As of right now, 6,605 people have pre-registered for the conference. That makes me a bit nervous as I don’t like crowds. So besides scanning the bookfair layout for booths I want to visit, I will be highlighting the exits for when it gets overwhelming and I need some air and/or a drink.

I’ve read some how-to lists (such as this one by Caleb Ross). I’ve made a list of things to pack. I have a road-trip buddy (also an AWP virgin) and I have music loaded up for the drive from upstate New York. I will hang out at the Goddard College booth, my MFA alma mater, and the Press 53 booth, who have named me one of their Spotlight Authors for 2011 (yeah!).

I am as ready as I can be – though I am still working on what it is I want to gain from the AWP experience. I can’t seem to narrow it down so I will probably just take it day by day. Hopefully, chronicling my experiences on this blog will help me unite my thoughts into something coherent for myself and others.

Well, I had to cancel my plans at the last minute, and can’t attend AWP in DC this year. I’m really bummed, but sometimes life gets in the way – work, family, my MFA thesis, my next novel, time, money, you name it. Sometimes you have to take a pass. When I’m sitting with my son at his first Pinewood Derby I doubt I’ll be thinking about AWP. SO, I’m passing on to you, talented author, dreamer of vision, painter of lives, my list of panels that I was thinking of attending.

My picks have a lot to do with where I am as an author, what I’m looking to do, and who I know. So, I often drop by panels to see friends speak, or maybe it’s a panel on pedagogy or teaching, since I’m finishing up my MFA this year. There are a lot of panels on the future of writing, or publishing, those are always compelling. Sometimes I just want to hear somebody read. So, my picks may not match up with yours, but maybe it’ll give you some ideas.

Obviously you can only pick one panel per time period, so I’ll leave that up to you. I’ll asterisk (*) something if it really jumps out as a MUST SEE.

WEDNESDAY:

Not much going on, mostly people getting into town. I’m sure there are parties Wednesday night.

THURSDAY:

9:00 – 10:15

R110. Hired!: Landing the Elusive Tenure-Track Job.
This looked interesting, as I’m looking for work in 2011.

R113. Hands On: A Conversation about DIY and Craft Culture in a Digital World.
I thought this also had a lot of appeal as I’ve published in some crafty, handmade rags (such as Vain) and wanted to see what they had to say about this whole DIY culture.

10:30 – 11:45

R131. What They Didn’t Tell Us, We Will Tell You: Four First-Time Authors Discuss the Nitty Gritty of Publishing.
Siobhan Fallon is a friend of mine, so I wanted to hear her story about her first novel, and since my first novel came out last year as well (Transubstantiate) I thought it might be of value to me.

R132. Things That Go Bump When You Write: Monsters, Myths, and the Supernatural in Literary Fiction.*
This one looked really good to me, and I’m a fan of Laura van den Berg. I liked to work with fantasy, the supernatural, a bit of magical realism now and then, so this plus the literary angle appealed to me.

Noon – 1:15

R160. The Future of the Book Review: How to Break In.
I write book reviews for The Nervous Breakdown so I thought this might be interesting. And Roxane Gay is on this panel, and I like her work and attitude.

1:30 – 2:45

R174. Representing the Erotic in Literary Fiction.
Sex always gets people to show up. I put a bit of sex, and the erotic, in my work, so this looked like a fun one.

R179. CLMP Keynote—Size Matters: Big Houses, Small Presses, and the Literary Ecology of American Publishing.
I don’t hit TOO many keynotes, but this one covers a lot of things that interest me, small vs. large presses, for example.

3:00 – 4:15

R197. A 45th-Anniversary Fiction Reading by the Faculty of the MFA Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Basically I just wanted to hear Holly Goddard Jones read and speak. She’s a friend of mine, taught at MSU where I’m getting my MFA, and an author I really love.

R198. Honoring Robert Coover.
Worth it to hear Coover as well as Brian Evenson.

4:30 – 5:15

R213. Understanding Comics as Creative Writing.*
This looked really good. I’m trying to break into comics, working on some samples right now, and this should be a fascinating panel.

R221. Fiction’s Future.
I try not to attend TOO many of these kinds of panels, but Lance Olsen and Roy Kesey make it worth attending, IMO. Lance is at FC2 and I’m a fan of Roy’s work. Both good guys, very giving and supportive as well.

NIGHT:

I was supposed to attend a reading at The Velvet Lounge with a bunch of friends, so go do that. It should be a great show. Caleb J. Ross, Brandon Tietz, Jesus Angel Garcia, Nik Korpon, Joe McGinniss Jr., Michael Sonbert, and Jillian Weise. 7-9 pm. 915 U St NW.

