Pam Houston

Pam Houston is Professor of English at the University of California, Davis, and faculty in the Low Residency MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is also the co-founder and creative director of the literary nonprofit Writing By Writers, which organizes multiple writers' workshops annually in locations including Colorado, California, and France.

Her academic focus spans creative writing with emphasis on:

• Memoir and autobiographical writing
• Fiction with strong place-based elements
• Nature writing and the "more than human world"
• The intersection of personal narrative and political engagement

Houston's work demonstrates a consistent exploration of place, identity, and the relationship between humans and the natural environment. Her forthcoming book "Without Exception" (2024) represents a deep engagement with reproductive rights, while her memoir "Deep Creek" (2019) examines hope and connection to landscape. Her writing often blends personal experience with broader social and environmental concerns, creating work that is both intimate and politically engaged.

Houston has received numerous accolades including the Western States Book Award and the WILLA Award for contemporary fiction. Her work has been featured in prestigious anthologies such as The O. Henry Awards, The Pushcart Prize, and Best American Short Stories of the Century.

As an educator, Houston emphasizes the "practice of noticing" as central to the writing process. She encourages students to collect "glimmers" - moments that attract attention even when their significance isn't immediately apparent. Her teaching philosophy values authenticity, connection to place, and the belief that meaning can be conveyed to readers without being overly explicit.

Houston co-founded Writing By Writers, which hosts between seven and ten writers gatherings annually in diverse locations. These workshops provide unique opportunities for students to engage with writing in connection to specific landscapes and experiences, including writing and riding adventures in the Wind River Mountains and workshops focused on "co-creating with mother earth" in the San Juan Islands.