Registration and payment for this year’s Alumni Writing Conference is due by May 17! Sign-ups will be accepted beyond that date with a $100 late fee, but even then only until May 31. The Conference itself will be June 28 – July 5, or Short-Stay July 1 – July 5. All this is very soon.

There will first and foremost be a community of fellow Goddardites and Wallies: friends you already know and those you don’t yet, all of whom have shared that utterly unique milieu and accomplishment you’ve tried to describe to others (did they get it?).

There will be readings every evening by writers as accomplished and surprising as you might expect, and an audience for your reading, should you chose to give one (do) better than you’ll ever have elsewhere.

There will be workshops if you’ve got a piece you’d like new eyes on, or smaller Manuscript Reviews or Fiction Roundtables should you have book-length material ready for a last look or nudge by your peers. Classes, panels, caucuses, book groups: teach, lead, suggest, guide one. Looks pretty good on your CV, and by the way, you think you won’t get some new material?

Beautiful campus, good food (with a glass of wine, if you like) receptions, pool, gym, art museum, greenhouse, same damn library Emily used, great New England village across the street, July 4 fireworks over the trees.

By May 17: go to wwc.mfa.org – then to “Alumni,” then “Alumni Conference” for links to electronic registration and payment or hard copy and USPS address for payment.

See you soon.