Willamette Writers Salem Chapter

The Sound of Ink West Coast Poetry Performance and Open Mic

2009-06-17T21:01:00.001-07:00

Presented with no cover charge by: The SpeakEasy CafeOpen Mic Poetry Radio Show (www.Blogtalkradio.com/speakeasycafe)

LIVE at The ROXXY--1230 State Street - Salem, Oregon

When: Sunday, June 21st

Time: Doors open at 3 p.m.

Meet and greet the performers

Show & Open Mic 4 to 9 p.m.
Open to ALL-AGES until 8 p.m.

*This is a free performance
Non-perishable food donations accepted

Performers: (Not in performance order)

Apollo - (MTV) Traveling Poet Tour

Soldier Blue - Georgia

The Hydropods

David Hill

John Edge

F.I. Goldhaber

Tal

Blacque Butterfly

Beyond

Come celebrate all voices in poetry on one exciting stage. Inspire and be inspired. Take the stage during the open mic performance. Networking is encouraged. A table will be set up to distribute your information or books, CDs, event posters, class details, etc.

For more information call Nyla Alisia 971-388-1296 or email thespeakeasycafe@gmail.com

"When we step out of our comfort zones as writers, we spread our poetic wings and grow!"

Call for Submissions: The Choosing America Project

2009-05-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Choosing America Project is looking for true short stories (1,500-4,000 words) that express the very essence of being an immigrant in America.We are interested in is eliciting gripping human interest stories that will reflect the diversity of the American immigrant experience, past and present.

Our concept is to disseminate this information to as many immigrants as possible in search of the best material. Please help us convey this information to writers, editors, students, professors, educators, seniors, colleagues and friends, community leaders and organizers as well as to community groups and organizations and to anyone who you believe can contribute to this project.

For more details please go to http://www.choosingamerica.com/

Ferocious Promotion for Timid Authors by C. Hope Clark and Gwynne Spencer

2009-05-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

How would you like to have hundreds of easy, low cost or NO COST ideas for helping your book find readers in your community and in the world at large?

Most authors love to write but are at a loss when it comes to promoting the books they have written—we were all taught to be humble, right?

This new e-book isn't like anything else you're likely to find. It doesn't tell you how to spend thousands and thousands of dollars promoting your book. It's not going to tell you to try to get on Oprah or Jerry Springer either. It's full of honest, low-profile ways to tastefully promote and sell your book the same way you wrote it—from the heart.

For a free sample chapter, go to www.fundsforwriters.com/ferociouschapter.htm

To order your copy today, go to http://www.fundsforwriters.com/ferocious.htm
It's only $7.95. Paypal, Visa/MC, money orders and checks accepted.

For more information, feel free to contact the authors:
C. Hope Clark: hope@fundsforwriters.com
Gwynne Spencer: gwynnespencer@aol.com

Easy Editing Workshops

2009-05-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Why pay a professional editor when you can edit yourself?

Easy Editing Workshops will teach you the fundamentals of editing so that you can polish your manuscript for publication without wasting hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a professional editor.

After taking an Easy Editing Workshop, you’ll walk away with the confidence and skills to tackle your work with the critical eye of an editor.

Easy Editing Workshops will be offered at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels to meet all skill sets.

Registration is open for Beginner Easy Editing!

Date: Wednesday, June 24
Time: 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: Tea Party Bookshop
Cost: $40

To reserve your space please contact either Heather Cuthbertson at HeatherJoyC@aol.com or Marilyn Ebbs at SmilingEeyore@aol.com with your name, address, and phone number. You can pay by check or cash at the time of the workshop or to register via PayPal (or pay with credit card) please visit www.HeatherCuthbertson.com or www.MSEbbs.com and click on EASY EDITING WORKSHOPS.

Don’t forget to be on the lookout for Intermediate Easy Editing on Wednesday, July 22 and Advanced Easy Editing on Wednesday, August 19.

Get past the slush pile and on the editor’s desk today!

April Meeting Notes: Sage Cohen

2009-05-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Poetry is available to everybody.

What does it mean to live and write the poetic life? A poetic life is a life of receptivity where we observe, feel, and consider our lives and our world, treating things as “we are” and not as “they are.”

How can we be more receptive?

