Meeting reminder: Dec. 21

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

In lieu of our regular meeting, we will be doing a White Elephant gift exchange. For those unfamiliar with our tradition, you are to bring something you already own that is in new or excellent condition; do not spend any money but please wrap/bag the gift. 

After the random gift exchange, the gift you go home with is to be used as a writing prompt. Write about the gift in any form you choose - poem, sketch, memoir, story, etc.

For those unable to attend, have a happy holiday season and we will see you in 2025!

Meeting reminder: Dec. 7

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party

You’ve committed to writing a novel this month – get off to a great start at our NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oshkosh Public Library.

 

Come with paper or laptop and be ready to write! Snacks will be served. 

 

Note: Library will be closed to the general public. Use the entrance adjacent to the parking lot.

Meeting reminder - Nov. 2

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

 

Writers of all genres and skill levels are welcome. 

 

Meetings begin with introductions and announcements, then we move into writing critiques. If you'd like to have a piece reviewed, please bring 8 copies of the first four pages.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 years and older.

NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party

You've committed to a writing a novel this month off - get off to great start with fellow area writers at our National Novel Writing Month kick-off party, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1st at the Oshkosh Public Library.

 

The event is free and open to all ages. Refreshments will be served.

Note: The library will be closed to the general public but someone will be stationed at the door adjacent to the parking lot to admit you.

Meeting reminder - Oct. 19

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Capturing Your Story: The Art of Memoir

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is sponsoring Capturing Your Story: The Art of Memoir at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library.

You don’t have to be old, famous, or an ex-president to have a story to tell. We all have personal experiences worth capturing and conveying to others. In this session, we’ll explore strategies for identifying significant themes and anecdotes from your life, then molding them into a coherent whole. 

The program will be led by John DeDakis, the author of six novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. A former White House correspondent, DeDakis is also a writing coach, manuscript editor, and podcaster.  Originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, DeDakis now lives in Baltimore, Maryland with Cindy, his wife of 46 years.

Chippewa Valley Book Festival

It's Chippewa Valley Book Festival time! 

 

This October 17-22, join Book Fest for an incredible five days of literary love! Featuring Mona Susan Powers, Amy Pease, Andrew J. Graff, Lori M. Lee, Joshua Moehling, Meg Kissinger, Liam Callanan, Arshay Cooper, Gulchehra Hoja, Denise Sweet, Mercury Stardust, Mary Bergin and more!

If you're new to the literary scene, this is one of the best book fests in the Midwest!

All info here https://www.cvbookfest.org/events

New Book Release: Fortress

Bailey Hansen

Club member Bailey R. Hansen, along with her writing partner Laura Rye, have released the fourth book in the paranormal romance series A Monster By Any Other Name.  Fortress is now available via Amazon and other venues.

If you’d like to learn more, Bailey and Laura did an Idling Book Club podcast episode about book, which was inspired by the TV show Supernatural.

Meeting reminder - Oct. 5

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Everyone Has A Story to Tell

Mark your calendars for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 for a free writing workshop, Everyone Has A Story to Tell. 

 

In this interactive workshop held at the Oshkosh Public Library, aspiring writers will develop their storytelling skills, discover their unique voice, and craft the first draft of a new piece, whether it is a short story, poem, or nonfiction. Local authors Bill Gillard and Tom Cannon will lead fun exercises and group discussions to help participants to learn about plot development, character creation, showing vs. telling, creating tension, and how to engage a reader.

Meeting Reminder - Sept. 21

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets at 10 a.m. on the first and third Saturday of every month in the lower level conference room at the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

Members are of varying skill levels and write in a variety of genres. The one thing we all have in common is a desire to write!

Open Mic

A special after-hours Open Mic will be held at the Oshkosh Public Library featuring author/comedian Kelli Dunham at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug, 17 under the Dome.

 

Whatever your jam - poetry, prose, jokes or a song - perform in front of a real audience and meet other people who share your interests. Sign up at the door for a 5-minute slot, or simply come and be entertained.

