Some of Wesleyan’s most dedicated writers spent five days in June on campus honing their skills with widely known writers, editors, and agents. Organized by Adjunct Professor of English and Director of Writing Services Anne Greene, the 55th annual Wesleyan Writers Conference featured lectures by day and readings by night, with writers sneaking in composition time whenever possible. They received advice on their manuscripts, tips for getting published, and an appreciation for alliteration.
The guest speakers and faculty seemed to be the keynote of the conference for the participants. They ranged from Kim-Framk Family Writer-in-Residence Amy Bloom ’75, to novelist and “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” writer Peter Blauner ’82, to Johnny Temple ’88, of “Go the Fuck to Sleep.”
There were also non-alumni speakers, such as Roxana Robinson, and the award-winning author and poet Honor Moore.
“I was glad to be part of it,” Bloom said, who delivered a reading at breakfast one morning at the conference. “These are people who are very serious and committed to their writing—it’s nice to be able to go and talk to people you know take this seriously and be encouraging to them.”
For some, the speakers were the highlight of the conference. Lindsay Dittman ’14, a member of the student staff at the conference, said her favorite was “God-genius and ex-Wesleyan Professor” Paul La Farge, who gave a lecture on hypertext, text read on a computer with links to other text. However, more than his lecture, she enjoyed interacting with him afterward.
“After he gave this brilliant speech, he came and hung out with us in the Senior Fauver common room,” Dittman said. “I remember looking at other staffers and participants as we listened to La Farge give his opinions on Pabst Blue Ribbon and seeing this collective look of ‘Ahh what the hell?’”
Dittman said she was most impressed by how “down to earth” all the faculty and speakers were.
“Nothing could be more fascinating than actually talking to someone whose brain you’ve just spent 300 pages picking,” she said.
Throughout the conversations, seminars and lectures, the faculty provided entertainment, instruction and inspiration. Marina Reza ’13, a participant at this year’s conference, received advice in her manuscript consultation that she’ll take to heart:
“The best advice I received was to read widely and broadly, especially in unfamiliar genres, and to think of it as reading for work,” Reza said.
However, the faculty and guest speakers weren’t the only ones who impressed. The participants were an amazing group unto themselves.
“They ranged from published, award-winning writers to new writers,” Green said. “In their other lives, one is a State Department diplomat, several are doctors and fiction writers, and several are human rights lawyers representing torture survivors.”
As Reza puts it, “we were a motley crew.”
Though she participated in 2008, Russell House Fellow Barbara Fenig ’11 sums up the participant experience. “I was a really moving experience to have a week devoted to writing, the perfect venue to really examine life as a writer,” she said.
Though most of participants’ time was spent reading, writing and talking about reading and writing, they still managed to fit in some group bonding moments.
“At night everyone would gather in the World Music Hall for one or two readings and it was very quiet,” Dittman said. “There was this feeling of closeness, because we were all very different, but very much in love with what we were listening to.”
Greene said that believes the conference achieved the intended outcome.
“[Participants] came for careful critique of their work, for encouragement, for time to write, for contacts, for inspiration,” Greene said. “They all left with more faith in themselves and their writing ability. It seems that whatever the participants anticipated and hoped for, the Wesleyan Writers Conference signed, sealed, and delivered.”