1) Welcome accidents and mistakes
2) Free-write
3) Write to different styles of music
4) Invite topics (don’t judge or dismiss what comes as a topic)

Pay attention! All we need is to be a little curious. “Being” is the space where poetry happens. Tune in to your being and start writing. Don’t try to force it—write what resonates with you.

Poetry lives on the edge where comfort and discomfort meet. Pain (such as with bad relationships, etc) is a natural starting place because it demands our attention. If you feel discomfort, let poetry give you an outlet to your discomfort (impatience/anger) and find out what is underneath. Or discover something new in what is familiar in your life and circumstances—it’s not “where” we are, it’s “who” we are in any given moment.

Sage Cohen is author of Writing the Life Poetic: An Invitation to Read and Write Poetry, forthcoming from Writer’s Digest Books, and the poetry collection Like the Heart, the World, Queen of Wands Press. Her poems appear in journals and anthologies including Poetry Flash, Oregon Literary Review, blueoregon.com and San Francisco Reader. In 2006, she won first prize in the Ghost Road Press poetry contest.

Sage has served as managing editor and monthly columnist for Writers on the Rise since 2006. She teaches Poetry for the People, an online poetry class, and has taught at the Willamette Writers and Pacific Northwest Writers Association conferences. This year, Maria Schneider, Editor of Writer’s Digest, decreed Sage the official Poet Laureate of The Writer’s Perspective blogroll. Sage holds a MA in creative writing from New York University where she was awarded a New York Times Foundation fellowship. Visit her at http://www.sagesaidso.com/.

March Meeting Notes: Laura Whitcomb

2009-04-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

Writer' shortcuts to finishing your novel faster:

1) Getting to the deeper emotion
2) Borrowing tricks from other authors
3) Shortcut to the scene

In order to get to the deeper emotion you should make a soundtrack for each novel you write. You need to ask yourself what kind of music to choose, based on what music illustrates the emotion in the novel. If you like movies, make a note every time a song in a movie touches you or reminds you of a novel you’re writing, so that you can add it to your soundtrack.

You should always start your soundtrack with a song that reminds you the most of your novel. Make sure that none of your tracks are cut with abrupt changes (so that it flows more easily and doesn’t distract you). You also want to make sure the last song on the soundtrack ends gently, so that you can listen to it over and over without being jarred from your concentration.

Borrowing tricks from other authors is an easy way to finish your novel quickly. When you’re trying to do something tricky that you haven’t done before, refer back to a novel you’ve read that addressed the issue you’re dealing with. Then think about how they managed to achieve their goal and weave it into your story in your own way.

In order to shortcut to the scene, you need to map it out in advance, create a dialogue outline and do a heart storm, which is a brainstorm from the heart. Typing them all up on one page.

Mapping out your scene in advance helps so that you can get to the 3rd or 5th draft quality the first time through. You should write down what needs to happen in the scene, but not in great detail. Put down the essentials, leaving room to be creative. One paragraph should be fine and it works best if you type it.

Your dialogue outline helps sketch out your best guess at what is going to be said in the scene. You don’t have to have a name designated for the characters at this point, just a rough idea of what you want to be said in the scene.

For your heart storm you need to think of all the emotions of the scene, and any strange ideas that come to you. Just let it flow freely, it doesn’t have to make much sense at this point.

Once you put them all together on one page, you need to print and then put it next to your keyboard while you work on your novel. Take what you want from each area—mixing and matching things.

Exercise for home…
Write a page as fast as you can. Instead of thinking of a scene for your novel, just think about a moment with emotion and write about it. Choose something that has a lot of emotion in it (ex: fear, anger, love). Take ten things you like from the page and turn them into a poem.

Laura Whitcomb’s first novel A Certain Slant of Light (Houghton Mifflin, 2005), was a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, a Book Sense Pick, an ALA Best Books for Young Adults selection. It was published as an audio book by Random House, is being published in six foreign languages, and was a finalist is six state teen book contests. Her writing book, Your First Novel, co-authored by literary agent Ann Rittenberg, was a Writers Digest Books featured selection for November 2006. Her new novel for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, The Fetch, was just released. http://www.laurawhitcomb.com/

February Meeting Notes: F.I. Goldhaber

2009-04-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Developing a Marketing Plan for a Novel

There are three equal parts to getting your book published:

(1) You write the novel.

(2) You work on getting your novel in the hands of a publisher.

