It is another sunny morning in Seattle. I have had a proper breakfast and I’m getting ready to head to the book fair. So many of our Superstition Review contributors stopped by to Table C40 yesterday. It was really great to meet everyone in person.
I hope to see even more of our authors today.
My favorite panel Thursday was a Copper Canyon Press reading with 4 wonderful poets: Ellen Bass, Mark Bibbins, Marianne Boruch, and Matthew Zapruder. They were all talented, but they were also all very funny. I love it when poets have a little fun.
I managed to sneak off-site with my friend Suhara for dinner at Bar Sajor. If you can manage to get to this place please do! What a beautiful design, and delicious food.
I leave tomorrow for Seattle, where I’ll be working the AWP bookfair Table C40 for my magazine Superstition Review. Please stop by and say hello if you’re there (and grab some SR gear). If I’m not around, say hi to my colleague Mark Haunschild or one of my SR Interns: Erin Regan, Sydni Budelier, Beth Sheets, or Elizabeth Hansen.
We will also be live-reporting on our SR Networks. Follow us for fun updates including #overheardatAWP and also a continuation of our #sralum series, where we highlight AWP authors who have appeared in SR.
Although it seems impossible, AWP 2014 in Seattle will be my 20 Year AWP Anniversary. My first was AWP 1994 in Tempe. I was a graduate student at the time so I volunteered at the conference, which was held entirely at the Tempe Mission Palms (a tiny venue compared to what you see today). I skipped a few in between, but I think Seattle will make my 15th AWP total? Ish. Can’t remember. But I do really enjoy attending the conference and going to panels and seeing friends I have not seen in ages and hearing poets and writers talk about their work and ideas.
There are plenty of “How-To” guides around for AWP, so I won’t write a comprehensive one here. In fact, you can read these guides for a look at best practices:
1. Stay Hydrated
2. If you feel grumpy, have a Nap. Or a Snack. Or Both.
3. Don’t forget to go off-site for something: a museum, a restaurant, a friend.
4. Do not monopolize or be monopolized.
5. Go to some panels. Go to some readings.
6. Spend time and money in the bookfair.
7. Ask 10 people “Do you need anything?”
8. Tell 10 people you are proud of them.
9. Don’t waste any meals (I stole this from Matthew Gavin Frank).
10. Make a new list of Best Practices for #AWP15 in Minneapolis.