Writers are a peculiarly reclusive lot, displaying hermetic tendencies to rival that of the most secluded monastic types, and that, folks, is an observation that nearly every writer working free of self-delusion--Hi there!--would confirm. That being the case, it is an extremely rare occurrence indeed to find artisans of the written word hobnobbing with each other, or with anyone else for that matter, outside of their very neatly compact cliques.
Attempts made in the past to draw these shy and solitary animals out into the open have largely been met with shrieks of neurotic terror and/or deafening silence, even when free food--inarguably the most powerfully tempting of all incentives to these finicky creatures--is offered. So then, what to do. What. To. Do.
Enter the first ever WriteCamp Milwaukee: A tantalizing one-day event happening this Saturday that no writer can hope to resist!
Founded by James Boone Dryden, owner of The JB Dryden Company professional editing group, WriteCamp Milwaukee ambitiously aims to bring together writers, editors, publishers, and anyone else with an interest in the art and business of writing. Informal yet informative ad-hoc presentations and discussions will take place all day, and two keynote speakers have graciously agreed to participate as well, writer/novelist/musician Mike Magnuson and writer/novelist Karolis Gintaras Žukauskas (a.k.a. Gint Aras).
Word has it that there's also gonna be--wait for it--networking! Those who suffer from chronic talking-to-people-makes-me-hyperventilate syndrome should wear a bracelet with the acronym TTPMMH and come equipped with smelling salts and a paper bag in their back pocket.
As Organizer of The Milwaukee Writers Workshop and the Southeast Regional Coordinator of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association (WRWA), Dryden is acutely aware of the obstacles that exist within the writing community and the challenges being faced as we continue to wander into this Brave New Publishing World.
In a recent email, he described his main reasons for starting WriteCamp Milwaukee:
"... I have become increasingly aware of a divide in the literary community here in Milwaukee... between the rising generation of new writers and those already established in some form, and I thought that maybe something unique like this would help bring the growing, young community to the foreground. We're bigger than most people think, and we're a talented bunch.
I also believe that as a community we need to look to a different way of disseminating knowledge. Book sales are down; magazine sales are down; internet media is growing. I think that people in the literary community need to not believe what so many of their professors tell them in regards to ‘traditional publishing’ because tradition isn't working. WriteCamp is based on those things and others: it's about gathering together a group of interest-driven individuals who are eager to give back to the community while simultaneously helping to build it."
"What?!" I hear you cry. "Traditional publishing not working?! That's crazy talk." And yet it's true, dear reader of this here bloggity blog. Honest and true.
Dryden's inspiration for the event was spurred by his wife Ashe's organizational activities in Milwaukee's BarCamp, which any self-respecting geek knows is part of the international network of user generated open un-conferences known oddly enough as BarCamp. As with all un-conference camps, WriteCamp Milwaukee is scheduling sessions at the suggestion of its participants and all are asked to make a presentation and/or volunteer in some way.
Co-directed by Dryden and Niki Robinson, WriteCamp Milwaukee is free and open to all, beginning at 8AM this Saturday, June 6, at Mercy Hill Church at The Hide House, 2625 S. Greeley Street, in Milwaukee.
Literary artists of all genres--yes, poetry and prose, too--as well as nonfiction and freelance writers are encouraged to attend in droves to learn themselves somethin' new and connect with others in a nonthreatening environment. It won't hurt at all, I swear.
We have it on official authority that approximately 100 peeps have already registered, so it should be rockin' good time.
Register online now and get a free WriteCamp Milwaukee t-shirt! Mmm... Free t-shirt.
Link (Thanks, Boone!)
Hey Mary! Cool to know you're plugging this, and see ya there!
~Trish
Posted by: Trish Hundhausen | June 05, 2009 at 12:46 PM