MISSION AND HISTORY

OUR MISSION:

Through programming and outreach, the 49 Alaska Writing Center supports creative writers from throughout Alaska at all stages of their development while building an audience for Alaska literature.

What We Do:

Among the programs we're proud to offer:

• Affordable creative writing classes, from one-day clinics to multi-week courses in genres including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, and publishing. Courses are taught by experienced, published writers, including some of Alaska's most respected authors and teachers. 
• Literary events featuring both Alaskan and visiting authors, including onstage conversations in our Crosscurrents series, innovative poetry events in our Synergies series, opportunities for writers to meet and share in our salon-style  Gatherings series, community-wide opportunities to celebrate the written word in our Celebrations series, and monthly participation by authors at 'First Fridays' book signings.
• Daily online content and opportunities for literary networking via our collaborative blog, www.49writers.blogspot.com. 
• Our popular annual retreat at beautiful Tutka Bay Lodge, near Homer, featuring renowned writing faculty.
•  In 2011, a new summer program for youth, "Raven Words," developed in partnership with the Alaska State Writing Consortium.

OUR HISTORY:

In today’s world, some brick-and-mortar organizations "go virtual." The story of the 49 Alaska Writing Center is a little different: we started virtual, then went physical. Our timeline is brief, and we're still in the early "drafts" of our existence, but we invite you to see how far we've come already.

January 1, 2009

Alaska authors Deb Vanasse and Andromeda Romano-Lax – both lit-bloggers since 2008 -- decide, though they've never met in person, to merge their blogs into a collaborative effort called 49 Writers (49writers.blogspot.com). They are joined by a growing number of guest-posters and monthly featured authors, as well as active readers, who come forward to add their voices to this growing online community.

January 2010

Deb and Andromeda start offering creative writing workshops and researching the possibility of creating a full-fledged statewide nonprofit Alaska writing center. Throughout the spring, they keep talking with Alaskans and with writing centers outside the state, balancing creative visions with financial and business realities. 

April 2010

An unexpected opportunity helps this virtual community become a physical one. 49 Writers, Inc. incorporates and forms a board (with third Director, Jeremy Pataky). The org becomes the proud tenant of a charming lease property at 415 L Street – a facility named  “Raven Place” -- which serves as a summer VRBO guesthouse, creating revenue to help launch  literary programming. On May 1, the main room is used for a creative writing workshop. Over the next three weeks, about three dozen volunteers help renovate and spruce up the facility. On May 22, a ribbon-cutting celebration is held, with Haines author Heather Lende as guest speaker and many Founding Donors in attendance. By the end of its first month, the 49 Alaska Writing Center has earned revenue from paying guesthouse visitors and raised an additional $10,000 from individual donors.

Summer 2010

The guesthouse does well in its first season, but the landlord decides to sell 415 L Street, with tenancy ending in November. Time for a second draft! The 49 Alaska Writing Center joins forces with Anchorage Historic Properties and moves, on November 1, into their historic 1917 cottage at 645 W. 3rd Avenue, next to Snow Goose Restaurant. A well-lighted classroom, views of Cook Inlet, historic atmosphere -- good deal. 

Fall 2010  

Guest author David Vann leads our first writers' retreat at Tutka Bay Lodge, a sold-out opportunity to experience both rigorous instruction and a growing feeling of literary community in one of Alaska's most beautiful places. A few months later, Vann is awarded the French Prix Medici, that country's equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. 

The first fall term is launched, with nine courses in Anchorage and two extra courses added to bring library-funded writing clinics, taught by Deb Vanasse, to Sitka and Juneau. Many courses fill and over 100 students are served.  Our Board expands with the addition of new board members Don Rearden and Kirsten Dixon.   

Winter/Spring 2011 

Registration for another term opens, with new genres and new subjects, including poetry, screenwriting, the graphic novel, and much more.