WV Writers Conference: Day 2

We got an early start, out of the house by 7am so we could get breakfast at the Downtowner. Now I can certainly cook breakfast, but we really enjoy the atmosphere of this tiny little diner, and the way they bring our coffee immediately and know what we're probably going to order. And the opportunities to hear all kinds of intriguing stories are endless in a place where lots of senior citizens gather!

Larry dropped me off and headed home, and I met up with my writing group friends to look over the day's sessions. I skipped the first classes and decided to go to the class on "A Woman's Voice" by Pam Cable. It was interesting but not much information I didn't already know. As with any workshop, though, there is value in reinforcement, reminders and repetition. The presenter was lively and engaging and the session went quickly. For someone who is still searching for their writing voice, the class would have been excellent. For me, it reaffirmed what I knew: be true to who I am and it will shine through in my written words.

After lunch I led my second session, this one on Appalachian Story Traditions. I covered five basic types of Appalachian stories: family, historical, ghost, tall tales and traditional folktales. I included ballads in the traditional folktales segment. The class was great fun, covering a lot of ground, allowing opportunities for me to tell a story from each category and still have time for questions and discussion. The handouts I prepared were right on target and I felt very satisfied with this session. It was satisfying to share some of what I knew with people who were so interested and who offered such good insights and ideas.

What I learned:
1) Many people don't know our traditional tales and lore. I wondered how you can write about our area without knowing its past and its stories.

2) Our traditional Appalachian folk heroes were strong, git-'er-done types who were not bowed down or victims. Most modern Appalachian stories seem to be sad endings, with characters victimized or done wrong. What happened to our Jacks and Mutsmegs? Where are they today? When did we become victims instead of tricksters?

3) Again, the Stith Thompson index is a tool that writers should be familiar with as a starting place for stories on a theme, or even for creative writing prompts.

4) I need to develop a workshop on traditional Appalachian folk heroes, so that today's writers have that archetype to build on. We need more Jacks in our stories!