Eastside Writers will launch a Talking Pages Reading Series in Issaquah on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to have emerging and established writers read from their work and discuss the craft of writing.

“Something wonderful happens when writers read their work aloud,” says Kim Kankiewicz, co-founder of Talking Pages. “For writers, it’s an opportunity to build confidence and gauge audience response. For listeners, it’s the rare privilege of experiencing an artistic work along with its creator.”

The inaugural Talking Pages event begins at 7 p.m. at the Historic Shell Station/Hailstone Feed Store, 232 Font St. N. Lori A. May, author of “The Write Crowd,” will introduce the evening with comments on literary citizenship and will briefly discuss aspects of memoir writing. Elissa Washuta, author of the memoir “My Body Is a Book of Rules,” will read from her work. The remainder of the evening is reserved for open mic readings by members of the audience.

While the February event focuses on nonfiction, future Talking Pages events will highlight fiction, poetry and writing for children or young adults. A complete schedule and open mic guidelines are available at www.eastsidewrites.org.

The Talking Pages Reading Series is a program of Eastside Writes, an organization formed to promote the literary arts in Eastside King County. Through workshops, readings and related events, Eastside Writes brings together writers of all experience levels to develop and share their work. Upcoming programs include poetry workshops for mothers in March and youth writing classes later in the year.