Haiku Conferences Tips
The Haiku Society of America (HSA) holds four quarterly meetings in different American cities every year. If one of these conferences come to a city near you, here's your chance!
Haiku North America (HNA), the biggest haiku conference in North America, takes place every two years. The program is jammed-packed with workshops, readings, lectures, exhibits, gingko, etc. and sessions run in two (sometimes three) different rooms at the same time.
Haiku Canada holds its annual conference in a different Canadian city during the May long week-end (Victoria Day). They hold workshops, lectures, gingko, renku, banquet, and lots of haiku-related activities including a famous renku party that runs late into the night and another smaller renku party that starts early in the morning.
There are also many international haiku conferences in Europe and in Japan.
Conference Tips
Before you go:
- Make your travel arrangements early
- Bring a map
- Bring your haiku
- Bring a freebie
At the conference:
- enjoy sightseeing
- participate at the gingko
- attend a workshop
- attend a lecture
- attend a haiku reading
- talk to your haiku idol
- be respectful
- attend a renku party
- group photo
- attend the banquet
- attend social gathering
- try something new
Make your travel arrangements early
Bring a map
Enjoy sightseeing
Participate in the gingko
A gingko is a walk during which participants look for inspiration to write a haiku.
Bring some of your haiku.
Most conferences include a robin-style reading (where everybody reads one haiku) or an open-mike. Reading your haiku in public can be scary, but it's a good way to get people to know you (especially if you are new).
Bring a freebie
Most conferences have a table where you can leave promotional items (bookmarks, postcards, free mini-chapbooks, etc.)
Attend a workshop
Attend a lecture on an unusual subject
Attend a haiku reading
Talk to your haiku idol
Be respectful
Attend the renku party
Haiku Canada have a renku party that runs late into the night and a renku party that starts early in the morning. Feeling brave? Attend both.
Group photo
Smile, don't be shy, and put yourself in the picture. At Haiku North America, the group photo is included in your registration fee. What a great souvenir!
Banquet
Attend social gatherings
Try something new
Attend a haiku conference: you will come back transformed!
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