Allen Wier

2021, awarded the Truman Capote Prize for Short Fiction

In 2003, Wier was inducted into the Fellowship of Southern Writers, along with Barry Hannah and Yusef Komunyakaa. He is widely published in anthologies and periodicals, including The New York Times, Ploughshares, and The Southern Review. Wier was previously married to the poet Dara Wier.

He taught at the University of Tennessee from 1994 until 2015, and the University of Alabama from 1980 to 1994. Additionally teaching at Longwood College, Carnegie-Mellon University, Hollins College, University of Texas, Florida International University, and Murray State University.

Allen Wier (born September 9, 1946; died December 4, 2021; pronounced "wire"), was an American writer and a professor. He was the Watkins Endowed Visiting Writer at Murray State University from 2016 until 2020; he is Professor Emeritus having taught at the University of Tennessee from 1994 until 2015, and the University of Alabama from 1980 to 1994. and Hollins College from 1975 to 1980 and Carnegie-Mellon University from 1974 to 1975. He taught in the University of New Orleans summer writing workshop in Edinburgh, Scotland in Summer of 2013. He was visiting writer at the University of Texas in 1983 and at Florida International University 1984-1985.

Wier was born on September 9, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas and spent parts of his childhood in Louisiana and Mexico. He attended Baylor University and received his BA degree (1968); Louisiana State University and received his MA degree (1971); and Bowling Green University received his MFA degree (1974).