Local Writers Extras

In a recent special edition of the Did You Hear? Podcast, librarian Helen Hokanson made a confession: our Writers Conference started with a planning committee of non-writers, and while our process since then has evolved, we are always looking for ways to improve.



One of the things we are certain of is that in order to create the best programming and conference possible, we need to hear from our patrons, especially those who have been coming to our writing programs and the Writers Conference. Did you know that all our adult writing programs were started in response to requests from people just like you? You wanted a writing group, and despite not knowing anything about writers or writing, we started one! We learned so much from you all and grew our programs (sometimes successfully, other times not so). One thing for sure . . . we’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

Now that we’re seven years into the Writers Conference, we really want to hear what’s been working, what can be improved, and most importantly what we need to keep doing. We want to hear what you’ve enjoyed attending and/or participating in, and what could have been better. We want to know which authors and presenters you want us to bring to the library. We want to know what your best-conference-ever looks like.



The more we know from you, the better we can plan programming and a conference that meets your expectations and helps you realize your goals.



Please take a few minutes to complete the survey. And when you’re at an event, feel free to talk to us about your thoughts. We’re always eager to connect and to hear what you have to say.

Access the Local Writers Programming survey.

—written by Lisa Allen, adult services specialist, and Helen Hokanson, local writers librarian

We can’t have a Writers Conference without books, can we? 



Sure, the conference will happen in a library, a place full of books and people who can help you find even more books. And faculty members have books that they’ve written that you can buy. But there’s something special about having one book that you know others have read (or at least skimmed) before we’re all in the same space. (There’s also something special about getting a copy of your own, for free, when you register for the conference!)



A little background on our philosophy about an all-conference book: last year was the first year that we included free copies of books for attendees. We tied those books to a particular session, and attendees had to be registered for and attend those particular sessions to be eligible for a copy of the book.



That was great. So great, in fact, that we wanted to expand that idea. This year we wanted all attendees to get a conference book. And we wanted them to get the book just for coming to the conference, not because they were interested in a certain session or discussion.



Why? Our leader, Helen Hokanson, explains: “The subtitle ‘How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways’ pretty much sums up why we chose Creative Acts for Curious People as our all conference read. We were looking for a book that would resonate with everyone, which is a tall order. The exercises offer something for everyone and it's a book that our conference attendees can use far into the future. It's not a book you read cover to cover, come to discuss and never pick up again. Our hope is that it will stimulate creative thinking, spark brilliant conversations, and remain a resource long after the conference is over.”



Some people have asked if the book is really free. It is! Others have asked if they have to attend a certain session to qualify. You don’t! All you have to do is register for the conference and then stop by our Central Resource branch to grab your copy. Of course, this is a first-come, first-served situation; once the books are gone, you can certainly borrow a copy from our collection or order one on your own, but once our supply is gone, it’s gone.

—written by Lisa Allen, adult services specialist

Portia Stewart isn’t coming to the Writers Conference to teach us how to write, at least not in the conventional sense. Her sessions have nothing to do with the craft or the semantics of writing, nor do they focus on making our writing better through revision or research or collaboration. And yet, her sessions are vital to the very essence of writing in that they are all about focus, creativity, and finding the energy and drive to keep writing, even when the writing is difficult.



Portia’s experience includes being a former vice president of content and content strategy, and she has more than 20 years of experience that includes leading creative teams. In addition, Portia is a registered yoga instructor and certified meditation and mindfulness coach. She specializes in helping creative people maximize their performance, and launched a business, Mind Full Creatives, in 2021 with the goal of helping businesses sync their innovation investments to revenue.

Portia will lead two sessions during the conference: Meditation for Creation and Focus and Yoga to Light the Creative Spark. You won’t need any special equipment to attend these sessions; simply show up and Portia will lead you through the rest!



You can learn more about Portia by visiting her website (linked above), utilizing the free meditations on her site, or by watching this video, in which she joined Seed Speaks to discuss overcoming imposter syndrome.

—written by Lisa Allen, adult services specialist

Beth Gruver Gulley is a Kansas poet and professor who likes to get lost in the woods. She has a curious, adventuresome streak: she’s jumped from moving buses in Paraguay, visited the breeding ground for Giant Chinese Salamanders, and run more than fifty miles at a time.



Beth has published five collections of poetry: “The Sticky Note Alphabet,” “Dragon Eggs,” "The Love of Ornamental Fish,” "Little Fish: Tiny Mediations on Freedom,” and “Since Corona Ruined Our Trip to the Library.” She is a member of the Kansas Authors Club and the Riverfront Reading Committee. She also serves on the Writers Place board. When Beth is not writing, teaching at Johnson County Community College or volunteering, she likes to hang out with her cat.



Of her writing, former Poet Laureate of Kansas Kevin Rabas says, “Beth Gulley is a writer of profound insight, someone who can see both the catastrophe and the miracle in almost anything. These poems are proof. In them, there is a cat that rides thirty miles on the motor of a car being towed. There is an asteroid that almost hits earth on a beloved’s birthday: ‘Your birthday will still be sweet/without the explosion.’ This is the world of Aimee Bender or Judy Budnitz, but it is also our world, as Kansans—or your story, wherever you live.”



We’re thrilled to welcome Beth to the Writers Conference faculty this year! She’ll be leading a session titled, “Writing In the Park” on both Friday and Saturday. Bring your lawn chair (or a blanket) and your notebook and pen(cil); Beth will bring the prompts and the inspiration.

—written by Lisa Allen, adult services specialist

Our eighth annual Writers Conference will be Thursday, Nov. 17 - Sunday, Nov. 20.

In this episode, Readers' Advisory Librarian Helen Hokanson and Adult Services Specialist Lisa Allen talk about our 2022 Writers Conference. How do we choose our faculty? Do we take potential presenter suggestions? How does the in-person experience differ from the virtual version of the past couple of years? We have fun taking a deep dive into these questions and feature readings by authors Anne-Marie Oomen and Polly Alice McCann.