You never know what will transpire when writers are given a stage and an open invitation to create whatever they think might attract an audience.
Bardi Rosman Koodrin, Literary Director of the Fine Arts Galleria at the San Mateo County Fair, has extended this offer annually since 2009 to members of the San Francisco/Peninsula Writers club.
In just three years, her vision to give writers a voice and create “events within the event” has made Literary Arts the fastest growing division at the Fair.
This year’s Galleria Stage schedule looks like a mini writers’ conference—all for the price of a ticket to the Fair. Panels on publishing, podcasting, and how to pitch to an agent. Workshops on growing great characters and how to write fight and battle scenes. Authors celebrating the launch of their novels. Native American Poets. Sea music by the Long Splices. And a big party to celebrate the literary contest winners.
Contest entries more than doubled this year to nearly 200, and an exciting outcome is Carry the Light, an anthology of the winning stories, poems, essays, and more. Published by Sand Hill Review Press, this collection may be the first of its kind for a county fair. It will be available at the Fair and on Amazon afterward.
I took a chance…and you can too
Writers can sponsor presenters or produce their own work on the Galleria Stage, and must become stage manager, host, and PR person for their events.
In a burst of enthusiasm I signed up to sponsor three events: an hour of playwrights presenting 10-minute plays, my own workshop on creativity, and interviews with authors whose novels are soon to be published.
Yes, it’s a pile of work to prepare all this, and I don’t know why I jumped at the chance except that I felt a burst of inspiration. I’ve never interviewed authors on stage before. But I’ve wanted to. So in a moment of passion for my personal vision and dream, I took a leap and claimed three spots. That’s the opportunity Bardi offers writers at the Fair.
Next year, other writers will claim their spots and Literary Arts will expand again. If you’re a writer in the San Francisco Bay Area, consider a place for yourself on this stage.
Check out the current writing events. And contact San Francisco/Peninsula Writers about signing up for next year.
Photo credit: Cover photo “Light Flow” by Thomas Ekkens.
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Darlene Frank has written on a wide range of topics, including business writing, graphic design, personal growth, family history, and more. She coaches writers on how to move past obstacles that block creativity.
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