July 2016 Archives

The Community of Writers 46th Annual Writers Workshops in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, will take place in Squaw Valley the week of July 25- August 1st. You are invited to join us for public craft talks, panels, and readings by the teaching staff, agents and editors, and published alumni. You can find a printable schedule and make a reservation for the two evening Special Events (see below) here.

TUESDAY, JULY 26

1:00   Craft Talk: “The Germs (of stories, that is): From Where Do Stories Emerge?” by Tom Barbash
2:00   Panel: “Telling Truth through Fiction: Transmuting ‘Real’ Events into Imaginative Fiction” with Rhoda Huffey, Joanne Meschery, Victoria Patterson and Amy Tan – moderated by Jane Ciabattari
3:00   Panel: “The Historical Novel” with Sands Hall, Edie Meidav, Gregory Spatz, and Mary Volmer – moderated by Jason Roberts
4:00   “The Writing Community, Prizes and the Life of the Writer: Jane Ciabattari in conversation with Oscar Villalon”
5:30   Short Takes Staff Readings: Mark Childress, Natalie Serber, Andrew Tonkovich, and Mary Volmer
7:30   Panel: “The Big Nonfiction Book:Conquering Research to Find the Story” with Jason Roberts, Héctor Tobar, Jordan Fisher Smith and Dava Sobel – moderated by Julia Flynn Siler

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

1:00   Craft Talk: “The Construction of a Nonfiction Narrative” by Dava Sobel
2:00   Panel: “Humor, Voice, Character and Subtext” with Mark Childress, Dana Johnson, Anne Lamott, Matt Sumell – moderated by Andrew Tonkovich
3:00   Panel: “The Heart of Memoir” with Anne Lamott, Natalie Serber, Jane Vandenburgh – moderated by Sands Hall
5:30   Short Takes Staff Readings with Edie Meidav, Jason Roberts, Julia Flynn Siler, Gregory Spatz
7:30* Staff read & talk about their work: Dana Johnson, Anne Lamott, Matt Sumell, Héctor Tobar.

* This event has an admittance fee, and reservations are appreciated. Reserve your seat for this event.

THURSDAY, JULY 28

1:00   Panel: “Book Editors” with Reagan Arthur, Erika Goldman, Joy Johannessen, Calvert Morgan, Jack Shoemaker – moderated by Michael Carlisle
2:00   Panel: “Literary Agents” with Noah Ballard, Joy Harris, and BJ Robbins – moderated by Joy Johannessen
3:00   “Journals We Edit, Journals We Read,” with Oscar Villalon and Andrew Tonkovich
5:30   Published Alumni Reading: Stephanie Kegan, Nayomi Munaweera, Marian Palaia, Juan Alvarado Valdivia, Heather Young – Introduced by Matt Sumell
7:30   A Writers’ Tribute to Alan Cheuse: Various readings, music and tributes by staff. All are welcome!

FRIDAY, JULY 28

No events scheduled

SATURDAY, JULY 30

1:00   “You Must Read This: The Narrative Technique Which Stopped You In Your Tracks,” various staff will read excerpts and discuss
2:00   Panel: “Adaptation” with Craig Bolotin, Héctor Tobar, Mark Childress, Nancy Kelly, Amy Tan – moderated by: Louis B. Jones
3:00   Panel: “Silence, Cunning, Exile: The Risks and Rewards of Untraditional Narratives” with Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Louis B. Jones, Michelle Latiolais, and Al Young – moderated by Andrew Tonkovich
5:30   Short Takes Staff Readings with Lisa Alvarez, Rhoda Huffey, Victoria Patterson and Al Young
7:30* Staff read and talk about their work: Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Michelle Latiolais, Kirstin Valdez Quade, Elizabeth Tallent.

* This event has an admittance fee, and reservations are appreciated. Reserve your seat for this event.

SUNDAY, JULY 31

1:00   Craft Talk: “The Knowing Character and Other Craft Notes” by Ron Carlson
2:00   Panel: “The Craft of Writing the Short Story” with Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Ron Carlson, Kirstin Valdez Quade and Elizabeth Tallent – moderated by Thomas Barbash
3:00   Panel: “Writing Beyond The Conference” with Victoria Patterson, Rhoda Huffey, Julia Flynn Siler – moderated by Lisa Alvarez

MONDAY, AUGUST 1

9:30 The Closing Talk by Amy Tan

All Events are in the Olympic House in Squaw Valley. Most afternoon events will take place in Bar One. 5:30 readings and evening events will take place in Plaza Bar. For more information, see the Public Events listing on our website.

Written Here: The Community of Writers Poetry Anthology 2015, a collection of poems first written in Squaw Valley at the 2015 Poetry Workshop, is now available.

Written Here continues the tradition of publishing poems that first emerged during that summer’s Poetry Workshop. Student and staff poets write a new poem each day to be read aloud and discussed in the morning session. The gathering of these talented poets in a climate of mutual support and encouragement makes possible this daily act of courage and trust.

The poems appearing in these pages were selected by a group of editors—themselves workshop participants—from the work submitted by their fellow poets.

Proceeds from the sales of this anthology benefit the Poetry Workshop Scholarship Fund.

This edition of Written Here was edited by Emily Wolahan, Jules Wood, Michelle Meyers, KB Ballentine, Carolyne Whelan, and Jon Riccio. Typsetting by Caitlin Neely.

Contributors: Doha Aboul-Fotouh, Heather Altfeld, Amy Antongiovanni, KB Ballentine, Mallory Bass, Ross Belot, Toby Bielawski, Judy Brackett, Tim Carrier, Elizabeth Chapman, Jolie Clark, Christine Holland Cummings, Deborah Friedman, Forrest Gander, Kirk Glaser, Laurie Glover, D. M.Gordon, Brenda Hillman, Bethanie Humphreys, Troy Jollimore, Bonnie S. Kaplan, Muriel Karr, Tehmina Khan, Kayla Krut, Lester Graves Lennon, Maya Marshall, Liz Meley, Jeanne Morel, M.D. Myers, Jess Nathan, Angela Peñaredondo, Mark Price, Jon Riccio, Magali Roy-Fequiere, Lindsey Royce, Debra Dashow Ruth, Rachel Sahaidachny, Gini Savage, Evan Schnair, S. Shaw, Evie Shockley, Monica Sok, Laura Swearingen-Steadwall, Ann Tweedy, Vicky Vertiz, Carolyne Whelan, Bakar Wilson, Mary Winegarden, Emily Wolahan, Aliesa Zoecklein, and Stan Zumbiel.