, is available from Bottlecap Press.
100 articles for Electrical Contractor Magazine
I reached a milestone in freelance writing this year — 100 articles written for Electrical Contractor Magazine! The magazine, in existence since 1935, is […]
Gooey, fresh out of the oven “Puberty cookies”
What’s your favorite cookie? Is it gooey, fresh out of the oven? Does it have a sprinkle of sea salt on top? […]
Poetry and mixtapes: Writing inspired by music
When I learned about The Mixtape Review literary magazine, I was excited to submit one of my poems inspired by a song. Each poem and prose […]
An anthology of contemporary medical poems
I’m honored to be published again by Grey Matter: A Narrative Medicine Poetry Journal, the poetry journal of the Narrative Medicine program at the University of Arizona College […]
3 poems published in a new literary magazine
I’m so honored and excited to have three poems published in Paper Cranes Literary! The literary magazine was established this year in […]
2 poems published in a body image zine
Love Me, Love My Belly I had two poems published recently in Porkbelly Press’ Love Me, Love My Belly zine, issue 7. Porkbelly Press, an […]
Getting hip
Last month, I participated in the live reading of “Squishy But Firm: Sexcapades of a Crip Girl”, as part of the Kennedy […]
Resigning from the Split This Rock Board
My heart is breaking. I no longer feel safe or welcome in Split This Rock. Staff released this statement last Friday, in […]
Saying farewell to OutWrite (for now)
After this year’s festival, coming up this weekend, I’m stepping down as Co-Chair of OutWrite, along with Malik Thompson. It’s been an […]
Crip Time in Pandemic Times at AWP 2022
I’m so excited to be speaking on a panel at AWP again! Next year, at AWP 2022, I’ll be joining Crip Time […]
‘Nothing About Us Without Us’: Disability Justice is Climate Justice
I’m one little person. That’s partly a pun, because I have dwarfism and am quite short. And partly a play on words […]
Interviewed on Plume for Writers Podcast
I was so happy to receive an email from Sam Tetangco to join an LGBTQ writers roundtable for the Plume: a writer’s […]
Interviewed on DC Public Library’s Podcast
When Jenny Cavallero, a D.C.-based comedian, writer, filmmaker, actor, and disabled person, approached me about being interviewed for DCPL’s Access This podcast, […]
AWP 2021
On Wednesday, I moderated the panel “Disability’s Influence on Literature: Realism As A Craft Concept” at AWP 2021. We had an incredible […]
Poetry in a Pandemic
It feels like March 2020 and December 37th at the same time, somehow. The world feels so uncertain right now. This country […]
Co-Chairing OutWrite, Washington D.C.’s LGBTQ Literary Festival 🏳️🌈📚📝
I am so excited to serve as the new OutWrite Co-Chair, along with the incredible Malik Thompson! We’re both local poets with […]
Thank you, Nancy 💜
I can’t believe Nancy Podcast is coming to an end. It’s been an incredibly important podcast for me as I came to […]
Last flight for On that one-way trip to Mars
Sadly my first book, On that one-way trip to Mars, is now out of print. My publisher Bottlecap Press informed me that […]
Social Distancing and Poetry
While self-quarantining and social distancing, it is more important than ever to engage in activities that bring you joy. That is why […]