FRIDAY:

9:00 – 10:15

F114. Arktoi Books Celebrates Five Years of Lesbian Publishing!
Basically I wanted to see Nickole Brown read, she’s a friend and mentor of mine down at MSU. Very talented poet and author.

10:30 – 11:15

F132. How to start a literary center and thrive through the decades.
I’ve wanted to start a co-op for years, and this seemed like a very informative an useful panel.

F134. To Tell You the Truth: Strategies in the New Nonfiction.
I don’t write much NF, but I wanted to hear Nick Flynn and Stephen Elliott speak, those two are always entertaining and very smart, two talented authors.

F136. Jets vs. Sharks?
Richard Bausch and Jill McCorkle, nuff said.

NOON – 1:15

F146. A Reading by Joyce Carol Oates.
I’ve heard mixed things about her readings, but I’m a fan of her work, so this could be fun.

1:30 – 2:45
Nothing looked great. Have a long lunch instead.

3:00 – 4:45

F191. Hollins Graduate Program 50th Anniversary Reading.
Karen McElmurray is a friend and teacher down at MSU. Another chance to hear Jill McCorkle read too.

4:30 – 5:45

F212. A Reading by Mary Gaitskill and Sapphire, Sponsored by Wilkes University Low Residency MA/MFA Program in Association with Blue Flower Arts.*
I’m a huge fan of Mary Gaitskill, and I’m really bummed that I’ll miss this. Was going to have her sign my copy of Bad Behavior.

NIGHT:

Vermin on the Mount is the place to be. http://vermin.blogs.com/vermin_on_the_mount/2011/01/votm-awp-dc.html

WHO: Kim Chinquee, Roy Kesey, Amber Sparks, Lindsay Hunter, Nicolette Kittinger, Tom Williams, Al Heathcock & Scott McClanahan

WHEN: Friday, Feb 4 at 8pm

WHERE: Mie N Yu 3125 M Street in Georgetown

SATURDAY:

9:00 – 10:15

S111. Small Ships, Deep Ocean: Independent Presses Keep Short Story Collections Afloat.
Love short stories and this seemed cool. Laura van den Berg.

10:30 – 11:45

Nothing jumped out at me.

NOON – 1:15

S149. America Reimagined: Four Contemporary Voices, Sponsored by Blue Flower Arts.*
A great list of really talented authors: Ben Percy, Jennifer Egan, Rick Moody, Joshua Ferris. This should be a great event. It’s in a ballroom, don’t know how big it is, but this should be a really hot ticket. Get there early.

1:30 – 2:45

S171. What We Love; What Editors Are After.
These things are always a crapshoot, just write what you want, what moves you, but sometimes you get a nugget or two from some cool people. Editors from the Believer, Graywolf Press, Milkweed Editions, Orion, Soft Skull Press, and Tin House, so definitely worth it.

S177. The Road Less Traveled: How to be a Writer Without a Full-time Academic Gig.*
Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, that’s worth it right there, but I love the focus of this panel, and am really hoping I can get some literature or a podcast of this one.

S184. Change or Die: How Established Print Journals are Adapting to Life on the Internet.
Love the title. A lot of journals are adding an online presence or moving online due to the costs and difficulties of having a print journal. Should be good.

3:00 – 4:15

S189. Linking It Up: Working with Story Cycles, Linked Collections, and Novels-in-Stories.
Big fan of Knockemstiff, so I thought this would be a really good panel to attend, fascinating, imo.

S191. Graywolf Press Reading.
Chance to see Nick Flynn and Stephen Elliott again if you missed them earlier. Big fan of Graywolf, too.

4:30 – 5:15

Nothing jumped out, so get to drinking now.

NIGHT:

There’s the Amy Hempel and Gary Shteyngart reading, that looked really good. I’m sure there are tons of parties too.

SO…that’s all I’ve got. Hit the bookfair as often as you can between panels, that’s a great way to do research, get discounted title and journals, and meet some of you favorite authors, network and pimp your wares. Bottom line, have fun.

Wish I was going. Drop me a line at wickerkat@aol.com if you have something to share or any questions.

Mudlucious press is doing so much, expect to hear the name again, names like Bradley Sands,  Joanna Ruocco, Alyssa Knickerbocker, Molly Gaudry, Emma Straub, Elizabeth Ellen, Edan Lepucki, Jac Jemc, and Aaron Burch are involved.

So talk for a moment about Mud Luscious press, Who are you? And what do you want to do?

