Meeting Reminder - Aug. 3

Just a reminder that 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. 

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

Meeting Reminder - July 6th

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

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

Just a reminder to leave the house a few minutes early; there may be traffic congestion due to the downtown Farmer's Market.

See you Saturday!

Write Now! Free Writing Class

There are still a few sessions left in our Write Now! series of stand-alone writing classes. Whether you're an aspiring or accomplished author or performer, Write Now! experts can help you fire up your creativity and breathe life into your words. 

All classes are 1.5 hours and are held at the Oshkosh Public Library. Best of all, they're free!

First Lines
6 p.m. Wed., April 24
Lower Level Conference Room

This workshop looks at some classic first lines and what makes them work. Then we move into a workshop on how to write your first line. This session is for both fiction and non-fiction.

Presenter: Carmen Leal is an Oshkosh resident and the author of ten published non-fiction books including Faces of Huntington’s, You Can Market Your Book, and The Twenty-third Psalm for Caregivers. Carmen’s writings have been featured in Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Decision Magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, and numerous national and local publications. Her personal experience stories have appeared in several Chicken Soup for the Soul collections and dozens of compilation book series. A storyteller with a dramatic testimony, she is a popular presenter at women's retreats, church groups, conventions and writers’ conferences on a wide variety of inspiring and relevant topics. Her wit, humor, and poignant personal observations, coupled with her down-to-earth style and common sense approach to dealing with life, inspire her audiences. Through her transparency, she has the ability to encourage and bring hope to all.

Blackout Poetry
6 p.m. Mon., April 29
Lower Level Conference Room

Blackout Poetry is quickly gaining popularity as a new art form. During this session, you'll experience the creative process of making blackout poetry using text from a newspaper or magazine and a black marker. Most of the words will be blacked out to form an original poem. You can see fresh examples of blackout poetry on Instragram, Snapchat or in poet Austin Kleon's book Newspaper Blackout, available as an eBook on Overdrive. Supplies will be provided.

Presenter: Literacy Teacher & ArtsCore Site Coordinator Angela Larsen

Roadmapping Your Novel in 90 Minutes
6 pm. Thurs., May 2
Lower Level Conference Room

You've got a great idea for a novel. Now what? Whether you are writing a romance or sci fi thriller, learn three different methods for plotting your book: the Snowflake Method, Mind Mapping and 250 Questions.  

Presenter: Dixie Jarchow (writes as Daisy Jerico). Dixie is the award-winning author of The Love Thief and Burning Love. Dixie co-hosts Author Showcase on Oshkosh's CATV2 and YouTube.

After Hours Open Mic Night
7 p.m.Fri., May 10  
    
Under the Dome (Enter through the Washington Avenue doors)
It's your turn to take the stage. During Open Mic Night, you'll have five minutes to read your work in front of an audience. Join other writers for a fun night of listening and sharing. Refreshments provided. 

Write Now! is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. 

Meeting Reminder: April 6th

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

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Write Now! April classes

Calling all writers and creatives! Whether you're an aspiring or accomplished author or performer, Write Now! experts can help you fire up your creativity and breathe life into your words. Get to know others in the local writing community and share your work.

• All classes are held in the lower level Conference Room of the Oshkosh Public Library.
• All classes are 1.5 hours and are free and open to adults and teens.
• You can come to as many sessions as you would like. 
• Registration is not required.
• Bring your writing supplies and devices.
• Wi-Fi is available.

Upcoming programs:

Journaling Means Writing (Almost) Every Day
1 p.m. & 6 p.m., Thurs., April 4


Writing every day is a good way to get in the habit and improve your skills. Learn how to self-edit, sharpen your writing and decide what to do with your purposeful prose.

Presenter: Lynn Kuhns, a Wisconsin-based freelancer, has more than four decades of experience as a professional writer and creative-writing instructor spread over a whopping variety of venues and topics. 

