Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Save the Date!

It's that time again!

October 18-19
(Weekend)

Big Apple Conference
Workshop (Saturday)
Open House: Meet the Authors/
Meet the Agents (Sunday)
Scandinavia House,
58 Park Avenue (at 38th Street),
New York City
Register online via PayPal
View & Download Program

Monday Afternoons with Mary Carroll Moore

How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book
Monday afternoons, September 29-November 10 (skips October 13), 1:30-4:30 p.m.
$360 ($345 for returning students)
with Mary Carroll Moore
Whether you’re a nonfiction author, memoirist, or novelist, and whether you have a book almost finished or merely a concept for one, this 6 week class will help you get to know your book—what it is about, how to structure it, how to finish it! You’ll learn a step-by-step plan (including timetables, chapter grids, story-boarding, and other techniques) and ways to flow chapters, find holes in your material that need filling, organize research and concepts, and construct plots. You’ll also learn how to package your book for agents and publishers and gain essential tips on editing and evaluating your book at all stages.
Register soon. Limited to 14 people.

Hudson Valley Writers' Center, Sleepy Hollow, NY (near Tarrytown--an easy commute from NYC or CT)
Call 914-332-5953 or email at info@writerscenter.org

Instructor's Bio

Mary Carroll Moore is the published author of 12 books in nonfiction, how-to, and memoir and over 300 essays, articles, interviews, poems, and short stories; her first novel will be published in 2009. She teaches creative writing for The Studios at Key West, American Penwomen, Borders Bookshops, Hudson Valley Writers' Center, and The Loft Literary Center.
Free weekly writing exercises. Subscribe at ww.marycarrollmoore.com/signup/html (click on Blog for Writers) Or visit http://howtoplanwriteanddevelopabook.blogspot.com/

Writers in this class have said:
"It got me un-stuck and taught me that I can do structure!"
"Such a wealth of information...Showed me how to keep the process going. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
"My brain is exploding from all that I learned--it was great. So worth it! She is a very good teacher, seeks feedback, tells us what to expect, sets time limits."
"Incredibly helpful--wonderful blend of creative and pragmatic. Mary is dynamic, filled with a wealth of information and very personable manner. She paces the class well. I'll be back for more!"
"I left believing I can do this. Best class I have had. Great for me to look at my book from a different perspective."

Monday, August 18, 2008

Book Proposal Workshop

Westport Writers’ Workshop

SPECIAL ONE-TIME EVENT

How To Write an Irresistible Nonfiction Book Proposal

with Lucy Hedrick

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:

To secure an agent and publish a nonfiction book, an author must first submit a well-written, compelling, and polished book proposal. Learn the industry standards for a professional book proposal - the sections, the contents, the page length -- plus the art of the query letter and how to find an agent. Each section will be discussed in detail, and participants will leave with a proposal outline, a sample agent submission log, and online resources every writer must know. Space is limited so that each writer's book concept can be discussed in detail.

Lucy Hedrick is the author of Five Days to an Organized Life (Dell, 1990), 365 Ways to Save Time, (William Morrow, 1992), 365 Ways to Save Time With Kids (William Morrow, 1993), 365 Ways to Save Money (William Morrow, 1994), and Get Organized in the Digital Age (NAL, 2002). These five titles sold more than 200,000 copies and were translated in to eight languages. She has parlayed the contents of her five best-selling books into corporate training seminars and work as a product spokesperson.

As Founder and President of Hedrick Communications, www.lucyhedrick.com, Lucy coaches authors on how to write non-fiction book proposals.

WHEN:

Saturday, Sept. 20

9 a.m. to 12 noon

WHERE:

32 Webb Road, Westport

COST: $125

MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 9

HOW TO REGISTER:

Log on to www.westportwritersworkshop.com and click on REGISTER NOW for instructions for registering by mail or with PayPal.

For questions or more information contact Jessica Bram at (203) 227-3250 or jessica@westportwritersworkshop.com

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

One-Day Workshop

From Mary Carroll Moore:

Creating the Container:
Grounding Your Fiction and Memoir in the World
with Mary Carroll Moore

Hudson Valley Writers' Center, Sleepy Hollow, NY
(an easy commute from CT)

One-day workshop, Friday, September 12, 10-4
$120 ($115 for returning students)

Anton Chekhov wrote, "Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Writers face a big problem when they try to bring their true or fictional stories out of memory, ideas, emotion, and backstory and place them in believable time and space.

Learn five techniques to create a container of setting, suspense, feeling, and momentum that will keep your reader engaged. Full of great writing exercises, this one-day workshop will help you fine-tune your ability to "show, don't tell."

Bring 3 pages of your own writing-in-progress and a book from a published writer you admire.

Instructor's bio:

Mary Carroll Moore is the published author of 12 books in nonfiction, how-to, and memoir and over 300 essays, articles, interviews, poems, and short stories; her first novel will be published in 2009. She teaches creative writing for The Studios at Key West, American Penwomen, Borders Bookshops, Hudson Valley Writers' Center, and The Loft Literary Center. Her blog, How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book, offers free weekly writing exercises.

