Inkberry workshops foster community

NORTH ADAMS—The Inkberry space on Main Street is small but cozy with a sofa, coffee table, and end lamps. Tall bookshelves are filled to capacity with books thin enough to be mistaken for manuals or pamphlets. A VHS case for an Allen Ginsberg reading lays open on top of the silent television.

Every Tuesday night, a group of five or six writers convene here to critique, analyze, and rewrite their poems and prose. Over tea, they scribble softly with red pens and stare blankly as they listen to one another read. Once the reading is done, the work-shopping begins:

“Is the verb ‘to kiss’ really appropriate in line six of the second stanza?” “I don’t know how I feel about the word ‘parabolic’ in that sentence.” “Wow! That totally reminds me of Margaret Atwood!” “I think you should stress the shower imagery more.” “That part about the chipping paint is awesome!”

These are the tidbits of constructive banter that pass between the six writers. All the while, Sarah Russell, workshop facilitator, sits in a large soft chair commenting occasionally when the dialogue lulls or the writers stray from the topic. Russell, a student interning at Inkberry, is sort of like the literary ringmaster who keeps everyone focused and positive.

During an interview, Russell commented on the prevalence of writing in the Berkshires. “I think a lot of opportunities have grown for people to write in the Berkshires,” she said. “I went to a poetry slam recently and there was a great crowd there. It almost seems like the literary world is growing in the region.”

This was the goal of the creators of Inkberry when they established the program in 2000. Since then, the non-profit organization has helped to foster literary activity in the region by offering workshops and public readings by emerging and established writers. The workshops range widely in focus, from humor writing to science fiction. There was even a course on “zine” writing offered at Adams Memorial Middle School.

The visiting writers for the reading series are equally eclectic. They include mystery writer Beth Saulnier, who read this past September, and North Adams native Paul Park who will be reading in November at the College along with Naomi Novik.

According to Jill Gilbreth, executive director of Inkberry, the mission statement for the organization has remained the same. “[The creators of Inkberry] wanted to have a place where writers could connect here in the Berkshires,” said Gilbreth. “Interestingly, this community that’s experiencing a cultural renaissance, specifically in the visual arts, also seems to be growing as a literary community as well.”

While Russell’s workshop of six has the intimacy of a weekly sewing circle, it plays an integral part in Inkberry and the continuing effort to develop literature in the Berkshires. It could be argued that a small room, a comfy chair, a cup of tea, and some constructive criticism are just what any emerging writer needs to feel comfortable about voicing their ideas.