(3) Then you work on getting your novel in the hands of the reader. To do this, you need a marketing plan.

Why a marketing plan?

70% of books don’t make a profit. If you want to increase your chances of success (having readers, selling books, etc), then you’ll need to develop a concrete marketing plan for your novel. There are two ways you can look at marketing: Either you can spend time (do it yourself) or money (hire someone else to do it).

Creating a Marketing Plan:

1) Finding Your Market:

Who will read your book and where do you find those people? Books appeal to different people so it’s important to find your target audience.

2) Make a Budget:

Before making grandiose marketing plans, make sure you have the money to afford it.

3) Word of Mouth:

The number one factor in books with sales is “word of mouth” endorsement.

If you have a publicist, ask this person how to help her efforts. If not, let the publisher know what you’re willing to do to help market your book. Make sure your publisher has all the information that they need.

Booksellers are incredibly important in “word of mouth” marketing and you want to cultivate relationships with them. Go to bookstores, check out “staff picks” of book, and figure out which staff member might like your book.

4) Book signings:

Book signings can be very depressing since it’s possible that nobody could show up (if this happens work on developing a relationship with the booksellers while you are there). If you want to draw more people to the event don’t just read and sell books… do something interesting. Come up with a gimmick to get people to follow you. If you don’t have time to set up an event, call a bookseller to help them sell stock.

Keep in mind, publishers don’t usually do book tours unless you are a best selling author. However if you successfully do a local tour, the publisher may be willing to have you go to a few other cities. Concentrate on creating success regionally. If you do, publishers would be more likely to give you dollars for a larger campaign.

5) Think Outside the Bookstore:

Think of places people would be that would be interested in the subjects of your books, such as museums, yachting, ships, and gardening groups.

Also, look for places that are on the lookout for speakers regularly. Book clubs are good because everyone in the book club will be reading your books and asking questions about it.

Don’t forget civic organizations, church groups—just about any group you belong to. These places will let you promote your book because they are not going to pay you to speak. Take advantage of anyone who will listen and provide you with a forum, take advantage of that.

When you give a presentation, don’t just read from your novel or tell what your novel is about—let the audience get to know you.

6) Guerilla Marketing:

Take advantage of friends and family. Never underestimate a mother with lots of friends. Have friends face your book out when they go to bookstores, and ask them for reviews. Encourage family and friends to buy autographed copies for Christmas, events, and holidays.

Non-local friends can talk up your book to others and help you promote your books when you can’t be there. Don’t’ forget to ask your friends to forward your email announcements to everyone on their email list.

7) Media:

You want to get in front of the media every which way you can. You want your newspaper to report when your book comes out. Go everywhere you have the opportunity.

Don’t forget newspapers where you have other ties—your hometown and where you parents live—and professional newsletters.

Newsletters will often publish little snippets like your alumni newsletter and church newsletter.

Take advantage of your local radio and TV stations. The smaller the market the most likely you’ll get on, the bigger the harder to get on.

A trick to newspaper media is to get the name of the editor that will be making the decision to cover the story. Find out how they prefer communication (snail mail, email, etc).

8) Press Kit:

You want both an electronic and paper copy of your press release.

In your cover letter, explain your connection to the newspaper, newsletter, and TV or radio station. Offer the copy of the book to review, but know that they would most likely turn it down.

In your press release, provide clippings (there’s no better way to get another newspaper to cover you than if you’ve already been covered), reviews/blurbs, and awards (your rewards may not necessarily be connected to your book.) If you provide a professional photo—pay for a good professional photo. You can also have a suggested interview list of questions or facts. You might also want a sidebar from your book in the release.

Most importantly, you want to show that you can make a good guest and are interesting.

9) Online Promotions:

You must have a website. If you can’t come up with an html code yourself, hire someone else to do it for you. If you use a website builder service, make sure to invest in your own domain rather than a free website. Use medatags for websites, if you don’t know what that is—find out.

Set up a database of all the people you know, and send them emails. Send regular emails to the people on your mailing list, but not too much that they want to unsubscribe.

Get on newsgroups and list serves (you can find these on yahoo or google). You should also participate in blogs.

Look into buying promotional things you can give out at meetings, such as bookmarks. Business cards should have information, blurb, and pitch on the back. You don’t want to have your address on the business card, only your name, website and email.

If you use snail-mail, put your url on the envelope so people handling it can see it as well.

