Writing Rendezvous 2004, our tenth year, was sponsored by Alaska Center for the Book, and brought together approximately 125 people for three days of workshops, speakers and networking April 16, 17 and 18 at UAA’s Business Education Building and Loussac Library facilities.

After three informative pre-conference workshops, the public was treated to an evening with Laurie R. King, talking on the “Risks of Writing” and her early experiences in writing and life. After a slide show and chat, the group left the Wilda Marston Theatre, heading upstairs for a reception in the Ann Stevens Room, which included a silent auction of specially created artwork bookmarks.
On Saturday morning Laurie R. King spoke again on her experiences in writing. Numerous workshops, on nearly two dozen topics, continued throughout Saturday and Sunday morning. Special this year were an entire track for small roundtable discussions and one-on-one 3 page edits. Workshop topics included: a Query Letter Workshop, Structure for Film and TV, Getting Rid of No's, How to Anticipate and Avoid Rejections, and Writing with your Senses.
Once again, as in past years, we had a Saturday evening dinner, where we honored our CLIA and Letters about Literature winners. On Sunday, we listened to visiting agent Diane Gedymin talk about the struggles of getting published, with the last “don’t” being “don’t give up.” Diane, who recently got a job with iUniverse, traveled to Alaska to speak with attendees about the commitment they should be prepared to make and on what larger publishing houses are now looking for.
After another 3 hours of workshops, including Writing for Performance, and How to Develop your Idea with visiting guest Julia Donaldson, we ended the event with a light reception in the lobby of the Business Education Building, giving everyone a chance to say goodbye, exchange business cards and numbers, and provide feedback for next years event.

Alaska Center for the Book would like to thank our many wonderful speakers, attendees and sponsors, for without them this event would not be able to continue year after year.

Our Sponsors include: Alaska State Council on the Arts, the UAA Dept of Creative Writing & Literary Arts, Anchorage Municipal Libraries, Anchorage Historic Hotel, Title Wave Books, Roy Corral Photography, Alaska Press Women, Sonya Senkowsky @ www.alaskawriters.com, Carrs/Safeway, the Natural Pantry, Alaska Sisters in Crime, UAA Campus Bookstore, Alaska Northwest Books, Northland Graphics and Design, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Café del Mundo, Leila Nelson, and Virginia Samson.

Return Home