I don't go to AWP. It's expensive and I'm too poor and on the whole it doesn't appeal to me that much. Other people don't go to AWP, for a lot of the same reasons. I'm a naturally extroverted person, and I love making genuine connections with fellow writers over the work they do, or I do or we both like; however, I don't like officially "schmoozing" with people. And that's kinda what AWP has always felt like to me.
Regardless of that, there's yet another problem with AWP. There's a lack of diversity with panelists and panelist topics. And people are talking about it--merely asking questions about it--and people at AWP are retaliating. Strange things.
http://afteriwasdead.blogspot.com/2015/08/transparency.html
http://sbeasley.blogspot.com/2015/08/in-praise-of-transparency-in-support-of.html
Regardless of that, there's yet another problem with AWP. There's a lack of diversity with panelists and panelist topics. And people are talking about it--merely asking questions about it--and people at AWP are retaliating. Strange things.
http://afteriwasdead.blogspot.com/2015/08/transparency.html
http://sbeasley.blogspot.com/2015/08/in-praise-of-transparency-in-support-of.html