10) Networking:

There are two types of networking—online and in person.

For online networking use Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and make sure to blog on whatever you use most. (You can copy and paste the same blog in both places), but make sure to be careful about what you post or blog about.

For example, find a discussion group on yahoo/facebook and make sure it’s relevant to your story. You want to make sure it’s a big group with active members. Join the group and introduce yourself if that’s appropriate to the group. Read posts and find something that you have expertise about and respond to the post. People will become familiar with you and rely on your information and help.

For in person networking there are three steps to making networking easier: Listen, ask questions, and look for opportunities to share information or connect them to someone who can help them.

Authors often fall in to the category of being “shy.” You have to introduce yourself to strangers and make new friends. Take advantage of lucky opportunities, whatever that may be.

F.I. Goldhaber has more than twenty-five years of writing and marketing experience. She spent six years as a newspaper reporter and editor and seventeen years working as a writer, editor, and marketing communications consultant for business, government, and not-for-profit entities. During her marketing career, F.I. developed and implemented budgets that ranged from minuscule to millions of dollars. She often worked with entrepreneurial clients, helping them market their products and services on a shoestring.

A graduate of the University of Washington, F.I. has written fiction and poetry full time for the last seven years. She has sold short stories and novelettes to magazines and anthologies in the U.K. and U.S., had two novels and a poetry book published by small presses in the last year, received several awards for her short fiction and poetry, and judged the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and Eppie Literary contests.

http://www.goldhaber.net/

Spark--Submission Guidelines

2009-04-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

SPARK is an exciting new voice in Salem, Mid-Valley, and greater Oregon culture. We are a well-written, professionally designed, hip, literate magazine focusing on community, art, music, and culture. We break barriers, push boundaries, pull back curtains, and shine a light, capturing the vitality and spark of our community through narrative non-fiction, creative photography, and graphic arts.

SPARK is accepting open submission of your own creative choosing; we will also request specific pieces at times.

SPARK features both long-form pieces (essay, photography, and graphic) and recurring columns. (We are also interested in shorter side-bars and interesting content, so if you have an idea, please contact us.) The columns all have specific themes and styles. They are as follows:

“Dish” – Our twist on the food column. Rather than writing a review of a local restaurant, we want a narrative tale of some “food item” experience in the Mid-Valley to try to capture the audience element in it. Whether it’s a romantic meal at Alessandro’s, a stunning lunch with friends at Willamette Noodle, a fantastic basket of Cajun tots at McMenamins or a late night drunken burrito at Muchas…we want the story that goes with the meal. It can or should include atmosphere, setting, situation…the whole story.

“Beat” – Our coverage of the local music scene in Salem. Again, we are steering away from reviews, and instead welcome stories about a local show, a local band or musician, a locally release album, or even something else entirely. If it’s about music in the Mid-Valley (or connected to the Mid-Valley) we want to hear it.

“Pulse” – Coverage of art in Salem. This is a broad definition. Could be fashion, physical art, poetry, film…anything creatively being done in Salem or the Mid-Valley, or connected to it. Again, no reviews. Stories, perspectives, profiles…make it interesting. Be creative, and look for new ways to tell the stories you want to tell.

“Go” – There is a lot more to do in Salem. Go is our coverage of those events. It could be a local Volcanoes game, a trip with the Audubon Society, an underground alternative “whatever.” If people in Oregon are doing it, we want to hear about it. Try to avoid the obvious things that get a lot of coverage in the other media outlets. Get a little below the surface. (There may be some cross over with Beat or Notes, but just write away and let us decide where it goes.)

“Give” – There are a lot of people in Salem working to make it a better place, making a difference, and we want stories of them and/or their projects. It can be a really high-profile person or organization, or just someone in a local neighborhood that makes it a nicer place to live. Whatever makes the community sparkle, this is their story.

“Past” – One of the greatest things about this area is that it has SO much history. This column is going to be our way of looking into the shadows of the past to see what they can tell us about this place where we live. Again, this CAN include stories about music or art in the past, and we’ll figure out where it’s going to go. Just write away, have fun with this one.

“Live” – Definitely the most esoteric of our columns. There is something to be said about the experience of living in Oregon, and in this region, that is unique and different from elsewhere. This is a chance to delve a little deeper into the creative roots and write about what it means to live here in the great Northwest.

