Sat 8/1 @ 12 – 8:30pm
We all have stories to tell, but rarely do they see the light of day. If you want to hone your experiences into stories, want to learn how to craft stories from your imagination, or want to use a story to create change, this new conference will show you how.
The Cleveland INKubator, a day-long free conference at the Cleveland Public Library, bills itself as a literary UNconference for those interested in writing. Everyone from writers with a capital “W” to people who’ve never written a story before are welcome to attend. Programming is geared toward adults and teens (ages 14-18) alike.
According to writer and teacher Lee Chilcote who cofounded the conference, “The Cleveland INKubator is an event for anyone with a story to tell.
“Northeast Ohio has a great literary scene and many talented writers live here – this is an event to connect the dots and create community. The Inkubator will provide writing programs that celebrate our rich literary culture while nurturing the next generation of talent.”
The idea is the brainchild of Chilcote and Amy Rosenbluth, director of Lake Erie Ink. They saw a void in the city of Cleveland for community-based programming for teens and adults writers. INKubator aims to fill this void and foster collaboration and connections between career writers and those interested in the written word while celebrating Northeast Ohio’s rich literary culture.
“We are excited to promote this creative learning opportunity for both adults and teens ,” said Felton Thomas, director of Cleveland Public Library. “Pairing seasoned, successful writers with new talent cultivates a community of learning that will benefit all those involved long after the conference is over.”
Far from being a boring conference (this is an “UNconference” after all), the INKubator will consist of workshops and crafts talks, a keynote reading by award-winning writers Thrity Umrigar and David Giffels, a performance by youth writers with Lake Erie Ink, a resource fair for writers featuring independent booksellers, dinner from local food trucks, an open mic and more.
Susan Grimm will show you how to attend to the word through poetry; D.L. Woure’ will teach how to write for social change; Les Roberts will help turn stories into good writing; find out how to write theater madness with Eric Coble; and Susan Petrone will help with character development.
Those are just a few of the workshops scheduled. Other than workshop, there are plenty of craft talks to choose from, covering topics such as: starting a blog; podcasting; writing about the arts; being a freelance food writer; and making a living as a freelance writer.
Don’t miss out — register today before the workshops and craft talks fill up. Registration is now open, so sign up while you still can.
Cool Cleveland correspondent Sarah Valek studied art and writing at Ithaca College. After graduation, she came back to Cle and served two years as an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. She can be found on all sides of the city in pursuit of homeschooling activities for her son and the perfect soy latte. Contact her at CoolEditor@CoolCleveland.com or via Twitter.