This year was my first AWP and I had big feelings as well! I felt extremely privileged to be there as well but was overwhelmed by the largeness of everything. This came as a surprise to me because I have been to other conferences and events and never had this issue! It is hard to describe to Lyft/Uber drivers....our threesome was in a conversation about writer vs author which confused him and us by the time we got to our reading location! LOL
I am still processing the time I had there and trying to write about it.
Blocking good reads is the best move. The thing is, many years from now, the way so many of the readers absolutely do not get your book can become kind of comic. I have a friend with a book coming out this year and since she was feeling the same questions you describe here, I pulled out a few of my gems for her, including variations on "I hate short stories generally and I also hated these; when these novel chapters/essays ended I was confused," and other greatest hits. So not the room we need to be in as writers.
Love the term AWP longing. Felt it moderately this year 😅
This year was my first AWP and I had big feelings as well! I felt extremely privileged to be there as well but was overwhelmed by the largeness of everything. This came as a surprise to me because I have been to other conferences and events and never had this issue! It is hard to describe to Lyft/Uber drivers....our threesome was in a conversation about writer vs author which confused him and us by the time we got to our reading location! LOL
I am still processing the time I had there and trying to write about it.
Thank you for this post!
Emma! loved this so much + was so touched by the shoutout <3
Blocking good reads is the best move. The thing is, many years from now, the way so many of the readers absolutely do not get your book can become kind of comic. I have a friend with a book coming out this year and since she was feeling the same questions you describe here, I pulled out a few of my gems for her, including variations on "I hate short stories generally and I also hated these; when these novel chapters/essays ended I was confused," and other greatest hits. So not the room we need to be in as writers.
AWP longing is so spot on! I think this newsletter convinced me to give AWP another go... see you in LA?! Congrats on the starred review!
Spot on. And I cannot wait to read HOUSEMATES!
“AWP longing" is the best term for all the things you described and how I felt not being able to be there.
this is such a wise and measured take on AWP *feelings*