A couple of Saturdays ago, GA girls had the rare treat of attending the Daedalus-run writers’ workshop known as the Writers’ Fest. A tradition begun by Heath Goldman, former editor-in-chief of Daedalus, it has been continued each year since (excepting last year due to inclement weather). This year, the 2014 Writers’ Fest was organized by Daedalus’s devoted junior editors.
Jointly hosted by Greenwich Academy, Brunswick, and Sacred Heart, the Fest welcomed poet Andrew McCarron, creative nonfiction writer Angelia Palm, and singer-songwriter and GA Alum Kristin Hoffmann.
At the beginning of the afternoon, those who attended had the opportunity to listen to all three of the visiting writers display their work, whether through reading or singing. In addition to demonstrating their dissimilar writing forms, the guests gave tips about writing and their respective businesses.
After a short break, the students were able to choose two out of three writers’ workshops. In Mr. McCarron’s, students listened to inspiring Baroque music and wrote short works of prose based on varying first lines they received. After a period of writing time, the students all shared their work.
In Ms. Palm’s workshop, students chose places from their memories and wrote a story about it using all five senses.
According to Ellie Garland, Group X, in Ms. Hoffman’s workshop, “she talked a bit about her career in general and how she became interested in songwriting. She said it combined her two favorite things—music and poetry.”
The students discussed the basic format of a song and performed an exercise during which they thought of over seventy-five words. This list of words, generated by picking a random object in the room and then quickly jotting down consecutive, related words that came to mind, later inspired a song for which Hoffman created a dulcet melody and then sang.
During the exciting day, girls were able to learn more about different art forms and make choices about which they wanted to pursue in a workshop. Some chose writing forms they had never thought to practice, while others worked on forms they already knew and loved.
“The Writers’ Fest was a productive and enriching experience to collaborate with my peers as well as a fun way to spend my Saturday,” enthused Caroline Dunn, X.
Overall, the event proved an informative and fun creative session as well as a link in a tradition to be remembered and continued for many more years to come.
