Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Meeting Reminder - April 15

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. As always, meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Also, the deadline to register for the Lakefly Writers Conference is fast-approaching. Late additions to the schedule include Oshkosh children's author Pat Zietlow Miller, and Jerome Buting, ex-lawyer for Steven Avery of "Making a Murderer" fame. The complete schedule of speakers is here: Lakefly 2017 Conference Schedule

Cost is only $60 for the entire conference and includes lunch on Saturday.

Sunday, April 09, 2017

Lakefly Writers Conference: Focus on Self-Publishing

Thinking about self-publishing? The Lakefly Writers Conference, May 12-13 in Oshkosh, has some great offerings to get your book off to a successful start!


Mary T. Wagner
Children’s author Mary T. Wagner will share her (mis)adventures in self-publishing on Friday afternoon.  Part nuts-and-bolts advice about publishing, part savvy and joyous perspective about the fun and opportunities to be had as a self-published author, Wagner shares the good, the bad, and the stuff she learned the hard way.


Wayne Breitbarth
LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth will show you the ins-and-outs of how to use LinkedIn to network yourself and sell more books. Breitbarth, author of The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success, will discuss the many features of LinkedIn and how to use all of them to your advantage. Also a great workshop for those who are already working with a publisher!


Brea Behn
Also on Friday, Brea Behn will help authors find the ideal book cover -- without spending a fortune – and advise writers on how to create a concise book summary and author bio that is sure to entice new readers. Those considering self-publishing will not want to miss this workshop!

On Saturday, there will be a panel discussion on book reviews and why they matter. An excellent workshop choice for both those who self-publish and authors working with a traditional publisher. You’ll learn how reviews boost your rankings on sites such as Amazon and GoodReads, how to handle bad reviews, and much more!. Bring your questions for the Q&A session.

To round out the topic, Kristen Bratonja from Orange Hat Publishing will led a 90-minute
Kristen Bratonja
workshop on publishing options.  Bratonja will cover the pros and cons of the major types of publishing - traditional, vanity, self, and indie - to help authors better navigate this increasingly complex industry and to help them decide which option may be best for them. She will also cover some of the major publishing scams and tips on how to avoid them.


Considering self-publishing? By the end of the conference, you should be able to decide if this option is right for you and how to successfully package and promote your self-published book.


The Lakefly Writers Conference is May 12-13 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Registration is $60 and includes lunch on Saturday. For more information or to register, please click here.

The conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library and Friends of the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. 

If you would like to a sponsor for this annual event, please contact Ruth Percey at the Oshkosh Public Library: percey@oshkoshpubliclibrary.org Donations can be also made to the Oshkosh Foundation – Oshkosh Public Library Programming Fund.

Friday, April 07, 2017

Author Visit - Karla Huston

Meet Karla Huston, Wisconsin's Poet Laureate, for poetry and conversation. 
6 p.m. Monday, April 10 at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Karla Huston
Karla Huston is the author of eight chapbooks of poetry, the latest Grief Bone, and a full collection of poetry, A Theory of Lipstick.  Her work has garnered many awards, including a prestigious Pushcart Prize for the poem Theory of Lipstick. She received an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association, and three Jade Ring awards from Wisconsin Writers’ Association. Huston lives and teaches poetry in Appleton.

The event is free and open to the public.

Lakefly Writers Conference: Focus on Mystery/Crime

The Lakefly Writers Conference, May 12-13, offers several workshops of interest to mystery/crime writers.


Beth Amos
On Friday, catch the Key Elements of Suspense, with Beth Amos. Readers might recognize Amos better by her pseudonym, Allyson K. Abbott , author of the  “Mack’s Bar” mystery series, which takes in Milwaukee and features a heroine with heightened senses due to a neurological disorder.

Using the analogy of a poker game, Amos will walk writers through the steps of creating suspense by asking five key questions that will teach you how to use vibrant settings, vivid characters, and varying points of view to create conflict and keep those pages turning. Learn how to ramp up the stakes and avoid common writing mistakes to assure a winning writing hand. Appropriate for any genre.

On Saturday morning, Jerome Buting, ex-attorney for Steve Attorney, will talk about
Jerome Buting
writing his book, Illusion of Justice: Inside Making a Murderer and America's Broken System


A first-time author, Buting said “I wish I had come to this event last year. I would have learned a great deal!”

Buting will share the challenges he faced in writing the book from his perspective as a novice writer, as well as the ins-and-outs of working with a major publisher.

Lastly, Detective Jeremy Wilson will guide writers through the world of digital forensics. The 90-minute Digital Forensics workshop will include the recovery and investigation of material found on digital devices such as computers and phones, as well as material posted on social media sites, as a means to gather evidence and solve crimes. Topics include the process of retrieving information, and the legalities of collecting digital information.


These presentations are only three of over a dozen workshops to help you master the craft and business of writing, regardless of your skill level or genre.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is May 12-13 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Registration is $60 and includes lunch on Saturday. For more information or to register, please click here.

The conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library and the Friends of the Oshkosh Public Library, in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

If you would like to be a sponsor for this annual event, please contact Ruth Percey at the Oshkosh Public Library: percey@oshkoshpubliclibrary.org Donations can be also made to the Oshkosh Foundation – Oshkosh Public Library Programing Fund.