Stand Up Comedy and Public Speaking Punch Up
2:30 p.m. Sat., April 6

Try out your material in a supportive environment. Use encouraging feedback to turn your work into a fully formed piece.

Presenter: Eric J. Egan is a stand- up comic, improv performer and board member of the Time Community Theater who can be seen all around the Fox Valley. 

Anatomy of Humor
6 p.m. Thurs., April 11

Examine how to write humor and satire by identifying the funny components of each and by manipulating word usage, delivery and reader expectations in fiction.

Presenter: Chris Welch is a freelance newspaper and radio reporter and an English instructor at Madison College’s Eastern Region campuses. His works have appeared in various small press and professional publications.

Setting: It's not just background noise
1 p.m. Mon., April 15

Take a deep dive into your work’s setting.

Presenter: Karl Stewart is the author of The Legend of See Bird: The Last Long Drive. Its sequel Devil's Backbone, received an Honorable Mention award at the 2015 Southern California Book Festival. His third novel, The Seventh Cruise, won an Honorable Mention at the 2017 London Book Festival. Up Harvey’s Creek, a boy’s memoir earned an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Great Southeast Book Festival.

Healing Through Storytelling
6 p.m. Mon., Apr. 15

How do you write about subjects too painful to talk about or too personal to publicize? And how do you do it in a manner that’s both entertaining and informative? Learn how to carve a written path through the pain.

Presenter: Karl Stewart is the author of The Legend of See Bird: The Last Long Drive. Its sequel Devil's Backbone, received an Honorable Mention award at the 2015 Southern California Book Festival. His third novel, The Seventh Cruise, won an Honorable Mention at the 2017 London Book Festival. Up Harvey’s Creek, a boy’s memoir earned an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Great Southeast Book Festival.

You Can Live Your Write Life
1 p.m. & 6 p.m.  Thurs., Apr. 18

Habits, tools, techniques, knowledge, connections and lifestyle habits that can make your life’s work more joyfully and productively for you - as a real writer.

Presenter: Lynn Kuhns, a Wisconsin-based freelancer, has more than four decades of experience as a professional writer and creative-writing instructor spread over a whopping variety of venues and topics. 

First Lines
6 p.m. Wed., April 24

This workshop looks at some classic first lines and what makes them work. Then we move into a workshop on how to write your first line. This session is for both fiction and non-fiction.

Presenter: Carmen Leal is an Oshkosh resident and the author of ten published non-fiction books including Faces of Huntington’s, You Can Market Your Book, and The Twenty-third Psalm for Caregivers. Carmen’s writings have been featured in Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Decision Magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, and numerous national and local publications. 

Blackout Poetry
6 p.m. Mon., April 29

Blackout Poetry is quickly gaining popularity as a new art form. During this session, you'll experience the creative process of making blackout poetry using text from a newspaper or magazine and a black marker. Most of the words will be blacked out to form an original poem. You can see fresh examples of blackout poetry on Instragram, Snapchat or in poet Austin Kleon's book Newspaper Blackout, available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Presenter: Literacy Teacher & ArtsCore Site Coordinator Angela Larsen.


Write Now! is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. For a detailed schedule of programs, go to https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/content/write-now-series

UntitledTown Book and Author Festival

Mark your calendar for UntitledTown Book and Author Festival, April 25-28 in Green Bay!

Headliners include Walter Mosley, Nickolas Butler, Michael Perty and Susan Orlean.

Workshops include Christian Fiction, Writing for Retirees,  Fantasy and Sci Fi Worldbuilding, Historical Research, How to Break into Freeland Writing, and Writing for Elemetary Grades.


View the festival schedule here for exact times and dates of speakers and programs.

Peninsula Pulse Announces 2019 Hal Prize

The Peninsula Pulse, a news, art and entertainment publication based in Door County, Wisconsin, proudly presents the 2019 Hal Prize.

