WRITERS RETREAT IN ITALY
THE PRAIANO WRITERS CONFERENCE
March 17-23, 2013
THE PRAIANO WRITERS CONFERENCE
March 17-23, 2013
There is limited time (though not much) to enroll in an innovative writer's retreat held at the Casa L. Orto in the town of Praiano on the gorgeous Amalfi Coast in Italy. We will spend a week immersed in the craft of narrative with novelist/memoirist Wally Lamb and acclaimed writers and teachers, Lary Bloom and Suzanne Levine.
Questions about the Conference? Call Lary Bloom, at 860.526.2067.
For more information on the conference see http://praianowriters.com
For more information on the Casa L. Orto see www.casalorto.org
An Interview with conference director Lary Bloom: A Cleveland native and Viet Nam veteran who now lives in the village of Chester Connecticut, Lary Bloom is an author, columnist, editor, teacher, playwright and lyricist. His eight books include The Writer Within, Letters From Nuremberg (with Christopher J. Dodd), The Test of Our Times (with Tom Ridge), and Lary Bloom’s Connecticut Notebook. He is also a columnist and he teaches in Fairfield University’s MFA Creative Writing Program and, with Suzanne Levine, memoir writing at the Mark Twain House and Florence Griswold Museum. And he’s a playwright whose works include Wild Black Yonder, Worth Avenue and the musical A Woman of a Certain. For more information please visit http://larybloom.net/
LLReview: Just so our readers know we’re no misspelling this, your name is Lary with one R, right? And why?
Lary Bloom: Yes, that’s how it is spelled. I was born during World War 2. There was rationing.
LLReview: Let’s talk about the conference, firstly, there when is it? Where is it?
Lary Bloom: The conference will run from March 17-23, 2013 at the Casa L Orto in the town of Praiano, which is a magnificent little place on the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
LLReview: And you still taking attendees?
Lary Bloom: Yes, but only a couple of more, as the idea is to fit all around one table, and so that each person gets personal attention.
LLReview: Is it an open conference? That is, is attendance open to unpublished and publish a writers alike?
Lary Bloom: The commonality -- that is, the only real requirement -- is that each recipient takes writing seriously, and understands the value of an intimate retreat that provides constructive criticism and lots of tips about how to succeed in the literary marketplace.
LLReview: Why Praiano? Why Italy?
Lary Bloom: Everyone who comes will know instantly the answer to that. Praiano is a beautiful seaside town, a perfect setting for inspiration, and it has embraced our efforts because it would like to become a center for writers, artists and scholars. This, then, is the pilot program for Praiano Forums. And, by the way, the food is spectacular.
LLReview: What genres will you cover? Or is the conference restricted to a single genre?
Lary Bloom: We are interested in the art of storytelling. That is, fiction and nonfiction writers use the same tools. In that sense, the conference is very different from others. We all sit around the same table, and we discuss what it is that attracts readers and keeps them riveted to story.
LLReview: What is the average age of the attendees, or is there an average age?
Lary Bloom: My guess is there’s a great range in ages.
LLReview: Why attend a writer’s conference?
Lary Bloom: Writing conferences are known for being inspirational and practical. And this a special conference -- the first ever to give participants an entire week’s access to Wally Lamb, who is a great teacher and, of course, a very talented writer.
LLReview: Let’s talk about community for a moment.
Lary Bloom: Writers are often introverted and the nature of our craft is solitary so the conferences can be an experience in self-affirmation of sharing your struggles with other writers. In my experience, a lot of relationships that begin at writer’s conferences have the potential to last a long, long time.
LLReview: What is a typical day at the conference like? Are there set hours? Relaxation time?
Lary Bloom: Every morning will be devoted workshops and evenings to readings. Afternoons will include private conferences between writers and faculty. There will, however, be time to explore Praiano, and to meet the artists and poets of the town.
LLReview: Are these annual conferences?
LARY BLOOM: This is the first of what we hope will be many.
LLReview: A subject very close to my heart where ever conferences are concerned…how’s the food in Praiano?
Lary Bloom: We have been to Italy several times and our search for a bad meal has so far failed. We’ll have dinners together, and participants will have a chance, too, to sample the town’s finest restaurants.
