The John S. Lucas Great River Reading Series brings poets, fiction writers and non-fiction writers to WSU each year. The writers visit creative writing and literature classes, meet with students, and give a public reading. The Great River Reading Series is coordinated by the WSU English Department

Visiting writers have included: Lee Young-Li, Diana Abu-Jaber, Achy Obejas, Heid Erdrich, Katrina Vandenberg, John Reimringer, Marisha Chamberlain, Beth Ann Fennelly, Reginald Gibbons, Kent Meyer, Gary Young, Barry Estabrook, Ruth Ozeki, Kim Roberts, Kenneth McCullough, C. Mikal Oness, Joyce Sutphen, Tony Eprile, C.J. Hallman, Susan Atefat-Peckham, Ed Bok Lee and Joe Meno.