Dan's Papers - February 22, 2008 - McCourt, Feiffer, Etc.

Screw Breadloaf, we've got the best writers conference in the country right here in the Hamptons. For 33 years, Southampton College (now Stony Brook Southampton) has been a summer haven for people of the pen. Gods of the literary world will descend on the classrooms of Chancellor Hall again this July for almost an entire month of programs.

It started with one conference - twelve days of intense workshops and lectures, each night capped off with a reading from one of the distinguished faculty members - but since the purchase of the campus and the absorption of the Creative Writing MFA program, SUNY Stony Brook and the writing department have begun to utilize the full potential of the Southampton campus during the summer months. This year, two new programs have been added to the lineup. The traditional 12-day program rests nicely in the middle of a 5-day children's literature conference and a 5-day screenwriting conference.

The traditional Southampton Writers Conference will begin on July 16 and run until the 27th. In recent years, evening events have included theatrical readings of new works by noted playwrights Christopher Durang, Marsha Norman, Jules Feiffer and Roger Rosenblatt. But the pillar of the 12-day event has always been the workshops. While additions and alterations may occur, this summer's workshops are as follows:

Creative Nonfiction with Matthew Klam, Literary Essay with Roger Rosenblatt, Memoir with Frank McCourt, Novel with Amy Hempel, Novel with Meg Wolitzer, Playwriting with Christopher Durang, Poetry with Billy Collins, Poetry with Derek Walcott, Short Fiction with Melissa Bank, and Writing the Musical Book with Marsha Norman.

With a faculty whose ability to inspire and educate is second to none, choosing just one workshop is incredibly difficult. Simply put, the entire faculty is brilliant, funny, touching, witty and moving. It is this environment that breeds growth in the craft of writing and the genesis of storytelling. While many of these writers are staples of the program, Christopher Durang (an institution to American theater) returns from a three-year hiatus from the program. Amy Hempel and Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott will offer their incredible knowledge on the subjects of poetry and literature for the first time.

Over the years, the traditional Writers Conference has tried to answer the call of children's book writers and screenwriters by offering afternoon electives in these two fields, but the overwhelming desire for more in-depth events has led to the establishment of 5-day conferences, which should satisfy any writer in these genres.

Kicking off July (9-13) is the inaugural Children's Literature Conference. Because the field of kiddy literature is so extensive, workshops in chapter books, picture books, writing for children's television and young adult novels will be available. A second aspect of this program will be dedicated to illustrators and a third focuses on readers of children's books. Aside from lectures and workshops, the program will surely feature the same elbow rubbing and socializing that makes the Southampton Writers Conference successful. Noted innovator of children's television ("Rugrats," "Big Big World," "Ren and Stimpy") and full-time Hamptons resident Mitchell Kriegman will be on staff as will Tor Seidler the author of the international hit Wainscott Weasel.

Closing the month (July 30-August 3) is a 5-day program on screenwriting. This program is broken down into two sections - new and advanced. With film playing such a large role in our society, it is not hard to understand why artists desire to express their thoughts in a medium, which reaches the greatest number of people. For those who are just starting out or those who are looking to put the finishing touches on a script, this program will offer great workshops such as Writing for Emotional Impact, The Art of Adaptation, Writing the Romantic Comedy, Structure: From Idea to Script, Writing is Rewriting, Creating Unforgettable Characters, and Making the Script Your Own: Finding Your Voice.

This summer, rent the house out for the month of July and move into the newly renovated dorms on the Southampton campus. Sign up for all three programs, and while the riffraff makes a mess of the Hamptons once again, you'll be settled in an incredible environment of learning and sharing - a secluded world of writing and literature.

The cost of each conference is comparable with those across the country ($1050-$2100). SUNY Southampton offers limited scholarship opportunities as well. For students in MFA programs you can also receive university credits. Applications for all three conferences must be postmarked by May 15. The deadline for scholarship consideration is April 15.