2020 Lakefly Writers Conference

The 2020 Lakefly Writers Conference preliminary schedule is up!

Featured speakers are Bollywood writer Sonali Dev and murder mystery author Beth Amos. 

Write mystery romance, speculative fiction, middle grades? We've got you covered! Need to brush up on plot development, story structure, setting scenes? We've got that too. Plus, enjoy the musical stylings of Literary Cabarets, sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association.

All this and more for only $60 through March 31st; register today by clicking here.

The Lakefly Writers Conference is also accepting contest entries through March 13. The categories are flash fiction, short story, poetry; and for teen writers, a short story category.

No entry fee! Cash prizes are $100 for first place; $75 for second; and $50 for third.

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at the Oshkosh (WI) Convention Center.

For details and submission guidelines, please click here.

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


The writing contests are supported by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board. 

Meeting Reminder - Feb. 15

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

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. 

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

Author Visit: Lisl Detlefsen

Wisconsin children’s author Lisl Detlefsen will do an author visit at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in the First Floor Reading Room at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Lisl H. Detlefsen is the author of a growing number of picture books. Her first, Time For Cranberries, was a Junior Library Guild selection, a 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (K–2), and the 2017 Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year.

If You Had A JetPack was a Spring 2018 Kids’ Indie Next pick, an ALA LITA 2019 Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Picture Book and listed on the 2019 Edition of the Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year.

She has two new titles out for 2019: Right This Very Minute and 1, 2, 3, Jump!

Lisl lives on a family-owned cranberry marsh near Wisconsin Rapids, WI with her husband and two sons. When not in her office or on the marsh, you can find Lisl on the web at www.lislhdbooks.com, on Twitter @lislhd, or on Facebook @lislhdbooks.


Detlefesen’s visit part of the Oshkosh Public Library Wild Winter Read Off.

Lakefly 2020 Writing Contests

The Lakefly Writers Conference is accepting contest entries through March 13. The categories are flash fiction, short story, poetry; and for teen writers, a short story category.

No entry fee! Cash prizes are $100 for first place; $75 for second; and $50 for third.

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at the Oshkosh (WI) Convention Center.

For details and submission guidelines, please click here.

The contests are supported by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with  the Oshkosh Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Meeting reminder - Feb. 1

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Also, the Lakefly Writing Contests is taking submissions - no entry fee, cash prizes! Details and submission guidelines are here. 

A Weekend for Writing with Nick Butler

Nickolas Butler

Spend a special weekend by the lake being inspired to write that story, book, memoir, or whatever else! The event is Feb. 21-23 at Paradise Shores 4 resort in picturesque Chippewa County, WI.

Weekend package includes:

• Two-night stay at Paradise Shores 4
• All meals
• Ticket to "Confessions of a New York Accompanist" Friday evening - see Paradises Shores 4 Facebook Events for more details
• Full day workshop with Nickolas Butler, internationally best-selling and award-winning author of Little Faith.
• Actor-lead readings of works on Sunday

Package cost: $500 / person


Nickolas Butler was raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop. He is the recipient of many literary prizes and commendations and has published articles, reviews, short stories, and poetry in publications such as: Ploughshares, Narrative, and The New York Times Book Review, to name a few.

He is married, and lives with his wife and two children on 16 acres of land adjacent to a buffalo farm in rural Wisconsin.

To sign up, please email me at generalmanager (at) paradiseshores4 (dot) com, or visit  www.paradiseshores4.com

Meeting Reminder - Jan. 18

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

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

Lakefly Writing Contests Open For Submissions

The Lakefly Writing Contests open on Monday, Jan. 6th.

Categories include flash fiction, short story, and poetry. There is also a short story contest for teens.

No entry fee; cash prizes. 

Winners must be able to attend the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 9, in Oshkosh WI.

For complete rules and submission guidelines, please click here.

The writing contests are sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Meeting Reminder - Jan. 4th

Our first meeting of the New Year is 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan, 4th in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

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

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs

Oshkosh Area Writers Club FAQs

New year, new goals! If creative writing is one of them, the Oshkosh Area Writers Club can help!

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

Is there a membership fee?
No. But it would be appreciated if you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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, 106 Washington Ave.

How many members are there?
There are about 14 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 (usually 5 pages or less, 8 copies are appreciated but not required) and we critique it. We have a critique form we use so we can be sure the author gets both positive feedback and constructive criticism. Not everyone reads at every meeting; the order of readers is determined by arrival times - first person to come is the first to read. Meetings end at noon, even if there are still waiting people to read.

Tom and Dixie

We do 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 - including author visits and National Novel Writing Month activities in November. We also co-sponsor the Lakefly Writers Conference each May at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Also, the Oshkosh public access television show, Author Showcase, was created and is hosted by two of our members.

Still not sure if we're right for you? You best bet is to come to a meeting and see how we fit!

Cuttyhunk Island Writers' Residency Scholarship

The Cuttyhunk Island Writers' Residency is a seven-day workshop and residency for fourteen writers on Cuttyhunk Island, off the coast of Cape Cod. In 2020, two residencies will be held from September 16-23 and October 2-9. Five days are dedicated to workshop, two to free writing time. 

There are six scholarships that cover the entire cost of residency. The application period is Dec. 1, 2019 through March 1, 2020.

To apply, click here.

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. 

A reminder that we will not be doing critiques in order to hold our annual holiday party.

Please bring a wrapped white elephant gift - something you already own but don't use/need that is in great condition. Keep in mind the "gift" will be used as a writing prompt for the recipient.

