Highbrow Magazine - literary world https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/literary-world en Welcome to the Literary World: Conferences, Retreats, and Hobnobbing With Like Minds https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1612-welcome-literary-world-conferences-retreats-and-hobnobbing-minds <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/books-fiction" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Books &amp; Fiction</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 10/01/2012 - 14:02</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumalgoinquin%28CarlPurcell%29.jpg?itok=Ktl6W_tH"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumalgoinquin%28CarlPurcell%29.jpg?itok=Ktl6W_tH" width="480" height="244" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> Although some writers conferences date back to the 1940s and ‘50s (Bread Loaf being the most prominent, which featured among other literary luminaries, Robert Frost and Louis Untermyer), poet, editor and writers conference organizer Kurt Brown notes that “the rise of writers conferences really took place during the 70s, 80s and 90s when these (mostly summer) programs spread from border to border and coast to coast.” It’s not surprising, as conferences allow writers an opportunity to escape their day-to-day routine in order to be immersed in literary fellowship.</p> <p>  </p> <p> More than 20 years ago, poet Peter Murphy discovered he wrote best when he was at writing colonies, but since he couldn’t get away often, he started to check into a hotel for one weekend a month in order to have a writer’s weekend. When he told writer friends about his routine, they asked if they could join him. It wasn’t long before he booked 15 rooms in a hotel in Cape May.  Although he initially thought he might not find enough interested writers or that he would lose money, 20 writers signed up — so many that he had to bring another workshop facilitator on board to help. Thus was born the Winter Poetry &amp; Prose Getaway, which this coming January will celebrate its twentieth year, and will boast more than 200 participants. Murphy says that the Getaway has about a 50 percent retention rate, and that of those original 20 writers, six have been to every Winter Getaway.</p> <p>  </p> <p> At first glance, that might sound uncanny, but for people who go to writers conferences regularly such commitment to a community isn’t surprising at all. Perhaps this is why the number of conferences is growing steadily, with programs springing up in all 50 states and across the globe. Many of these programs are associated with colleges and universities, but many of them, such as the Winter Getaway (and its offshoot workshops across New Jersey and in Wales) are independent events created by writers, community writing groups and other institutions.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Fiction writer George Dila, a self-described “conference junkie,” directs Ludington Visiting Writers in Michigan, which hosts a variety of writers conferences, most recently this fall’s “Blood &amp; Tea” program, a conference for mystery writers. Dila says that his programs provide “inspiration, learning, courage and community” and elaborates: “The act of writing is a lonely endeavor, and most writers struggle with the same issues: issues of craft and art, bouts of self-doubt, publishing worries. Good conferences can be just what the doctor ordered for the writer plugging away at it on his or her own. It is also ... where a writer often finds strong, new friendships.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Poet Joy Gaines-Friedler, who has attended numerous conferences including the Winter Getaway, agrees, saying she returns to certain conferences “because I left the previous year filled with inspiration, excitement, renewed energy for writing (and reading) and for the dear friends I've made and reconnected with there.”  Friedler, who doesn’t have an MFA (as many writers do), notes that going to conferences allowed her to work with a variety of great teachers in a variety of locales — some close to home, some further afield — so that “because of writing conferences, [she] had already ‘earned’ the degree.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Time and again though, when talking to directors, faculty members or participants, writers involved with retreats and conferences return to the importance of community that is supportive, and an environment that is conducive to writing. </p> <p>  </p> <p> Kurt Brown, founder of Writers Conference and Centers (which has since been rolled into one part of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs), explains, “Writers’ conferences are valuable in that they are social as well as literary, and allow participants to meet and work with established writers, as well as writers on their own level, and the exchanges — both personal and literary — might be crucial to those involved and last a lifetime.”        </p> <p>  </p> <p> Cave Canem began as a writer’s retreat for African-American poets in 1996 at Mount St. Alphonsus Conference Center in Esopus, New York and eventually moved to the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. It has since “grown from a gathering of 26 poets to become an influential movement with a renowned faculty and high-achieving national fellowship of over 300," according to its website. The community of writers expands well beyond the conference, with two book contests, anthologies and a variety of national events. The Cave Canem community is a who’s who list of African-American poets, including Cornelius Eady, Toi Derricotte, Terrance Hayes and Natasha Trethaway.</p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumwritersretreat%20%28Sara%20Star%20NS%29.