About Our Association
The Ohio Writers’ Association supports professional writers and emerging authors.
We currently offer writers’ workshops and publishing opportunities, with more planned for the future. We also work diligently to support our membership by promoting the great work of emerging Ohio authors.
Our unique workshop model and commitment to producing market-driven literature has multiplied our membership base exponentially since 2010. We will use our growing, collective voice to raise one another up, to support emerging talent, and to provide resources for professional writers.
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Members of the Ohio Writers’ Association receive access to our online community and resources, exclusive publishing opportunities, and access to our workshops, and events.
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Our Leadership
Ohio Writers' Association - Board of Directors.
Joe Graves is President of Ohio Writers’ Group, Inc., the parent organization of Ohio Writers’ Association and heads the Steering Committee. Joe began writing back in college, when he wrote and produced short films. (They are available online, but he does not recommend watching them.) Over the last six years, he’s been focused on completing his first novel, and since 2020, started writing short stories. Along with writing, Joe has 10 years of leadership experience in non-profits and has helped launch community organizations.
Jim Hodnett is a retired psychologist and educator. He grew up in Arkansas and taught in Little Rock Public Schools for eight years (the last five at Central High). He earned his doctorate in psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. He has lived in Columbus, Ohio for the last thirty years, working at The Ohio State University and in private practice before retiring in 2017. Jim and his husband of 27 years, Joe Heimlich, live in a building located on the former site of the Ohio State Penitentiary, which once housed O. Henry, whose spirit Jim attempts with limited success to channel. Jim has been writing since 2011. His story, "Red: A Fairy Tale," was included in Metamorphosis, an anthology of Ohio writers published by the Ohio Writers Association in 2022.
Brienne Daugherty (she/her) received her B.A. in English literature from Ohio Dominican University. Her goal is to craft stories that either heal or traumatize the reader. She self-published her first novel, a body-horror called Fat Phobia, in 2023. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband, two kiddos, and three grumpy cats. To see more of her work visit www.briennedaugherty.com.
Brian Luke is formerly assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Dayton and currently organist/choir director at Northwest United Methodist Church in Columbus. He is author of Brutal: Manhood and the Exploitation of Animals (University of Illinois Press, 2007) and, with his writing partner Barbara Luke, The Complete Crimes of Donald Trump, Volume 1: Crimes of Race and Sex (Carriage House Press, 2020). Brian and Barbara are hosts of the book review podcast Bestseller and are completing their first novel, a thriller set at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition called Don't Shoot the Piano Player. They live in Marysville, Ohio, with a barely manageable menagerie of cats, dogs, chickens and goldfish.
Megan Murphy, PKA Megan Milstone, is a Cleveland-based author, poet, and artist who began working with OWA in the fall of 2023 by volunteering her marketing skills. She has quickly become an integral part of the OWA family over the past year, including her placement on the OWA Board of Directors. Megan is passionate about music and claims that most of her writing derives from this deep love. She plays guitar and goes to see live music as much as possible. Megan is a Cuyahoga Community College graduate, a self-published author, and a mom to one handsome tabby cat, Bailey.
Maxwell I. Gold is a Jewish-American prose poet, author, and editor, with an extensive body of work comprising over 350 poems since 2017. His writings have earned a place alongside many literary luminaries in the speculative fiction genres and his work has garnered nominations for multiple awards including the Pushcart Prize, the Eric Hoffer Awards, Rhysling Awards, and the Bram Stoker Awards. His work has appeared in numerous literary journals, magazines, and anthologies such as Weird Tales Magazine, Startling Stories, the recent Horror Writers Association anthology Other Terrors: An Inclusive Anthology, Chiral Mad 5, and many more. Maxwell also holds membership in several arts organizations including the Horror Writers Association, Science Fiction Fantasy Poetry Association, Dramatist Guild, and Ohio Poetry Association. Maxwell has taught several poetry workshops and co-edited several anthologies. Maxwell is the current Executive Director for the Horror Writers Association and he lives in Columbus, Ohio, and his work can be found at www.thewellsoftheweird.com.
Our Story
Brad Pauquette, an author and entrepreneur, founded the Ohio Writers' Association as a mission-minded business in 2009. Through anthologies, classes, contests, and community events, the organization grew dramatically to represent thousands of professional writers and aspiring authors from around the state of Ohio. Originally known as Columbus Creative Cooperative, Brad changed the name to the Ohio Writers' Association in 2018. Brad functioned as the owner and president through 2021, when he donated all of the assets and infrastructure to the newly formed nonprofit, Ohio Writers Group, so that the organization can continue to expand and serve Ohio's amazing authors. Learn more about Brad and his other projects at BradPauquette.com.
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On February 15, 2022, new leadership assumed the reins as OWA continues to redefine itself to better continue its mission of supporting Ohio’s professional writers and emerging authors.