Wesleyan Writing Program hosted the 55th annual Writers Conference June 16-20 on campus. About 70 established and aspiring writers attended the conference to refine their skills in close work with the professionals.
Writing Conference participants included teachers, judges, physicians, bankers and at least one former U.S. ambassador. They had the opportunity to attend several workshops and work one-on-one with the program's faculty. Writers Conference participants enjoy a session on literary journalism and memoir on June 17.More than 20 professional literary artists, editors and publishers served on this year's faculty. Pictured is novelist Roxana Robinson, teaching a session on short story and novel writing. Robinson is the author of four novels, several short story collections and a biography of Georgia O'Keeffe.A conference participant takes notes during Roxana Robinson's short story and novel writing lesson.Publisher/author Andre Bernard and Wesleyan Resident Writer Kit Reed spoke on "Publishing in the Digital Age." Bernard is vice president of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation in New York City. He worked in publishing for 25 years and most recently he served as publisher of Harcourt Brace. Reed is the author of several anthologies and novels. She is the first American recipient of a five-year literary grant from the Abraham Woursell Foundation. (Photo by Bill Tyner '13) Johnny Temple '88 is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Akashic Books, an award-winning Brooklyn-based independent company dedicated to publishing urban literary fiction and political nonfiction. Temple spoke to Writing Conference participants about publishing innovations and ways to make a living as a writer.
Learn more about Johnny Temple’s No. 1 New York Times Best Seller here.
Writers Conference participants discuss their work in Huss Courtyard. The conference is open to writers of all ages. (Photos by Olivia Drake)
Olivia Drake
Mike Mavredakis
Ziba Kashef
Andrew Chatfield