Mud Luscious Press was started in 2007 as an online journal and quickly expanded from the quarterly online issue to a monthly chapbook series and now, our novel(la) series, which released Molly Gaudry’s WE TAKE ME APART at the end of 2009 and will release both Ben Brooks’ AN ISLAND OF FIFTY and Sasha Fletcher’s WHEN ALL OUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED MARCHING BANDS WILL FILL THE STREETS & WE WILL NOT HEAR THEM BECAUSE WE WILL BE UPSTAIRS IN THE CLOUDS in June 2010. We feature aggressive and raw literature, and we hope to do it in sharp design and with a clear aesthetic approach.

You’re an editor, us writers live in fear of you! I’d like to know what you want to see and what you DON”T want to see.

What we want: raw, naked, aggressive literature that isn’t afraid to make rhythms and sounds, to use language against itself, to break and wreck and destroy the story as it is written.

What we don’t want: over-written narrative, heavy exposition, focus on dialogue, or emphasis on the resolution as the key to the story.

I think poets, and I am one, often underestimate or don’t plan for chapbooks. I see you produce them, how do you feel about this form?

For us, the chapbook is a quick and dirty way to get print literature into readers’ hands. We hope to, in hand-made and well-designed print form, give a monthly remembrance of what makes physical literature so unbelievably necessary.

What are you into at this AWP conference?

There are a million things we want to see, faces we want to put with names, but specifically we are co-hosting a puppet vs. author reading at the FlatmanCrooked booth on April 9th @ 4pm and we’d love to see everyone there.

And what do you have in the works that we should know about?

Our June novel(la)s are both brilliant and tremendous works of lit that we hope people will pre-order or jump on when they are officially in the world. Also, we just released our eleventh online issue featuring excerpts from the upcoming novels of Michael Kimball, Ken Sparling, Peter Markus, Roy Kesey, James Chapman, Robert Lopez, and a slew of other authors we greatly admire. Plus, our chapbook series in full swing with fourteen releases in 2010 (all for $20 to subscribers). The future? Who knows. But for now, we are feeling good about it all.

I’d like to thank, again, J.A. Tyler founding editor of Mudlucious Press for taking the time to talk to us. ONE DAY, everyone! and we’ll be in Denver!

For those that are curious, upstreet is going to be at the bookfair (K21) and will be having a Thursday night event at 7pm, 910 Arts Event Gallery. 910 Santa Fe Drive, and if you haven’t been paying attention, that’s Denver, CO.

So how about we see some of the answers a lit mag editor has for my questions? If Vivian is interested, I might even do a live interview with her later this week! Oh, and upstreet, no capitals. All lowercase.

Tell me about upstreet. What would you say is your mission statement?

—My vision for upstreet is that it will ultimately contain a mix of work by both established and emerging writers. The established writers will attract readers, and the less-well-known writers will then have the exposure they need to become better established. The most interesting thing about publishing a literary journal is the possibility of discovering new talent.

I sincerely hope that you are looking for writers. Tell me about the kind of writers you want to see submit?

—upstreet’s calls for submissions ask for “quality submissions, with an edge.” I like many different kinds of work, from the traditional to the experimental, so the genre editors have quite a lot of leeway in choosing the content of the magazine. The guidelines brochure contains statements by the three genre editors about what they’re looking for. Our smallest number of submissions is in creative nonfiction, but despite that, I’ve actively tried to build the presence of CNF in the journal.

I see you’re based up in the Berkshires, I know place informs my writing, does it inform your editing? Do you feel upstreet reflects a place, or transcends it?

—I was born in the Berkshires, and have lived there all my life. This is reflected in the title of the journal. When I was a kid, we used to say we were going “upstreet” when we went to the center of my hometown (Pittsfield, Massachusetts) to shop or just hang out. I wrote the editor’s essay for the first issue to explain what the title meant. Since then, there has been a similar essay (or prose poem) in each issue. When I started the journal, I had been managing editor of The Berkshire Review (which is now defunct) for eight years. The editors who helped me start upstreet were area people, and most of the writers who submitted knew me from The Berkshire Review. This is no longer the case. upstreet gets submissions from all over the world, and the more recent issues have each published only two or three writers from Berkshire County. I like to keep a Berkshire presence in the journal because it enables me to hold local readings to launch each issue. Other than that, it’s really a national journal.

Tell me about something that excited you as an editor.

—Well, I’m both editor and publisher, so I naturally get a thrill when upstreet gets recognition in some way. The most exciting example of that so far has been the Independent Publisher Book Award Bronze Medal. But I guess I’d have to say that the most fun I have as an editor is the author interview. I enjoy doing the preparation—reading almost all of what the author has written and coming up with questions to ask—and then, the conversation itself. It really is exciting to talk with someone who has been a successful author, and learn about his/her experiences and opinions about the craft. I’ve been fortunate to be able to interview some pretty interesting writers.

