NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party

Join members of the Oshkosh Area Writers Club for our annual NaNoWriMo Kick-off Party, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1 in the first floor Reading Room of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

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

Click here for the full schedule of NaNoWriMo events.

Call for Pitches - UntitledTown Book and Author Festival

The second annual UntitledTown Book and Author Festival in Green Bay, Wisconsin, will be held April 20-22, 2018. They are currently seeking pitches from writers of all genres, agents, editors, arts advocates, illustrators, and book-making folks of all sorts. 

The form is available here: Click here.

They will accept individual pitches as well as suggested panels via this form until November 15, 2017. 

Oct. 26 Program: What is NaNoWriMo?

New to National Novel Writing Month? Join us at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 to learn all about it! We’ll help you register, and provide tips and tricks to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Think you can’t do it? Yes you can!

Meeting will be held in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Hope to see you there!

Click here for a full schedule of NaNoWriMo events.

Meeting reminder - Oct. 21

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 in the lower level conference room at the Oshkosh Public Library. As always, meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

National Novel Writing Month Events

National Novel Writing Month is the largest writing project on the planet!  The idea is to write a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. It's all about quantity, not quality! The Oshkosh Area Writers club is hosting these events to help you along; all ages are welcome to participate. Bring writing supplies/devices; free Wi-Fi available.

What is NaNoWriMo? 
Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.
Oshkosh Public Library, lower level conference room
We’ll help you register for NaNoWriMo, and give you tips and tricks to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Think you can’t do it? Yes you can!

Kick-off Party
Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
Oshkosh Public Library, first floor reading room

You’ve committed to writing a novel this month – get off to a great start. Come with paper or laptop and be ready to write! Refreshments will be served.

Thousand Word Thursday
Thursday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.
Oshkosh Public Library, first floor reading room

Tonight’s goal is to write 1,000 words. Maybe you’ll only write 200. The point is, you don’t have to write alone.  Join us for light snacks and heavy whining – then it’s time to start writing!

Night of Writing Dangerously
Saturday, Nov. 18 from 6 to 11 p.m.
Oshkosh Public Library

At a loss for words? Let us help you with plot ninjas, word sprints and other support.  Hang on tight – it’s a race to the finish during this wild night of writing!  Refreshments will be served.

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

Thank Goodness It’s Over Party
Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.
Oshkosh Public Library, first floor reading room

Join your fellow authors in a celebration of your effort, win or lose. Prizes and refreshments.

Events are sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library and the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Local Toastmasters Club Forming

Public speaking is painful, but authors are expected to perform book readings and other speaking engagements. 

If you’re intimidated by speaking to a group, or just want to be a better speaker, Toastmasters is here to help!

An Oshkosh chapter of Toastmasters is forming. An organization meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the UW-Oshkosh Alumni Center.

Open Mic Night - Tuesday, Oct. 24

Join us for Open Mic at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, under the Dome of the Oshkosh Public Library. 

Whether it’s something you wrote at one of our Write Now! writing sessions or a piece you wrote independently, tonight is all about sharing. Not a writer? That's okay! Enjoy the musings our talented area writers.

Free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

Sponsored by the Oshkosh Public Library, in partnership with the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

M is for Memoir: Free writing series

Explore the art and variations of memoir writing with Deb Martin during a three-session series on Monday mornings. Discussion topics include journal writing, writing styles, the importance of family history, and what to do with what you’ve written.


Mondays, Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6: All sessions start at 9 a.m. in the lower level Conference Room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

All ages and skill levels welcome. Attend one session or all three! There will be time to write/share what you’ve written. Please bring your current journal or start fresh with a new one. 

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

New Group Forming: Novel and Screening Writing

Interested in writing a novel or screen play? Let's talk about getting a group together and set up a meeting schedule. 

We're hosting an organizational meeting for  Novel & Screenwriting writers, at 10 a.m. Sat., Oct. 14, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

The emphasis will be on creating characterization, and plot and narrative structure. Meetings will focus on individual story and character treatments first, and then later on critiques of members' narrative writing.

Note: The library parking lot is closed for repair but parking is available in the lot on the side of Jefferson Street, and on weekends, in the Human Services lot on the other side of Mount Vernon Street.

Free workshop: Redacted Poetry

Join us for Redacted Poetry at 6 p.m. Wed., Oct. 11 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Redacted or Black Out Poetry, is a fun way to create a poem or story. Using a page from a newspaper, book or magazine, "black out" all of the words that you don't need, and leave only the words that tell your story. All ages and skill levels welcome. Pages and markers will be provided.

Note: The Library parking lot is closed due to resurfacing and widening of the stalls. Parking is available in the lot across Jefferson Street, and, after business hours, in the Human Services lot, on the other side of Mount Vernon St.

Meeting reminder - Oct. 7

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 in the lower level conference room at the Oshkosh Public Library. As always, meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older.

Need something to do in the next week or two? Check out these club-sponsored events. All are free and take place in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library; all ages and skill levels welcome!

Drabbles - Make Every Word Count
Thurs., Oct. 5; 3 p.m.
Practice making every word count by condensing the essence of a story down to a 100-word work of fiction. Prompts provided for inspiration.