The Hal Prize is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and to photographers throughout the United States. Judges for each category include prestigious and professional authors and photographers.

The Hal Prize offers publication in the Peninsula Pulse’s annual Literary Issue, reading a readership of 18,000. Cash awards of up to $150, a week stay at Write On, Door County (a literary retreat located in the heart of the Door Peninsula), a class at Peninsula School of Art (a nationally recognized year-round destination for artists and art appreciators), and other prizes will be awarded.

The Hal Prize is presented in collaboration with Write On, Door County, a nonprofit organization promoting writing and reading to year-round and seasonal residents in the county.

The Hal Prize is held in the spirit of the late Hal Grutzmacher, a professor and Door County bookstore owner, by offering commentary and encouragement to promising writers and photographers.

All submissions will be accepted digitally. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, May 1, 2019. 

For complete submission guidelines and to submit your creative work, click here. 

Meeting reminder: March 16

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Can't attend the meeting? We're partnering with the library to offer over a dozen stand-alone writing classes beginning Wednesday, Mach 20th! Like club meetings, the classes are free and open to the pubic. 

For a complete schedule of classes,  please visit https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/content/write-now-series-0

Write Now! March classes

Calling all writers and creatives! Whether you're an aspiring or accomplished author or performer, Write Now! experts can help you fire up your creativity and breathe life into your words. Get to know others in the local writing community and share your work.

All programs are held at the Oshkosh Public Library.
All classes are 1.5 hours and are free and open to adults and teens. 
You can come to as many sessions as you would like. 
Registration is not required.
Bring your writing supplies and devices.
Wi-Fi is available.

MARCH CLASSES:


The Prose and Poetry of Twitter and Other Social Media
6 p.m., Wed., March 20

Lower Level Conference Room
Poems that fit within Twitter’s 288-character constraints are a new genre of poetry. In this session, we'll create Twitter poems and post them. You don’t need a Twitter account to participate. Jazz up your Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram with a micro-poem combined with a picture.

Presenter: Thomas Cannon, fiction writer, poet and co-host of Author Showcase   on Oshkosh's CATV2 and YouTube. Cannon's story about his son is the lead story in the anthology Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism. He has published both poems and short stories. His self-published book is The Tao of Apathy.

One-Line Writing Prompts 
1 p.m., Thurs., March 21 and Mon., April 8
Lower Level Conference Room
Need some inspiration? Participants can choose any form they want: poetry, prose or memoir but all must use the same prompt. There's no critiquing; only encouragement.

Presenter: Writer Sharrie Robinson

Writing a Grandparent Memoir
9 a.m. Sat., March 23
Lower Level Conference Room
Deb Martin shares her experience writing a grandparent memoir and guides you through exercises to get you on your way to your own cherished memoir.

Presenter: Deb Martin has been journaling for decades and is the author of Daycare Advice from Haley. She works as a private consultant in Oshkosh.

Tactics for Horror Writing
10 a.m. Sat., March 30
Lower Level Conference Room
How to write scary, suspenseful and tense scenes through sentence structure, dark images and character perspectives in dark fantasy and horror fiction.

Presenter: Chris Welch is a freelance newspaper and radio reporter and an English instructor at Madison College’s Eastern Region campuses, where he’s taught courses on academic and business writing, British literature, and science-fiction and horror literature. His works have appeared in various small press and professional publications.

Write Now! is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. For a detailed schedule of programs, go to https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/content/write-now-series

Meeting reminder - March 2nd

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Due to an event in the lower level, we will be meeting in a private conference room on the third floor. Meet at the first floor skylight at 10 a.m. and we will got up together as a group.

Write Now!

Calling all writers and creatives! Whether you're an aspiring or accomplished author or performer, Write Now! experts can help you fire up your creativity and breathe life into your words. Get to know others in the local writing community and share your work.