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px; " /></p> <p> Cave Canem is fortunate to have a great deal of funding for scholarships and other programs; its website announces that to “join Cave Canem’s fellowship, one must attend the organization’s week-long writing retreat, [which is] offered tuition-free to 54 emerging African-American poets. Annually, approximately 30 fellows return for their second and third times; approximately 24 are first-time participants.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Many other programs aren’t fortunate enough to have the means to offer such opportunities.   They are not cheap to run, nor cheap to attend. As writers conferences try to establish their “differences” from other conferences — by bringing in bigger name keynotes and faculty, inviting publishers, editors and agents to interact with participants, shrinking workshop sizes and offering better hotels with better amenities — their expenses go up and so do the tuition and fees<strong>. </strong>Conferences, after room and board is factored in, can cost well over a thousand dollars for three or four days, and that’s without buying books, grabbing drinks or coffee as you build that community, or even traveling expenses.</p> <p>  </p> <p> For instance, The West Chester Poetry Conference, a premier long weekend for writers and critics of formal and narrative poetry, is $650 for registration alone; add to it a meal plan and lodging in the dorms, and the grand total is $1,250. If you opt to stay in a local hotel and eat out it can be considerably more. The conference, though, provides opportunities to hobnob with luminaries of formal poetry and poetics, including editor of <em>Poetry </em>Chris Wilman, poet Kim Addonizio and former NEA Executive Director Dana Gioia. The conference is so popular that many poets are regular attendees, and they praise the weekend’s sense of community.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Furthermore, just as traditional writers conferences allow for writers without an MFA to have an MFA-type experience, programs that focus on science-fiction and fantasy writing, romance writing, graphic novels, formalist poetry, Christian literature and playwriting often allow writers who may feel on the fringes of a literary landscape often defined by academia to have a supportive environment.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The annual Science Fiction Writers Conference at Kansas University’s Center for the Study of Science Fiction seems almost reasonable at a rate of $500 for 12 days, “exclusive of meals and housing.” The conference “is intended for writers who have just begun to publish or who need that final bit of insight or skill to become a published writer.” Running concurrently with this conference is a science-fiction and fantasy novel workshop. Although the goals of this workshop include community building, workshop leader and author Kij Johnson says the goals of the program “are to generate the best possible chapters and an outline for a writer's submission packet [and] to learn what will be necessary to complete or revise the novel with an eye toward publication.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Ultimately writers conferences are as much about the career as the community, which includes fellowship but also networking.  Many conferences, such as the Unicorn Writers Conference for genre writers (including cookbooks), offer “pitch” workshops and opportunities to work one-on-one with agents and editors, as well as time in writer-led peer workshop.  Many conferences talk about publishing — banking on the names of editors and agents — without discussing the changing nature of publishing, often leaving such discussions to answers in informal Q-and-A sessions and after-dinner conversations.</p> <p>  </p> <p> More importantly, retreats and conferences give writers of all levels reasons to write, a place where their work and their aspirations are taken seriously, a place where they can escape from the quotidian, so that they can get to their work, often in a more desirable location. Really, what writer from the northern states wouldn’t want to go to Key West Literary Seminars in January to work with the likes of former Poet Laureate Billy Collins?  At $450, plus meals and lodging, it’s a bargain.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p>  <em>Gerry LaFemina is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>Photos: Sara Star NS (Creative Commons); Painting by Carl Purcell.</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/writers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">writers</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/authors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">authors</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/literary-world" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">literary world</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/writers-conferences" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">writers conferences</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/bread-loaf" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bread loaf</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/writers-retreat" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">writers retreat</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/peter-murphy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">peter murphy</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/winter-poetry-and-prose-getaway" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">winter poetry and prose getaway</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/cave-canem" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cave