Reginald Shepherd at the Poetry Foundation defends AWP. The comment section discussion is pretty interesting:

http://poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2008/01/awp_communazis_and_me_1.html

I would say I pretty much side with Reginald on this. My experiences (as a semi-outsider: after all, I’m not a publisher or academic – although I was an MFA student for a couple of years) were this:

-The best part of AWP, and the reason I am sad to be missing it this year, is hanging out with like-minded writers – people who you’ve had correspondence with online – meeting in person is so much more fun and it’s always a surprise to find that people’s personalities are different than you might have thought from their blogs or e-mails. Running into former teachers or friends is always fun too, playing catch-up etc.

-It is also a lot of fun to discover new writers through random panels and readings that you might never have heard of otherwise – I always come home with new books that I absolutely adore. This is the good part of not over-scheduling – you never know where you’ll end up or who you’ll end up meeting if you’re kind of easy-going about it. Missing a panel or an evening event can end up being the best thing you do.

-The hard part is the pressure to “network” and the kind of enforced socialization that goes on. I guess this is the same whether it’s AWP or Comdex (yes, I went to Comdex in the past) or the styrofoam cup makers conference – there will always be jerks and weirdos and slimeballs out there, and the phoniness or some kind of need to impress can make people act like they’re at a junior high dance (with more drunkenness.) Some people you’re going to get along with naturally and others, not so much. So my advice is: don’t try too hard, make an effort to be open to meeting others, but if it’s awkward or icky in any way, feel free to go back to the hotel room or go hang out someplace else. Especially for younger girls – hey, if a guy is giving you a creepy vibe, get the hell out of there. Even if he’s an important editor or publisher or someone famous. Maybe even especially if.

But all in all my experiences were that people were very friendly, meeting people in the real world that I had known online was almost always a positive experience, and you know, you can end up having cool coversations with great people you might never have met otherwise. “Famous” writers are often much more approachable and friendly that you might expect. And in general, I never was made to feel unimportant, or like I didn’t belong there, even at my first AWP where I really knew no one and hadn’t really started publishing yet.

So what do you think? Is AWP a corporate evil entity or a welcoming place for writers to meet and talk shop?

On another note, some unusual folk remedies for sore throats that ended up being at least sort of effective:
–pickle juice
–tobasco sauce mixed with hot water and honey (gargle, don’t drink)
–blackcurrant jam and pineapple juice (not together, though)
My husband G woke up really sick today, and last night I was running a 102 fever, so I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t go to New York, since it doesn’t look like I’m on the superfast track to getting better, even with those folk remedies, antibiotics, vitamin C, and zinc. I didn’t want to be one of those people who goes out and makes everyone else get sick later. And also, how much fun do you have when you can’t talk and are all fevery? Not much, that’s the answer. Next time, AWP, how about a nice conference in, say, March or April? Not in the middle of cold and flu season in the coldest part of the US? Hmmmm? I mean, sickly writers are sort of a time-honored cliche – I can’t be the only one with a crappy immune system!

I’m still jealous of all you NY-visiting AWPers visiting MoMa and great restaurants and checking out the bookfair and everything. Have extra fun for me!

Books I’ve read since not going to AWP: Teaching Creative Writing to Middle Schoolers. Rachel Zucker’s Bad Wife Handbook. Tom Hunley’s Teaching Poetry Writing. Girl Meets Boy: The Myth of Iphis (Myths) by Ali Smith. My brain isn’t yet up to reviewing anything, but at least I can focus on a book now enough to actually read. And I rewatched some old Buffy and Daria episodes. Sometimes that’s the best thing you can do when you’re sick.