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

Lakefly Writers Conference: Focus on Technique

You’ve got an idea and maybe a first draft written, but perhaps your writing isn’t as strong as you would like. Before you throw it away, check out these Lakefly Writers Conference workshops to help improve your writing technique:

As we go through life and meet new people, we often share our memories and tell stories of the high- and lowlights of our lives. Memoirist Christy Wopat will share practical steps to turn those oral stories into written words in Turning Memories into Memoir. Author of Almost a Mother: Love, Loss, and Finding your People When Your Baby Dies, Wopat will talk you through the process of how she turned her grief into narrative non-fiction, taking careful consideration of how her “truth” could affect the people in her life.

If creating memorable characters is a challenge for you, be sure to attend the

Beth Amos

ABC's of Character Development with mystery writer Beth Amos. Amos has written several series, each with a strong protagonist and a cast of unique and colorful characters. She will teach how to use your skills of observation and perception of those around you to bring your fictional characters to life. 

Carmen Leal

 Inspirational author Carmen Leal will lead Using Your Story to Inspire and Challenge. Inspirational writing requires a strong, personal voice. Leal will talk about how to use your unique story to reach the world. You'll leave this workshop with a new perspective and fresh energy to write articles and devotions that will challenge hearts and open minds.

Creating snappy, authentic dialogue is a challenge for

Shaun Harris

even seasoned writers but thankfully, novel and comic book writer Shaun Harris can help us improve with Me Talk Good For Money. Actions speak louder than words, but it's the great one-liners we all remember. Harris will take you through the 10 Ironclad Rules of Dialogue and why they should be broken. Expect some group participation and on the spot workshopping. 

The Lakefly Writers Conference will be held May 11-12 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Cost is $75 and includes lunch on Saturday. For more information or to register, please visit https://www.lakeflywriters.org/

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

Lakefly Writers Conference: Focus on Social Media

Even authors who have contracts with traditional book publishers are expected to have a presence on social media as a tool to attract readers and sell books. Social media is even more important for those who strike out on their own via self-publishing or use a hybrid publishing company.

While several Lakefly programs incorporate the use of social media, two programs are specifically designed for writers who want to enhance their online presence in an effective manner that will result in establishing a relationship with readers and increasing sales.

Rex Owens

Wisconsin author and most recently, a presenter at Untitled Town Book and Author Festival, Rex Owens has blogged weekly for years. How to Create a Successful Blog, he will share he’s learned along the way, including the mechanics of blogging and creating content for your blog. Questions will be welcomed!

Jill Swenson, of Swenson Book Development, has noticed recent changes in the social media landscape and will share their significance during Everything You Thought You Knew about Social Media Marketing is Now Wrong. 

 With all the modifications to Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, Google, et al, authors need to rethink what were considered best practices for marketing books. This presentation will highlight some of the most significant changes, discuss ways to protect your privacy and intellectual property, and present tried-and-true and new techniques for building your audience platform and marketing your book.

The Lakefly Writers Conference will be held May 11-12 at the Oshkosh Convention Center. Cost is $75 and includes lunch on Saturday. For more information or to register, please visit https://www.lakeflywriters.org/

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