 

The event is hosted by the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. Please note the rest of the library will be closed.

Sober Scribes: Creative Writing Workshop

Author Kelli Dunham will led a 90-minute writing workshop, Sober Scribes, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug, 17, at the Oshkosh Public Library. The free program is open to writers of all experience levels who would like to explore personal storytelling through engaging writing prompts and the option to share their work.

Wisconsin native Dunham, a nonbinary comedian and former nun, is the celebrated author of seven books of humorous nonfiction, known for appearances on Showtime, the Discovery Channel, and stages across the country.

Two Dead Lovers, Dead Funny

Author Kelli Dunham, a nonbinary comedian and former nun, will bring the
popular stand-up show Second Helping: Two Dead Lovers, Dead Funny to Oshkosh Public Library on Fri., Aug. 16 at 7 p.m., under the Dome.

This unique tragicomedy delves into Dunham's experiences through two widowhood before age 40, surviving an exploding knee replacement, and grappling with the challenges of a solo approach to life.

Set against the backdrop of Dunham's irreverent humor and insightful observations, the performance promises an evening filled with laughter and reflection. Second Helping navigates themes of love, loss and the unexpected plot twists that define our lives.

Wisconsin native Kelli Dunham is the celebrated author of seven books of humorous nonfiction, known for appearances on Showtime, the Discovery Channel, and stages across the country. Discover more at kellidunham.com

 

Congrats Dixie!

Congrats to Dixie Jo Jarchow; her novel, This Worthy Heart, is a featured August Kindle Book of the Month on Amazon!

A member of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club for 20+ years, Dixie writes creepy short stories and sweet romance with a twist.

Meeting reminder - Aug. 3

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

The Lakefly Planning Committee is accepting proposals for the 2025 Lakefly Writers Conference, May 2 and 3, at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Proposals may be submitted using this form: Lakefly Call for Speakers 2025 Conference 

The Lakefly Writers Conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Author Visit - Francis Gary Powers Jr.

For more than three decades, Francis Gary Powers, Jr. has captivated audiences worldwide with his lectures on the Cold War, its veterans, espionage, and his father, CIA U-2 pilot Gary Powers. 

 

Shot down over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960, Gary Powers' story became a pivotal moment in history. Referred to as the U-2 Incident, this event was immortalized in Steven Spielberg's 2015 Cold War thriller Bridge of Spies, depicting the exchange of the pilot for Soviet KGB Spy Rudolph Able in 1962.

During his talk, Powers discusses his experience consulting on the 2015 Spielberg film, growing up in the shadow of a famous Cold War figure, and how his research led to the USAF and CIA posthumously awarding his father the POW Medal/Directors Medal and Silver Star in 2000 and 2012 respectively. 

The free event is 6 p.m. Thursday, July 27 at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meeting reminder - July 20

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

 

Congrats, Joyce!

Congratulations to Joyce Frohn, who recently had two short stories accepted for publication;  Stake in Readers Beware Magazine, and Snowflakes in Table/FEAST

 

Joyce is a biologist who left her beloved slime molds to begin a professional writing career. She has been published in literary and devotional magazines for nearly 30 years.

Meeting reminder - July 6

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 6 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

Members are of all ages and write in a variety of genres. Check us out!

Poetry Workshop, June 10

Better Poetry, Better Life

Why dash off a poem, when you can write a poem that has the potential to change the world?

During this interactive workshop held at the Oshkosh Public Library, attendees will create poetry toolboxes filled with rhythm, meter, rhyme, tone, line breaks, fixed forms, and various other helpful tools to enhance our writing.

Participants will have the opportunity to write poems, share them with the group, and engage in discussions on refining our poems to maximize their impact.

 The program is free and open to the public. 

Instructors

Bill Gillard is an award-winning teacher of creative writing and literature at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and lives in Appleton with his wife and two daughters. His writing has appeared in dozens of journals, and his verse novel If a Clod Be Washed, is due for publication by Kelsay Books in 2024.

