Gulf Coast Association of Creative Writing Teachers
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GCACWT 2014



Fairhope 2014 Accepted Panels 

Note:  These panels are closed and not in need of participants.

Telling the Truth: Blurring the Line Between Fiction and Nonfiction 


When a creative nonfiction writer does not have enough information to write a scene confidently, the writer may choose to speculate about the event instead of writing a flat scene lacking depth. These moments of speculation allow the writer to maintain their reliability by being honest about the amount of information they know, or don’t know, or imagine. Likewise, a fiction writer may adopt nonfiction forms to achieve a different effect in her writing. For instance, a fictional story in the form of a lyrical essay can allow the writer to manage a wider time frame than in a traditional narrative. In this panel, we will discuss how borrowing elements from other genres can help strengthen a story or an essay. 


Panelists: Ashley Annis (Chair) Brittany Cagle, Aaron Singh
The Blind Leading the Blind: The Pleasures and Pitfalls of the Undergraduate Workshop Model


 Flannery O’Connor wrote that writing workshops at universities are dangerous, akin to the blind leading the blind; student comments, she argued, are driven by ignorance, flattery, and spite. Even so, the traditional model for the creative writing classroom almost always includes some kind of workshop element where students are asked to comment on and critique each other’s work. The workshop has been an integral part of the creative writing classroom for years, but what is it really teaching students? Is it even necessary in an introductory setting? In the undergraduate workshop, instructors often find that students may not have the vocabulary or experience to participate successfully in this exercise. This panel would examine the pros and cons of using the workshop in the undergraduate classroom and considers possible alternatives


Panelists:  Susan Finch (Chair), Jessica Pitchford

Unlocking the Landscape: Poetry Workshop 

From mountains, seasides, cities, and small towns, poets the world over are inspired by landscape. One of the dangers of proclaiming an allegiance to place, though, is the potential for geographic isolation. Will our work resonate with readers who are scattered across the map? Luckily, poets have a wealth of peculiar techniques for transporting readers through time, space, and memory. This workshop will explore the craft of using landscape as a catalyst for greater insight. We will begin by taking fifteen minutes to write a description of a memorable place (or you may bring a draft with you and revise it at this time). Afterward, we will study some of the strategies used by the experts to lend universal appeal to local imagery. Lastly, participants will apply one of the strategies to their descriptions, and the workshop will end with a voluntary reading.


Panelist:  Shannon Ward (facilitator) 

Storytelling:  An Interdisciplinary Art

A search of the term “storytelling” in the Ted Talks archives results in 89 lectures. These discussions range from uses of Twitter to the place of narrative in medical schools. Storytelling is a fundamental, archival and active function of language, yet at times the teaching and use of story in academia seems limited to creative writing classrooms. This interdisciplinary panel brings together representatives instructors and students from varied academic departments. These panelists have taught or participated in classes where storytelling has played a significant role. They will discuss their experiences and insight. Organized by David A. Moody of Florida State University’s English Department, this panel will include two Florida State graduate instructors—Kate Pierson from the Theatre Department and Peter Wood from the Geography Department—as well as two undergraduate representatives—Justin Stuart from the University of North Florida’s History department and Alexa Palmero from Florida State University’s Theatre Department.

Crime Fiction & Place 


Writers of novels and short stories framed around crimes will discuss how they draw readers into the significance of place and issues like environment, development, corruption, and social justice. We’ll also look at how the choice of point of view—whether the narration centers on a criminal, victim, witness, investigator, or uses more than one perspective—constructs the reader’s journey across boundaries and awareness of class, race, gender, occupation, or other territorial divisions.


Panelists:  Lynne Barrett--Chair (FIU) Vicki Hendricks (Broward College) Mary Anna Evans (Rutgers-Camden)

Disc Golf & Writing:  A Field Excursion

Ira Sukrungruang and John Henry Fleming  will lead an itinerant disc golf/sports reading. Interested participants will gather at the first tee of the campus disc golf course. Panelists and participants will take turns reading short, sports-related poetry or prose as they play nine holes of disc golf. No disc golf experience necessary. We'll bring discs and give throwing tips. This will be an open mic/open air event; participants are invited to bring sports-related work to read, a minute or two at a time.

Panelists:  Ira Sukrungruang and John Henry Fleming (co-chairs)

What We Love to Teach


Panelists will each do a mini-lesson using a specific short work of creative writing that has been successfully used in the classroom. Some poems, essays and stories are just perfect to get across basic craft ideas--and it works even better when we freely admit that we love these pieces, and why. 



Panelists:  Katie Riegel (USF, Chair), Ira Sukrungruang (USF), Jim Miller (Full Sail)
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Newsletter
  • Fairhope 2020
    • Registration
    • Panel or Reading Request
    • 2020 Panels (Filled and Open)
    • Program
    • Directions & Lodging
  • Student Competiton
    • Submit to Student Writing Awards
  • Biographical Notes
    • Bio Submission
  • Presses & Journals
  • Panel or Reading Request
  • Contact Us
  • Past Conferences
    • Fairhope 2018 >
      • Registration
      • Registration
      • Panel or Reading Request
      • Panels (Accepted & Proposed)
      • Program
      • Directions & Lodging
    • GCACWT 2017 >
      • 2017 Panels (Accepted & Proposed)
      • Biographical Notes
      • 2017 Program
    • GCACWT 2016
    • GCACWT 2014 >
      • Fairhope 2014 Pictures
      • Fairhope 2014 Judges
      • 2014 Student Fiction Prize
      • 2014 Student Nonfiction Prize
      • 2014 Student Poetry Prize
  • Fairhope 2019
  • Panels (Accepted & Proposed) 2019