OnWord 2026

The American Writers Museum’s annual benefit, OnWord, will take place on September 29, 2026 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago. SPECIAL GUEST PRESENTER Peter Sagal Host of NPR’s Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me! BEYOND THE PAGE HONOREE The Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan THE FOUNDER’S INSPIRING WRITER AWARD Jesmyn Ward Two-time National Book Award Winner and author of Sing, Unburied, Sing , Salvage the Bones , and other titles INSPIRATION AWARD Presented by Celeste Ng Award-winning author of Everything I Never Told You , Little Fires Everywhere , and Our Missing Hearts JOHN ESTEY STUDENT WRITING COMPETITION Celebration of Winners