Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Word Nerd

A new blog, Word Nerd, by bkwriter, offers interesting insight into the world of reading and writing. A professional writer, the local author believes that “being a reader helps train a writer's eye to techniques that work well...or not so well.”

Recent postings tackle the diffcult but necessary process of revision and what makes Janet Evanovich’s novels so compelling.

“No pocket protectors here; just don't break the spines on books.”

Gift of Reading

The Oshkosh Public Library is sponsoring the "Give the Gift of Reading" book drive from Nov. 14 - Dec. 14, 2005.

Donate a new children's book to a needy child in the Oshkosh area. Shiny, new books for children age newborn through teen years will be delivered to the Salvation Army for Oshkosh area children. The library is looking for board books, lift-the-flap books, picture books, easy readers, junior novels and non-fiction. The "Gift Box" is located in the Library's Children's Room (lower level). For more information, please call 236-5208.

December meeting schedule

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meeting schedule for December is below:

10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, writing critiques and Author Spotlight.

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, writing workshop led by Stacie P.

10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, Christmas party and Author Spotlight.

Meetings are held in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave. Meetings are free and open to anyone age 17 and older. For more information, please call 231-6182

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

WFOP Poetry Contest

The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets “Muse Prize for Excellence in Poetry” opens on Dec. 1, 2005. While membership in WFOP is not a contest requirement, dues are $25/year and include a subscription to The Museletter.

Contest rules taken directly from their web site (http://www.wfop.org):

1. Contestant must be a Wisconsin resident 18 years of age or older.

2. The entry form must be completed in full, included with the submission and postmarked by the contest deadline date listed on the entry form.

3. Only one original unpublished poem not under consideration elsewhere may be entered in the WFOP Muse Prize contest. 75 line maximum. Plagiarism disqualifies the contestant.

4. Manuscript must be typed on 8 _” x 11” white paper, one side only. Writer’s name should not appear on the page with the poem.

5. An entry fee of $3.00 for WFOP members and $6.00 for non-members must accompany the submission. Checks are to be made out to WFOP Literary Fund and mailed to WFOP/Rafal, P O Box 340, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202.

6. Prizes are: 1st place - $200.00 and trophy; 2nd - $100.00; 3rd - $75.00.

7. Only the winners will be notified prior to the WFOP Spring Conference held on April 22, 2006 in Egg Harbor. The first place winner is invited to attend the award presentation luncheon as a guest of WFOP. The list of winners will be published in the WFOP Museletter and posted on the web site, www.wfop.org,
after the conference.

8. Prizes will be awarded only if there are sufficient entries and the contest judge determines that an entry warrants a prize award.

9. The first place winner of the WFOP Muse Prize will be ineligible to enter that contest again for three years.

10. WFOP is not responsible for lost manuscripts. Do not send a SASE. Entries will not be returned and there will be no notification if an entry is disqualified for failure to follow any of the above rules.

11. Author retains all rights to his/her work.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Lunch Hour Stories

LUNCH HOUR STORIES is seeking submissions for its premier 2007 season. The new literary magazine publishes only short stories and distributes them only to paid subscribers. Lunch Hour Stories are thin, easy to carry booklets that contain ONE short story each.

Subscriptions to Lunch Hour Stories will become available July 1, 2006. Free sample issues will become available early spring 2006. To add your name to our mailing list, please send complete contact information to mail@lunchhourbooks.com.

Submissions

Stories should be previously unpublished, literary in nature (no genre pieces, please), 4000-8000 words, copy-edited, and formatted in common manuscript style.

Send printed manuscripts in duplicate (manuscripts will not be returned), along with complete contact information, a short synopsis of the story (100 words or less), a short writing and publishing history, and a SASE with adequate postage for response to:

Submissions
Lunch Hour Stories
22833 Bothell-Everett Hwy
STE 102 - PMB 1117
Bothell, WA 98021

Submissions will be accepted at any time; however, the deadline for publication during the 2007 season is June 30, 2006. Authors who submit their work prior to the deadline and who are selected for publication will be contacted and asked to sign a publications agreement and to submit an electronic version of their story (in WORD) no less than three months prior to scheduled publication.

Publishing Rights

By submitting a story to Lunch Hour Stories, the author gives Lunch Hour Book Publications the right to print and distribute it to our list of paid subscribers and to be the first publisher of the story anywhere in the world. All rights will revert back to the author after publication, with certain limitations for the first year thereafter. Prior to publication, the author will be sent a publications agreement to sign with full details.

Compensation

Lunch Hour Book Publications will compensate the author $50 for the right to publish their story. We will also provide him/her with ten (10) printed copies of their story (additional copies may be purchased for $2 each), a free one-year subscription to Lunch Hour Stories (a $22 value), and a short personal interview on the Lunch Hour Stories web-site.

For more information, please contact the Lunch Hour Stories editor at editor@lunchhourbooks.com.

Writing Workshop Nov. 10

The writing workshop "Creating Dialogue," will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

BRING pen and paper as this will be a hands-on workshop.

The meeting is free and open to anyone age 17 or older.

Also at the meeting: we will take some time to critique an article for a member who is working on deadline.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

NaNoWriMo local forum

Several people have said they are not able to find the local online forum for National Novel Writing Month so I'm posting the link below:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=92

The forum allows people to meet other local participants, plan online chats, share ideas, etc.

....Wishing continued good luck to those who are undertaking the tremendous feat of writing a novel in one month!

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Local Author Visit - Kroenwetter

Local author Michael Kroenwetter will speak about writing his latest mystery "First Kill" at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 at the Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh. He will also be available for book signing.

For more information, please call Apple Blossom Books at (920) 230-3395.

November Meeting Schedule

The November meeting schedule of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is as follows:

Writing Critiques, 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5
"Creating Dialogue" workshop, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10
Writing Critiques, 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19

All meetings are free and open to anyone 17 years or older.

Meetings are held in the lover level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.

For more information, please call 231-6182.