51����

Participants from this week’s 51���� Writers’ Conference gathered for a reception at Merrill House.

Now in its 20th year, the 51���� Writers’ Conference has blossomed into a cooperative literary haven for writers of all ages and literary interests. This past week, more than 40 writers enjoyed workshops, craft talks, and readings. For many, it was the opportunity to return to a collegiate environment (several even experienced an early morning fire alarm in a first-year residence hall) ripe with intellectual sharing and inspiration. They came, they wrote, they collaborated. Here are some reflections:

“It gives me a week to hole up and just write without any interruption.”
– Ginnah Howard, author of three novels, from Gilbertsville, N.Y.

“We’re in it for the people we get to hang out with, and the fascination of telling stories.”
– Leslie Daniels, author, former agent, and workshop leader from Ithaca, N.Y.

“This year, I had about 750 pages [on which to provide constructive criticism]. One of the good things about this conference is that we workshop long manuscripts — very few places do that. ”
– Brian Hall, a visiting professor in 51����’s English department and a longtime faculty member at the conference

“I talked more about my piece here than I did at my master’s defense.”
– Cody Harris, high school teacher and novelist from New London, Conn.

“I’d heard there was a wide variety [of writers] coming in, but I didn’t anticipate being in a workshop with a high school teacher, a British man, and an older woman. They’re all lovely people and it’s been such a different perspective on writing. Getting your stuff workshopped is the most helpful thing that I know. There’s really no replacement for it.”
– Lee Tremblay ’16, double major in creative writing and social sciences, 51���� Writers’ Conference intern, and aspiring fiction writer from Kirkland, Wa. Tremblay was able to workshop the beginning of a piece that she hopes to transition into a creative writing honors thesis this coming year.