tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post5428190388147613428..comments2024-01-28T00:29:16.605-08:00Comments on Susan M. Schultz's Blog: A call for guerrilla poetry action at AWP Denver, 2010susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16934944559857117395noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-57852415406432465972009-08-14T13:42:44.646-07:002009-08-14T13:42:44.646-07:00Thanks for this Susan - and I am extremely interes...Thanks for this Susan - and I am extremely interested in docu-poetry. SO if anyone wants to get together and talk about that - let me know - Deborah Bogen, dbbogen@aol.com. I can't think of anything more necessary than this. Deb BogenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-16833230712772838172009-08-04T09:55:45.891-07:002009-08-04T09:55:45.891-07:00Good points, all. Susan - have you tried addressin...Good points, all. Susan - have you tried addressing AWP directly on this issue, perhaps by suggesting a parallel or satellite structure of presentations and readings? I have yet to encounter a bureaucracy that was not open to energy, initiative, and a practical outline. Ask AWP what you would need to do to prove that your circle of topics would be of interest to the many. Get the conversation going. Skip the stance and shoot for the goal.<br /><br />Patrick Playter HartiganPatrick Playter Hartiganhttp://hartiganhartigan.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-64302672031727064652009-08-04T08:49:04.042-07:002009-08-04T08:49:04.042-07:00I'm struck by the similarity between the palav...I'm struck by the similarity between the palaver about democracy, inclusivity, etc., quoted above, and similar pronouncements in the anticommunist press in the postwar US (not to mention the US govt.), including the literary press. <br /><br />The function of a professional organization is to maintain standards (i.e., a certain level of uniformity) and to serve a gatekeeper function (licensing, etc.). Whether or not either of those purposes are good for the arts is another matter.a.k.a. "Joe"https://www.blogger.com/profile/09297686120651846304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-6056756162246781812009-08-04T08:15:10.194-07:002009-08-04T08:15:10.194-07:00Thanks for the carefully articulated posts, Susan ...Thanks for the carefully articulated posts, Susan and Phil. As Phil notes on his blog, I am a rejectee as well. I'm looking forward to the Denver conference and excited to see what turns out in terms of greater transparency of judging criteria.<br /><br />David J. DanielsDavid J. Danielshttp://www.bornmagazine.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-3924032784186176152009-08-03T21:16:29.381-07:002009-08-03T21:16:29.381-07:00AWP has worked very hard to make our conference gr...AWP has worked very hard to make our conference grow to include more of AWP's members, more publishers, more peer organizations, and more writers who teach. In 1995, AWP's conference had roughly 16 events, 45 presenters, and 40 exhibitors (and no open proposal process for events). AWP in Denver will have over 300 events, over 1,000 presenters, and over 500 Exhibitors. And AWP managed to build this starting from a deficit of $300,000 in 1995. The staff and board of AWP applied huge personal sacrifices and special efforts to build this meeting place for writers, teachers, administrators, and publishers. The conference has been reorganized many times recently for the benefit of many.David Fenzanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-38809063027183561442009-08-03T16:53:01.045-07:002009-08-03T16:53:01.045-07:00How about a boycott? The best way to demonstrate t...How about a boycott? The best way to demonstrate the vitality of literary curcuits that bypass their organization is to do so uniformly.Patrickhttp://www.da-crouton.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-73949314864440115132009-08-03T16:50:14.625-07:002009-08-03T16:50:14.625-07:00I would love to be a guerilla. Let me know how I c...I would love to be a guerilla. Let me know how I can help, if I can help.Molly Gaudryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11618385087450683359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5669027158753952.post-31532415756169050842009-08-03T15:19:06.722-07:002009-08-03T15:19:06.722-07:00thanks for your post, Susan. I still am trying to...thanks for your post, Susan. I still am trying to make sense of the whole thing (i.e. the decision-making process at AWP); you'd be amazed the other panels that I've seen that have been rejected--some really fine ones. <br /><br />What it suggests, at the very least, from a "member" point of view, is that we need to agitate for ever more transparent judging and clearer criteria and application of criteria.<br /><br />Further, you point out here, there is an implicit tension between the aim to be representative in a democratic sense and to be patrons of the arts--i.e., an art that is democratically funded, organized, and legitimated, and an art that is aristocratically funded, organized, and legitimated (though here, I'm simplifying). <br /><br />PhilPhilip Metreshttp://www.behindthelinespoetry.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com