Upcoming events and workshops for Alaskan writers include the North Words Writers Symposium in Skagway at the end of this month and the writing workshops offered by the Wrangells Mountain Center in McCarthy in July and August.
The North Words Writers Symposium, with a theme this year of Exploring the Frontiers of Language, takes place in Skagway from May 30 to June 2. Their keynote speaker will be Oscar-nominated Scott Silver, who co-wrote “The Fighter.” He will be joined by several Alaska writers on the diverse faculty, including Lynn Schooler, Deb Vanasse, John Straley, Heather Lende, Seth Kantner, Kim Heacox, Nick Jans, and Dave Hunsacker. In addition to engaging in panel discussions about writing and publishing, registered Symposium participants will participate in several activities in and around history Skagway
and nearby Dyea.
What faculty member Deb Vanasse loves about North Words is the fact that it’s “up close and personal. Who wouldn’t want to hang out for three days in a gorgeous setting with some of the best writers in Alaska and the Yukon, not to mention a great keynoter? Inspirational!” Seth Kantner also enjoys the fact that participants get to rub shoulder with an array of Alaskan writers, and that the panels are just as educational for the panelists as the participants. “I liked that mix” last year. “And it was fun.” Look for more information from Heather Lende in Monday’s blog post.
This year Wrangell Mountains Center is bringing two authors to Alaska to provide workshops in the magnificent setting of McCarthy and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Having made the trip out there this week, I was reminded just how awe-inspiring an environment awaits the writer there – not to mention the warm welcome from local residents. July 27 to August 2, writer Justin Torres, whose debut novel We The Animals garnered much acclaim, will be teaching on the theme “Dancing the Great Divide.” Then August 12 to 17, poet Dan Beachy-Quick will offer “Strangeness: A Poetry Workshop in Accuracy’s Paradox.” This year for the first time, members of 49 Writers are eligible for a 10 percent discount on these workshops, so check out this opportunity on the WMC website.
49 Writers volunteer Lucian Childs received an Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train’s January 2012 Very Short Fiction contest for his short story, “The Go-Between.” His story, “The Letter,” was recently accepted for publication by Rougarou, an online literary journal and will appear in its fall 2012 issue. Congrats, Lucian!
Coming up next weekend, a Wilderness Writers Workshop in Hope, Saturday May 26, 9am through Monday, May 28. Program includes a personal evaluation of your work, workshop instruction, networking with authors, and relaxation/alone time. Visit the Alaska Writers Guild website for full details and to register.