Meeting reminder - April 15

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

New members welcome!

Lakefly 2023: Focus on Technique

Good writing doesn’t just happen. Hone your skills with these Lakefly workshops:

Time Ticks Away – Using the Clock or Calendar to Structure Your Novel
Patricia Skalka

Every novel unfolds over time. But how much time should pass between the beginning and the end?  Days, weeks, months, or decades? And why does it matter? We’ll look at the ways time affects the structure and pace of your work and how you can use this device to move your plot along. We’ll review books that use time as an obvious skeleton upon which the story is built and those that take a subtler approach. Finally, we’ll examine five different ways time is manifested and how these can be used to develop your storyline.

Patricia Skalka is the author of the award-winning Dave Cubiak Door County Mysteries. She turned to fiction following a successful career in nonfiction. Her many credits include: Staff Writer for Reader’s Digest, freelancer, ghost writer, writing instructor, and book reviewer.

Skalka is past-president of the Sisters in Crime Chicagoland Chapter and a member of several professional organizations, including The Authors Guild of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Midland Authors. She lives in Milwaukee and Door County, WI.

Write Wisconsinably: The Power of Place
Patricia Kilday

“Come for the cheese; stay because your car won’t start.” Wisconsinites love making fun of our bubblers-sheepshead-upNort-stop’n’go lights culture, but this weirdness also can provide a unique atmosphere for a story. A strong sense of place intensifies the plot, sets the mood, and allows readers to leap into another world. In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to enrich writing through a sense of place, whether it’s rural Wisconsin, a bustling city, or a gator-infested swamp. Our goal is to transport readers into a world that feels so real, they’ll look up from the last page blinking, surprised to find themselves in their favorite armchair. Bring your current work in progress and best Badger-isms. Cheeseheads optional.

Pat Kilday, writing as Juliet Rosetti, is the author of The Escape Diaries, a romantic suspense series set in Wisconsin, as well as several Young Adult novels. Her non-fiction has appeared in Wisconsin Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, and other publications. A farm girl, she grew up in the cheese/beer/Keep ‘er movin’ culture of America’s Dairyland. Her latest novel, The Care and Feeding of Orphans and Strays, also locally-set, was recently published.

Seven Touchstones to Writing an Award-Winning Crime-ThrillerNicholas Chiarkas

A ‘touchstone’ is a fundamental or quintessential part or feature of a thing. In this workshop, Nickolas will explain the touchstones of writing a crime thriller, but with a bit of adjusting, he will explain how the touchstones can be applied to other genres as well.

Touchstones include point of view, characters, and keeping your promise to the reader. You will also learn the essential features of a perfect ending.

Nick Chiarkas is the author of the award-winning novels Weepers and Nunzio’s Way. Nick grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that “Nick was unlikely ever to complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, he became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a US Army Paratrooper, a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency. On the way, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University, a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard.

Worldbuilding & Organizing Data
Valerie J. Clarizio

Worldbuilding is essential for any story, regardless of genre. Whether your story setting is simply ordinary, extremely uncommon, or remarkably bizarre, you must build your book world in a clear and consistent manner.

In this workshop, Valerie will give you tips and tricks to help you build a world to make your characters come alive in any environment. She'll also share ideas on how to organize and keep track of your characters and the rules of your world, as well as a few ideas on how to write through roadblocks. 

Valerie Clarizio is a USA Today, Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestselling author and co-host of Inside the Romance Buzz who has published 17 romance books comprising both novels and novellas. She lives in romantic Door County, WI, with her husband of more than 30 years. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She is an outdoors enthusiast, of which her favorite activity is hiking in national parks. While out on the trails, she has plenty of time to conjure up irresistible characters and unique storylines for her next romantic suspense, time travel, or contemporary romance novel.

Nailing the Middle Grade Voice
Kate Penndorf

This interactive workshop will have attendees diving into how to write for younger readers. That means learning how to edit out your adult voice in order to express the worldview of children. We'll bring fun and playfulness to the page as we step back into our own pasts recalling how we once navigated from dependence to independence. Come ready to laugh, talk, and write. Takeaways for attendees will include how to develop a character aged 8-12 as well as questions to ask during revisions.

This workshop is geared for writers of all levels of kid lit, though an emphasis is placed on middle grade.

Story time had always been Kate Penndorf’s favorite ‘subject’ in school. But when her second-grade teacher opted to read from a tattered old diary, Kate’s view on books changed forever. Books were now alive, with adventures, dilemmas, far away locations, heroes, villains, drama, and quite frankly, story. Kate is an author, whose premise for her first MG book came to her while commuting to work in NYC. As a developmental editor, Kate loves helping other writers hone their craft and polishing their manuscript. Inspired by the edits and workshops she has given, along with coaching writers as they plot their stories, the idea for her new adventure, Much Ado About Writing.com, was born. You can also find Kate serving at the state level as an event coordinator for Wisconsin's SCBWI chapter.

