In theory, the task of writing requires only pen and paper or keyboard and screen, and perhaps, an electrical outlet. Gertrude Stein wrote in the car. D.H. Lawrence often worked beneath a tree. James Joyce penned his later works in bed.
But in reality, many writers struggle to find the right setting for wringing words from the brain onto the page.
That’s why Sparrow Alden created the new WriterSpace at River Valley Community College in Lebanon. Well, that and the sunlight.
“It came together literally because this was the room with all the sunshine,” Alden, an adjunct professor of English at the college, said as she prepared for a writing session on a recent Tuesday afternoon in a multi-purpose room near the front entry.
With its walls of windows looking out on Hanover Street, the room always beckoned to Alden when she passed by on the way to class. She at first envisioned having a one-time National Novel Writing Month event or series in the room, but when she contacted school administrators asking if she could use it, she got such an enthusiastic response, she decided to think bigger.
Launched in September, the WriterSpace at River Valley is now open Monday evenings from 5 to 9 and Friday mornings from 9 to noon, and Alden has held several special events as well, including an editing critique, a trauma-informed writer support session and a month of National Novel Writing Month Write-Ins on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in November. The sessions are open to everyone.
On an average day, four or five writers show up, but Alden has had up to 10 at a time. Altogether about 35 people, ranging from college students to retirees, have visited, and many are repeat visitors.
Sylvia de Montigny, of Lebanon, has barely missed a session since she started coming at the beginning of October. Like several of Alden’s regulars, she’s working on a memoir. Though she’s never considered herself a writer, she wants to share her experiences in hopes of helping others as well as herself.
“I’m processing a lot of information, and writing is very beneficial for me,” de Montigny said. “I’m very grateful that this space is available.”
The space serves different purposes for different people, said Alden, who lives in Plainfield and recently retired as director of religious education at the Unitarian Church in Norwich. For some, it’s simply a quiet place to work in a convenient location, near Lebanon businesses and eateries. For others it’s an escape from the isolation — or distractions — of working at home.
“If you like to be home in your cubby, great. But here, you don’t have to do the dishes,” Alden said.
Of course, in today’s world, distractions know no boundaries, what with the internet and its manifold delights. But being among other writers sometimes provides not just camaraderie but a kick in the pants, Alden said.
“When I see you writing, I don’t get out my phone,” she explained.
A self-described amateur writer who has published two books of poetry on the Amazon Kindle platform, Alden brims with contagious energy and loves to help other writers find inspiration, clear their obstacles to creativity or shape their ideas. During the writing sessions, she makes herself available to anyone who wants editing assistance or advice, and she starts each session with an optional activity designed to get creative juices flowing.
On a recent Tuesday, with help from special guest Matt Hongoltz-Hetling, a former Valley News staff writer who’s currently completing his first book, Alden opened the session with a “word sprint,” a timed writing, sometimes with a special theme or specific instructions, with the singular goal of filling blank pages.
“You have to push out the words without second guessing,” said Alden, who participates in the activities herself. In fact, on this day, she was the only person participating, as only one writer showed up at the beginning of the session.
This is a pilot semester for the WriterSpace, said Alden, who is paid by the college for facilitating the sessions. If all goes well, she hopes to double the amount of time the space is open and add more programming. She’d also love to help other organizations create similar spaces or take the WriterSpace on the road to places like nursing homes or hospitals.
“I could bring this energy and encouragement to folks who can’t get to us,” she said.
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For questions about the WriterSpace, email RVCCWriterSpace@ccsnh.edu.
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Sarah Earle can be reached at searle@vnews or 603-727-3268.