Sinclair Community College hosted the 35th Annual Writers’ Workshop in Building 12 on April 24. The event was coordinated by Tim Waggoner and Kristina Onder, both of whom are professors in the English department.
The keynote speaker was Jim Daniels, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University known mostly for his poetry. The workshop also featured Wright State professor David Lee Garrison, freelance writer Judy Johnson and Sinclair English professor Rebecca Morean.
“(This workshop) is kind of a celebration of the Arts, of the words,” Onder said.
To kick off the workshop, Daniels discussed his poetry, as well as read some of his pieces including “The Sound of It.” After his reading, he took several questions from the audience.
Daniels, whose work has been labeled as “working class poetry,” said his upbringing in Detroit had a large influence on the way he writes.
“Part of my directness in my writing comes from where I grew up… and the way people interact with each other,” Daniels said. “People tend to be pretty straight and direct. No beating around the bushes, they tell it like it is and I try to do the same thing with my writing.”
Michael Gibbs, an English major who attends Indiana University-East, made a 45-minute trip to Sinclair to attend the write
rs’ workshop for the second year in a row.
“It’s always inspiring to be around other people who like to write,” Gibbs said.
Onder also feels like the writers workshop is a great place for writers to congregate.
“It’s really important, I think, for young writers to be around people who do this day in and day out,” Onder said. “ For people to say ‘Keep goin, you’re doing great.’”
Daniels said it could be inspiring for young writers to see others who are excited about writing.
“When you write, you’re usually in a room by yourself and it’s kind of lonely, it’s easier to get discouraged,” he said. “ Seeing a conference like this, where there are all these other people who are excited about writing, as you are, can really help out a lot.”
So, what’s your advice for young writers?
“Finding friends who are writers and keeping them,” Daniels said. “When I’m writing and I want somebody to look at my work to critique it, I have these people who have been reading my poems for 30 years… they’re gonna tell me the truth and they know what I’m trying to do with my writing; they’re gonna try to help me do it. And they’re gonna be tough on me—which is good.”