In 2021, Thomas Cannon was named the poet laureate of Oshkosh. As the author of five books and many poems published in journals, Tom is eager to bring people together through poetry. He and his wife Linda have raised three children and have three grandchildren.

Meeting reminder - May 18

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 18, in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

New members welcome!

2024 Lakefly Writers Conference

The 2024 Lakefly Writers Conference is here and gone. A huge thanks to club members who volunteered their time and efforts to make the event a success!

Poetry Workshop

The Caramel Crisp Corner Bookstore is celebrating Poetry Month with a workshop from 5:30 to 7 .m. Monday, April 22.

The event will be hosted by local poets Bill Gillard, an award-winning teacher of creative writing and literature at UW-Oshkosh, and Thomas Cannon, Oshkosh poet laureate.

Participants will fill their poetry toolbox with rhythm, meter, tone, line breaks, fixed forms and other useful writing gear.

Writers are encouraged to bring their poetry to share are asked to RSVP on the event's Facebook page.

Lakefly Writers Conference Preview

Below is a preview of the 2024 schedule of programs at the Lakefly Writers Conference, May 3 and 4, at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Register before March 10 and save $15!

Me Talk Good For Money

Actions speak louder than words, but it’s the great one-liners we all remember. Novel and comic book writer Shaun Harris, will take you through the 10 Ironclad Rules of Dialogue and why they should be broken. Expect some group participation and on the spot work-shopping.

Developing and Revealing Three-Dimensional Characters

To ring true to readers, characters need to be as unique as the people around us. If filling out pages of character interviews to flesh out a hero or heroine sounds daunting, join this session. From using photos to inspire unique physical descriptions to consulting personality types, attendees will come away with a variety of strategies for creating well-thought-out characters readers can root for. We’ll also discuss how to reveal layered characters in a way that intrigues readers into turning pages. Led by Emily Conrad.

 

Self-Publishing on a Shoestring

What are the must-haves of self-publishing? What things aren’t worth your time early on and what are essential? What does it mean to go wide and when do you get paid? Learn the basics and more in this session led by Bailey Hansen about launching your writing career on a shoestring.

Back by popular demand, forensic anthropologist Dr. Jordan Karsten is one of three subject specialists. Co-host of Cold Case: Frozen Tundra, the UW-Oshkosh professor consults on death investigations for law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin, including the FBI and Wisconsin State Crime Lab.

Bram Stoker Award winner Sarah Read will present The Art of Anxiety: How to introduce tension
into your writing and keep the reader turning pages. She will address story structures, character development, dialogue, and sentence-level techniques that contribute to raising the stakes on the page. Each technique includes a mini writing exercise that builds throughout the lesson, so the students have a completed scene written by the end. The desired outcome is that students will have learned techniques that they can intentionally employ in order to make their writing more engaging and exciting.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library, in partnership with the Oshkosh Community Foundation, Wisconsin Arts Board, and the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Meeting reminder: March 2

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

New members welcome!

Lakefly 2024: Keynote Speaker Holly Day

 Holly Day will be the keynote speaker at the 2024 Lakefly Writers Conference, May 3-4 at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Holly has worked as a freelance writer for over 30 years, with over 7,000 published articles, poems, and short stories and 40 books and chapbooks—most recently, the nonfiction books.

She offers workshops and classes to writing centers all over the country, including the Flatiron Writers’ Center in North Carolina, the Hampton Roads Writers group in Virginia, Hugo House in Seattle, and the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library, in partnership with the Oshkosh Community Foundation, Wisconsin Arts Board, and the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

 

Fox Cities Book Festival - Author Patricia Engel, April 5

Open Mic - Feb. 29

Join us at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at the New Moon Cafe for open mic. Hosted by member/Oshkosh Poet Laureate Thomas Cannon, the night is sure to be fun!