Well Begun is Half Done: Successful Story Openings
William Gillard

In this workshop, we'll look at successful short story openings from a variety of genres to discover how to craft an opening so that a reader or editor will want to continue reading after the first page, which is our goal, after all!

Bill Gillard is a Professor of English at the UW-Oshkosh. His writing has appeared in dozens of journals, and he is the author of the poetry collection, The Vade Mecum of the True Sublime, the novel Down a Man, the short story collection, Crawl Cram Grind Fail, and a few others. He is co-author of Speculative Modernism, a scholarly study of the origins of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

He earned an M.F.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University, is a recovering youth hockey coach, and lives in Appleton with his wife and two daughters.

Colliding Conflict: Using Conflict to Add Depth and Tension
Emily Conrad

 Without sufficient conflict, stories fail to sustain reader interest. In this session, we’ll explore the differences between internal and external conflicts and how to use them together to enrich your novel. We’ll also discuss common conflict pitfalls that undermine tension and result in a less satisfying read.

Attendees will come away with concrete examples of internal and external conflict. You will also have a list of elements required to establish and sustain conflict to use as you troubleshoot your manuscripts.

Emily Conrad writes contemporary Christian romance that explores life’s relevant questions. She is the author of the stand-alone novel Justice and the Rhythms of Redemption Romance series, as well as numerous short stories. A member of The Alliance of Independent Authors and American Christian Fiction Writers, Conrad has traditionally and independently published and is an experienced contest judge. A life-long resident of Oshkosh, WI, Conrad enjoys bringing her home state and her faith to life in fiction.

The Big Bad: Does your Protagonist have a worthy Antagonist? Kat Falls If you’re having trouble with the middle of your story and it’s starting to feel like a slog, the problem is probably with your antagonist. A great antagonist challenges the protagonist on every level — emotional, physical, psychological — and thus sparks the tension and conflict that delivers a riveting read. But how do you create an opponent (human or inhuman) that will propel your story forward and force your protagonist to change — all while fascinating the reader? In this workshop, we will discuss how the antagonist drives the plot; the different types of “Big Bads” and the qualities they tend to share; and overused tropes, motivations, and maneuvers. We will also do a series of writing exercises that will help you discover and design the antagonist who will best challenge your protagonist to their personal breaking point. Kat Falls writes science fiction thrillers for tweens and teens. In her Dark Life series (Scholastic Press), Kat takes Middle Grade readers on action-packed adventures under the sea. The series has been translated into 18 languages and is in development for film at Disney. Kat appeared on The Today Show when Al Roker featured Dark Life on “Al’s Book Club for Kids.” Her Young Adult series, Inhuman (Scholastic Press), is a dystopian romance set after the outbreak of a mutagenic virus. Inhuman received glowing reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, VOYA, a starred review from Kirkus, and made the Tome It List for “clean” teen reads. Kat teaches at Northwestern University and presents at schools and writing conferences across the U.S. She lives in Evanston, IL with her husband. Their three children are young adults now, but still very influential in Kat’s creative process. The Lakefly Writers Conference will be held May 5-6 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. $75 advance registration; includes lunch on Saturday. $85.00 walk-in; does not include lunch. Students save $10 through April 30; use code WRITENOW For more information or to register, please visit https://www.lakeflywriters.org/ The conference is sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club and Wisconsin Writers Association.

Lakefly 2023: Focus on Friday

The Lakefly Writers Conference is just a month away and we are so excited! You will be too once you read the following preview of just some of the wonderful things planned for Friday, May 5:

Time Management For Writers
Malinda Andrews

Whether working full-time, being a parent full-time, or any combination thereof, how do you find time to write? You don’t find it, you make! This session focuses on discovering how to prioritize your schedule based on your writing goals and finding what works for you.

In this workshop, you will learn to prioritize, set achievable goals, and get practical, real-world, tips and tricks.

Malinda Andrews holds a BA in Creative Writing from UW-Milwaukee and is a multi-genre author of over a dozen published works. She balances writing and publishing while caring for her two young children.

Bone Identification  

Dr. Jordan Karsten

Dr. Jordan Karsten

Forensic anthropologists utilize their knowledge of the human skeleton to assist law enforcement agencies in death investigations. This work includes estimating the sex, age, ancestry, and stature from skeletal remains, searching for clandestine burials, and examining trauma. In this presentation, Dr. Jordan Karsten will introduce attendees to the scientific methods employed by forensic anthropologists through a series of case studies from around the state of Wisconsin.

