The Port Townsend Writers' Conference

Writers

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For more than three decades aspiring writers and thinkers have come to Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend to become better writers. In the inspiring and supportive atmosphere of The Port Townsend Writers' Conference, passionate writers make breakthroughs in their creative development.

Whether you’re a beginning writer, looking for a post-MFA experience, or simply seeking a week-long writing retreat, the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference is at the center of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene. This year we are celebrating our thirty-fifth anniversary with a number of new options both in 2008 and for Conferences for years to come.

Mornings
For you who decide to register for a core workshop while you’re in residency here, you’ll spend the morning in workshops with your core faculty member in one of three tracks: The Works in Progress track, the New Works track, and the Start Here track (for writers who have never written seriously before or who want to try a new genres). No matter your track, you will receive one-on-one attention from your core faculty member.

“I took a lot from the New Works format: there was more time to write and I still received feedback on stories I’d previously been working on. I left Centrum with a sense that I’d been opened internally.”
   —2007 participant

Afternoons
In the afternoons you’ll find craft lectures, workshop offerings in special topics, readings, and organized freewrites open to participants in every workshop. These workshops, panels, and lectures are taught by the core faculty members, as well as visiting writers and editors. The workshops are open for free to those registered in a core workshop, and at a special price for those who have come here for a writing retreat.

“The location couldn’t be better. It’s as if the air at Fort Worden were infused with inspiration. The Port Townsend Writers’ Conference is fiercely intelligent, organic, creative, and full of heart.”
    —2007 participant

Evenings
Each evening at 7:30, one of the faculty writers will give a reading at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. There are also a full bevy of participant readings scheduled, both at the Wheeler and in beautiful downtown Port Townsend. These readings are free for all participants. Following the readings, a number of gatherings are scheduled. The Langum Project Historical Literature Award Presentation will be held at the Wheeler on July 16, and numerous after-hours gatherings, informal readings, and conversations bring together writers from all across country. Open-mike readings allow you to share work informally. Space is provided if you wish to organize other social events or discussion sessions; a central bulletin board serves as a communication center for notice of such activities.

SAMPLE WORKSHOP DAY

7:30-8:30—Breakfast
9-11:30—Morning workshop with your core faculty member
12-1:00—Lunch
2-3:30—Panel discussions, lectures, and workshops in special topics
4-5—Afternoon freewrite
6-7—Dinner
7:30—Reading in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater

My focus as a teacher is on finding the right words. I really see my role as someone who’s there to help you get a little farther along the path that you want to go down, and also make available for certain kinds of knowledge and certain things that on your own it might take longer time to get to.
   —2008 faculty member Brian Evenson

New in 2008. We are also offering a “quiet dorm” option for those who would like this option.

The Location
“Port Townsend and Fort Worden are delightful. It is a picture book town, with the water, the mountain views, the stately homes, and the lovely culture. The accommodations are comfortable, the food and restaurants are fabulous, and there is just enough shopping to add interest without feeling it is a tourist town.”
   —2007 participant

Port Townsend, located two hours northwest of Seattle (including a 30-minute ferry ride), has long been home to writers, musicians, artists, and artisans. The combined energy of the arts, marine trades, and history make Port Townsend an inviting getaway.

Perched on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula and located in Port Townsend, Fort Worden State Park is spoken of as an alchemist’s vessel that can multiply ambitions and the dreams and expressions of those who learn how to use it. It’s a village of historical buildings in a spectacular setting that invites reflection, relief, renewal, and expressions of excellence.

New Delicious Food Services Provider in 2008!
In 2008, the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference will feature a new food services provider, Bon Appétit. In addition to their commitment to buying food locally—within 150 miles of the Fort Worden campus—Bon Appétit is a food service company known for its culinary expertise, commitment to socially responsible food sourcing and business practices, as well as with strong partnerships with respected conservation organizations. Bon Appétit values fit well with those of Centrum and the evolution of Fort Worden into a lifelong learning center. Their client base also includes Seattle University, Seattle Art Museum, Nordstrom, Intel, Google, and Cornish College of the Arts. Visit their website at: www.cafebonappetit.com/fortworden