We may have other columns that sprout up as time goes along, please ask any questions about style, content, or function. But don’t restrict yourself too much. Write. Most of what we don’t publish in the magazine we will find a way to publish on our website, so write away!

The features can be on just about anything you feel inspired to write about. They can be longer form versions of any of the above sections, or about something that does not fit within any of the molds above.

Non-writers may also submit work. Though the magazine will be generally based in a literary footing, we will be using photography, poetry, artwork, comics, and other forms to accentuate and articulate the magazine’s content often, so submit your heart out!

For all pieces, the key of tone to keep in mind is: what is the humanity of this story? How is it relevant to the greater experience of living in Oregon and the Mid-Valley? Why do we care? Though the magazine is designed to bring about the specialness of Salem, it does not mean that all the pieces have to be inherently positive. Just find the humanity of the story.

If you already have work completed, please submit it immediately. We would like to begin integrating content in short order. So please do submit soon.

Thanks, and we look forward to reading or seeing your work soon.

Ryan Rogers - Spark Publisher
Nyla Ward - Editor-in-Chief
www.sparkofsalem.com

Meeting Notes

2009-04-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

We are running behind on posting the meeting notes. Hopefully, we'll have February, March, and April up soon.

Children’s Writing Workshop

2009-03-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

Shannon Riggs will be conducting a workshop for children’s writers at Chemeketa Community College on Sat. May 2 nd from 10 am – 3 pm. This will be a one-day workshop that will provide writers with some practical how-to’s for each stage of the writing process. To learn more, please visit www.myspace.com/chemwrites.

There will also be children’s book drive to benefit Family Building Blocks of Salem. If you bring a book, you get a literary lollipop!

Workshop info and registration:
Sat. May 2, 10 am – 3 pm
Chemeketa Bldg. 3/Rm. 100
CRN 78037 ($75)
Discounts available for Chemeketa staff & students
Contact: jvanstav@chemeketa.edu
(503) 365-4728

Shannon Riggs is the author of Not in Room 201 and she has been a Salem Chapter presenter.

SPARK: Accepting Submissions

2009-03-07T17:04:00.001-08:00

SPARK is an exciting new voice in the Salem, Mid-Valley, and greater Oregon culture.

We long to create a well-written, professionally designed, hip, literate magazine which will delve into the community, art, music, and culture that surrounds us.

It is being designed as a cutting edge publication We want to add to the vitality and spark of our community by capturing and sharing the (sometimes hidden) spirit that surrounds us. We want to break barriers, push boundaries, pull back curtains, and shine a light into the misty memories.

There is so much intrigue, excitement, creativity, mystery, passion, goodness, beauty, titillation, and yes, weirdness that surrounds us, and we feel that this story needs to be told: through narrative non-fiction, through creative photography, and through graphic art.

We are currently seeking contributors of all kinds: writers, editors, graphic artists, photographers, visual artists, volunteers...EVERYTHING! If you have it in you to create, we want you! VERY much!(We do accept submissions from writers in Portland, Eugene or elsewhere. We also accept stories that are not necessarily about Salem, Corvallis, or the Mid-Valley BUT that IS our primary focus.)

Contact Info
Email:
cultureshockproject@gmail.com
Website:
http://www.myspace.com/sparkofsalem
Location:
Salem, OR
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=54452079861#/group.php?gid=58879021206

January Meeting Notes: Eric Witchey

2009-02-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

High Functioning Critique Groups

Highly functioning critique groups have changes in leadership and spawn high-functioning careers in writing.

The purpose of a critique group is to analyze (critique) not criticize. Usually the analytic skills in the group are only as good as the best writers in the group.

It’s important not to go to a critique group to get your story fixed. Go to analyze others material. If there is not enough material, choose a chapter from a book and analyze that.

There are two reasons why a critique group will self-destruct: Success and failure.

Success can destroy a critique group because when someone succeeds. With impending deadlines from editors/agents, the successful author can’t focus on other writers’ works because they are too busy. On the other side, jealous from other writers in the group can rise out of this and cause resentment and a refusal to help the successful writer.

Failure can destroy a critique group. If writers don’t feel closer to their goals, they will leave. This can happen when other writers stop bringing work to analyze and turn the critique session into a social hour instead.