What do you hope to do at AWP? I note your presence, Bookfair table K21, and your reading on Thursday, take a moment to tell us what you are up to, and what you hope to do.

—AWP is an exciting place to be. There are so many events, both on the program and after hours, that it’s impossible to even scratch the surface. I always end up highlighting more things in the program than I could possibly attend, even if I didn’t have to stay at the upstreet Bookfair table for most of the time. And that, of course, is the main reason I’m here: to make sure upstreet’s name is before the writing public. I also enjoy seeing people I went to school with or met at other conferences, and meeting writers face to face who have appeared in upstreet. I get such a kick out of that, having someone come to the Bookfair table and say, “I’m so-and-so, and I had a short story in upstreet number four.”

Thank you so much Vivian for taking the time to talk to me.

1. Authors – peruse the list of authors that you enjoy as a reader, approach them as a fan first.  Then look for the people you respect, and try to go see them read or host a panel.  Most of the time it will give you a bit of a boost, some inspiration, to find out that these men and women are really very smart, extremely talented, and will take the time to talk to you personally.

2. Panels - you will have overlap, times when you cannot be in two places at once, or maybe you have a long way to go.  So plan out your schedule so you that can make as may as possible.  Take a moment to see where you are in your career and what panels will benefit you the most.  See a variety – on craft, on subjects that relate to your writing, go to readings, and support the presses and authors that you like.  Don’t book yourself solid, allow time to eat, take a breather and hang with friends too.  There is a ton of information here, you may get to ask a question too, meet an agent, get an e-mail.  See as many as you can.

3. Book Fair – you may need a couple of trips to really soak it all up.  It is HUGE, but it is finite.  Keep an eye out for signings and authors.  I saw Steve Erickson just sitting at a booth, had a nice chat.  Met Emma Straub @ Avery for the first time this way, and Aaron Burch @ Hobart.  This  is an opportunity to talk to authors, talk to editors, and to find out about new presses, new journal, or to do more research about places you already know and love.  You know how every journal out there says to read their work before you submit?  Do that. You can pick up copies much cheaper here, reduced rates.  Also, sneaky tip – if you wait on some borderline purchases until the last day, or last hours, they may practically give them away.

4. Money – bring some.  This is the time to put your money where your mouth is.  Support small presses, buy that copy by an author you’ve always been meaning to read.  Spend the cash, whatever you can afford.  I bring an extra suitcase that is almost entirely empty just to bring back books and magazines, journals and chapbooks.  $100 easy.  If you start saving now, put aside a couple bucks a week, your coins, an extra $10 or $20 from each paycheck, you’ll have it.

5. Be nice - don’t come up to an editor and say “Why the hell didn’t you publish my brilliant story?”  Be aware of the time restraints that others have, authors and editors, and try not to monopolize an author when there are others standing around.  Don’t get greedy – share your love of writing, meet new people, and just use common sense.  This is supposed to be fun, not a task, not a chore.  Be generous with comments.  “Loved your last issue, the Outdoors one?  Great design and that story by Stephen Graham Jones” was awesome.”

6. Hotel – book it early, NOW.  Book it as close to the event as possible.  Share a room, splurge a little.

7. Be social – go to readings, talk to old friends, meet new friends, buy a buddy a beer, get that nice editor a glass or wine, thank her for supporting you, eat meals, take an author out and pay for it.

8. Take notes – bring a notebook or journal and take notes, jot down web sites, authors, books, magazines and then…ACTUALLY RE-READ IT when you get home.  This is valuable stuff, pay attention, and maybe it will turn into something really exciting.

9. Pace yourself – take breaks, spend time with friends, don’t make it into a flashback to school or some other business conference that you hated. Get a coffee, relax, and don’t feel like you have to see EVERY SINGLE PANEL.  If it doesn’t excite you, when you read the synopsis, find one that does.  If your buddy is into something you aren’t, and there is something at the same time, go see the one that will help you the most and then you’ll have something to talk about later.

10. Build community - we’re all struggling out here, so while you should definitely promote your work, look at ways that you can help others.  Can you contribute a story?  Is there an event coming up that you can Tweet, Facebook, or promote on your blog?  Find other authors that are in you hometown or area.  Hand out cards, connect, take cards, take promotional items, and drop people e-mails later.  Talk about the events later that blew you away – what reading, what new journal looks really cool, who was giving away shots of bourbon at their booth, what editor was really nice to you, what new author did you discover?  Spread the word about what you did and saw and enjoyed.  We’re all in this together.

Have fun, and I’ll see you there.

Peace,
Richard

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