A Letter from the 2011-12
The first AWP conference I attended was a life-changing event—it was Austin the year was 1987 and about 250 of us attended. The half-dozen panel discussions and readings were wonderful, and I enjoyed the banquet at the University of Texas, where we all dined in one room. On the hotel patio, I found the long-lost camaraderie of graduate school—the intellectual musings and friendly banter. The evening dance culminated in a conga line through nearby nightclubs with one of my idols, the poet Rita Dove. By the end of the conference, I understood I had chosen the correct vocation. I returned to Haskell Indian Nations University, my home institution, renewed and encouraged. I used the AWP hallmarks and guidelines to develop a new creative writing program, the first at my all-American Indian college. Through the year AWP publications kept me in touch with academic practices, publishing opportunities, job opportunities, and writing news—until the next conference. What a change in 2011!—to see AWP’s gathering in Washington D.C. with 9,000 fellow attendees. With over 550 publishers, the book fair alone was twice as large as the entire Austin conference. The opportunity to see major writers increased exponentially since the offerings included over 400 panels, readings, lectures, and receptions. Where just a few stars made presentation in Austin, 1,200 writers gave readings or panel discussions at the DC conference. Plus, special events were open to the general public as a service to the literary community. But some things remained happily familiar. I met old friends and shared memories and professional news. I saw Pulitzer-Prize winner Rita Dove, who is still one of our association’s leading lights. The AWP conferences continue to be a highlight of my professional year. Over my three decades of association with AWP, services have increased as membership has expanded to 35,000 individuals and 500 writing programs. Now I follow AWP daily on Facebook and Twitter. The website offers a smorgasbord of services: academic hallmarks and guidelines; archives of all Chronicles (a nifty online textbook!); job listings; creative writing programs directory; writing center listings; and contests for student and professional writers. AWP helps writers, teachers, and programs share information and ideas to help us all do better work as artists, educators, and administrators. If you’ve been a member of AWP for as long as I have been, you know that AWP is never content to rest on its laurels. We have big improvements in the works for our website, our forums, and our publications this year. I hope you will join us for a literary conversation that becomes more diverse and far-reaching with each passing year. I continue to think of AWP as a writer’s banquet—a place to meet with fellow writers and a place to find sustenance. AWP has created immeasurable possibilities for me and for my students. My writing and teaching experiences would not have been the same if I had not attended my first AWP conference, where I loved what I saw and became a life-long participant in this essential community.
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