Calling all aspiring young writers. The Fernie Writers’ Conference is expanding its youth sessions for the 2011 Conference.
“The youth sessions are really setting us apart as a conference,” said organizer Christa Moffatt.
Last year, the Writers’ Conference offered two youth sessions, and this year it is increasing the opportunity for younger writers to participate, with four programs in total.
Moffatt said that last year’s programs were fully booked and that organizers ended up turning people away.
This year the conference will be offering classes for young people ages 8 to 18.
“The experience for young writers is similar to that of the adults,” said Moffatt. “They get the opportunity to have their work critiqued and there will be a reading at the end of it where they will get an opportunity to share their work.”
“I’ve had parents stop me on the street and tell me how incredible the experience was for their kids,” she said.
Moffatt said there are parents as far away as Vancouver Island bringing their kids to the conference.
Kim McCullough, who led a youth session last year, will be doing a youth writing workshop for young people ages 15 to 18.
There will also be a program called Word Candy for kids ages 10 to 13 with Monica Meneghetti.
Young Poets ages 12 to 14 will have the opportunity to take a workshop with Adam MacDonald.
And there will be a writing and visual arts session led by Gail Bartel and Sally Manwaring for children ages eight to 10.