canem</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/publishers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">publishers</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Gerry LaFemina</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Painting by Carl Purcell</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:02:08 +0000 tara 1644 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1612-welcome-literary-world-conferences-retreats-and-hobnobbing-minds#comments Are Printed Books Now Extinct in the Digital Age? Not Yet https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1539-are-printed-books-now-extinct-digital-age-not-yet <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/books-fiction" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Books &amp; Fiction</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 09/10/2012 - 16:20</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumbookstore%20%28ShelbyH%29.jpg?itok=XelJV7Iq"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumbookstore%20%28ShelbyH%29.jpg?itok=XelJV7Iq" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> Book lovers around the country are wondering what will happen to their favorite bookstores as the increase in digital publishing and the closure of brick and mortar book monoliths like Borders signifies. When Borders announced its closing last year, NPR published an article questioning how much longer the “bookstore experience” might last, and what the store’s closure might mean for other bookstores. Many have speculated that independent bookstores will thrive, while others project a gloomy end for anyone associated with the book business.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The debate over whether brick and mortar bookstores are obsolete was highlighted recently in an article by William Petrocelli in the Huffington Post. Petrocelli responds to this shrug away from bookstores and publishers, and argues that, in fact, everyone (including Amazon.com) needs bookstores to keep running at optimum production, since a large percentage of people see the physical book in a storefront and then buy it from a website or download the ebook format afterwards. Thus, window shopping at physical bookstores remains in vogue, although purchasing books may be lagging in some ways.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The publishing industry has been plagued with problems for years, even before the development of the Nook and Kindle. With the advent of the Internet, and especially online retailers such as Amazon.com, the bookselling industry had to reconfigure strategies for making a living. <strong>As </strong>writer Dan Gregory points out, without hundreds of Borders stores around the country, the publishing industry will print fewer copies and lay off employees who worked specifically with that company. While the publishing industry and mega bookstores such as Borders are obviously struggling, how is this affecting the book selling business for indie bookstores?</p> <p>  </p> <p> When speaking with bookstore employees and owners over the years, it seems as though the decline of demand for the physical book in the age of the Internet and the increase in the number of megastores around the country have been hurting indie booksellers in the past decade. However, with the recent closure of Borders storefronts, the consumer may be more inclined to shop at local independent bookstores.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> In some towns and suburbs, there may not be another ready option once the chain stores close. This could have a positive effect on small businesses because of the decrease in competition. However, it could also prove problematic if there are less physical books in general. Many small business owners have been hopeful that the closure would increase their sales, but for some there has been no drastic change.</p> <p>  </p> <p> According to Jeanne Simone of <a href="http://againbooks.com/">Again Books and Bazaar</a> in Rapid City South Dakota, the overall amount of business has remained largely the same, although she now sells through Amazon.com as well as her physical shop. “I've had a steadily increasing customer base over the years. I've gained some new customers who used to shop at Borders and Barnes &amp; Noble, and they make up for any customers that I may have lost to e-readers. I was a bit concerned about people not having as many good books to sell to me with no large bookstores in town, but that hasn't been a problem. People still order books on the Internet, and then sell them to me when they're finished with them.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Smaller indie bookstores may have a niche market for increased privacy and personality from their loyal customers. Simone explains that “major stores have begun keeping track of everything we buy, and many people do not like this invasion of privacy. So instead of buying a new book or going to the library, where their reading preferences are tracked, they will buy a used book at a smaller shop.  I also have people who like me to order books for them through my store, ensuring their privacy.” Perhaps this increasing need for privacy when purchasing books will help drive steady business to smaller stores.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumebooks%20%28lucaConti%29.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 373px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> Half Price Books is one of the more well-known indie chain stores. Originally converted from an old Laundromat in Dallas, Texas in 1972, the company has since expanded to 115 stores in 16 states.  It continues to be family-owned, with Sharon Anderson Wright serving as current president and CEO.