Por BJ Coleman<\/p>\n
Writing is often a solitary, uncelebrated activity \u2014 involving only an author and the writer\u2019s chosen recording method. The first-ever San Diego Writers Festival plans to challenge that model this month, by bringing writers and their readers together in a festive celebration of all creative written arts on Saturday, April 13, at the Downtown San Diego Central Library.<\/p>\n
The brainchild of two local writers who also coach other writers, the inaugural San Diego Writers Festival offers a daylong series of events and interactive sessions, all centered on promoting more and better writing arts here locally. Marni Freedman and Jeniffer Thompson collaborated as co-founders of this initial foray into assembling San Diego County writers, their supporters and their writing business associates for a celebratory and educational mixer.<\/p>\n
Freedman said there was a lot the inspiration and perspiration behind creating this project.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were on the ground ourselves,\u201d Freedman said. \u201cWe looked around, and we saw lots of other little soldiers on the ground in fragmented groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freedman has worked with memoirists, fantasy writers and Christian theme writers, to name a few of those \u201cfragmented\u201d writer groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we can get these people together, we see an amazing transformation,\u201d Freedman said.<\/p>\n
Day events at the festival include children\u2019s activities, including face painting and art bags just for kids. The night highlights more adult material.<\/p>\n
Freedman explained that the original vision for a local writers festival was for three days on a San Diego community college campus. The daylong Central Library festival instead offers multiple simultaneous ongoing venues for creators and fans of written arts.<\/p>\n
Pitch Fests, on a first come, first served schedule, will link writers with potential funders of their proposed projects. Successful debut writers will describe their first time in the spotlight for other budding not-yet-there comrades.<\/p>\n
Breakout panels and topic sessions will discuss how \u201cBlack Stories Matter,\u201d how military veterans fare post-service during \u201cIncoming,\u201d comedy writing, graphic novels, new approaches to poetry, women\u2019s voices and different cultures.<\/p>\n
This inaugural writers festival features a presentation of seven writing awards. The keynoter, who is slated to receive a special award, is Piper Kerman, who penned “Orange Is the New Black,” about her experiences as a prisoner and the coincident and subsequent prejudices and biases that beset her.<\/p>\n
The festival organizers have vendor booths still available for $200 apiece. And the organizers are seeking more volunteers for assisting with the event.<\/p>\n
Freedman expressed hopes that the event would be broadly inclusive for all writer voices, perspectives and points of view. She invited all practitioners and patrons of writing arts to feel welcomed. \u201cIf you feel your story isn\u2019t represented, see me,\u201d Freedman said in conclusion.<\/p>\n
This event is free to the public.<\/p>\n
\u2014 BJ Coleman es un periodista independiente local y editor\/reportero del 22.\u00b0 Distrito Legionario. BJ puede ser contactado en bjcjournalist@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n