L.T. Suzuki, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by L.T. Suzuki
Write On Bowen! 4/26/2010 8:59:00 PM
An interview with Carol Cram, Artistic Director of the Write on Bowen Festival of Readers and Writers Write On Bowen Island!
LTS: The evening of July 2nd, 2010 is the kick off the Write On Bowen, Festival of Readers and Writers. It is an opportunity to join readers, writers, publishers and presenters for a weekend of readings, panel presentations, workshops and other events. Joining me for this blog is organizer, Carol Cram. Can you begin by telling us little about yourself and your involvement in this festival and your role as Artistic Director?
CC: Bowen Island has been a mecca for writers for decades and a very long history of support for the literary arts. So three years ago I got together with several other literary minded people on the island and launched the first annual Write on Bowen Festival of Readers and Writers. Our intention was to celebrate the literary arts on Bowen and involve many local writers as possible. In fact, in our first two years, the vast majority of the presenters who participated in the Festival lived and worked on Bowen Island. There’s a tremendous amount of literary talent here! My role as artistic director is to work with our programming committee to schedule workshops and other events over the three days of the festival. In this our third year we attracted applications from writers, publishers, storytellers, and others from all over the Lower Mainland and even a few in Ontario. Making the choice of who to include wasn’t easy, but it was a lot of fun since we had so many amazing applications. I also work closely with our Write on Bowen Committee to organize the event and as a result, I keep a great many “to do” lists.
LTS: I first heard about this event from a fan of my fantasy series living on Bowen Island. Can you share with our readers about the history of this event and who was the mastermind behind this festival?
CC: In around December of 2007 I was at a point in my life where I really wanted to cultivate my literary side. I have been a writer and an educator for many years-I write computer and business communications textbooks for a publisher in Boston and have taught for over 20 years at Capilano University. While I love the work I do, I really wanted to get back to writing fiction and interacting with other writers. I had moved to Bowen Island in 2005 and was starting to get involved in the very active arts community. So one day I called up Jacqueline Massey, the Executive Director of the Bowen Island Arts Council, and asked her if a literary festival had ever been held on Bowen Island. She told me that yes, over the years, a variety of literary events had been organized--poetry days, readings, workshops, etc. The upshot was that if I wanted to get together some people and organize a literary festival, than sure - go for it! And so we did! We held our first meeting in January 2008 with people who were interested in helping to organize a writers’ festival. From that meeting came the name Write on Bowen, suggested by Pauline le Bel, one of our many award-winning Bowen writers. We also established the format for the festival as a series of workshops that focused on writing and on one or two evening events that featured local and off-island writers reading from their works.
LTS: I’ve seen the impressive line up of authors, poets and publishers sharing in their knowledge during this event. Please share with the readers some of the authors and workshops featured during this festival.
CC: We have a wonderfully eclectic group of presenters this year. Actually, I should mention that “eclectic” has been our guiding principle in programming the festival. We want to feature all types of writing--from poetry to fiction to non-fiction to business writing to storytelling to song writing -- and on and on. Our goal is to make the festival a real coming together of writers in a wide range of areas. This year, we have fourteen two-hour workshops that take writers from inspiration to publication with a few side trips in between. For people interested in writing non-fiction and articles, we have Building Better Stories: Secrets to Sensational Articles with Sylvia Taylor, Writing Adventure Travel Articles and Books with Anthony Dalton, Writing Narrative-Based Non Fiction with Daniel Wood, and Memoir Writing with Jacquie Massey and Susanne Martin, For people who want some help priming their muse, we have Chipping Away at Writer's Block with the Pandora Collective, Silencing the Inner Critic: Filling the Page with Elee Kraljii Gardiner, and the opening session on the Saturday with Anthony Dalton that explores the age old question: Where Do You Get Your Ideas?. Writers who want to explore different genres will enjoy Writing Historical Fiction with kc dyer, and The Challenges of Writing Fantasy for the Adult and YA Market with your blog moderator Lorna Suzuki. Another great selection of workshops relates to publishing. Writers can learn Seven Tips for Publishing with Susan Safyan from Arsenal Pulp Press, enjoy a Publishers Panel made up of local editors and publishers, find out about Book Magic: Turning Writers into Published Authors with Julie Ferguson and learn about Submitting to Publishers with David Stephens. Writers of children’s fiction will enjoy the panel Mining Memory When Writing Kids' Books moderated by local author Ainslie Manson and a workshop with Tradewind publisher Michael Katz called Writing the Chapter Book. Other workshops include Make Your Blog More Popular with Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, a Poetry Workshop with Miranda Pearson, and Finding the Narrative Thread with David Mackie.
LTS: This is a readers’ festival too, so you don’t have to be a writer or aspiring author to participate and appreciate this event. What are some of the highlights the fans of the literary arts can expect?
CC: We have three events that both writers and readers can enjoy. On Friday afternoon, literature lovers can join local poet Bernice Lever for a contemplative walk in the Lieben Lands--an historic homestead on the waterfront that hosted several of Canada’s top literary talents during its hey day in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Poets such as Earle Birney, Margaret Laurence, Malcolm Lowry and many more composed their treasures during Bowen retreats. We also have our opening night event with well-known writer, performer, and storyteller Ivan E. Coyote and our gala event with a line-up of performers who will entertain us with readings, storytelling, and performances.
