One of the members of our writer’s group
is also among the organizers of a local art festival. She has been a key supporter of the art of
the word aka the literary component of the festival. Many times there has been a known author
brought in to present a writer’s workshop and to participate in the literary
evening’s ‘open mic’ event. There are a
core group of people that will sign up, faithful workshop attendees, faithful
participants that will read their work to the audience be it few or many. This has been the formula for many years
now. But it isn’t easy. The authors have to be sought out and
booked. The financial aspects have to be
arranged. The bushes have to be beat so
that other people in the community other than our writer’s group will
attend. It’s hard work and it’s harder
work to keep it fresh.
Enter the workshop turn around. The bushes will be left alone. The budget will be easy, it will cost
nothing. The attendees will be the
faithful ones. The workshop will be
taught by the attendees. Simply put, the
faithful participants of the art festival literary component will set aside the
afternoon to do something other than meet as they do for writer’s group where
the agenda is to read their current projects and offer suggestions. We will each be given the chance to present a
mini-workshop. It might be big, it might
be small. It might be original or it
might be something off the Web. No
matter, it’s turn-around time. We can
learn from one another and we know stuff that we can share. I love it.
And if anyone misses the format from other years, where they had the
opportunity to attend a workshop, perhaps they will be motivated to get
involved in a different way. Or they can join our group!
