Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Chuck is the Spotlight Author.

Please bring a wrapped, white elephant gift (something you already own in good condition that you no longer need/use). Also be prepared to set at least one writing goal for 2013.

For those unable to attend the meeting, may you have happy holidays and we'll see you in 2013!

Bits

Just a quick reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1st in the lower level of the Oshkosh  Public Library. There is no Spotlight Author.

A shout-out to Dixie, who finished NaNoWriMo days early! She wrote 50,000 words in 24 days. Great job!

Also, congrats to Pat (aka Juliet Rosett). Her book, "The Escape Diaries" is available for purchase through Amazon as an e-book. If so inclined, you can help her out by submitting a reader review.

Tracey's New Blog

Tracey has started a blog, "Black Voices of Oshkosh" at http://blackvoicesofoshkosh.wordpress.com/

"Black Voices of Oshkosh is a blog designed to engage the black people in Oshkosh, Wisconsin or anywhere.

Its overall goal is to start a long overdue and frank conversation about unity, race relations, black history, employment, entrepreneurship and more. It is not designed to separate people. It is designed to bring people together by engaging in meaningful dialog about our community’s issues from our perspective.

The topics here are varying and include politics, health, community news, and current events, to name a few."

Good work, Tracey!

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Kristen is the Author Spotlight.

Other news: The Lakefly Literary Conference website is up and running! You can find it at www.lakeflylit.org - suggestions for more content and improvements are welcome. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, today I picked up "save the date" postcards that need to get out. I was hoping to set up a working meeting at the New Moon on Thursday but they have musical entertainment that night. Kristen's spotlight is short so if there are no objections, I thought we could work on it at our Saturday meeting. To that end, please think about magazines, organizations, etc. where we need to send one. I have already send them out the 30  libraries in the Winnefox Library System.

Poets Conference

The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets will hold its Fall 2012 conference Nov. 2–4 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, Stevens Point. 

Featured poets are Antler & Jeff, speaking on "Rethinking Nature Poetry." Other workshops include "Panel: Writing the Poetry of Protest (Without Ranting)" and "How to Start a Poet Laureate Program in Your Community." Writing workshops, open mic and a book fair are also on the program.

Registration will be $60 for all 3 days (lunch included). If you only want to attend Friday and Saturday, there's a reduced rate of $40 (lunch included).

For more information, visit their conference website.

Local Author - Robert Yerges

Local author Robert Yerges will sign his new book, “Gone Rogue”, at 11:30 a.m.  Saturday, Sept. 22nd at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh.  His new book is a romance blended with a bit of fantasy and adventure.  Come support a local author!

Meeting Reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Pat K. is the spotlight author.

As always, meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

WWA Fall Conference

The Wisconsin Writer's Association fall conference will be held Sept. 28-30 at the Hotel Mead Hotel and Conference Center, Wisconsin Rapids.

Workshops include Truth and/or Consequences?: Truth in Non-fiction; How to Read Your Writing Aloud; When Pitch Comes to Shove: Getting Your Stuff Out There; and Poetry in Life, Life in Poetry.

Charter Club members (which we are) are eligible for a 20% discount. For more information and registration form, go to http://www.wiwrite.org/conferences/fall2012.htm

Sheboygan Children's Book Festival

The 3rd annual Sheboygan Children's Book Festival, Oct. 12-14, has announced their featured authors and illustrators, including Lisa Albert, Julie Halpern, Steven Kellogg and Sarah Weeks. For a detailed schedule, visit their website at http://sheboyganchildrensbookfestival.org/

WisRWA Fall Retreat

Wisconsin Romance Writers of America Writers' Retreat: Friday, October 5 - Sunday, October 7. Location: Green Lake Conference Center


For more information, contact: Anne Parent (aparent @ me.com) or visit their webpage at http://www.wisrwa.org/calendar.html

Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder, the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Kirstin is the Author Spotlight.


As always, meetings are free and open to anyone age 17 or older.

Congrats Tom!

Congrats to Tom for getting his piece The Search published in "Work." 

Meeting Reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 21, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Dorothy F. is the Author Spotlight. 


Just a reminder to leave a few minutes early to navigate around the Farmers Market!