</p> <p>  </p> <p> In terms of how the increase of e-reader technology has influenced the business of smaller shops, it seems like it may not have decreased business as much as many speculate. Simone from Again Books says, “I've had many customers tell me they have an e-reader, but still buy real books because they like the feel of them and find it easier on their eyes.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> However, Anderson Wright  from Half Price states, “With the rise in popularity of e-books, we’re seeing fewer paperbacks produced, and therefore fewer paperbacks being sold to our stores.  There also isn’t the variety of authors like there used to be since publishing houses are less willing to take a chance on newer authors.  Therefore, when people are selling us books, we’re seeing a lot of the same books by the same big authors come in.” Unfortunately, this decrease in variety is a sentiment that may only worsen for booksellers and printed book lovers as the publishing industry continues to print fewer hard copies.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Only time will tell what will happen to the industry with the increase in technology use and closure of brick and mortar stores to purchase books from publishing houses, but Half Price Books and Again Books have both come up with clever strategies for coping with the changes in reader formats for the time being. For example, Anderson Wright points out that “people are still coming to our stores for books, but they are also looking online, so we launched <a href="http://www.hpbmarketplace/">HPB Marketplace</a> back in early 2011 so we can offer our customers an online sales option. HPB Marketplace has titles from more than 20,000 individual sellers.” HPB is also looking into selling other items beyond books in the future. Again Books is selling books on Amazon for customers and as a business to bolster sales.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Many famous local indie bookstores have closed in recent years, although some speculate that their closure might be from other reasons than the e-book industry or the closure of larger stores. Bookseller, former Borders employee, and blogger Gregory makes a good point about one of the most prolific indie bookstores that recently closed its doors, Serendipity Books in Berkeley. <a href="http://betweenthecoversblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/the-closing-of-the-american-bookstore/">According to Gregory</a>, the identity of the shop itself was tied to the well-loved man who founded it, Peter Howard, who made few plans to have someone else take over the shop after he passed away. Once he did, the store struggled. This same author also aptly points out that one potential factor contributing to the Borders closing was the vast number of titles they started with, among other non-sustainable business practices.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Every bookselling company, whether large or small, needs flexibility and durability to survive the vast changes that will likely continue to shape the industry. Many people assume that the changes in publishing reflect the eminent future—a future without paper books, or when bookselling will become even more of a niche or antique market. However, it’s important to note that according to UNESCO, more than 328,000 new titles were published in 2010, which should prove to doomsayers that the publishing world is still thriving.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The changes in the industry have always been and will continue to be tumultuous for all stores in the business. However, consumers also have some choice in the way the industry advances and changes. Buying more books from larger brick and mortar stores as may slow the decline of the publishing industry, and keep books in print. Although supporting smaller bookselling companies is important, it is also stores like Barnes and Noble that keep the publishing industry running. When enough people shop more at all bookstores, they may help prevent the inevitable.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>Emma Mincks is a contributing writer at</em> Highbrow Magazine.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em><strong>Photos: Shelby H, Luca Conti (Flickr -- Creative Commons).</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/bookstores" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bookstores</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/borders" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">borders</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/barnes-and-noble" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">barnes and noble</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/book-publishers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">book publishers</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/amazoncom" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">amazon.com</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/literary-world" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">literary world</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/ebooks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">ebooks</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/book-stores" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">book stores</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/books" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">books</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Emma Mincks</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Shelby H, Flickr (Creative Commons)</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:20:57 +0000 tara 1534 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1539-are-printed-books-now-extinct-digital-age-not-yet#comments