Halfway there!

Have been reflecting on the time spent in the guest house, how much of a gift it has been for both the guest writers (also known as panelists), and for me.

In talking with Thea Monyee last evening, we recapped why this program exists and how it impacts the lives of each writer, as well as the guests who come to listen to the readings and participate in conversation. At the end of their respective evening, the writers leaves inspired, enthusiastic, and ready to go make more stories come to life. I've received notes from guests indicating they feel similarly and are going out to buy new books by authors they hadn't realized existed.

As writers, who work in "solitary confinement," we carry our own bags and create energy to get through another round of rejections, empty pages, slow days, and the frustration in finding time to write between day jobs, parenting, partnering, managing a household, and balancing a load that surely melts brain cells.

I get excited each time one of the panelists tells me she's reworked a story, carved out time to write for half an hour, or feels she's overcome paralyzing fear after reading new work to our guests. It is rewarding to hear each of them find success and to listen to them collaborate on story ideas, sharing information about residencies, grants, fellowships, and other opportunities.

It demonstrates programs bringing women of color, and other underrepresented writing voices, together are a good thing for the literary world. Our ability to gird each other up when questioning the merits of a story, if it is even worth spending another minute reworking, is a perfect example of how women work. Yes, we like to write in isolation, but we also need a community of our own. A safe and sacred place where we can speak on our own terms, in our voices, and when we're ready. For now, those places are rare. One notable place where women have created a space just for us is "Women Who Submit," so check them out on Facebook or on the web.

My hope is programs such as the ones we are implementing at the Annenberg Community Beach House continue and grow with an intensity and fervor unlike anything the writing world has seen--maybe since the 60s and 70s. They should be loud and strong in every community--not just our own. The audience is out there. They just don't know these vibrant, fierce, and precise voices exist.

On December 5th, the final program dedicated to marketing and promotion in the publishing industry will close out my residency. The intention is not only to learn about women of color writers and their work, but to understand how the publishing industry needs to evolve to include a myriad of voices within their own walls. It makes good business sense and will ensure a wide range of stories are in the marketplace, which means more readers (aka customers) will buy books.

Until then, the writers will continue to visit the guest house and write together, share a coffee, and some cookies (I always have snacks). I will enjoy their company and watching them grow in confidence and create working relationships with women who understand their journey.

Panelists gather before the program. L-R clockwise from top: Teresa Lo, Sakae Manning, Desiree Zamorano, Thea Monyee, and Shubha Venugopal (moderator)

Guests enjoy the sunset prior to program. L-R Roselma Samala, Cathy Choi, and Sally Lew