LWC:NYC — General Remarks

LWC:NYC was amazingly inspiring and informative, in so many ways, and the moment it was over I knew that I must return next year for more sustenance, more networking, and more fellowship. And I also knew that next time, I will try harder to bring friends, because it would have really been worthwhile for everyone. In the coming days I’ll write here in some detail about specific panels, but right now I want to make some general comments, and answer the question: What is the most valuable thing I will take away from this experience?

That’s a tough question, because the conference as a whole did three extremely valuable things for me: 1) it reminded me why I write, in a way that made me feel excited about the enterprise once more, 2) it prompted me to rethink my approach to the process, particularly in regards to my novel, and as it were, gave me permission to try new approaches when I’m stuck, and 3) it made me aware once more that there are people who value writing above all other things, people who place an enormous value upon literature and who are passionate about it, and who feel that it is an honorable thing to dedicate yourself to the art.

I spent four days in the company of such people, the acclaimed and unknown alike, and it was rejuvenating in such a deep way. They had an intensity I used to have, and which I have gradually lost thanks to my years of isolation in East Side Santa Cruz, where most people seem to value surfing, skating, and building expensive houses above any of the things that I actually care about, or which to me seem worth caring about.

However, it didn’t take long to erase the dulling effect of isolation and spark that intensity back up. By lunchtime on the first full day, I had all my old passion back in full, the same passion that drove me to finish my first “drawer novel” almost ten years ago. For the next six months at least, and probably for much longer, whenever I feel my commitment flagging, all I will have to do to bring it back is think of New York itself, the amazing vibrancy of that city, and of all the people I came to know during those few days in the West Village. And that reminder alone, the reminder of my true community, is probably worth more than anything else the conference gave me or could have given me.

And on that note — I think it’s time to work on my book.

posted: 06 November 6
under: Open Folio