Donuts and soda will be available; feel free to bring something to pass.

We will also take a group photo.

Not sure how a "white elephant gift exchange" works? Learn more >   https://www.whiteelephantrules.com 

Short Short Story Writing Contest

Are you a closet writer? Do you have a flair for brevity? Take this challenge and write a short short story using 30 words (or less).

This contest supports Reading Works, a community-based, nonprofit in Albuquerque that enriches the lives of adults and their families by increasing their literacy skills. 

The Challenge: Write a short story using no more than 30 words.

Five topics: sushi, pianos, caterpillars, Huck Finn’s mother, breakfast.

Six cash prizes

Submission deadline: Jan. 10, 2020

Submission Fee: $5 per story.

Not only is the contest great fun, it supports the cause of literacy!

You can get more information at:  
https://www.reading-works.org/short-short-story-writing-contest.html

Meeting reminder - Dec. 7

A short reminder that 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.

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

NaNoWriMo Finish Line

Meeting Reminder - Nov. 16

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

Should this or any meeting need to be canceled due to severe weather, you will receive an email no later than 8 a.m. the day of the meeting. The cancellation will also be posted on our Facebook page. You can also check the Library's website to confirm whether the facility is open. Most important: Use your own judgment regarding weather/driving conditions. 

National Novel Writing Month

Happy National Novel Writing Month - when creative writers of all ages attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30!

Although the Oshkosh Area Writers Club is not sponsoring any NaNoWriMo activities this month, these resources will help participants on their writing journey:

NaNo Prep 101 Workshop 

What's the best NaNoWriMo writing schedule for you? Take the quiz.

7 Writing Tips to Get You Through NaNoWriMo

Best resources for NaNoWriMo writers

Good luck, fellow writers!

Meeting reminder - Nov. 2

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

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

Meeting Reminder: Oct. 19

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

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. 

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club meets the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. Check us out!

Wisconsin Book Festival

The Wisconsin Book Festival will take place October 17-20, 2019, in and around Madison Public Library’s Central Library in downtown Madison.

The festival will feature more than 60 events over four days with plenty of opportunities to meet authors, discover new books or favorite writers, and have books signed. See the full festival lineup at wisconsinbookfestival.org

Book Signing with Avi

Join award-winning author Avi for a meet and greet, and book signing! The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Elisha Smith Public Library, Menasha, as part of the Fox Cities Book Festival.

Books will be available for purchase from The Book Store in Appleton.

Author Showcase - Sally Cissna

A great interview with Oshkosh author Sally Cissna.  The story of John, Ida, and their German immigrant families is told through narration, actual newspaper accounts from The Woodstock Sentinel and The Racine Times Journal, and letters sent over the years. Join Sally with Author Showcase hosts Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon as they talk writing, publishing and Wisconsin circa 1900.

Fox Cities Book Festival

Don't miss the The Fox Cities Book Festival Oct. 7 through Oct. 13!

Fox Cities residents will be treated to a wide array of writing topics and a host of talent. Presentations vary from poetry readings, to panel discussions, to storytelling, and many more. If you have a passion for reading, writing, and learning, check out the complete schedule listed here.

Featured authors include Wisconsin historian Jerry Apps, children/teen author Avi, Canadian poet Stuart Cole, mystery writer Hank Phillippi Ryan, Wisconsin Poet Laureate Margaret Rozga... and OAWC member Louis Clark!

Author Showcase: Kimberlee Bastian

Madison-area author Kimberlee Bastian has a unique love affair with American nostalgia, mythology, and endless possibilities. Find out more about her historical fiction with a fantasy twist as she talks with Author Showcase hosts Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon.

Author Showcase: Barry Perlman

Retired UW-Oshkosh professor Barry Perlman chats with Author Showcase hosts Tom Cannon and Dixie Jarchow about how his hobby of collecting antiques led to a book!

Free Writing/Publish Classes

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 on Sept. 11th!


Courses include:

• Romance Writing
• Publish and Sell Your E-Books
• Creating WordPress Websites
• Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers
• The Keys to Effective Editing
• Introduction to Internet Writing Markets
• Travel Writing
• Writing Young Adult Fiction

Meeting Reminder - Sept. 7

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

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

Southeast Wisconsin Book Festival

The place to be on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2 is at UW Waukesha for the 10th annual Southeast Wisconsin Book Festival.

This two-day event features national and local authors who present sessions about their work including children’s and young adult authors; features include book readings and signings, cookbook stage with demonstrations and special programming.

Keynote novelist is Andre Dubus III, and Wisconsin Poet Laureate Margaret Rozga is the Keynote Poet.

Visit their website for a complete schedule of speakers, parking information and more!

Meeting Reminder - Aug. 17

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

Just a reminder that if you have something to read, you will want to arrive a few minutes early. We read in the order of arrival; the first person to arrive is the first to read, etc.

See you Saturday!

Lakefly Writers Conference - Call for proposals

The Lakefly Writers Conference Planning Committee is now accepting speaker proposals for their May 8-9, 2020 conference at the Oshkosh Convention Center:

The committee is looking for instructional programs related to writing, publishing and marketing. They are not interested in author book talks (i.e. “let me tell you all about my book”)



In your proposal, please include the following:

– Whether your proposal is for a 50-minute or 90-minute session.
– Which day(s) you are available to speak.
– Links to any video or audio clips that you’re featured in; and/or previous public speaking engagements/experiences.

*Speakers receive a small honorarium and one night’s stay in a hotel. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

* Email proposals to: LakeflyWriters @ gmail.com 

* For a list of past presenters, please click here.

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