Sonoma State’s English Department and Zaum Literary Magazine hosted the Community Writers Festival on April 4. The festival attracted people from all over the Bay Area and Sonoma County with several panels, readings, and workshops throughout campus in Stevenson Hall, Darwin Hall and the Student Center.
The Writer’s Festival’s mission was to offer more opportunities for the Bay Area literary community to assemble, network, and celebrate diverse voices. The workshops, panels, and festival readings were all staggered through different session times from 4 to 9 p.m., allowing students to learn about communities locally and express interest in those communities.
John Creger, educated leader of the Personal Creed Project, clarified that he got involved in the festival after hearing about it through the Bay Area Writing Project. This organization was supporting Sonoma State’s Writer’s Festival. John Creger explained how he and his team came together to create the program because they felt that the high school curriculum didn’t have a set lesson on teaching and letting students explore questions about themselves and how they became who they are. Creger said, “the school curriculum doesn’t have a space where students can identify and express who they are in a safe environment, whereas the Creed Project provides that for everyone.”
“In my own high school experience, I felt like there wasn’t enough emphasis on learning about yourself and understanding who you are,” Creger said. Creger and Zhou agreed on this feeling of not understanding the why behind who they were and the materials they were learning in their high school experiences. “It’s amazing what you figure out when you sit down and write. Writing is a way of learning by figuring things out through your thoughts,” Creger said.
During an additional panel, Meredith Pike, a Memoir Writer, presented the seven lessons she learned from writing a memoir. She dug deep to emphasize the purpose of her writing, prioritizing craft over strict adherence and the importance of feedback throughout this process. Pike loved the inclusiveness of the workshops. During her workshop, she talked with the people in the room to discuss projects they were working on and offered advice on improving their writing. Pike said, “I loved how writing champions writers and readers. It’s amazing to see a community come together to offer many different opportunities for writers.”
Cassidy Leeds, a fourth-year creative writing major, said the festival did a great job providing chances for attendees and presenters to observe, listen, and learn from other writers,
“The Festival created a welcoming place for the community to come together and celebrate our collective love for the art of writing,” Leeds said.
