• BOOKS
  • ABOUT

WILSON WYATT JR

~ WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY – THE ART OF WORDS AND IMAGES

WILSON WYATT JR

Tag Archives: Personal Essay

The Delmarva Review’s sixth edition honored by a reading at The Writer’s Center

11 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Maryland, The Delmarva Review, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Creative Nonfiction, E. Laura Golberg, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Fiction, Inspiration, Judith Bowles, Literary Review, Literary Writing, Margaret Adams, Personal Essay, Poetry, Ron Capps, Ru Freeman, The Delmarva Review, The Writer's Center, Veteran's Writing Project, Veterans

The Delmarva Review, Volume 6 - print and digital editions

The Delmarva Review, Volume 6, 2013 in print and digital editions – Cover photograph by Christopher Woods   click on image for larger view

There wasn’t an empty chair as five authors took to the podium and read their writing from the new edition of The Delmarva Review, a journal publishing compelling literary prose and poetry. The venue was perfect. The Writer’s Center, in Bethesda, Maryland, is known as a special “home” to many writers. As one of the premier writers’ centers in the country, it welcomes and supports literary work (www.writer.org).

The authors had never read together before, but their performances were so complementary that, taken together, one might think they were choreographed.  They read to an attentive, responsive audience that packed the house.  It was a memorable literary event.

As executive editor, I am thankful for our five reading authors: fiction author Margaret Adams, of Baltimore, poet Judith Bowles, of Chevy Chase, MD, fiction author Ru Freeman, of the Philadelphia area, poet E. Laura Golberg, of Washington, DC, and essayist Ron Capps, Of Washington, DC.

There is something magical to all of us as editors when we experience a reading. The words jump off the page as we hear the author’s unique voice…live.  It often reveals a new dimension of the author’s deepest intentions.

The event was Sunday, the day before Veteran’s Day.  Appropriate to the occasion, the last presenter was Ron Capps, a soldier, Foreign Service officer, and a combat veteran of five recent wars. He founded the Veterans Writing Project (http://veteranswriting.org).  Mr. Capps delivered his stirring personal essay, “Writing My Way Home.”

The Delmarva Review, Vol. 6, is published by the Eastern Shore Writers Association to encourage and inspire literary writing.  Print issues can be ordered through the website: www.delmarvareview.com.  A digital edition for download to popular electronic reading devices is available at www.Amazon.com.

The submissions period for Volume 7 is open until February 28, 2014.  All writers, please see the Guideline page on the website.

Ron Capps, founder of the Veterans Writing Project, reading his essay in The Delmarva Review

Ron Capps reading his personal essay, “Writing My Way Home”                                    – photos by Wilson Wyatt

Fiction author Margaret Adams reading "Undertow"

Fiction author Margaret Adams reading “Undertow”

Fiction author Ru Freeman reading "Departure"

Fiction author Ru Freeman reading “Departure”

Poet E. Laura Golberg reading "The Solitary Farmer"

Poet E. Laura Golberg reading “The Solitary Farmer” and “Lockport Caves for Vita”

Poet Judith Bowles, who read "The Instrument" and "My Parkinson's and I attend my 50th Reunion"

Poet Judith Bowles, who read “The Instrument” and “My Parkinson’s and I attend my 50th Reunion”

0.000000 0.000000

The value of a “writing community”…transcending borders

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Inspiration, The Delmarva Review, Uncategorized, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Books, Borders, Combat Veterans, Delmarva Peninsula, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Healing, Maryland, Novels, Personal Essay, Poetry, Public Radio Delmarva, Publishing, Ron Capps, Salisbury, Veteran's Writing Project, veteranswriting.org, War, Writers, Writing Community, WSDL, www.delmarvapublicradio.net

Hal Wilson, of the Eastern Shore Writers Association, interviews Ron Capps in Public Radio Delmarva’s studio (WSDL, Salisbury). - Photographed by Wilson Wyatt

Hal Wilson, left, of the Eastern Shore Writers Association, interviews Ron Capps in Public Radio Delmarva’s studio (WSDL-FM, Salisbury). – Photographed by Wilson Wyatt

Several friends are currently publishing their literary work. With each, a writing community contributes to the achievement.

I think of this from time to time. Why do I volunteer to help other writers? Does a writers’ community really benefit writers?

The answers are powerful affirmations.

A writer once told me of a desire to publish more work in local publications, but opportunities were diminishing. Does that sound familiar?  I asked why he was thinking locally when he could consider a much larger universe…beyond local borders.  A little nudging, and assurances from a larger community of writers, expanded his vision and potential. His determination was fueled for the hard work to complete and publish books capable of reaching a vastly greater audience…now a major accomplishment for the author.

Another example is about a combat veteran of five wars, Ron Capps.  Parts of his story have been told in the national media and are still being unveiled.

As a very capable writer, Ron decided to use writing to apply his experiences to three new and meaningful purposes.  First, writing enabled him to face and manage the horrors of combat that were relived in his mind daily.  It was a means of confronting and healing.  Appreciating this strength, he initiated a major project to teach other combat veterans, and their families, writing techniques for their healing and expression.

He recognized the value to show the rest of the world, through veterans’ writing, that there were other costs of war we don’t think about, that aren’t reported by the daily media. Only one percent of Americans are engaged in military duty today. Combat veterans, through writing, can “bear witness” for us to comprehend the personal impact of combat and war. As a society, we can become better informed before making decisions about going to war.

This week, two of us from the Eastern Shore Writers Association, hosted  Ron at the Public Radio Delmarva station (WSDL-FM) in Salisbury, Maryland, to record a special radio segment, “The Writer’s Edition,” about his experiences and inspiration to create the Veteran’s Writing Project, veteranswriting.org.  It will air on June 28, contributing his message to a new audience.

Ron Capps also wrote a powerful personal essay that will be published in The Delmarva Review’s sixth edition, in October, expanding the reach of his story among literary readers (www.delmarvareview.com).

These stories “bear witness” to a writing community helping writers in their work while contributing something meaningful to a far greater audience.  The value of a writing community transcends us…it transcends borders.

Writing

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Photography

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Past Posts

  • November 2021
  • November 2020
  • November 2019
  • February 2019
  • October 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,466 other followers

Blogroll

  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Blog Stats

  • 27,360 hits

Log in/out

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Join 1,466 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...