Redacted Poetry
Wed., Oct. 11; 6 p.m.
Redacted or Black Out Poetry, is a fun way to create a poem or story. Using a page from a newspaper, book or magazine, "black out" all of the words that you don't need, and leave only the words that tell your story. Pages and markers will be provided.

Novel & Screenwriting (Organizational meeting)
Sat., Oct. 14; 10 a.m.
Interested in writing a novel or screen play? Let's talk about getting a group together and set up a meeting schedule. The emphasis will be on creating characterization, and plot and narrative structure. Meetings will focus on individual story and character treatments first, and then later on critiques of members' narrative writing.

M is for Memoir Writing Series

Explore the art and variations of memoir writing with Deb Martin during a three-session series on Monday mornings. Discussion topics include journal writing, writing styles, the importance of family history, and what to do with what you’ve written.

Session will be held on Mondays, Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, and start at 9 a.m. in the lower level Conference Room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

All ages and skill levels welcome. Attend one session or all three! There will be time to write/share what you’ve written. Please bring your current journal or start fresh with a new one.  

Deb Martin has been journaling for decades and is the author of Daycare Advice from Haley. She works as a private consultant in Oshkosh. You can learn more about her at DeborahAnnMartinWriting.com

Sponsored by the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

New Oshkosh area writing group for novelists, screenwriters

The Oshkosh Area Writers Club is looking at adding a subgroup of the writers club for long fiction writers (novelists, screen play writers). Description is below:

Novel and Screenwriting: Organizational Meeting
10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 14
Lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library

An organizational meeting for those interested in writing a novel or screen play. The main purpose of this meeting is to see if there is interest, and if so, set up a meeting schedule. The emphasis of meetings will be on creating characterization, and plot and narrative structure. Meetings will focus on individual story and character treatments first, and then later on critiques of members' narrative writing.

Write Now: Poetry Out In Nature

Join us for Poetry Out in Nature at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Bring your outdoor experiences to the page! We'll do field work, then return to write and discuss our work. Led by award-winning writer Lynn Kuhns of Winneconne. 



This is part of the Write Now! series of fun writing sessions designed to jump start your creative motor. No experience necessary; all ages welcome. Bring writing supplies/devices (free wi-fi available). 

Sponsored by the Oshkosh Area Writers Club.

Write Now: The Prose and Poetry of Twitter and Other Social Media

Join us for the The Prose and Poetry of Twitter and Other Social Media at 
6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Description: Poems that fit within the constraints of 172 characters are an actual type of poetry.  In this session, we will create twitter poems and post them. However, tweets are a demanding medium for all writing. Bring snippets of thoughts, ideas and things you want to say and we will pare them down to 172 characters or less. You do not need a Twitter account to participate! Hosted by Oshkosh author and social media maven Tom Cannon.

This is part of the Write Now! series of fun writing sessions designed to jump start your creative motor. No experience necessary; all ages welcome. Bring writing supplies/devices (free wi-fi available). 

Upcoming Area Book Festivals and Writer Conferences

Upcoming Book Festivals and Writer Conferences:

Wisconsin Writers Association Fall Conference
Oct. 6 - 7, Neenah
Website: https://wiwrite.org/conference/

Programs include Poetry and Social Change, Writing for the Christian Market, Flash Nonfiction: The Art of the Short Eassay; Crafting Memoir,  and The Audacity of Writing Children’s Books. $90 for members; $100 for non-members.

Fox Cities Book Festival
Oct. 9 - 15, various locations
Website: http://foxcitiesbookfestival.org

The 2017 festival will place in the fall, for the first time.  Speakers include Nicholas Butler, Benjamin Percy, Leslie Kagen, Jerry Apps, and Karla Huston.  All events are free and open to the public.

Chippewa Valley Book Festival
Oct. 16 - 27, various locations
Website: http://www.cvbookfest.org

Speakers include Pulitzer Prize winer Matthew Desmon and Nicholas Butler, author of The Hearts of Men. Other programs include Writing Your Wisconsin Life with Patti See, The Poetry of Memory with Max Garland and Karla Huston, and a Young Writers Showcase.

Author Showcase: Carmen Leal

Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon host author Carmen Leal on this segment of Author Showcase. Leal talks about how she came to write about Huntington's and the steps she takes to effectively market her book. Her story has helped many people impacted by Huntington's. That is why her tips on effectively market your book can help you get your writing into the hands of readers. 

Part Two:

Write Now: Finding the Voice in Your Writing

Join us for the second workshop in the Write Now! series, Finding the Voice in Your Writing. Editors want it. Readers buy it. You can recognize it when you read others’ works. But how do you get it? Led by Dixie Jarchow, local romance writer and co-host of Author Showcase.

The free program is open to writers of all ages and skill levels. It will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the lower level meeting room of the Oshkosh Public Library.

Meeting reminder: Sept. 16

A quick reminder that the Oshkosh Area Writers Club will meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 in the lower level conference room of the Oshkosh Public Library. Meetings are free and open to anyone 17 and older; all skill levels are welcomed. 

Author Showcase: Louis Clark

A great discussion with Omro author Louis V. Clark about how his life has changed since his book, How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century, published by The Wisconsin Historical Society Press.


The program is hosted Dixie Jarchow and Tom Cannon.