Dorrance Writer's Advocate: Bookmaking

L I T E R A T U R E R E A D I N G S

An opportunity to stand in front of one's peers and gauge their response to one's work can be an invaluable tool to a writer. It is in that spirit that open literature readings, workshops, and readings of published authors are gaining popularity and crowds nationwide.

The informal gathering of local writers or literary pundits at taverns or restaurants is often the most advantageous to new writers. These types of gatherings are beneficial in that they provide the opportunity for writers to exchange ideas while opening up a forum for critique and analysis. The critiques of fellow writers can be extremely useful when developing rewrites of a manuscript. Open readings also allow the writer to actually hear his or her work out loud and judge which passages do and do not work--an opportunity often not exercised in the home. Such reading can also be helpful in developing contacts. New authors seeking to see their manuscripts in print may wish to seek out such groups in the effort to develop their craft and hone the finer points in their manuscripts. As with any other profession, being a good writer takes work and practice, and such open reading groups offer an excellent opportunity for the writer to do so. In order to find groups at which anyone may present his or her work, an author should contact the English department of the nearest college or university or public library to see if it sponsors open reading groups, or consult local newspapers or magazines advertising such events.

Writers seeking new ideas or stimuli from cultural and social movements might want to join a neighborhood salon, or "idea" group. Utne Reader, a leader among the nation's trend-setting, avant-garde magazines, sponsors and helps organize groups from communities around the country who gather to share and debate ideas, thoughts, and feelings concerning a wide variety of topics, including literature and writing, politics, art, and philosophy. The gatherings vary from place to place, according to the tastes of those who make up the group. Some emphasize talk while some act as therapy sessions where members listen to and counsel one another. Others have become book clubs, writing circles, study circles, and playwriting groups. Those interested in more information about neighborhood salons can visit the Utne Reader website at www.utne.com or write the following with their request:

Neighborhood Salon Association
c/o Utne Reader
1624 Harmon Place
Minneapolis, MN 55403

For the new author interested in learning the ins and outs of the craft from the pros, large chain bookstores are increasingly sponsoring readings by published authors, where those interested may come and examine different types of literature from its source. "Superstores," retail outlets constructed with plush reading rooms expressly for this purpose, are accordingly gaining in number and popularity. Borders Bookstores and Barnes & Noble are forerunners in this trend, and their spacious, well-stocked stores contain rooms with sofas, chairs, coffee, and light snacks which offer luxury and comfort for personal or public readings. The serious writer can also consult the Writer's Market, which contains listings of writing workshops and public reading events for all writers. The Writer’s Market is available in print or through the website www.writersmarket.com .

Regardless of an author's slant, status, or goals, utilizing any of these increasingly popular sources can result in more opportunities, stimulating creative ideas, and possibly helping produce better manuscripts for the successful and the aspiring author alike.

(The Little Known World of Bookmaking)