Live from Seattle: It's AWP! (a Recap)

Last week I attended the annual AWP (Association of Writers & Writing Programs) conference in Seattle. Now, many writers out there are seasoned AWP veterans, returning year after year like geese to their favorite breeding grounds (and are often just as noisy). For me though, Seattle was my first time, and I went at it full tilt, attempting to pack every hour of my schedule with panels, readings, seminars, and other activities.  I soon exhausted myself, but not before I learned a ton about different ways to promote myself, went to some amazing readings, and talked to brilliant authors. If you are a writer and haven't done AWP, go. Since I had heard of the event, I complained that I would go once they brought it to the West Coast, which they never did, until now. I missed out. However, if you're on this coast and you're still as stubborn as I am, take heart; AWP 2016 will be in Los Angeles.

One of the panels I attended was on writers' blogs and digital promotion, a subject that anyone who has noticed the scarcity of my posts will know that I have a knack for avoiding. However, in the discussions of blog topics and updates on new work, I was inspired to reach beyond my discomfort in the electronic sphere, and, knowing that I would be doing a recap of my time at AWP, decided to compose it in a form in which I have no experience: the tweet. I have never used Twitter, as admittedly, many the people on there disturb me, but many writers out there are more than happy to utilize this tool to wax poetic about their work, their fans, or life in general. Here's my foray into the genre of 140-character stories, hashtags, and of course, AWP:

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 25
We're on our way to Seattle for AWP! #awp #seattle #roadtrip #lookimtweeting #howdoihashtag #whatisahashtageven

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 26
We're half-way through Oregon. You have died of dysentery and boredom. #roadtrip #oregontrail #awp
  
Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 26
Finally arrived in Seattle. We're live from AWP! #spaceneedle #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 26
This is the worst Star Trek convention ever. People aren't even wearing the right shade of red. #awp #whereskatemulgrew

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 26
I have just been informed that this is a convention for writers, not Star Trek. #sothatswhatawpstandsfor #stillwannaseekatemulgrew #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 26
 I'm at the panel on promoting your work through blogs and other digital media. Mark Doty is funny as hell. #fuckyoubepolite #markdoty #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27
Having a roommate at the hotel and always being surrounded by people has led to unforeseen difficulties. #nomorebeans #homeiswherethefartis #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27
Just went to the California writers reading. Some amazing work being read. #calwriters #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27
Oh man, the Alaska writers just blew the California writers out of the water. #stepitupcali #goalaskawriters #essays #poets #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27
Joy Harjo giving a brilliant reading. #joyharjo #awp

 Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27

 So much inspiration here. #writeallthethings #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 27
Tried to go to David Mura's reading. Almost ended up on a ferry to Vancouver with Indigo Moor. #mencantnavigate #justaskfordirectionsdude #lostinseattle #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 28

OMG Heid E. Erdrich is sitting right behind me. Just be cool. Just be cool. #starstruck #aboriginalcaucus #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 28
Crashing Anhinga's 40th anniversary reception. #freefood #nocrunchingduringpoetryreadings #anhinga #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Feb 28
Barry Lopez is a genius. #barrylopezreading #arcticdreams #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
This travel writing panel is packed! Who do these people think they are? #sittingonthefloor #whowillpayformetogotoantarctica  

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Time suspended at the bookfair while I read some of the most arresting poetry. #hyperboreal #joannaviyukkane #morealaskawriters #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
They're "crepps" not "crayps," people. Standing in line for a smoked salmon crêpe. #lunchtime #iloveseattle #crepeline #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Met up with my old classmate and fellow writer Rooze and had a great conversation. #goodtimes #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Saw some innovative presses and journals at the bookfair. Too bad there wasn't time to see them all. #saddleroadpress #yellowmedicinereview 

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1

More bookfair highlights: #toadsuckreview #universityofhellpress #riverteeth #asus

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Got told by my alma mater's journal that they will NEVER EVER do an alumni-featuring issue. #nobodylikesyouanyway #stopaskingmeformoneythen #awpbookfair

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
A lot of the bookfair tables are giving out pins. Things got really out of hand. #istartedwithjustonewhatthehellhappened #bookfair #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Look at all this bookfair swag. #swag #yolo #awp

 

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
With all this walking/ and panels instead of food/ jeans fall from my/ flattening hips #lookimapoet #shouldhavebroughtabelt #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1 
Awesome poetry reading at the Tap House with Indigo Moor and Allison Adele Hedge Coke. #poetryreading #starstruck #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
Sherman Alexie reading. The man is hilarious. Also a genius. #mysideshurt #99tinylovestories #shermanalexie #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 1
That shock when you see one of your favorite writers and they turn out to be a terrible dancer. #notnamingnames #awpdance #awp

Pacific Loon @PacificLoonCA Mar 2
Going home, we finally see the USS Voyager! (Or a Voyager-shaped cloud, anyway.) #startrekafterall #awp

Well, there was my experiment in the Twitter medium. How do I feel about this literature composed of 140-character blips of consciousness and brief—yet at times eloquent—hastags (I'm still not completely sure how those are supposed to work)? I think it momentarily cured this writer of her tendency toward wordiness, but somehow there's still something missing. Or maybe I'm just too much of a stick in the mud to accept this new form. In any case, I might not be ready to "tweet" frequently just yet, but in time, I'm sure I'll be returning to this genre in future, as well as AWP.