Writes of Spring @ TSKW

I did something totally out of my comfort zone recently. I entered a writing contest at The Studios of Key West. Twenty five of us gathered there last Monday evening to hear a delightful panel of published authors talk about the writing process. And at the end, we all received our writing 'cue'.....a sentence to use as our starting point. We are free to twist it and turn it as we choose. To interpret it as we see it. We have a few weeks to turn in our piece, which will be submitted and judged with identifying numbers instead of names to prevent any bias. Cool, huh? I have been thinking about our writing cue but I haven't had an epiphany yet. I am hoping one is coming! This will be a great exercise in trying new things, in stepping out of my usual writing style since I have never written fiction. I can sit down at the lap top and write 500 words very easily, but I have to say 2,500 - 10,000 is a bit intimidating. I will let you know how it goes.

This writing contest is just one of the many things that go on at The Studios of Key West. The gallery, which is open to the public daily, is always lined with art by local artists. There is a sculpture garden set in the tropical foliage outside. Writers, artists, musicians, and poets live and work in a lovely cottage on the grounds as part of a fellowship program. These talented folks, from all over the country and abroad, then teach or perform for us locals. It's a win-win for all - the fellows live in a lovely cottage on one of Old Town Key West's most charming streets, and residents don't have to travel to NYC or Washington, DC or Los Angeles to get face to face with quality artistic creativity.

TSKW, as we all generally refer to it, is currently housed in a historic armory building on White Street, but it will be moving to a much larger space on the corner Eaton and Simonton streets in coming years, as construction is completed. If you are local, check the website for upcoming events and classes. If you are visiting, make a point of stopping by to check it out.