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ERIC MENCHER / Inquirer Staff Writer
Sean Toner is coordinator of the series of free forums sponsored by the Philadelphia Writers Conference. They continue monthly through May.
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A chance to brush up your writing - for free
Year after year through her manuscript evaluation business or while attending writers' conferences, Kathryn Craft heard authors wailing about being unrecognized by publishers, and even agents.
"Some agents get as many as 300 manuscripts a week. It is overwhelming," said Craft. "They often read them at night in their beds, since they are spending their days trying to get their current clients into print. You have got to get those first few pages attractive, or else you are going to be lost."
Craft is one of the seminar leaders for a new series by the Philadelphia Writers Conference, the PWC Community Outreach Free Forums. Each month through May, the Writers Conference will hold these free writing seminars at the Drexel University Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery.
Forum coordinator Sean Toner is particularly enthusiastic about Sunday's 2-3:30 p.m. session for young writers, directed by children's author and humorist Susan Guill. The Children's Writing Workshop is primarily aimed at those ages 7 to 12.
"I first met Susan at a school and I just loved her methods," said Toner. "She is charming and friendly, but most of all, for kids, she is nurturing. I would think any child interested in writing would benefit from being with her for the afternoon."
Toner is especially interested in the May 10 panel, "The Minority Retort," in which seven writers will talk about how they have coped with writing as a member of a minority. Toner, 42, feels akin to this group, since he is disabled - he has had a kidney replacement and is blind.
"I have learned about the disabled experience and I have found it is not all that different from being a minority in other areas. I hope this session will address that for all - able-bodied or not," said Toner.
Among those appearing at the Minority Retort panel will be twins Dan and Dave Simpson, who are blind and are poets (Dave is the Montgomery County poet laureate); Ona Gritz, a children's book author who has cerebral palsy; and African American romance and historical novelist Marilyn Tyner.
Craft's seminar, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. April 6, is called "Those Critical First Pages," and she means it.
"You could send those first five pages of a manuscript, and the agents are just looking for a reason to throw them in the trash," said Craft. "I hope to show people that what grabs them as readers are the same things that could grab a publisher and an agent. We stand in bookstores all the time and read a first page and either buy the book or put it back on the shelf. Writers just have to recognize what those things are that make you buy the book."
On March 9, also from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Toner is bringing in one of his favorite writers, Robert Dunbar, who specializes in horror novels and short stories, for "The Passion and the Discipline."
"He shows how you need both," said Toner, who has written about his disabilities in short stories and in novels. "People who want to lead the writer's life should know it isn't an easy one, but he can show them how it can be a fun one."
Toner and Craft emphasize that their seminars are for everyone, not just hard-core, hours-in-the-garret writers.
"Everyone will be welcome to come to the events. There are no credentials, just a desire to learn about what it is to write," said Toner. "The Philadelphia Writers Conference wants to keep writers active in writing activities, and getting together with other writers to talk about how to write is a perfect way of doing that."
