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The workshop that wasn't
Oct. 24th, 2010 09:41 amYesterday, I ran over to Alvar branch library for a workshop that wasn’t scheduled on that day. Short explanation: I didn’t look at the schedule on the library’s web site and didn’t realize that there was a week off after the initial meeting. It was an interesting day despite that.
The library had scheduled Join Nolde Alexius and Judy Kahn, editors of Best of LSU fiction at 2 pm and New Orleans writer Paulette Jones at 3 pm. Therefore, at 3 pm, there were the two of us who didn’t know the workshop schedule, the two writers from LSU, Ms. Jones and her publisher, the library manager, and an Italian guy who was in town as a volunteer construction worker in the lower Ninth ward. We made a group. The LSU group talked about the process of publishing their book during a period of budget cuts at LSU. Ms. Jones read from her book and then she and her publisher talked about creating a publishing company--first to publish Ms. Jones book and then to reach out to other writers. They advised the LSU folks to consider print-on-demand and electronic publishing (along with their current publisher). The library staff advised both groups what distributer libraries use to order their books. It was a surprise, I admit, to see the LSU folks scribbling down the info on print-on-demand and about distributors. It was also a joy to see this new publishing company reach out and lift up other writers. When I usually hear about self-published authors, it is not to hear that they turned around, formed a company and said, ‘now let’s help others’. (Usually, I said. I do know of others). Publishing is hard work and most writers would prefer to concentrate on writing.
Alvar branch library is a hard working place. It was packed on Saturday with all of the different events going on. There was other planned events going on. And it’s such a tiny place. Now that the Westbank Regional has been reconstructed, it would be great if they could do half of what Alvar is doing with their much smaller space.
The library had scheduled Join Nolde Alexius and Judy Kahn, editors of Best of LSU fiction at 2 pm and New Orleans writer Paulette Jones at 3 pm. Therefore, at 3 pm, there were the two of us who didn’t know the workshop schedule, the two writers from LSU, Ms. Jones and her publisher, the library manager, and an Italian guy who was in town as a volunteer construction worker in the lower Ninth ward. We made a group. The LSU group talked about the process of publishing their book during a period of budget cuts at LSU. Ms. Jones read from her book and then she and her publisher talked about creating a publishing company--first to publish Ms. Jones book and then to reach out to other writers. They advised the LSU folks to consider print-on-demand and electronic publishing (along with their current publisher). The library staff advised both groups what distributer libraries use to order their books. It was a surprise, I admit, to see the LSU folks scribbling down the info on print-on-demand and about distributors. It was also a joy to see this new publishing company reach out and lift up other writers. When I usually hear about self-published authors, it is not to hear that they turned around, formed a company and said, ‘now let’s help others’. (Usually, I said. I do know of others). Publishing is hard work and most writers would prefer to concentrate on writing.
Alvar branch library is a hard working place. It was packed on Saturday with all of the different events going on. There was other planned events going on. And it’s such a tiny place. Now that the Westbank Regional has been reconstructed, it would be great if they could do half of what Alvar is doing with their much smaller space.