The secret to a high functioning group is to celebrate small successes. Keep the professionals at the table by congratulating and rewarding them when they sell and keep the unpublished writers by rewarding them for meeting their goals.

The most effective critique group does the following:

1) Submit material in advance

2) Give the material an initial read, then leave material for a few days.

3) Go back and read again and take notes.

4) Meet at group with a minute or two a piece to talk about the most important points in the material.

Some other things to keep in mind when you’re analyzing:

1) Utilize other writer’s genres. Even if you don’t write romance, you may have a love interest in your story.

2) Know the goal of any piece of writing. Make it an exercise to find the goal of other writer’s piece because it will help with your own writers.

3) Know the emotional goal of how it will affect the reader emotionally.

Critique Group Schematics:

1) According to studies, the ideal group is 6-12 people, but two deeply committed people can be sufficient. When there are more than 15 people, the meetings need to be clear.

2) Someone in the group is in charge, but everyone anticipates running the group. It is normal for the critique group to deteriorate to a comfortable activity. Professional writing is not a place to be comfortable. Everyone has to stretch their skills. Put different people in charge so that everyone respects the process.

3) Set a quota at a reasonable level (a novel a year, three stories a year), but you don’t want to overburden your membership. There needs to be a minimum level of production. Usually, the people that cause trouble don’t make their quotas.

4) Add some diversity: Do not have the same personality types/religious views/etc. Diversity helps add depth to the text by bringing an alternate perspective. It is important to find as many different perspectives as you can.

Once you’ve completed revisions and taken your work to a critique group, put it in the mail. You can learn more of the writing process a lot faster by writing another story rather than rewriting the same story over and over and over again. It’s important to remember that there is a direct relationship between the number of stories produced and the success of the writer.

Eric M. Witchey has sold over 50 short stories and a novel into national and international markets. His stories have appeared in multiple genres under several names. His How-to articles have appeared in The Writer Magazine, Writer's Digest Magazine, and other print and on-line magazines. He has won awards and recognition from a number of organizations, including Writers of the Future, Writer's Digest, New Century Writers, and ralan.com. For more information, please go to http://www.ericwitchey.com/.

An Evening for Writer's Networking

2009-02-23T22:25:00.001-08:00

Oregon Writers Colony presents:
An Evening for Writer's Networking
Thursday, April 23
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Coffee House Cafe
135 Liberty St NE
Salem, OR
(Free. OWC membership not required.)

Salem Chapter Critique Group Changing Venues

2009-02-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

Salem Chapter Critique Group is moving to a new location. If you are interested in participating, you can now find us in the Green Room @ The Coffee House Café. We are a really great group and always looking for fresh new perspectives.

The Coffee House Café
135 Liberty St NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 371-6768

Any questions about the critique group, please contact Heather at HeatherJoyC@aol.com.

Open Mic Nite

2009-02-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

For all poets and slam, spoken word type singers...

When: Every Thursday
Time: 7 - 10 pm
Place: @the Blue Pepper
Where: 241 Commercial St NESalem, Oregon 97301
Contact: Phone: (503) 371-4600 Fax: (503) 371-3825
email: bluepepperowner@qwest.net
http://bpepper1002.qwestoffice.net/

A Nite of Poetry

2009-02-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

The Coffee House Café presents:

A Nite of Poetry

1st and 3rd Sundays of every month
7 – 9:30pm with your hosts:
Lucas Hill & Hannah Aia
(Suggested $3 donation)
And coming soon…
Poet of the Month

Also featured at the Coffee House Café:

A time to get together with other writers:
Writing prompts, workshops and feedback on your work
2nd and 4th Sundays of every month7 – 9:30pm

For more information contact:
Hannah Aia
hannahblythe6@hotmail.com

Children's Book Writers Workshop

2009-01-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

THE OREGON COAST CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS WORKSHOP, SUMMER 2009

This summer, July 13-17, 2009, we proudly will present the seventh Oregon Coast Children's Book Writers Workshop in the exquisite Oregon coast town of Oceanside. The instructors will be five authors, David Greenberg, Eric Kimmel, Pamela Smith Hill, Tom Birdseye, and Margaret Anderson, one children's book agent, Susan Cohen (Writers House), and two children's book editors, Molly O'Neill (HarperCollins), and Jill Dembowski (Little, Brown).

