We are the...

Writers take time to enjoy the sun between classes.

Some 170 writers from 34 countries ended up at Webster University for the 6th Writers Conference of the Geneva Writers Group. After years of people asking questions like “How much will you make?” or “How can you spend so much time doing something when you aren’t sure anyone will pay for it?” or worse saying, “I want to write a book, so I’m taking a couple of weeks off” it is wonderful to be surrounded by people who share my passion.

Had it not been for the GWG it would have taken me a lot longer to develop my craft. And even if I am published, I remember an idiot boss I had who didn’t want to attend a Direct Mail seminar because he said he knew it all. Of course, the guru of Direct Marketing took the opportunity to go to every program he could because there was always something he could pick up. I knew there were ideas and techniques that I would be introduced to.

I did not expect to be so totally inspired that I suspect ten years from now, I will be able to recapture the emotion of one workshop.

I hadn’t signed up for Kwame Kwei Armah’s* session. I don’t write plays, and don’t want to. But when seeing the emotion on people’s faces as they left his classroom, I did a no-no and slipped into his workshop. To be honest the full 20 people hadn’t subscribed, so I only felt mini-guilt slipping into his class. Another five writers, having heard how wonderful he was, did the same.
And within five minutes, I understood why one writer was crying coming out. His commitment, his passion, his ability to understand human nature if not to put into perspective the importance of art in culture from cavemen to today was the point he tried to drive home to those who put truth to humanity, “We are the honourable ones,” he said and I pledged myself to living up to that honour in all my writing.

*Kwame Kwei Armah’s triptych of plays—Elmina’s Kitchen, Fix up, Statement of Regret—premiered at the National Theatre 2003-2007. Elmina’s Kitchen transferred to the London’s West End, making Kwame the first African Caribbean playwright to have that honour. Winner of the Charles Wintor Award, Kwame has just directed his latest play Let there be Love, at the Tricycle Theatre in London.