More Great Websites for Writers

From Adele Annesi, a freelance writer & editor with a high-tech analysis firm in Stamford, CT.

Connections

By Adele M. Annesi


Here is a listing of the latest and greatest Web sites.

Absolute Write

absolutewrite.com

This site has is a great place for writers interested in freelancing, screenwriting, playwriting, writing novels, nonfiction, comic book writing, greeting cards, poetry and songwriting. This site has everything for writing, including markets and agents – and it's all free.

Agent Query

agentquery.com

Agent Query offers the largest, up-to-date searchable database of reputable, established literary agents on the Web. All the information is free.

C. Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers

fundsforwriters.com

This site specializes in grants and lists paying contests and markets. It offers paid and free newsletters, especially by C. Hope Clark – very helpful for freelancers.

Doollee.com

www.doollee.com

Doollee.com is a free online guide to modern playwrights and theatre plays that have been written in or translated into English since 1956. It also has a great database that includes literary agents.

Fiction Factor

fictionfactor.com

This site features tips on writing better fiction, improving your writing, getting published, and promoting and marketing your fiction. There are hundreds of free articles on writing fiction and novels, a free newsletter filled with writing tips, a free community writing forum and more.

Freelance Writing Jobs

freelancewritinggigs.com

This site is chocked full of freelance gigs and has a special section for blogging jobs. Freelance Writing Jobs began in 2005 to help writers, especially work-at-home parents, find decent paying jobs. It's one of the top online communities for freelancers.

OnceWritten

oncewritten.com

Originally designed as a resource to help first-time authors with beginning marketing skills, OnceWritten.com now spotlights new voices in fiction, helps entry-level writers get started and provides a community for new authors to promote themselves and their books.

Poetry Market

thepoetrymarket.com

This amazing site has free listings of poetry markets, contests, reviews and news available through its monthly e-zine.

Shawguides

writing.shawguides.com

ShawGuides began in 1988 as a publisher of global guides to educational travel and creative career programs. It now offers free online access to the unabridged, continually updated content of schools, courses, camps, high-performance programs, writers conferences and workshops in photography, film and video workshops, not to mention language vacations, cultural travel programs, and artists' and writers' residencies and retreats. Go anywhere in the world, and learn at the same time.


Monday, August 11, 2008

New Workshop: Getting Started on Your Memoir

With Jessica Bram


WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
You've been thinking of writing a memoir ... You have a wealth of wisdom to pass down to the next generations ... You want to record those significant moments in your life that made you who you are... But don't know how to get started? If so, this introductory memoir writing workshop is for you!

This workshop will guide you through the techniques to enable you to begin to write your memoir. Participants will read from their work each week, with the objective of receiving feedback in a constructive and supportive atmosphere. Emphasis will be on organizing and bringing clarity to your memoir. You will also learn narrative techniques to make the memoir interesting, informative, and compelling.
This workshop is ideal for beginners who wish to get started writing their memoirs for the first time. It is also geared to those who have already done some memoir writing and are ready to share and further shape their work.

WHEN:
8 Mondays, 7 to 9:30 p.m.:
Sept. 22, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, Nov. 10, 17, 24

WHERE:
395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich
(Exit 28 off Merritt Parkway)

COST:
$450 for 8-week session.

MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE: 8

For questions or more information see www.westportwritersworkshop.com or contact Jessica Bram at (203) 227-3250 or jessica@jbram.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Intensive Journal Workshop

From CT IWWG Member Jane Knox:

Intensive Journal
Workshop
September 6-7
New Fairfield, CT

The Intensive Journal method is an integrated system of writing exercises that can help you get in touch with the many different facets of your life. Gain insights about relationships, major events, body/health, dreams, meaning in life and so much more.

The method can also help stimulate your creative process. It has been endorsed by leading writing organizations and writers such as Hannelore Hahn, Judy Collins, Donald Spoto, etc. Use the method to overcome writers' block, crystallize a writing project, connect with your life - raw data for autobiographical writing, etc.

The method was created by Ira Progoff, Ph.D. and has been taught internationally for 40 years by personal and spiritual growth centers, writing guilds etc. Progoff was a recognized depth psychologist, author and university professor who studied the processes by which creativity occurs within a person. He then mirrored those processes in creating the Intensive Journal method so that the average person can lead a more creative and meaningful life. His award-winning book, At a Journal Workshop, is the primary book for the program.

For more information, see www.intensivejournal.org (See the section on how it can benefit writers.)

The workshop will be held at the Great Hollow Conference and Wilderness School, located on a 890 acre wildlife preserve in New Fairfield, CT. For information and to register for the workshop, contact Ananda Wilson at 209 Pascoe Dr., Southbury, CT 06488. 203-558-6745 email: spiraltraditions@gmail.com the cost is $195 for this 12 hour or two day workshop.