Edward Gibbon wrote, “Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book.”
Perhaps if Mr. Gibbon had attended the writers’ retreats and conferences hosted on Georgia’s beautiful St. Simon’s island, he’d have felt a little less resolved and a lot more inspired. Two opportunities remain for aspiring writers, no matter the age, looking to arm themselves with advice from acclaimed experts and an amazing getaway.
The Inspiration Writing Workshop (Write to Inspire!), hosted at Epworth by the Sea, runs the weekend of Oct. 23-25. Holly Sullivan McClure, renowned for her thrillers and children’s mysteries, is one of several organizers of the retreat. With many workshops and conferences under her belt, McClure says retreats like these are very beneficial to budding authors of any age. “We try to teach people how to get their career started … at this point in time, it’s harder than ever to get published and be successful. There’s an awful lot of competition and lots of changes going on in the publishing industry. The better you write, the more skills you have [and] the better your chances are.” She adds that the art of writing a book and the act of completing a novel are different skills altogether.
McClure, who has been writing professionally since the ’90s, says the workshops provide instruction in getting a manuscript started, keeping it going and writing a cover letter. It doesn’t hurt, either, that the retreat is hosted at a location overlooking the Frederica River. “It’s perfect!” McClure says. “You can have your time of quiet, but then you also have enough life going on around you to keep you inspired!”
Elizabeth Blahnik, a published author and co-founder of the Native Atlantan’s Club, agrees. She’s also one of the organizers of Scribbler’s Retreat, which is being hosted at the Sea Palms Resort Nov. 12-15. “We like to put teachers, authors, agents, editors, in front of people who are seeking to further their writing talents and careers and have questions about … even sentence structure,” Blahnik says. “This is all done in an atmosphere, on this island, made for inspiration and learning.”
The November event is the last conference of a series of four Scribbler’s hosted this year. And the success of this inaugural year has Blahnik already planning for 2010.
“I really love helping people,” Blahnik says. “With this writer’s conference … we have really hit our niche and our stride.” Feedback has encouraged the creators of Scribbler’s to continue with an uncommon writer’s conference template, providing more time for one on one, in-depth conversations. Scribbler’s also is committed to encouraging young writers by providing scholarships to high school and college level students. Younger attendees really appreciate being included in what is commonly an “adult-type” conference. A fundraiser for the non-profit organization will be held on Oct. 15.
Suehyla El-Attar is an actor/writer living in Atlanta, GA. Please visit her site at suehyla.com.
