The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Writers' Festival is a three-day celebration of the printed word with 19 invited authors who will do readings, book signings, and workshops, focusing on hands-on, craft-oriented sessions in all genres of writing.  Opening up a writing dialogue in a supportive environment is the hallmark of this festival.

The biennial Writers' Festival will be on March 3, 2012, and will feature writers from all over the country in a weekend of varied writing activities, including the reading of a new play, breakout sessions and an evening reading by the award-winning author of more than fifty volumes of poetry, children's literature, fiction and non-fiction, Margaret Atwood.  Previous festivals  have included three-time Nobel Prize nominee, Joyce Carol Oates, former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Mark Doty, Chitra Divakaruni, Marie Howe, Pope Brock, Anne Driscoll, Diane Glancy, William Trowbridge, Al Letson, Ian Mairs, and many others--including former DA students who have themselves become published authors.  

Previous conferences have attracted over 350 people, and this year's festival promises to be even larger. In working to keep registration costs to a minimum, festival organizers have hoped to make the events accessible to all writers interested in learning more about their craft, working to lay the groundwork to make this festival the only one of its kind in the state of Florida.  

The Douglas Anderson Writers’ Festival will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday evening, March 1, with a reading of a new original play by a locally recognized playwright on the Douglas Anderson campus, followed by a talk-back with the playwright. The workshop day on March 3 will run from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., beginning with a morning “sampler” of readings with some of our performers/writers, and followed by four break-out sessions in which participants may choose from workshops covering elements of craft, such as characterization strategies, finding your voice, developing poetic imagery and preparing work for publications. The day will include an on-stage interview and question and answer period with Margaret Atwood.

A sales table featuring books authored by our presenters will be run during the event with all proceeds going to benefit the non-profit group.  The day will end with an evening reading by Ms. Atwood.  

Workshop space is limited and attendees are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

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