Jim Potter

Writing, for the most part, is a solitary adventure. Which is why it is important for writers to step out into their communities to find other writers (as well as artists, musicians, etc.). There is much to be gained by hearing other people’s trials and tribulations, successes and failures, and perhaps glean some new…something to aid in their own craft.

Now, while I have been attending OWFI Conference since 2012 and have made friends from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, I have in some small way neglected by own backyard. I was briefly the president of the Kansas Writer’s Association but quickly became disenchanted with an “organization.”

I had been invited to participate in an event called Epistrophy which was designed to offer musical accompaniment to poems read by the writer. While the title and the musical unit were jazz based, the poems were not required to follow that genre. I broke out a piece from nearly 25 years ago called Love Supremacy, influenced by the music of John Coltrane. Overall, the event was a success.

What was even more significant was meeting other writers/poets/musicians from Wichita and the surrounding area. The work being read/performed was scintillating, alternating between whimsical and reflective. It was natural in this day and age to reach out and connect with those other participants. Facebook friend requests, Instagram and Twitter follows were placed the next day.

When one of the poets, Jim Potter, commented on a Facebook post, I discovered we had more in common than I realized. We were both postcard collectors (although he is still a member of the Wichita Postcard Club and I am not). We both have an appreciation for orange manx cats. He is a retired police officer and I write crime fiction. And we both love history. So, based on his comment I suggested getting together.

We had brunch at Beautiful Day Cafe, a couple of writers pretty passionate about what we do. Jim had asked if it was okay to bring a notebook and interview me for his blog. I certainly acquiesced. (He, perhaps, was not aware I had planned to blog about the meeting as well.)

That’s it. That’s the sum total of today’s events. But it is highly important. We as writers need to be around other writers, need to share experiences, need to validate each other’s efforts. This primarily solitary avocation can easily go unheeded if not for a simple social interaction to remind ourselves that these efforts truly are worthwhile.