• All programs are held at the Oshkosh Public Library.
• All classes are 1.5 hours and are free and open to adults and teens. 
• You can come to as many sessions as you would like. 
• Registration is not required.
• Bring your writing supplies and devices.
• Wi-Fi is available.

The Prose and Poetry of Twitter and Other Social Media
6 p.m., Wed., March 20

Lower Level Conference Room
Poems that fit within Twitter’s 288-character constraints are a new genre of poetry. In this session, we'll create Twitter poems and post them. You don’t need a Twitter account to participate. Jazz up your Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram with a micro-poem combined with a picture.

Presenter: Thomas Cannon, fiction writer, poet and co-host of Author Showcase   on Oshkosh's CATV2 and YouTube. Cannon's story about his son is the lead story in the anthology Cup of Comfort for Parents of Children with Autism. He has published both poems and short stories. His self-published book is The Tao of Apathy.

One-Line Writing Prompts 
1 p.m., Thurs., March 21 and Mon., April 8
Lower Level Conference Room
Need some inspiration? Participants can choose any form they want: poetry, prose or memoir but all must use the same prompt. There's no critiquing; only encouragement.

Presenter: Writer Sharrie Robinson

Writing a Grandparent Memoir
9 a.m. Sat., March 23
Lower Level Conference Room
Deb Martin shares her experience writing a grandparent memoir and guides you through exercises to get you on your way to your own cherished memoir.

Presenter: Deb Martin has been journaling for decades and is the author of Daycare Advice from Haley. She works as a private consultant in Oshkosh.

Tactics for Horror Writing
10 a.m. Sat., March 30
Lower Level Conference Room
How to write scary, suspenseful and tense scenes through sentence structure, dark images and character perspectives in dark fantasy and horror fiction.

Presenter: Chris Welch is a freelance newspaper and radio reporter and an English instructor at Madison College’s Eastern Region campuses, where he’s taught courses on academic and business writing, British literature, and science-fiction and horror literature. His works have appeared in various small press and professional publications.

Journaling Means Writing (Almost) Every Day
1 p.m. & 6 p.m., Thurs., April 4

Lower Level Conference Room
Writing every day is a good way to get in the habit and improve your skills. Learn how to self-edit, sharpen your writing and decide what to do with your purposeful prose.

Presenter: Lynn Kuhns, a Wisconsin-based freelancer, has more than four decades of experience as a professional writer and creative-writing instructor spread over a whopping variety of venues and topics. She’s served as a journalist, staff writer, copywriter, editor, essayist and corporate communicator, with articles in the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel, Silent Sports, Fox Cities Magazine, Bamboo Ridge literary magazine, Wolf River Country and other publications. Lynn is completing an insightful and sometimes spicy contemporary novel set in rural Wisconsin and working on a series of children’s books showcasing the amazing lake sturgeon.

Stand Up Comedy and Public Speaking Punch Up
2:30 p.m. Sat., April 6
Lower Level Conference Room

Try out your material in a supportive environment. Use encouraging feedback to turn your work into a fully formed piece.

Presenter: Eric J. Egan is a stand- up comic, improv performer and board member of the Time Community Theater who can be seen all around the Fox Valley. He performs at the Backlot Comedy House in the improv shows and hosts their open mics Fridays at 10:30 PM. The first Tuesday of every month he presents Wisconsin's official comedy news show, The Wisco Show, at the Copperstill Bourbon Bar. Most importantly, Eric J. Egan is a proud cat dad of two who loves people reading bios about him.

Anatomy of Humor
6 p.m. Thurs., April 11
Lower Level Conference Room

Examine how to write humor and satire by identifying the funny components of each and by manipulating word usage, delivery and reader expectations in fiction.

Presenter: Chris Welch is a freelance newspaper and radio reporter and an English instructor at Madison College’s Eastern Region campuses, where he’s taught courses on academic and business writing, British literature, and science-fiction and horror literature. His works have appeared in various small press and professional publications.

