Writer Amanda Page returns to HippoCamp, which she considers to be her “home conference” for creative writing. She’s taking a break from hosting an annual writing retreat in Scotland this year to present in a session called “All the Drafts Undone: Five Ways to Re-purpose Your Unfinished Essays & Live a More Productive Writing Life.” We asked Amanda a few questions about what attendees can look forward to at this year’s conference for creative nonfiction writers.
HM: Tell us a little about your involvement this year at HippoCamp. What can attendees expect from your session?
AP: I’m doing a Lightning Round Presentation, which is seven minutes long. I found several of the Lightning Round Presentations helpful last year, and I thought it might be a fun way to present my content. Attendees can expect to walk away from my short presentation with:
1.) Reassurance that not every idea has to become an essay
2.) Knowing that Creative Nonfiction can present in many forms beyond the essay
3.) Five forms they can use to turn unfinished drafts into other types of nonfiction work
HM: Our motto is “memorable creative nonfiction.” Tell us about one of the more recent memoirs, essay collections, or individual essays you’ve read and why it was memorable.
AP: “I’ve been spending my year reading the entirety of Rebecca Solnit’s work, and just when I finish up one of her books, she publishes a new essay. One of the things I like most about Solnit’s work is that she tells just as much, if not more, than she shows. Writers get a lot of feedback about “Show, don’t tell.” But I think there’s something to be said for telling, and I think Solnit does it masterfully. You also never know where she’s going in an essay, but you can guarantee it’s going to be interesting. In “When the Hero is the Problem,” she takes you from Liz Phair lyrics to women weaving in Borneo in just a few sentences, and it all seems natural and seamless. More importantly, I never consume a Solnit essay and then never think of it again. The main idea lingers. You have to spend time considering the central thesis. I appreciate that. All essayists and readers of essays grapple with complexity, which is probably why we write and read essays, and Solnit is always working in complexity.
HM: What made you decide to participate in HippoCamp this year as a speaker? How did your past experiences encourage you to want to come back?
AP: I’ve been to a lot of writing conferences through the years, and in the past five years or so, I’ve exclusively attended conferences that focus on creative nonfiction. That’s what brought me to HippoCamp in the first place. It was on my tour of nonfiction conferences. Plus, it was in Lancaster, PA, and I knew it from spending a couple summers teaching there. I thought it would be nice to come back, and I was right! But it wasn’t just the location that made me think I’d want to return. I had a lot of really great conversations with writers while I was there, and I appreciated that there were writers there from various stages in their careers. No one seemed too concerned with knowing right off the bat where you’d published. I wasn’t running into a lot of folks who were leading with their egos. The attendees were mostly folks who were excited to be writing, and I was so very glad. It’s what made HippoCamp my home conference. I wanted to return to experience that excitement again, kind of like a vitamin infusion. It keeps me healthy as I go about my writing practice.
HM: What’s going to keep you busy between now and HippoCamp?
AP: I’ll be headed back to Scotland for a bit, because it is now an annual trip in my life. I’m also excited to build a small labyrinth in my yard, because I can’t think of a better way to work out writing problems than with an intentional walk.
HM: Since you’ll also be attending the conference, when you’re not wearing your “speaker hat,” what are you most looking forward to learning or doing?
AP: I’m excited to see a few of the folks I met last year and hear about how their writing has gone since the last conference. I’m also very excited to meet a few of the other speakers. Mostly, I’m looking forward to getting there and seeing what unfolds. When you put a bunch of writers in a room together, the conversations can create a kind of magic. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in it again.
HM: We love introducing Lancaster to attendees. If you live here or have been here before, what would you recommend to other attendees?
AP: Go to the Farmer’s Market for sure. It’s right across from the conference. Also, prepare yourself for some incredible baked goods because there are some unbelievable bakeries just a block or so away. There are so many great little shops and galleries not far from the conference that it’s worth strolling along to get a feel for the city.
HM: Anything else you’d like attendees to know?
AP: Talk to everyone. Start as many conversations as you can. Ask the person behind you in the registration line what brought them to the conference. If you see me, say hello. I want to hear about what you’re working on.
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Thank you, Amanda, for your helpful advice! We’re excited to welcome you back to the conference, which is sure to be filled with plenty of creative magic.
And, reader, it’s not too late to register for the conference! You can learn more about HippoCamp 2019 and register here.
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