Middlebury College's Breadloaf Campus in Vermont is the site of the New England Young Writers Conference. My time there (May 19 - 22) was one of the most important weekends in my life for the development of my writing skills. Not to mention the development of companionship, enhanced by my interaction with a very diverse group of talented writers , 230 of them.

The days of the conference were spent engaged in some activity that improved my writing. Sessions with Douglas Anderson, a writer for the Children's Television Workshop, stand out particularly. Discussing my work with him and other students gave me new perspective on observation and on writing in general. Hearing my peers' works read inspired and opened me up to new ideasl. The most productive parts , however, and the most fun, were the discussions that took place in my dorm. The 12 of us critiqued each others' works openly, unafraid of pointing out the good and the bad. The open discussions moved onto other topics as well, including literature and world events.

I cannot forget the people I met. Whether I see them again, or correspond with them for years to come, I am glad to have met them all. The impact that many of them had on me in such a short time is surprising. I would like to publicly thank them all for such an enjoyable and educational weekend. L