Setting: It's Not Just Background Noise
1 p.m. Mon., April 15

Lower Level Conference Room
Take a deep dive into your work’s setting.

Presenter: Karl Stewart is the author of The Legend of See Bird: The Last Long Drive. Its sequel Devil's Backbone, received an Honorable Mention award at the 2015 Southern California Book Festival. His third novel, The Seventh Cruise, is the story of a young WWII sailor dealing with the growing burden of post-traumatic stress disorder and won an Honorable Mention at the 2017 London Book Festival. Up Harvey’s Creek, a boy’s memoir earned an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Great Southeast Book Festival.

Healing Through Storytelling
6 p.m. Mon., Apr. 15
Lower Level Conference Room

How do you write about subjects too painful to talk about or too personal to publicize? And how do you do it in a manner that’s both entertaining and informative? Learn how to carve a written path through the pain.

Presenter: Karl Stewart is the author of The Legend of See Bird: The Last Long Drive. Its sequel Devil's Backbone, received an Honorable Mention award at the 2015 Southern California Book Festival. His third novel, The Seventh Cruise, is the story of a young WWII sailor dealing with the growing burden of post-traumatic stress disorder and won an Honorable Mention at the 2017 London Book Festival. Up Harvey’s Creek, a boy’s memoir earned an Honorable Mention at the 2018 Great Southeast Book Festival.

You Can Live Your Write Life
1 p.m. & 6 p.m.  Thurs., Apr. 18
Lower Level Meeting Room B

Habits, tools, techniques, knowledge, connections and lifestyle habits that can make your life’s work more joyfully and productively for you - as a real writer.

Presenter: Lynn Kuhns, a Wisconsin-based freelancer, has more than four decades of experience as a professional writer and creative-writing instructor spread over a whopping variety of venues and topics. She’s served as a journalist, staff writer, copywriter, editor, essayist and corporate communicator, with articles in the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel, Silent Sports, Fox Cities Magazine, Bamboo Ridge literary magazine, Wolf River Country and other publications. Lynn is completing an insightful and sometimes spicy contemporary novel set in rural Wisconsin and working on a series of children’s books showcasing the amazing lake sturgeon.

First Lines
6 p.m. Wed., April 24
Lower Level Conference Room

This workshop looks at some classic first lines and what makes them work. Then we move into a workshop on how to write your first line. This session is for both fiction and non-fiction.

Presenter: Carmen Leal is an Oshkosh resident and the author of ten published non-fiction books including Faces of Huntington’s, You Can Market Your Book, and The Twenty-third Psalm for Caregivers. Carmen’s writings have been featured in Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Decision Magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, and numerous national and local publications. Her personal experience stories have appeared in several Chicken Soup for the Soul collections and dozens of compilation book series. A storyteller with a dramatic testimony, she is a popular presenter at women's retreats, church groups, conventions and writers’ conferences on a wide variety of inspiring and relevant topics. Her wit, humor, and poignant personal observations, coupled with her down-to-earth style and common sense approach to dealing with life, inspire her audiences. Through her transparency, she has the ability to encourage and bring hope to all.

Blackout Poetry
6 p.m. Mon., April 29
Lower Level Conference Room

Blackout Poetry is quickly gaining popularity as a new art form. During this session, you'll experience the creative process of making blackout poetry using text from a newspaper or magazine and a black marker. Most of the words will be blacked out to form an original poem. You can see fresh examples of blackout poetry on Instragram, Snapchat or in poet Austin Kleon's book Newspaper Blackout, available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Presenter: Literacy Teacher & ArtsCore Site Coordinator Angela Larsen

Roadmapping Your Novel in 90 Minutes
6 pm. Thurs., May 2
Lower Level Conference Room

You've got a great idea for a novel. Now what? Whether you are writing a romance or sci fi thriller, learn three different methods for plotting your book: the Snowflake Method, Mind Mapping and 250 Questions.  

