Writers Institute 2007 held April 27-29 in Madison, WI on the UW campus. Over 300 writers attended covering all genres. They met with agents, pitched manuscripts, took an all day Saturday workshop with New York agent, Donald Maas "Writing the Breakout Novel" or attended any of the many lectures on marketing, platform building, writing columns, researching, getting ideas and more. Then there were awards given for contest entries in poetry, fiction and narrative non-fiction.
I am pleased to say I won second place for a poem of mine: "Washington, D.C." Last year I won first, second and honorable mention. This year a sonnet came in first - they are difficult to write - and I will just have to try harder for next year (what? a competitive poet? how could that be?)
Networking went on all day in the halls, at lunch, at dinner and through the exchange of business cards and email addresses. Of all the conferences I have attended, this one not only has energy and information, but an amazing assortment of published writers. The information given is excellent, the follow-up help given by each of the presenters is unflagging and the level of enthusiasm contagious.
Given in April starting with 2007 (it used to be held in June), this is one weekend not to miss. Donald Maas' workshop alone was magnificient. Detailed information presented by a successful NY agent using humor, concise information and involving various writers in huge room overlooking Lake Mendota.
Donald Maas cajoled writers to take a chance, allow him, for a moment to work with them changing a troublesome bit of manuscript. And some did. At the end of the day hundreds of writers took home practical information about revising what they had written. These changes always made the story clearer and with Don's information and energy one absorbed not only a wealth of information, but his own can-do attitude seeped into each writer's very pores.
In 2008 the conference will be held on April 18-20. So make your plans now you won't be sorry.
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