Member News: Feb 2024

Congratulations to Bailey R. Hansen on the final installment of the A Monster By Any Other Name trilogy, a paranormal romance. Freedom is available on Kindle and paperback. 

 

Joyce Frohn recently had a short horror story accepted for publication in the anthology Leadership Gone Right, a collection of tales intended to transport readers to new realms where leadership shines brilliantly or takes a haunting turn.

 

Cara Salazar recently had a piece published in the anthology Start
with Welcome: The Journey toward a Confident and Compassionate Immigration Conversation by Bri Stensrud. Cara shares the powerful and moving story of her late husband that led to his immigration to America.

Member Roberta Stuemke, who has been absent for the past year or so due to health problems, passed away on Feb. 3. Roberta worked for many years at Polk Library, UW-Oshkosh, and enjoyed writing science fiction. Our heartfelt condolences to her family!

 

Pi Day Open Mic Night

Meeting reminder - Feb. 3

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

 

The majority of the meeting will be spent on critiques of submissions to the Oshkosh Public Library's 2024 Young Authors program.

2024 Lakefly Writing Contests

The Lakefly Writers Conference is accepting submissions for the 2024 Lakefly Writing Contests. 

Cash prizes; no entry free. Deadline is March 4. Sorry, open to Wisconsin residents only!

 For details and submission guidelines, please click here.

Author Visit - Tammy Borden

Menasha Public Library is hosting Tammy Borden, author of Waltraud: A True Story of Growing Up in Nazi Germany at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28. 

 

 

Tammy Borden is a professional copywriter turned novelist. Her latest World War II historical fiction novel shares the compelling true story of her mother growing up under Nazi rule. An engaging and evocative novel, Waltraud: A True Story of Growing Up in Nazi Germany, represents a missing piece of World War II history—an average German girl's perspective. 

 

The event is free and open to the public. 

Wisconsin Writers Clubs

Writing is hard work, but you don't have to struggle alone. Joining a writers club is one of the best decisions you can make to hone your craft. A good writers group should provide support/encouragement and give meaningful feedback on your work. 

If you're interested in joining a club but don't live in the Oshkosh area, The Wisconsin Writers Association has a wonderful list of writing clubs through the state.

 Don't see one in your area? Here's ten tips to help you start a writing group.

Meeting reminder - Jan. 20

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Also, we're sad to announce the passing of member Eric Nienass (Haunted Barracks); his obit can be found at Konrad-Behlman.

Calling Young Oshkosh Authors

Is there a young budding writer in your life?
 
The Oshkosh Public Library is accepting submissions from kids ages kindergarten through high school through Feb. 1 for inclusion in a published anthology as part of their Young Authors program.  Help kids explore their imaginations, develop their writing skills and build self-confidence through the art of storytelling!
 
For details and submission guidelines, please click here.
 

 

 

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs

Meetings are open to anyone 17 and older. We get a mix of people writing various genres at different skill levels.

Is there a membership fee?

 
No. But it would be appreciated if you like us on Facebook! 

 

When/where does the club meet? 

 
We meet at 10 a.m. the first and third Saturday of each month in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

How many members are there?

 
There are about 12 core people, others come and go as life allows. Meetings can have as few as 10 and as many as 22 people. Some are beginning writers, others have been published and a few have agents/book contracts.

How do the meetings work?

 
Meetings start with short introductions and general announcements. Then we begin critiques - a person reads their work aloud (5 minutes or less; time yourself at home if necessary), followed by a group critique. Not everyone reads at every meeting, so it's okay to attend, but not share your writing. If you do plan to read, please bring six copies of your work to share.

We also make special arrangements for people with completed manuscripts or compilations - anything that is too long to read during a meeting.

What else does the club do?

 
During the year, we host free programs at the library and in the community - including open mics, author visits and writing workshops. We also co-sponsor the Lakefly Writers Conference each May at the Oshkosh Convention Center.
 
The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

 

Join us!