Local Writers Wow The Crowd At The Jesup
Saturday morning group open to new members
BAR HARBOR—Despite COVID, life, imposter syndrome, and writers’ block, the Write On, Writers writing group has been meeting weekly at the Jesup Memorial Library since 2014 and on September 8, 2022, group members shared pieces of their story in person and via Zoom. The group is open to new members.
Lila Miller introduced the writers during the one-hour program.
Joan FitzGerald, an award-winning financial news reporter who is working on an adult dystopian novel was the first to read. She is a summer resident of Mt. Desert Island and read from a short story entitled, “Walks,” which began with an authoritative and confident voice, “Caroline is not a walker.”
FitzGerald began a group of readings that resounded with clear talent, realistic prose, and captivating narrative.
According to an article by Blake Atwood for The Write Life, there are six main reasons to join a writing group:
Steven Roiphe’s prose has appeared in a number of literary magazines, garnering a Pushcart Prize nomination. He lives in Lamoine. His well-layered excerpt that balanced description and resonance well was based in 1904 in Nebraska. “At last after Hannukah and adult Christmas time, our town came alive. . . .” his story began.
Carol Woolman began writing in secret from 11 to 37 when she published her first story about a rafting trip in the Arctic that changed her life. Her current work is about living through the death of her son. Her poignant excerpt of “Sturdy Ritual” began, “Soon after my son Mark’s murder in 1998, a friend told me that I’d see a star and that it was his star.” She sincerely doubted it.
Nina Barufaldi St. Germain, a Bar Harbor resident is working on an MFA at Stonecoast read from a resonating short story and flash-fiction piece entitled, “Blobby,” which began, “It happened during the third month of her fourth pregnancy . . .” It elicited commiserating giggles from the audience.
Jack Wilson writes as a hobby and is a recent participant in the group and lives in Seal Cove and works on Mount Desert Island. “I work the theater,” he writes of the narrator’s time at a concession stand in an authentic and harrowingly good first-person narrative, “Sounding Dark.”
After the readings audience members asked what was the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever received which ranged from “don’t ever write in the first person” to “you’re writing a novel?” Members then relayed how they joined the writing group.
The Write On! writer's group has been meeting at the Jesup since 2014, and remotely during the pandemic. Each meeting, members may bring in up to 1200 words to read for feedback, and in turn offer feedback to others. Although each member doesn't get to read work every time, the group shares the time fairly. The group meets on Zoom, and holds in confidence what is shared. This group welcomes adults 18 and up writing in many genres. There's no homework--the only commitment is two hours on Saturday mornings.
Call the library, 207-288-4245, for more about the group and how to join, or email info@jesuplibrary.org.