An inspired Saturday engages writers

I had the privilege of waking up too early on Saturday morning, sitting in a freezing, theater-type classroom, and listening to some of the most profound writers I have ever heard speak. The 2nd Annual BAAC-IU Literary Symposium changed a room full of hopeful writers into child-like dreamers, content to simply listen and absorb the talent that seemed to fill the room beyond its small capacity.\nArts Week 2003 opened with the workshop for all Bloomington amateur writers called "A Search for Form: Poets and Writers on Vision and Revision." Six members of the IU Creative Writing department took to the podium at the John Waldron Arts Center to discuss what they know best, their own work. These accomplished writers filled the room with the sounds of their lyrical poetry, truthful prose, and imaginative fiction. Unlike a book on tape, the fathers and mothers of these masterpieces were right there to tell exactly how the words made it from their imaginations to the printing presses and all the frustrating drafts in between.\n"Revision literally means to see again," poet and speaker Kevin Young said. "Poems can take me up to a year, but you learn a lot from those poems you fight it out with."\nSince revision was the underlined theme of the lecture, each writer shared their own personal insights on battling with their work, but they also gave other creative suggestions to the engrossed audience. Fiction writer Tony Ardizzone preached that any good writer should read the genres they want to write. Poet Catherine Bowman suggested using humor to approach serious matters in writing. Poet and fiction writer Maura Stanton shared her passion for "doodling" her written images first to clear her mind. Fiction writer Dana Johnson challenged the audience to step outside themselves and write in a different person's voice. Poet Richard Cecil spoke of telling the truth rather than relying on imagination.\n"I never wanted to be a writer. I just wanted to tell jokes," Cecil said, after reading his entertaining eight and a half minute poem. \nSpectators at the symposium were also present for the unveiling of the 2003 choice for the "One Book, One Bloomington" title. This year voting ballots were placed in The Herald-Times, online, and strewn about the community. The decision is in: out of over 600 ballots, over 100 people chose 1984 by George Orwell. The BAAC will be holding many open discussions about 1984 starting in February. The group hopes that the relevant subject manner will lead to many interesting discussions. \n"A lot of people feel that what happened to them is happening in the book," Jan Skinner, Development and Marketing Director of the BAAC said. "It's very appropriate for the times with the threat of war and the loss of personal freedoms."\nAlong with the presentation of the "One Book, One Bloomington" title, there were many other memorable moments. Young was asked when he discovered he was a poet, and he cleverly replied he is still trying to do that. Johnson continually told the audience to turn to a specific page number, before remembering we are not as lucky as her students to own copies of her work. \nOne audience member asked Cecil what he does to keep his cats from jumping on the computer when he writes. He calmly answered that he wished his older cats still could jump that high, but now they have to be content chewing on his manuscripts.