Another week of summer just flooded by! Around the corner is fall, when we’ll kick off our 49 Writers instruction season with an intensive writing retreat with acclaimed author David Vann Sept. 3-5 at Tutka Bay Lodge. Only a handful of slots remain, so if you plan to attend, register today. And if you or […]
Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up Read More »
I returned from my first MFA residency two weeks ago, but haven’t blogged about it: in part because we have so many great contributors who fill our pages; in part because I’m still processing what I experienced; in part because too much happened to cover in a single blogpost of reasonable length. (So she explained,
Recently, at the Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference, when the facilitator of a panel I was sitting on, my friend Nancy Lord, introduced me to the audience, she added (only half joking), “Rich is a bit of a contrarian.” Of course, I responded, “Am not!” OK, it’s a lame joke, but I cannot refuse a straight
Gerunds from Hell: A Guest-post by Rich Chiappone Read More »
Some say writing can’t be taught. It’s not hard to see how one might reach that conclusion. Writers tend to stumble dazed from one project and, sitting down to start another, wonder whether they really know anything at all about this puzzling and miraculous process. On the flip side of that thinking, contrast craft with
Your Turn: Writing Instruction Read More »
As I staggered out of the Quonset hut and stood at a crosswalk near the Old Capital waiting for the light, George Starbuck’s brusque question ricocheted around in my head. “Why,” he’d just asked at my first conference, holding a batch of my prize-winning undergraduate poems out at arm’s length as if they gave off
First semester poet seeks voice: A guest post by John Morgan Read More »
We’ve been feeling the love from statewide newspapers covering the expansion of 49 writers into the 49 Alaska Writing Center and Raven Place guesthouse. Yesterday, The Juneau Empire published a particularly nice feature by Amy Fletcher about all of us (us? who? yes — I’m talking about you as well, blog reader, because you’re part
Ela: 49 Writers Weekly Round-up Read More »
I feel like a lucky guy, I really do. As a writer, I have little ambition to do anything beyond writing as well as I possibly can each time I sit down at the keyboard, and yet, somehow, rather miraculously, I now have two hardbound books to my name. Neither of them were my idea:
Bad Beat Stories: Guest-post by July featured author Rich Chiappone Read More »
Meet writer and writing center volunteer Eric Larson, who not only scrapes and paints, but also helps us organize our complicated start-up finances. He’s one of the many 49 Volunteers we couldn’t live without, who will be occasionally profiled here and in our newsletter in the months and years ahead… My day-job/ something about me
Andromeda: Interview with 49 Volunteer Eric Larson Read More »
Tutka Bay sunset, May 2010 It might be only two weeks past solstice, but the Fourth of July always feels like the apex of summer. With winter pressing its inevitable approach, I doubt I’m the only one who eschewed hitting the highway this weekend for getting work done. At the cabin, we needed new valves
Deb: Hard to Beat a Retreat Read More »
So much to celebrate today – especially you, our loyal readers, supporters, helpers, and all-around favorite people. Here’s hoping you have today to spend with friends and family and the great outdoors…we’ll be back tomorrow with fresh ideas, information, and (we hope) inspiration.
