Gathering. Each June for the past 15 years, writers have
been gathering at the tip of the Homer Spit for the Kachemak Bay Writers’
Conference. Fifteen years of keynote presenters like Maxine Hong Kingston,
Billy Collins, Anne Lamott, Michael Cunningham, Barry Lopez, Naomi Shihab Nye,
and just last year Andre Dubus III. This year’s keynoter is Natasha Trethewey,
two-term United State Poet Laureate and a really lovely person. That’s what’s
great about the Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference, participants get to
learn that the faculty, writers they admire, are really lovely people.
Out at the end of the land, water on three sides, mountains
and glaciers and bald eagles all around, barriers are broken down. In
incredible workshops given by award-winning authors, participants learn from
workshop leaders, and workshop leaders learn from participants. It’s an
exhausting four days of readings, panels, and lots of in-depth instruction on
all aspects of the writing process, but one that is filled with bright moments
of inspiration.
and glaciers and bald eagles all around, barriers are broken down. In
incredible workshops given by award-winning authors, participants learn from
workshop leaders, and workshop leaders learn from participants. It’s an
exhausting four days of readings, panels, and lots of in-depth instruction on
all aspects of the writing process, but one that is filled with bright moments
of inspiration.
I’ve been lucky enough to help out with a few of these conferences,
lucky to teach at some of them, and before that, I was lucky enough to attend
quite a few. I can tell you that the visiting faculty (and yes, the core
faculty as well) always gets as much as they give, and they always tell me on
the way to the airport that they’ve been changed by meeting the participants at
the conference. It’s a win-win-win-WIN situation.
lucky to teach at some of them, and before that, I was lucky enough to attend
quite a few. I can tell you that the visiting faculty (and yes, the core
faculty as well) always gets as much as they give, and they always tell me on
the way to the airport that they’ve been changed by meeting the participants at
the conference. It’s a win-win-win-WIN situation.
This year, the visiting faculty is Dan Beachy-Quick, Jennine
Capó Crucet, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Forrest Gander, Lee Goodman, Richard
Hoffman, Sara Leavitt, Frank Soos, and David Stevenson. The returning core
faculty is Rich Chiappone, me, Nancy Lord, Peggy Shumaker, and Sherry Simpson.
We’ll also have agent Miriam Altshuler and editor Jane Rosenman. The entire
schedule is up at the conference website, and you’ve got until 5pm on May 2 to take advantage of the early registration discount.
Capó Crucet, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Forrest Gander, Lee Goodman, Richard
Hoffman, Sara Leavitt, Frank Soos, and David Stevenson. The returning core
faculty is Rich Chiappone, me, Nancy Lord, Peggy Shumaker, and Sherry Simpson.
We’ll also have agent Miriam Altshuler and editor Jane Rosenman. The entire
schedule is up at the conference website, and you’ve got until 5pm on May 2 to take advantage of the early registration discount.
I hope to see all of you there in Homer from June 10 to 14. I can promise that every
person who attends the conference will come away with something fabulous to
inspire their writing for the rest of the year and beyond.
person who attends the conference will come away with something fabulous to
inspire their writing for the rest of the year and beyond.
take care,
Erin
Erin
I won't be able to attend this year due to other commitments, but I highly recommend this conference. I have found many friends and mentors there, and learned so much about the craft and business of writing.