KETCHUM, Idaho — Ernest Hemingway found solitude, peace and inspiration in the woods surrounding Ketchum and this week the Hemingway Center at Boise State hosted the Sawtooth Writing Retreat to help elevate students' writing skills.
"We heard elk bugling while we were out having lunch our first day here," said Annie Furman who came from British Columbia for this retreat. "To be here in a cabin and roll out of bed in the morning to watch the sunrise and hear the aspen trees quaking, I can write so much about the quaking of aspen leaves in the sun."
The Sawtooth Writing Retreat invited writers out to the Central Idaho 4-H Camp where they got instruction and lessons from Paul Bogart and Kim Cross.
"I think Kim and Paul are really great they are both professional writing teachers at the University level," said Dawn Brockett an alumnus of Boise State. "They both have multiple publications with different perspectives that are really great to hear."
While I was there Kim and Paul did a lesson where they had camp caretaker, Tom, teach the group how to chop wood. This exercise gave the students a chance to journal a scene as it took place in front of them while being able to ask questions to build a character. It's one example of what happens at the Sawtooth Writing Retreat.
"We have break out writing sessions and I sit on a stump in one of the fields and work on some of my pieces," said Furman. "So, it is a bit of a mix meeting new fellow writers, learning from them, learning from Kim and Paul and eating some lovely, fantastic food."
Dawn Brockett helped write the application to get this area deemed as a Dark Sky Reserve while earning a Master's Degree at Boise State. Dawn tells us it's much easier to write away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
"I love the tie to Hemingway, the Hemingway Center, Boise State. The Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve and Ketchum," said Brockett. " I think it is a really beautiful tie. I’ve had the pleasure of living in this area and living in Paris where Hemingway also lived, I haven’t done the Keys or Cuba yet, but I think he was on to something in terms of sustaining locations for writerly life."
This marks the second year of the retreat as the writers stayed at the Central Idaho 4-H Camp on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. In addition to the writing they had bonfires, stargazing and fishing opportunities.
"I’m so grateful to BSU for putting this together, I was here last year and it was so fantastic I came back for a second year," said Furman. "I love that BSU is putting this on and inviting folks from the broader community as well."
For more information on the retreat and the Hemingway Center at Boise State University click here.
