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Julie Kuzneski Wrinn:
Welcome to our literary community! There are so many ways to become involved with the Kentucky Women Writers Conference, and foremost among them is simply to attend the Conference in Lexington on September 10–12, 2009. You may enroll in a writing workshop, attend a free event , or enter a writing contests. You may serve on a board committee , or make a financial contribution. In whatever capacity you choose, we thank you for your participation.
The Kentucky Women Writers Conference is the longest running literary festival of women in the nation. An annual event launched by the University of Kentucky in 1979, it has become a premier destination for the celebration of women's arts and letters. Born in the early days of Women's Studies and encompassing generations of feminism, KWWC has endured through shifting literary fashions and uncertain funding. Kentuckians especially deserve to know this history and to claim credit for it, as a community that has stewarded such a rare and worthy endeavor through good economic times and bad.
I became director of the conference in 2007 after serving for three years on its board. My background is in book publishing. During a decade in that business in Washington, D.C., I had the privilege of editing some of Kentucky's most beloved authors—Wendell Berry, Ed McClanahan, and the late Guy Davenport. Arriving in Lexington in 2002 already knowing these eminent Kentuckians was a happy coincidence for me. After these seven years of residing in the Bluegrass, I better understand the rich sense of place that inspires its many artists.
About 1,000 individuals attend the conference each year. Daytime sessions attract about 150 writers at all stages of development, and free evening events gather a lively community of readers. Most come seeking literary sisterhood, help with a manuscript, or practical advice about the publishing industry. Many are students or beginning writers. If there is a universal thread running through our varied programming, it is that great writers are almost always great readers, whose most profound relationships are with other books and authors. Modeling this lifestyle to young people, whether they are aspiring writers themselves or merely enthusiastic critics, is an increasingly essential part of their cultural inheritance. We hope to see you in September!
