Several prominent authors brought their talents to the Cinema Arts Centre on Sunday, talking about their books and encouraging other would-be writers to find their own stories.
Tracey SegarraTracey Segarra led a workshop at Word Up: Long Island Lit Fest that included showing participants that they had stories to tell.
The Moth winner invited participants to draw a card with a general topic, such as a cruise trip, and think about what stories they could draw from their everyday experiences.
Segarra, after the workshop, said people often said they had no interesting stories to tell about their lives. “But if you ask them a horse, they have a story,” she said, trying to get people to recognize the value of their experiences.
Susan Rieger and David DenbyAmong those speaking were couple Susan Rieger and David Denby, the film critic, who talked about their writing styles and inspirations; Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion, spoke on the topic of women and feminism.
Liza Burby and Rudy Shur gave advice on children’s or non-fiction books Other authors spoke at different times, or signed books and talked privately with aspiring writers and fans.