Dr. Jordan Karsten is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the UW--Oshkosh. He specializes in forensic anthropology and consults on death investigations for law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, and Wisconsin State Crime Lab. He also co-hosts Cold Case: Frozen Tundra, a True Crime podcast focused on cases in Northeast Wisconsin.

The Spooky Power of the Subconscious: Planning vs. Seat-of-the-Pantsing
John Dedakis

Are you a meticulous planner, or do you just wing it? In this session we'll explore writing strategies designed to add variety to your palette of writing techniques. If you're a planner, we'll explore how seat-of-the-pants writing can help you connect the dots. If your style is more free form, we'll look at how peeking at the road ahead can inspire your writing in the here-and-now.

John DeDakis is a former editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis is the author of five mystery-suspense novels. He is also the host of the video podcast “One-to-One with John DeDakis” on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Originally from La Crosse, WI, DeDakis now lives in Baltimore, Maryland with Cindy, his wife of 44 years.

Beginning to Bookstands
James R.Lawrence

James will demonstrate ways to make anybody (of any writing ability or age) write a novel from beginning to end, including where to publish it. He will share strategies for writing daily and completing a novel within months, as well as creating unique characters and plotting out your novel.

Two takeaways: you don't have to be perfect to be amazing, and there is a formula for being a successful writer that anyone can follow.

James R. Lawrence is an award-winning writer who is a sucker for a great twist. James writes historical fiction, the Mr. REE book series, stage plays, and thrilling novellas. He loves to travel and lives with his wife and two adorable dogs in Appleton, WI.

WWA Press offers Practical Advice on Submitting for Publication
Lisa Lickel

Managing director and editor Lisa Lickel will offer practical guidance on submitting for publication in general and specifically for Wisconsin Writers Association. Authors who have been published by the WWA Press either in book format or with our magazine, Creative Wisconsin, will talk about their publication process. Time for sharing experience along with Question and Answer period will follow. WWA offers many opportunities for skill development.

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin author of inspiring fiction who loves books, collects dragons, and travels. Lisa is a member of the Wisconsin Writers Association, the Chicago Writers Association, and Assistant Director and book coach for Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp and Writing Retreat, Inc

After Hours Open Mic, Oshkosh Public Library

7-9 p.m. Under the Dome (Enter through the Washington Avenue doors.)

It’s your turn to take the stage! At After Hours Open Mic, you’ll have five minutes to read your work in front of an audience. Join other writers for a night of fun!

The Lakefly Writers Conference will be held May 5-6 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. $75 advance registration; includes lunch on Saturday. $85.00 walk-in; does not include lunch. Students save $10 through April 30; use code WRITENOW

For more information or to register, please visit https://www.lakeflywriters.org/

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

Lakefly 2023 - Overview

Wisconsin’s premiere writing conference is just around the corner! The Lakefly Writers Conference offers a quality conference at an affordable price, Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6 at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Choose from over a dozen workshops on the craft and business of writing designed to inspire and guide your creative journey. 

Programs include:

• Time Management for Writers

• Write Wisconsinably: The Power of Place

• Time Ticks Away – Using the Clock or Calendar to Structure Your Novel

• Website design

• Crafting Your Own Poetic Voice

• Seven Touchstones to Writing an Award-Winning Crime-Thriller

• World-building

• Successful Book Marketing (Without Doing the Stuff You Hate.)

• The Big Bad: Does Your Protagonist Have a Worthy Antagonist?

• Pitfalls of Self-Publishing

Speakers include national best-seller Beth Amos, mystery writer Patricia Skalka, Wisconsin humorist Michael Perry, poet laureates Thomas Cannon and Jeffrey McAndrew, writing coach John DeDakis, romance writer Valerie Clarizio, award-winning writer Nick Chiarkas, writer/editor Lisa Lickel and others!

What are you waiting for? Only $65 if you register before April 1st. Price includes lunch on Saturday.

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

Proofreading party - April 1st

In lieu of our regular meeting, we will be proofreading the anthology before it goes to print. 

 

The party will begin at 9:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 1st and should wrap up about 1 p.m. Any time you can commit to this project is appreciated. Lunch will be provided.

 

Lower level conference room, Oshkosh Public Library - see you there!

Lakefly 2023 - Game On!

Some great things are planned for Lakefly 2023! 

Speakers include Michael Perry, Beth Amos, Nick Chiarkas, Lisa Lickel, David Michael Williams, Thomas Cannon and others - ready to speak on finding time to write, the pitfalls of self-publishing, writing a successful mystery, promoting your book, creating conflict, and more!

