If you’re sticking around Athens for the summer, and you’re looking to hone your writing craft—or just for something new and unique to do—it may very well be worth your time to check out the 2024 Writer’s Workshop in Amesville.
The village of Amesville is only a quick twenty-minute drive from Athens proper, and—much like the rest of the southeastern Ohio region—is verdant and located in the Appalachian foothills. This year’s writer’s workshop is a three-day extravaganza, taking place on June 6th, 7th, and 8th.
Why Attend a Writing Workshop?
Here’s a secret: you don’t need to be a writer to attend a writer’s workshop. Writing workshops are typically seminars that are intended to improve your writing all-around with the helpful guidance from instructors who have years of professional experience.
Whether you’re a writer or not, writing workshops are an excellent outlet to improve your writing at any level, develop new ways of thinking about things, and have a good time with a relatively small group of individuals who are also eager to be there. You’ll also find the opportunity to network with your peers at the workshop, creating connections that could last a lifetime.
With the instruction of professional writers, workshops give you the much sought after ability to critically read your own work and become a more disciplined writer. The “work” in workshop means you’ll actually be doing things, rather than having someone regurgitate information at you—you’ll write, you’ll receive feedback on said writing, and you’ll become a better writer in the process because of it.
Workshops are also fantastic outlets for learning outside perspectives. In most workshops, everyone shares what they’ve wrote with the rest of the group. If you’ve avoided one particular type of writing or subject matter, writing workshops give you exposure to many different walks of life and facets of writing, allowing you to broaden your horizons and develop new perspectives.
What to Expect at the Amesville 2024 Writer’s Workshop
The Amesville Writer’s Workshop is an annual retreat—starting just last year—that provides participants the opportunity to write, share stories, and receive feedback. There will also be plenty of story-telling, readings, live music, and excellent food options for participants to make it a weekend to remember.
The faculty for this year’s workshop includes Ann Pancake, Bonnie Proudfoot, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Meagan Lucas, and Michael Thomas Ford—all talented, accomplished, and published writers from around the area at large.
The theme of the workshop this year is “writing with a sense of place,” and is guaranteed to hone and sharpen your writing skills over the course of the three-day event. Registration for the workshop is $350—which, for the amount of time and the packed schedule, isn’t a bad deal in the slightest. Find out more information on their webpage, including how to register for the event.