Writers' Conference
April 17, 2010 Conference Wrap-Up & Photos
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 The occasional rain showers that dropped on April 17th did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the 130 attendees gathered at Kiana Lodge for the fifth annual Field's End Writers' Conference.
Gloria Burgess launched the conference with what may h ave been one of our most inspirational and moving opening addresses. She spoke of her childhood in the south, of her father who "wrote on the pages of her soul," and his life-changing relationship with William Faulkner. Gloria's talk sent everyone off to the first breakout sessions raring to go.
Kiana's signature salmon lunch was a huge hit, and while some may have been contemplating a nap, they were instead roused and entertained by Bruce Barcott. Bruce regaled us with many stories from his own experiences as a writer and provided many practical pointers on how to get the writing done.
 David Mauk was thrilled when he won a weekend writer's retreat at the Harborview Guesthouse in the Field's End raffle. This was especially relevant after Bruce emphasized the importance of getting away from television, cell phones, and other gadgets of distraction in order to push through and finish a manuscript.
Many thanks to all o f our wonderful speakers for sharing their wisdom and making the day one of learning and camaraderie.
Thanks also to the volunteers without whom the conference would not be possible. Some of them have been with us for five years, some only this year; some help us all year long. Whatever your contribution, large or small, thank you very much indeed.
Photographs by Susan K. Hylen, New Morning Studio.
Conference Photos
(All photos taken by Susan K. Hylen, New Morning Studio)
Pre-Conference Information:
 "In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm. In the real world, all rests on perseverance." Goethe
All writers need perseverance, buckets of it, and this year’s keynote address is all about determination. Bruce Barcott, 2009 Guggenheim Nonfiction Fellow, presents, "Perseverance Isn’t Pretty." What does it take to see a book through from inspiration to publication?
Author of The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, Bruce Barcott will share some of the work strategies, snacking tips, horror stories, and breakthrough moments that have helped him and others survive the marathon of book writing.
The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw was named one of the best books of 2008 by Library Journal. A finalist for the Washington State Book Award, it recently won the inaugural, biannual Gene E. & Adele R. Malott Prize for Recording Community Activism. Barcott's previous book, The Measure of a Mountain: Beauty and Terror on Mount Rainier, received the Washington State Governor's Award and was recently reissued in a 10th anniversary edition. Barcott is an environmental journalist whose articles on humans and wildlife appear in Outside Magazine, National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, and other publications.
 Gloria Burgess, award-winning poet and performance artist, will deliver the opening address. Pertinent to our lives today, her topic will be: “Creative Perseverance: For Such a Time As This.”
Burgess has dedicated her life to service as an author, speaker, executive coach, and consultant who engages individuals and organizations in the process of finding the vital core of their creative selves. Founder and Principal of Jazz, Inc., her books include Legacy Living and Dare to Wear Your Soul on the Outside, as well as the poetry collections Journey of the Rose and The Open Door. Burgess holds both a PhD in Performance Studies and an MBA in Organizational Behavior and Information Systems. She is currently at work on a book series for young people and has also written an inspirational picture book about her father's life-changing relationship with author William Faulkner.
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