Upcoming Author Spotlights

 Upcoming Author Spotlight Schedule:


July 21 - Dorothy
Aug. 4 - Kristen
Aug, 18 - Emily
Sept. 1 (Anniversary) -- Pat



“Author Spotlight” allows writers to bring in pieces of work that are eight or more pages, or a compilation of pieces that are best read/reviewed together. The last hour of each Saturday meeting is devoted to discussing the works of the featured author; advance registation is required and authors must bring ten copies of their work prior to their turn in the “Spotlight.” Those who accept a copy of the author’s work must commit to reading it and showing for the review.

Meeting Reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 7 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Please allow some extra time to navigate the Farmer's Market.


There is no Author Spotlight this week but Dorothy F. will pass out her selection for the July 21st meeting. Kirsten is scheduled for Aug. 4.


As always, meetings are free and open to the public.

Book Chat - Eileen Airgood

Novelist Eileen Airgood will be doing a book chat at 7 p.m. Wed., June 6th at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh. Airgood is the author of "South of Superior." You can read her blog at http://ellenairgood.com/blog/

Meeting Reminder, Gallery Walk

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 2nd, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. There is no Author Spotlight. 


Later in the evening, the Library will reopen for the Gallery Walk from 6 to 9 pm. Folks can enter through the original entrance on Washington Ave. marked by lions Sawyer and Harris, and will have access to the 3rd floor of the Rotunda. This doesn't happen often so be sure to check it out if you are in the area that night.

Improve Your Pitch

This youtube video "Freelance Survival: Perfect Your Pitch" might be of interest to those of you currently pitching your work.


Video description: On April 26, The Tyee brought together a group of editors to give freelance writers in Vancouver a better idea of how to make the "perfect pitch." With Gary Ross of Vancouver magazine, Jane Nahirny of British Columbia magazine, David Jordan of BC Business magazine, and freelance journalist and author, Erin Millar. 

You're on YouTube!

In March, about a half dozen members of the club met for a taped reading. Tom and Jim did the taping  and Tom uploaded the podcasts onto a YouTube channel he created for the club. 


This was a test run and we'd like to do more podcasts, perhaps in collaboration with the Oshkosh Poetry Club and/or other members of the public.


For a demonstration, Dixie's piece is here. Click on the side menu for other members' pieces.

Meeting Reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. We wil be joined by some UW-Oshkosh students in judging the city-wide Create-A-Book contest for students in grades 3 through 5. 


If time permits, we will discuss Tom''s Author Spotlight piece. 

WRA Charter Club Intro

Thanks go to  Janet C. for a very nice write-up about our club in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Writers Association. The article introduces us as the newest Charter Club of the state organization. As a charter club, any member of our club can join WWR for a discount; please see Ruth for details.

Fox Cities Book Festival

The Fox Cities Book Festival kicks off April 11. There are over 90 presentations at over a dozen locations, you are sure to find something that interests you!


Authors include inspirational author Beverly Lewis; mystery writer Carol Higgins Clark, young adult novelist John Coy, as well as numerous state writers and poets.


For a complete schedule of events, please click here.

Upcoming Events

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Pat K. is the Author Spotlight.


Also, on Wednesday, March 21, we're going to tape members reading their works to be potentially posted on our youtube page. If you would like to participate, join us from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Lower Level Meetings Room A/B at the library. Feel free to bring props -- and it's okay to attend even if you don't want to be taped!


As always, both the meeting and the podcast event are free and open to the public.

Contest Deadline Extended!

The deadline for the Wisconsin Writer's Association "Jessica Nelson Poetry Book Contest" has been extended.


Qualifying Topic: Poetry presented in a book-length collection of a single author’s work. Entries must be an unpublished manuscript of a single author’s original poetry. It is acceptable for some of the poetry to have been published before, so long as the author retains the copyright and gives credit where the items have been previously published, but the manuscript should include a substantial number of poems that have not been previously published. The first prize winner will be given strong consideration for publication by the WRWA Press if the author meets our requirements for participating energetically in book promotion.


For more information or the enter online, click here.

Join our Podcast Project!

Tom has set up a YouTube account for the club and we’d like to film people reading their work and put it up on the internet. There is no monetary reward but this a great opportunity to practice real-life readings, review the video and perhaps see where you need improvement. Nothing will go on the internet without your approval.

If you would like to participate, please wear clothes that are a single color - stripes and patterns don’t film well. You’re welcome to read from a notebook, etc. but please rehearse a few times before the event so you can get down the pace / tone you want to convey.

