The 11th Annual Outer Banks Veterans Writing Workshop will be held at the UNC Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19.
Educator, editor, and Veteran Dario DiBattista will lead this year’s free workshop, which is titled Crafting Poetry.
DiBattista, instructor for the Veterans Writing Project, is the editor of the anthology Retire the Colors: Veterans & Civilians on Iraq & Afghanistan. His work has appeared in the Washingtonian, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, Connecticut Review, [Pank], Mic.com, and many other publications. Additionally, he's been profiled in the New York Times and has been a commentator on NPR, SiriusXM, and for the BBC. DiBattista served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 2001 to 2007, and later became a distinguished graduate of the Johns Hopkins University M.A. Writing Program.
“Join me for this hands-on weekend long poetry workshop,” said DiBattista. “This workshop, which is overview in nature and understands poetry writing as a craft, will give participants experience with introductory, intermediate, and advanced poetry techniques. Participants will get instruction and practice in using forms, incorporating poetics, understanding literary theory, and developing best writing practices.”
Beginner and experienced writers are invited to participate in this two-day workshop that is free for Veterans, active-duty military and their family members.
Registration for the writing workshop is now open online here.
Pre-registration is required. Attendees will receive a confirmation email with more details after registration. The workshop will accommodate up to 25 participants.
Modeled after the Veterans Writing Project, a non-profit foundation that teaches combat veterans to express their military experiences through literature, the goal of the Outer Banks Veterans Writing Workshop is to teach participants the art of writing.
The Outer Banks Veterans Writing Workshop is part of Outer Banks Veterans Week, which runs from November 10-19, 2023.
One of the keystone events of Outer Banks Veterans Week is The Wall That Heals—a traveling, three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., that tours the country. The Wall That Heals will be on display in Dare County November 16-19, 2023 at the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head. This free exhibit is hosted by the Dare County Veterans Advisory Council, which worked to bring the official replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and its accompanying mobile education center to Dare County.
Dare Arts will be creating the Outer Banks Veterans Week Directory, which is a free online directory of celebrations and specials for Veterans from Corolla to Hatteras Village.
Groups and/or businesses interested in listing their Veteran events and/or specials in the directory should email Dare Arts Program Director Michelle Alexander at DareArtsPrograms@gmail.com.
For more information about Outer Banks Veterans Week, click here or call 252 473 5558.
Thank you to the Coastal Studies Institute and The Roanoke Island Inn for sponsoring Outer Banks Veterans Week.
This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.
This project is sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.
The Outer Banks Veterans Writing Workshop has been supported by the Veterans Writing Project since its inception.
Dare Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Dare County.
The Veterans Writing Project is a 501(c)(3) that provides no-cost creative writing and songwriting workshops across the country.