Presenter: Dixie Jarchow (writes as Daisy Jerico). Dixie is the award-winning author of The Love Thief and Burning Love. Dixie co-hosts Author Showcase on Oshkosh's CATV2 and YouTube.

After Hours Open Mic Night
7 p.m.Fri., May 10      
Under the Dome (Enter through the Washington Avenue doors)

It's your turn to take the stage. During Open Mic Night, you'll have five minutes to read your work in front of an audience. Join other writers for a fun night of listening and sharing. Refreshments provided. 

Write Now! is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club. For a detailed schedule of programs, go to https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/content/write-now-series

Meeting Reminder - Feb. 16

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.


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

Driftless Writers Center Seeking Submissions

To celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2020, The Driftless Writing Center will publish an anthology of writing and images rooted in the Driftless area.

They welcome unpublished poetry, fiction, nonfiction, hybrid forms, and black-and-white art. They're seeking a broad range of voices, styles, topics, and experiences. People from all backgrounds are encouraged to be part of this collection.

Submissions welcome until April 1, 2019. Selections will be made by guest editors Matt Cashion (Fiction), Nikki Wallschlaeger (Poetry), and Amy Weldon (Nonfiction and Hybrid). Contributors whose work is chosen will receive $75 plus two copies of the anthology and may be invited to read at their anniversary celebration.

Learn more and submit your work online at: https://driftlesswritingcenter.submittable.com/submit.

The Driftless Writing Center, based in Viroqua, Wisconsin, connects writers, readers, and audiences through workshops, discussions, and public performances. 

More information at www.driftlesswritingcenter.org or (608) 492-1669.

Meeting reminder: Jan. 19

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

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

Lakefly Writing Contests

The 2019 Lakefly Writing Contests are open for submissions! 

Categories are flash fiction, personal essay, poetry; and for teens only, a short story contest.

No entry fee; cash prizes. Authors must live in Wisconsin or register for the Lakefly Writers Conference, May 10 and 11th.

Winners must be able to attend an awards ceremony on  Saturday, May 11, at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Deadline for submissions is March 1st.

The contests are supported in part by the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Complete rules and submission guidelines are here.

Call for Volunteers

Katie Samuelson of BEAMING Inc. is looking for help putting together material and perhaps working with other clubs through UW-Oshkosh to show the community more about therapeutic riding and the value of equine-based therapy or service animal therapy. 

She is specifically looking for volunteers to work with students in need of help in putting their thoughts to words. The students are exceptional high school students that have some learning issues in the school setting but thrive at BEAMING Inc.

You may contact Katie through the Beaming Inc. website.

Holiday Party - Dec. 15

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 in the lower level conference room at the Oshkosh Public Library. 

This is our annual holiday party so we won't be doing writing critiques. 

Please bring a wrapped White Elephant gift (something in new/good condition that you already own but never use). There will be donuts, others are welcome to bring a snack to share as well. We will also take a group photo on the second floor by the  Christmas trees.

Note: The White Elephant gifts will be used as a writing prompt for the receiver, if that helps you decide what to bring.

Meeting Reminder - Dec. 1

Just a friendly reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Meeting Reminder - Nov. 17

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Please note: Downtown businesses (including the library) will have a Grinchmas celebration going on that morning so you may want to give yourself extra time for traffic/parking.

Free Online Classes in Writing and Publishing

Your Oshkosh Public Library card now gives you free access to writing/publishing classes through Online Gale Courses. The interactive classes are six-weeks long and led by an experienced instructor. The next set of courses begin Nov. 14!

Courses include:

• Write Fiction Like a Pro
Writing Essentials
  
• Write Your Life Story
• Writing for Children
Introduction to Screenwriting
• Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers
• Craft of Magazine Writing
• Beginniners Guide to Getting Published

Course offerings vary by semester so be sure to check back!

