Write stuff

Quiet weekend evenings at Sierra Nevada College’s main campus in Incline Village will become lively again this February, as community members, including students and faculty, have the opportunity to meet and share ideas with accomplished writers.

The school’s Writers in the Woods series attracts poets and writers from across the country. The college has hosted famous writers such as Lola Haskins, Nick Flynn, Tobias Wolff and many more.

According to SNC English Chair and creator of the series June Saraceno, several National Book Award winners who’ve participated in the past, including Tim O’Brien and Rebecca Makkai, will return for Writers in the Woods in September.

The program begins with a free reading on Friday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at the SNC Tahoe Center for Environmental Studies. This part of the event is designed for both passionate writers and those just looking for a relaxing evening to engage with great literature. On Saturday mornings, those who are interested in improving their writing and getting feedback, can attend the writing workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The workshop is $50 and is also located at the center on campus.

“Writers in the Woods is an inclusive series, bringing to campus speakers who represent the diversity in our nation,” Saraceno said. “In creating the event, my goal was—and continues to be—to make SNC a literary and cultural hub for the region, both for our students and for the local community.”

Writers in the Woods stands out from many literary events in that it is very intimate, Saraceno said. Instead of taking place in a large auditorium setting, attendees are in a small classroom—allowing for questions, conversation and jokes. The event, which has become increasingly popular over the years, started in 2008 and coined the name Writers in the Woods in 2010.

The upcoming installment of Writers in the Woods will feature former journalist and adventure writer Jeremy Evans on Feb. 8-9. Evans’ books In Search of Powder: A Story of America’s Disappearing Ski Bum and The Battle for Paradise have been reviewed in national publications like The Wall Street Journal, ESPN.com and other national and international outlets. Before writing them, Evans worked for eight years as a journalist and won many awards from the Nevada Press Association and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. He has also contributed to publications such as Powder, Skiing, and Adventure Sports Journal. Evans received his master’s in teaching from Sierra Nevada College and now teaches an adventure travel writing course at the school. He also teaches writing and composition courses at Lake Tahoe Community College and South Tahoe High School.

On Feb. 22-23, the series will feature poet and memorist Alice Anderson. Anderson is known for her books Some Bright Morning, The Watermark and Human Nature. Her work is inspired by issues she has faced in life like family violence and a traumatic brain injury. Anderson is also a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, having written for fashion and music industry icons.