Early-bird registration of $65 ends March 31. You might want to stay over Saturday night to catch Michael Perry perform at The Grand; a discount will be offered for Lakefly attendees. Stay tuned for details!

Congrats Bailey!

Bailey R. Hansen has her first book in print! Freak Camp is book one in a trilogy, A Monster by Any Other Name, that she co-authored with Laura Rye. The second book, Fear, is available on Kindle.

She is also the proud author of Starbound on Kindle Vella and writer/narrator of the Known As Belén podcast. She has also been published in the Ohio River Review and has presented at the Lakefly Writers Conference.

Bailey joined the Oshkosh Area Writers Club in 2015.

To learn more about Bailey and her writing endeavors, or to connect on social media, visit her website at www.baileyrhansen.com.

Open Mic, Meeting Reminder

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the New Moon Cafe with an open mic 7 p.m. Friday, March 17. Bring something to read/perform, or relax and enjoy local talent. Hosted by Tom Cannon.

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

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

Jade Ring Contest

It's time! Once again the Jade Ring contest returns!

In honor of the Wisconsin Writers Association's 75th anniversary, they will be hosting the 74th writing contest. Yes, it launched one year after the WWA itself. How time flies!

Get your favorite writing utensils ready, folks. The genres will once again be:

    Fiction

    Non-fiction

    Poetry

The contest opens March 6, 2023. Check out the submissions page for details on participating.

Meeting reminder - March 4

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 4, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

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

Lakefly Writing Contests

There is still time to submit entries to the 2023 Lakefly Writing Contests! 

No entry fee; cash prizes! Deadline for submissions is March 3. 

There are three all-age categories and one category specifically for writers 18 and younger. 

Sorry, open to Wisconsin residents only.

For more information and complete contest rules, please click here.

Meeting reminder - Feb. 18

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

New members welcome!

Meeting reminder: Jan 21

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

New members welcome!

Lakefly Writing Contests

Submissions are now open for the 2023 Lakefly Writing Contests. Contest categories are poetry, personal essay, short story, and short story for authors 18 and younger. 

The contests are open to Wisconsin residents only - sorry!

No submission fee; cash prizes. 

Click here for submission guidelines.

The writing contests are sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library as part of the Lakefly Writers Conference, May 5 and 6, at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Meeting reminder - Jan. 7

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

New members welcome!

Creative Wisconsin Magazine Seeking Submissions

Creative Wisconsin Magazine is open for submissions. The magazine is sent electronically to members of Wisconsin Writers Association and any affiliate members who request a copy or whose work appears in the current edition. 

In 2023, they will publish three editions; in March,  June, and September.

Deadlines for each edition are February 14, May 15, and August 10.

They are seeking previously unpublished material (posted on a blog or your own website is not considered previously published) in the following categories:

• Poetry (up to about 25 lines, please; ask about longer pieces)
• Short fiction – up to 2,000 words
• Book reviews – up to 500 words
• Nonfiction – up to 1,500 words
• Interviews – up to 1,500 words
• Artwork/photography (must be able to submit highres work) Art features for cover are welcome. 

For a complete list of rules and submission guidelines, please click here.

Meeting reminder - Dec. 17

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 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 not familiar, 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 gift exchange, the item you go home with is to be used as a writing prompt. Write about the item in any form you choose - poem, sketch, memoir, story, etc.

I will be bringing donuts - others are welcome but not required to bring a snack.

For those unable to attend, have a happy holiday season and we will see you in 2023!

Meeting reminder - Dec. 3

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

Note: Our annual holiday party will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 in lieu of a regular meeting. You are asked to bring a wrapped White Elephant gift; something you already own but don't use/need. The recipient of your gift will use it as a writing prompt, so don't be afraid to be creative or silly! Donuts will be provided but others are welcome to bring a snack.

WWA Events

Looking for something non-holiday-ish to do next month? Want to support fellow writers? Check out Wisconsin Writers Association Events schedule to find state-wide book signings, workshops and more!

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. 

Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older. New members welcome!

It's Happening! A club anthology

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is creating and self-publishing an anthology of members' works, with a publication date of April 2023. The club's first anthology, "Hearts We Know by Stories" was published in 2007.

If you have attended at least one meeting and would like to participate, the first step is to sign an agreement regarding the terms/conditions, submission guidelines and committee assignments. Forms will be available at our 10 a.m. Nov. 19 meeting or upon request. Requests can be emailed to oawc @ aol . com

Meeting reminder + more

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

Also want to plug Open Mic night at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Planet Perk.

Lastly, if you're participating in National Novel Writing Month, Caramel Crisp Corner has a write-in every Wednesday. More info here.

Lots of opportunities for area writers coming up - hope to see you at one or more!