A Closer Look: Author Showcase

OAWC members Tom Cannon and Dixie Jarchow host “Author Showcase” on the local public access cable Life TV channel. In each episode, Tom and Dixie sit down with a Wisconsin author and discuss the writing process, publishing, marketing and everything in between!

If you live in Oshkosh and have Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable), you can find the show on Channel 2.  A programming schedule can be found at http://www.oshkoshmedia.org/schedules.aspx

Dixie and Tom with guest author David Michael Williams

Not in the area? No problem! Episodes can be streamed at Author Showcase of Oshkosh on YouTube.  In addition to regular episodes, the YouTube channel also features shorts and outtakes. 

Be sure to like their Facebook page and follow them on twitter at @Author_Showcase 

Meeting Reminder - Nov. 3

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

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

Meeting reminder: Oct. 20

The next meeting of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Hope to see you there!

Wisconsin Book Festival

The Wisconsin Book Festival, Oct. 11-14, has a great schedule of speakers again this year, including James Patterson, Oshkosh's own Laura Jean Baker, Kate Moore (The Radium Girls), 2018 Charlotte Zolotow Award winner Bao Phi,  and former Gov. Tommy Thompson. Check it out!

Find a list of presenters here.

Click here for a schedule of events.

Meeting Reminder - Oct. 6

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.  

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

Write Now: Six-Week Novel Writing Workshop

Have you written a novel? Maybe you have a first draft or an outline? Join us as we apply New York literary agent/writing coach Donald Maass’ advice to take our novels to the next level.

Using Maass’ book, Writing the Breakout Novel, and its companion workbook,

we’ll study the elements of bestselling novels and incorporate what we learn into our writing. There will be homework!

Mondays, Oct. 22 - Nov. 26; 6 p.m.  Lower level conference room.

The first ten people who register will receive a free copy of Maass’ book and the workbook. To register, call the library at 236-5203 and ask for Ruth.

Program led by the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Meeting reminder: Aug. 18

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. The Farmers Market and downtown road construction might delay your trip to the library so please plan accordingly. 

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

Meeting reminder - July 7th

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 7, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.


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

Meeting reminder - June 16

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m Saturday, June 16th, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

A gentle reminder that a portion of Main Street will be closed due to the Farmers Market; please plan accordingly.

See you Saturday!

Meeting Reminder - Saturday, May 19

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library. As always, meetings are free and open to anyone age 17 and older.  I know some members have exciting news to share about the Lakefly Writers Conference (awesome to see so many OAWC members there!) and other news. 

2018 Lakefly Writers Conference: A Final Word

I dreaded the final hour of the 2018 Lakefly Writers Conference, when I would have to say goodbye to what keynote author Lori Rader-Day aptly called, “my tribe.” If I’d had any food in the house, I would’ve waved to everyone, “Let’s move this to my place!”

It is no secret that I love putting this event together. I'm thankful the Oshkosh Public Library allows me to do it, and for the energy and ideas from members of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club, a partner of the event. Our mission has always been to offer a quality writers conference at an affordable price. We may organize a conference but we strive to create a lasting experience that will move writers forward on their artistic journey. 

What makes this event special to me is the impact it has on people like Linda Bradshaw. When I saw her at Saturday’s lunch, she was floating. She’d had a pitch session that morning, she said, and the agent wanted to see the first 100 pages of her manuscript. Linda is a member of my local writers club; I know first-hand the hundreds of hours she has put into writing and how much this means to her. I also know she will seize this opportunity and polish those 100 pages until they gleam. I can’t wait to see what happens to her next!

Malinda Andrews

What’s next for us? In the summer months, we’ll review participant surveys as we plan for the future of the conference in 2020 and beyond. Expect to see a new logo in 2019 and a web page redesign in 2020. And we've already started booking speakers for next year!

Mark your calendar for May 10-11, 2019, at the Oshkosh Convention Center. If you felt the conference was of value, please tell your friends. We may put on a great conference but we can always use help promoting it!

The pleasure was all mine. ~ Ruth