Arts & Entertainment
Redmond Association of Spokenword Gives Local Writers A Voice
The group holds events each month where anyone is welcome to read his or her original work aloud to an audience.
As the aphorism goes, public speaking generally ranks somewhere near death on the fear scale. Add to that the vulnerability of reading your own written words aloud, and the anxiety just multiplies.
Michael Heavener, the president of the Redmond Association of Spokenword (RASP), understands the feeling.
“I’ve struggled with doing the spoken word thing without fear,” he said.
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RASP aims to provide an antidote with its monthly reading series. The gatherings feature a work read aloud by a published Pacific Northwest author, followed by an open mic session. This month’s reading takes place at 7 p.m. Friday at the , with Oregon native David Lloyd Whited reading his poetry.
The open mic element of the event is designed to be comfortable and welcoming for anyone who wants to share, Heavener said. Non-original work is allowed, but participants are encouraged to bring their own nonfiction or fiction prose or poetry to read for three to five minutes.
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Critique and discussion sometimes follow, but only if the reader is interested. The point of the open mic isn’t to intimidate, but to foster literary arts in an inclusive way, Heavener said.
“We embrace anybody who comes,” he said. “Part of the whole goal of RASP is for us to enjoy ourselves.”
Besides, reading one’s own work aloud provides an experience that simply writing it doesn’t necessarily give, Heavener said.
“I like to think it gives someone a sense of pride in their own work,” he said. “They have the satisfaction of having survived. It offers encouragement to go ahead and be literate.”
Fostering literacy is one of the primary goals of RASP, which was founded in 1997, but took a hiatus in 2008 to rebuild its volunteer base, Heavener said. Now, he says, the all-volunteer organization is back up to speed with its programs, which include poetry and prose circles, where people can share their work and receive feedback, and educational events, such as a haiku workshop.
“Education’s a big deal to us,” Heavener said.
All ages are welcome at the open mic, which generally lasts for around an hour after the author’s reading and audience Q&A. The reading events take place on the last Friday of each month.
