Squaw Valley Community of Writers
For 46 years the Squaw Valley Community of Writers has conducted weeklong summer workshops at the base of the mountains in Squaw Valley. This year’s Writer’s Workshop convenes July 25th through August 1st in the Olympic House at 1960 Squaw Valley Road.
The workshops are renowned among the writing community for providing an intensive and often break through experience for writers attempting to improve their craft. A competitive application process is conducted in the spring, with only about 125 students passing muster every year. While it is too late to join in the full workshop, every afternoon the general public is welcome to attend a series of readings and craft talks designed to help you improve your writing or just provide an opportunity to hear from a series of top writers.
Writers leading workshops or speaking at the public events include Anne Lamott, Amy Tan, Mark Childress, Hector Tobar, Matt Sumell, Dana Johnson, Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, Michelle Latiolais, Kristin Valdez Quade, Jason Roberts, Dava Sobel and Elizabeth Talent.
Public event topics include:
-The germs of stories
-The construction of a non-fiction narrative
-Humor, voice, character and subtext
-Editors and Literary Agent Panels
-Telling truth through fiction
-The heart of memoir
Presentations will happen just about every afternoon, with two major evening events showcasing eight highly acclaimed writers on Wednesday July 27 and Saturday, July 30. All of the events are free, except for these evening presentations where a donation is requested.
Just about every year I’ve been able to attend several presentations and learned a great deal about writing and the writing process. Having the opportunity to listen to both Anne Lamott and Amy Tan, two of my favorite writers who are regular contributors to the workshop, has always been a special privilege.
To get a schedule of all the public events go to communityofwriters.org. The Squaw Valley Community of Writers is a non-profit organization which is sponsored by grants and donations. You can also obtain information on the website about attending the conference as a workshop participant next year.