The Corrections
I messed everything up last week when I wrote about Jim Bob McMillan leaving the Writers’ League of Texas at the end of the month, and I apologize for it. I had recounted the League’s decision last year to shift from being an organization whose members vote on issues facing the League to one led by what will eventually be a 15-member board. That is a transition that many nonprofits across the country are making, and when that change took place, I thought that it meant that the League administration no longer had to disclose its annual audit to members, a practice required under the previous bylaws. I was wrong. The board still must disclose its annual audit, and any League member, in fact, can head right up to the League office and request a copy, though the audit is scheduled to be printed in either the September or October issue of the League’s newsletter, Texas Writer.
My account of McMillan’s tenure at the League, which has entirely transformed the organization for the better, was perhaps too paltry considering that I focused on how McMillan handled what I saw as the most galvanizing event in the League’s history, the decision last year to become the Writers’ League of Texas rather than remain the Austin Writers’ League and all that that entailed. But he’s done other stuff, too, and with input from League president Laurie Lynn Drummond, I can now provide a fuller account of McMillan’s time at the League. Drummond was happy to inform me about McMillan’s achievements, which is good since he’s the epitome of modesty. Some of the things he has done: Developed a more vibrant format for the annual summer Agents Conference, including adding editors and increasing the number of participants; began the weekly electronic bulletin “Footnotes”; instituted the now weekly radio program Writing on the Air; originated e-mail classes allowing workshops and service to writers not living in Central Texas; instituted a winter conference focusing on the craft of writing; stabilized the fellowship program and increased the number of fellowships handed out each year; increased financial support from the Texas Commission on the Arts and from the city of Austin Cultural Affairs Office; began the audiobook awards program; started paying newsletter columnists; instituted a collaboration to recognize writers at the Salute to African American Writers; expanded the League’s office space; instituted the Volunteers of the Year recognition program; helped in the formation and encouragement of the Texas Literary Partnership of literature-based organizations in Texas; instituted the Art Inspires Writing program with the AISD and Austin Museum of Art; developed the Creative Writing Program for middle school students presented in branches of the Austin Public Library; took accounting back in-house to save the League over $10,000 annually; increased collaboration efforts with local and regional writers, organizations, and institutions; and developed and found funding for short-term writing residency activity in Austin schools. That’s why “workhorse” is the first word out of everyone’s mouth when describing McMillan.
Katherine the Great
It looks as if the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center in Kyle is quickly on its way to earning designation as a National Literary Landmark. The Texas Center for the Book in Dallas made the nomination, which has been positively received by the Library of Congress. This fall, SWT has lined up former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass to speak there Oct. 1-2, PEN/Faulkner finalist Kate Wheeler Sept. 17-22, and Chris Offutt Oct. 22-27.
This article appears in August 17 • 2001.