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| In celebration of the written word Southwest Writers Institute looks to revive tradition SideStory: Institute highlights some of the best in the West
by Amy Maestas A decade after a local writers? conference concluded a long run, writers of all disciplines and passions will be treated this weekend to a hopeful successor. For three days, the first annual Southwest Writers Institute lands in Durango to offer craft sessions and keynote speakers of, by and for Southwest wordsmiths. The institute is born of members of Fort Lewis College?s English Department. Jennie Dear, associate professor, says the organizers are banking on the popularity of the former Western Literature and Durango Literature conferences. These conferences ran through the 1980s and 1990s, bringing internationally recognized authors of all genres to Durango such as Kurt Vonnegut, Maya Angelou, Larry McMurtry and Allen Ginsberg. At the time, organizer of the conferences, retired FLC English professor Paul Pavich, says the Southwest was rapidly growing as a hotbed of producing writers. The region gradually crept its way into a variety of writers? works, many of them paying homage to a vast landscape that is diverse in its scenery, culture and politics. Pavich says: ?People were interested in the Southwest take on all kinds of things.? Dear explains that the conferences were so popular, both on the FLC campus and in the community, that there were rumblings about starting a new one. That was nearly 18 months ago. This weekend is the culmination of their efforts. ?We wanted to revive the old tradition, but realized that people had different ideas about what they wanted. It included both hearing authors speak and also providing a forum for local writers and authors to learn from,? says Dear. Though the focus of the bygone conferences eventually spread beyond the region, they tapped into what Dear and other organizers recognize as a wellspring of talent. To ensure success ? both in impact and participation ? this first-year institute is focusing again on the Southwest. The institute?s goal is to be well-rounded, showcasing poets and novelists, ready to provide feedback to budding and accomplished writers. Six craft sessions will have a workshop environment. All featured writers will be part of two writers? panels, designed to give advice on writing about this region and on the publishing industry. Evening events with big-name regional authors will be more encompassing, giving nonwriters a chance to hear the stories and experiences of keynote speakers. Dear says institute founders are serious about ensuring that this conference takes off, and thus are offering a limited number of scholarships to FLC students who want to hone their writing crafts. Next year, they hope to extend those scholarships to community members as well. Also paramount to organizers is keeping the institute affordable. ?We really do want all kinds of people to come,? Dear adds. Pavich says he?s pleased to see a conference of sorts returning to Durango. He?s confident that it will rise to the past popularity. ?There is a lot of creativity in this area, but there aren?t many opportunities for writers to learn from others. The Southwest Writer?s Institute offers a focus.?
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The Independent Weekly Line on Durango and Beyond
