Conference Schedule

General Session 9:40 - 10:20 a.m. Auditorium

• Opening remarks and introductions
• Reading: JoAnn Balingit, Poet Laureate of the state of Delaware
• Dramatic Presentation: Matt McDonald, international Slam Poetry Champion

Workshop Session I 10:30 a.m. - Noon

The Poetic Voice: "Deeper than the human, Older than the human."

Session I
Poetry Master Class - Class limited to eight participants for two-class session.
JoAnn Balingit

The importance of poetry is to unearth language that conveys, somehow, more than is humanly possible. We will write in the morning and critique poems in the afternoon, with a focus on poetry's mission "to divinize language," to quote Li-Young Lee. We'll search for instances of language gone divine-language that says (and knows) more than we say. Participants will be enrolled for both the morning and afternoon sessions. (Participants will be required to submit three pages of poetry, no more than one poem per page, single-spaced, two weeks prior to the conference).

The Poem in the Performance

Matt McDonald

Many people consider the world of performance poetry, also known as slam or spoken word, to be a few particular styles of writing. However, what makes a poem suitable for a powerful performance has little to do with style, and a lot to do with pacing, dynamics, voicing and even more to do with the poem itself. If it grabs you from the page, it can grab you from the air. This workshop will focus on the elements and art of performing a poem. Participants should bring 7 to 10 of their favorite haiku or roughly-haiku-size poems, and the session will conclude with a workshop-wide Haiku Death Match!

Writing Fiction for Young Adults

Young Adult Fiction
Elizabeth Mosier

What distinguishes adult fiction with adolescent characters from fiction written for adolescents? In this workshop on writing for young adults, we'll explore the YA category of children's books in terms of subject matter and style. Using excerpts from classic and contemporary novels, we'll identify the common characteristics of YA literature. Through in-class writing exercises, participants will practice making technical choices that shape new fictional material into work that is distinctly "young adult."

Breaking Out and Breaking In: Getting Your Work Accepted in the Literary Market

Publishing Panel:
Carla Spataro, Philadelphia Stories
Jamie Brown, The Broadkill Review
Wilson Wyatt, The Delmarva Review

Break out as a writer, and break into the marketplace with your prose and poetry. At this publishing panel, you will learn firsthand what the editors of a number of esteemed literary magazines want to fill the needs of their publications. You will have the chance to ask them about reading periods, the number of submissions they receive, editorial preferences and standards, writing contests, cover letters, and other valuable information that will save you time and trouble when you are ready to send out your work.

Lunch Break Noon - 1:00 p.m

Lunch can be purchased from the Wesley College cafeteria, the Wesley snack shop, or at nearby restaurants. A list of eateries will be provided to all conference attendees prior to April 4th. Note: Wesley College will not permit food to be brought into the building from outside the facility.

Special Session 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. Auditorium

• Keynote Address: Patsy Sims, Director of the MFA program at Goucher College.
• 2009 Spring Writing Contest Awards Ceremony and Readings

Workshop Session II 1:35 - 3:00 p.m.

The Poetic Voice: "Deeper than the human, Older than the human"

Session II
Poetry Master Class - Continued
JoAnn Balingit

Real Dialogue: The Said and the Unsaid

Fiction
Elise Juska

This session will focus on techniques for crafting authentic dialogue in your fiction. Using a combination of writing, reading, and listening, we will consider what good dialogue sounds like, how it should function in a story, and when to let silence speak. Bring pen, paper, and one line of overheard dialogue.

Today's Journalism: Taking Your Non-fiction from Rough Draft to Publication

Journalism Roundtable
Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down and The Best Game Ever
Maria Hess, senior editor, Delaware Today
Dawn Fallik, freelance journalist and University of Delaware journalism professor
Patsy Sims, Director, MFA program, Goucher College
Bob Yearick, freelance journalist and editor

Learn from nationally-known professionals what it takes to get your articles published in today's magazines, newspapers and online publications.

Workshop Session III 3:10 - 4:30 p.m.

Crafting the Perfect Scene

Fiction
Maribeth Fischer

In this workshop, we will discuss the key components necessary to create dynamic, tension-filled scenes-which are at the heart of all good stories. Discover how to find the "tension triggers," not only in action, but through description, characterization and setting. And come prepared to write, for we'll begin the process of crafting, step by step, our own perfect scenes.

To Tell The Truth (or not)

Memoir
Curt Smith

This workshop will explore aspects of writing the personal memoir. Participants are encouraged to bring a one or two page sample of their work, which they will be asked to share with the group. We will address the unique problems and rewards of writing memoirs and work toward shaping a richer understanding of this sometimes vexing genre. Also slated for discussion will be the current state of the memoir, the use of traditionally fictional techniques to shape the memoir, and the publishing marketplace.

Telling True Stories

Nonfiction
Patsy Sims

This workshop will focus on the fictional techniques a writer can draw on to make nonfiction more creative. Works of exemplary creative nonfiction will be closely examined to demonstrate why each piece worked and what techniques the writer used to achieve a particular effect. Participants will also receive handouts with examples of how various writers have handled character development, scenes, dialogue, suspense, and other fictional devices.

Sorting and Sieving:  What Poets Can Learn from Other Poets

Poetry

Piotr Florczyk

Although writing is a solitary activity, in this poetry workshop we will focus on learning about poetry from other poets, some of whom hail from cultures other than our own.  By close reading and analyzing their poems as critics and fellow writing artists, we will explore the fundamentals of poetry, such as form, sound, metaphor and simile, and in turn witness how they figure in our own poems.  The intended outcome of the workshop calls for each participant to start writing a new poem based on the readings.  Additionally, we will discuss the publishing industry, the writing community and its place within one's writing life, as well as various facts and myths about poetry and poets.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORMS, CONTACT:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it