Much thanks to Tom for leading us on this new project! Like everything else we’ve ever done, I imagine this will be a learning experience but if Tom is involved, we know it will be fun!

Wisconsin Writers Newsletter

Don't miss all the great contests offered by Wisconsin Writers Association. Submissions due dates are coming up!

Christmas novella submissions

Pelican Book Group is looking for 15000-25000 word novella with a Christian Christmas theme. Submissions due May 1, 2012.

"Power of the Pen"

The 8th annual "Power of the Pen" will be held Saturdays, March 10 and 17, at a new location: Oshkosh Riverside Campus.

Sessions include Adventures with a Short Story, Character Development, Unearthing the Poem, Writing for Kids, Microfiction, and others. Classes are $16.29 each or $5.20 for those 62 and over.

For more information, or to register, visit Fox Valley Technical College or e-mail thull@fvtc.edu for a brochure.

Free Poetry Workshop in Oshkosh

Wisconsin's former Poet Laureate Bruce Dethlefsen is conducting a FREE poetry workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the Oshkosh Public Library. There is a limit of 12 people so register now by call the Oshkosh Public Library Reference Desk at 236-5205.

Can't attend the workshop? Bruce will also be hosting a Poetry Reading and then Open Mic, begins at 6:30pm the evening of the 28th. It will also be held at the library and is free and open to the public.

We're Now on Youtube

Much thanks to Tom Cannon for setting up a YouTube channel for the Oshkosh Area Writers Club as venue for club members to practice their presentation skills (public author readings can be scary!) and to share their work with others. Tom started off the channel with own of his poems, you can view it here.

If you would like to participate in either presenting your work or helping with the production of a a video cast, please let Tom know.

Louis Clark - Poetry Reading

Club member and PostNative American poet/story teller Louis Clark will appear Tuesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m. at Apple Blossom Books, downtown Oshkosh. You won't want to miss this entertaining presentation!

Born and raised on the Oneida reservation in northeastern Wisconsin, Louis V. Clark III turned to poetry to continue the oral tradition of his people, The People of the Standing Stone. A member of the Iroquois Confederacy, his family is of the Bear clan. His first chapbook, titled "Two Shoes," was published in the spring of 2011 by the Sequoyah National Research Center at the University of Arkansas. He has just received a Fellowship Award for his work from the Oneida Nation Arts Program and The Wisconsin Arts Board. He and his wife live in Omro where their home is filled with love from six children and the anticipation of a ninth grandchild.

Create-A-Book Judging

One again, The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will be judging the city-wide "Create-a-Book" contest for Oshkosh students in grades three through five. We will judge entries in lieu of our regular meeting on Saturday, April 21, 2012. Refreshments will be provided.

2013 Oshkosh Writers Conference

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is holding an organizational meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library for the purpose of planning a 2013 writers conference in Oshkosh

Partnerships include the Oshkosh Public Library, The Wisconsin Writers Association and Wisconsin Press Women. In addition, we will be approaching others in the community for their participation.

With monies secured for the event, we are currently working to select a date and begin booking speakers. If you would like to volunteer in the planning of this event, please attend this Saturday's meeting.

Future planning meetings will be held on the 2nd Saturday of every month, beginning at 10 a.m. Regular club meetings will continue to be held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month.

For more information, email oawc@aol.com

Congrats Tom!

Congrats to Tom who recently published a story in the literary journal "Midwestern Gothic." Issues are available via print, pdf or electronic formats through their website; prices vary.

Vote for Joyce!

Joyce has a qualifying entry, "Dawn in the Everglades" posted at pixelhose.com as part of their writing contest where readers select the final winners.

Help her win a monetary prize by commenting on her story which you can read here.

Introduce Yourself!

Janet C. has been asked to provide an introduction of our members for publication in the Wisconsin Writers Association magazine as part of our new status as a charter club.

If you would like to participate, please write a brief synopsis of your writing accomplishments (in the third person) and submit to Janet by Jan. 31 by emailing oawc@aol.com

If your not sure how much to include, error on the side of too much information, as Janet can always edit for length. In addition, Dixie is interested in keeping a running log of members' publishing credits and this will be a great start for her!

Meeting Reminder

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Tom C. is the Author Spotlight.

Upcoming Spotlights include:

Dorothy on Jan. 21

Chuck on Feb 4

Janet on Feb. 18

Bob B. on March 3

Pat on March 17