A Perfect Fit for Teachers, Writers, and Librarians!

By Vickie Moriarity

If you love anything to do with the written word, you need to be at the annual Writing Eastern Kentucky (WEKY) Conference Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017.   Hosted by the the Morehead Writing Project and Coffeetree Books, the conference will take place in Breckinridge Hall on the Morehead State University campus from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and has sessions for writers, librarians, and teachers, and anyone who loves the written word.   For only $50 (if you pre-register), you will have a chance to learn about how to get your writing published, meet some of Kentucky’s finest published authors, and learn some incredible teaching strategies that you can put into action the very next week in your classroom.  

Here are a few highlights from the conference sessions:

• Internationally known author Tiffany Reisz, who wrote The Original Sinners series her newest book The Bourbon Thief, published by Harlequin/Harper Collins, will host a session that discusses writing for publishers such as Harlequin/Harper Collins.   
• Andrew Schaffer, author of the New York Times bestselling book How to Survive Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters, will discuss his books and talk about writing parody.  
• Scholastic author Mary Knight, author of the adolescent novel Saving Wonder, will discuss her novel and her writing process.  Saving Wonder won the 2017 Green Earth Award, and Mrs. Knight often travels to schools to speak with middle and high school students about her writing process.
• Sharon Cameron, author of historical fiction such as The Dark Unwinding, A Spark Unseen, Rook, and The Forgetting  will discuss her writing process and the books she has written for young adults as well as her writing process.

For the aspiring writer who wishes to self-publish, there will be question and answer sessions with authors who have done just that!  Laurel Heidtman, Sojourner McConnell, and Sean Corbin will host two sessions where participants can learn the ins and outs of self-publlication.  

• Laurel Heidtman has published books including Whiteout, Bad Girls, and Catch a Falling Star.  
• Sojourner McConnell has self-published six books, some children’s books and 31 Days of October, volumes 1 and 2.  
• Sean Corbin, a poet has published in a number of journals including Still: The Journal and Vine Leaves Literary Journal.  

Writers and writing teachers can also learn how to write cleave poetry from Cole Allen, a 2017 MWP Writing Project Fellow or place based writing from Steve Young, curator of the Morehead and North Fork Railroad/Park/Museum. His knowledge of the area is sure to inspire some incredible writing!

Finally, the WEKY conference offers teachers and librarians a number of sessions that will excite students across Kentucky, including sessions on incorporating poetry, writing activities that will energize your students, introducing writing and peer review to non-content area classrooms, and using Google Classroom, Kagan Strategies, and Genius Hour — all opportunities sure to add excitement to your teaching.  

Go to the WEKY website today so you can pre-register for just $50 (registration is $60 at the door), review the conference sessions, and check out the authors who will be presenting.  Enjoy lunch with friends at any one of a number of fantastic eateries in the Morehead area, and give yourself time to buy a book and have it signed by one of the visiting authors during the lunch break.  Finally, six hours of professional development credit is offered to teachers who attend.  Come celebrate Everything “Write” in Kentucky at the WEKY Conference on Nov. 4th.  Sign up today!