LTS: Who is the special guest on Friday night at the Gallery . Artisan Square? And what can those with tickets to this event plan on seeing on this evening?
CC: Our special guest on Friday night at the Gallery . Artisan Square is Ivan E. Coyote. She is known across Canada as an award-winning author of four collections of short stories, one novel, two CD’s, four short films and a renowned performer. She has been entertaining audiences with her live storytelling at festivals around the world for the past thirteen years. We are very excited to host her performance as the kick-off for this year’s festival. Ottawa X Press has said that “Coyote is to CanLit what k.d. lang is to country music: a beautifully odd fixture.”
LTS: For those attending for the first time, is the atmosphere of the festival quite intense or is this learning environment a reflection of the island: relaxed, informal but informative?
CC: The festival atmosphere is definitely laid back and relaxed! All of the venues are in various venues scattered around lovely Artisan Square, a brisk hike up the hill from the ferry terminal (or a five minute bus ride--busses meet every ferry). Festivals goers take workshops in the yoga studio with its stunning view of Howe Sound, the dance studio, the Montessori preschool and our lovely Bowen Island art gallery. The center of Artisan Square is for people to meet and mingle. There are also lots of opportunities to connect with other writers and presenters at the Saturday evening Gala event at the Gallery. Books by local writers and the presenters are also available for sale.
LTS: I’ve been invited to help with the Blue Pencil sessions. For those who are not familiar with this, can you tell our readers what is involved and how the writer can get the most of this session?
CC: People who sign up for a full festival or one-day festival package can also choose to have two to three pages of their worked critiqued by one of our presenters. Called a Blue Pencil Editing session, each critique provides writers with the opportunity to have their work read by a professional writer who can offer advice, tips, and encouragement. I really recommend people taking advantage of this feature of the festival if they have work that they are hoping to publish.
LTS: On Saturday and Sunday, there’s also a chance for writers to pitch their manuscript to a publisher or an editor. Have there been any success stories you can share with the readers?
CC: We have some local editors, publishers, and agents who are happy to hear “pitches” from writers interested in presenting their work for publication. Again, these sessions are available for people who purchase the full festival or one-day festival package. People who sign up for these packages and indicate their interest either in a blue pencil or a pitch session (or both) will be contacted closer to the festival date regarding schedules. I’d love to be able to share success stories -- but not quite yet! This year will be our first year offering a limited number of pitch sessions so let’s see how it goes!
LTS: Saturday night’s Gala at the Gallery brings writers and readers together at Artisan Square. What are some of the highlights of this night?
CC: The principal aim of Saturday night’s Gala at the Gallery is to provide people with an opportunity to meet and mingle. In addition, the Gala will feature local poet Jude Neale who will be reading from her newest book, local songwriter (and winner of the recent Bowen song writing contest) Lorne Warr who will entertain us with some of his songs, and Vancouver storyteller Wong Wing-Siu. Another highlight will be Bowen writer and academic Susanna Braund’s presentation of Myth Made Modern, which was a big hit at the second Write on Bowen festival in 2009. In an impeccable presentation, Susanna shares an ancient myth with a modern poem on that myth--and provides very insightful explanations.
LTS: I understand registration is now open. Are there any benefits to registering early?
CC: People who register by May 15 for the full festival or one-day festival packages will get the best deal. For just $150, purchasers of the full festival package can enjoy the opening presentation on Friday evening, the Saturday evening gala, two boxed lunches, a blue pencil editing or pitch session, the special morning and lunch sessions and up to four workshops or panel presentations on Saturday and Sunday. This price rises to $200 after May 15 so early registration is definitely a good idea. The one-day festival package priced at just $100 before May 15 (and $130 after), includes one boxed lunch, a blue pencil editing or pitch session, and the special morning and lunch sessions and up to two workshops or panel presentation on either Saturday or Sunday. People can also choose to purchase tickets separately for the special events and workshops. The events on Friday and Saturday evening are just $15.00 each, the special sessions on Saturday and Sunday are just $20.00, and each workshop is $40.00 for a full two-hour session.
LTS: One final question, Carol, with the government cutting back on funding in so many levels in the writing/artistic community, does it make it even more important for the public to support events like Write On Bowen to ensure the festival’s survival into the future?
CC: Like many - maybe all -- arts groups in this province, Write on Bowen receives a steadily decreasing amount of government funding--and we’re only in our third year! We will definitely not survive without the support of festival-goers. Literary events such as Write on Bowen provide new and established writers with the opportunity to get together and learn from each other. I believe that encouraging people to write helps them on a personal level and helps our society as a whole. Where would we be without writers to inform us, entertain us, hold a mirror up to us, and teach us what it means to be human?
LTS: What a profound, thought-provoking answer. (You heard the lady, readers, you better mark this weekend in July on your calendar and we’ll see you there!)
CC: Thank you Lorna for the opportunity to share information about the festival with your readers. More information about the festival and our online registration page are at www.writeonbowen.com
LTS: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this fantastic event, Carol! I know I’m looking forward to this festival and connecting with the readers and writers coming together on Bowen Island this summer!