Summer Workshop 2009 promises to be our best yet because:

1) The instructor-student ratio will be a maximum of one to six
2) We will have five author-instructors (specializing in novels, picture books, non-fiction, and poetry), one children's book agent-instructor, and two editor-instructors
3) Each day, you will meet with an instructor for at least one comprehensive consultation, and
4) You can have one-on-one informal meetings with instructors each day as well, and
5) We will offer at least twelve instructional lectures on various aspects of writing and publishing.
6) There will also be guest lecturers

If you are ambitious to publish a children's book (or simply adore children's books), this is the workshop for you. One of our 2003 students, Maureen Hoessle, has just had her first book published: Under Three Flags, Exploring Early St. Louis History. She credits our workshop for helping to make this happen. Another student, Anne Carrelli, gives us great credit for the imminent publication of her first picture book, Amina's New Friends. Three other authors from our past workshops have signed with Susan Cohen, our agent-instructor, who is actively representing their work (and who will be back with us next summer).

The course is available for graduate credit.

For complete information, including reviews from last summer's attendees, we welcome you to visit our website at www.occbww.com If you're interested in joining, there are only a handful of class slots left, so you should probably register fairly soon. www.occbww.com

November Meeting Notes: Christina Katz

2009-01-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

Get Known Before the Book Deal: A Platform Development Checklist Presentation

In regards to platforms, there are two ideologies: People who do have a great platform and don’t own it and people who are confused about platforms and wonder how long it will take to get one.

People write for two reasons: (1) to have a professional career and (2) writing to make money. Regardless of which two you may fall into, writing needs to be treated like a business. Questions you should ask yourself are the following: Why this book, why this book right now, and why this book by you specifically.

Although this may appear as a very dry way to look at writing because, as writers, we fall in love with words and our ideas, but at some point writers need professional distance and to look at each other objectively. This is important because ultimately what we want when an agent/editor reads or hears our pitch is that we want them to look at the book.

What is a platform? A platform is how visible you are, the size of your readership (a readership can be composed of website, blog, newsletter, etc.), public speaking, and writing workshop leader/teacher. Essentially, a platform is anything that makes you visible to your future readers.

Ultimately, the goal of building a platform is to become increasingly known.

Platform Checklist:

1) Expertise: Have you clarified your expertise? If you are writing nonfiction, you are putting yourself out as an expert. Your expertise is the things you “do.” Personal experience can be good for expertise.

2) Your Niche: Carve out a distinct niche among other work already published. Make it different. Give it a unique twist. Find a way to make your topic specific and narrow, especially with nonfiction. If there are other books in that topic, set your work apart by fulfilling a specific niche. Anybody can create a niche.

3) Audience Needs/Wants: It’s important to know who your first readers will be in your specified niche market (ie. commercial fishing families). Don’t write without an audience in mind. Editors/agents will want to have that clear idea of who the audience will be and if it’s big enough.

The above are the first three criterions you will need to start developing a platform. If you don’t have them, you must continue to work on those before you move on.

4) Current Industry Realities: Communicate with industry professionals with professionalism and poise. They count. Conferences are helpful in helping you develop this.

5) Take the Point of View of the Seasoned Gatekeepers: Be passionate about your writing, but it is also beneficial to step outside yourself and assess your strengths and weakness’ from the viewpoint of agents and editors.

6) Take 100% Responsibility: Do not expect someone else to make or break your writing career. Your career is in your hands.

7) Incorporating Input: Invite and incorporate feedback from the most qualified sources, including readers.

8) Staying Competitive: Keep your finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving publishing industry and respond in a timely manner. There’s always something new.

9) Future Trends: Keep your eye on future trends, but don’t forget to stay grounded in the moment. Try to keep up with all the trends.

10) Platform Growth: Allow your platform to be an integrated, authentic and organic process. It will build momentum and take fruit as time goes on.

11) Good Things Happen: Success happens in cloisters. Even if you feel that all you’re doing is giving, keep in mind it all comes back around. However, don’t give so much that you neglect your own progress.

12) Trust your Gut: The best way to approach your personal writing growth is take experience from many types of writers as possible, but use your gut to determine what works for you.

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Your One-pager:

This is your platform “at a glance.” Put everything on one piece of paper (visual on the left and bullet points on the right). Have your proposed statistics for your audience and don’t forget to include previous publications.

Make sure you communicate who you are whether it’s an online or print presence. What is your author name going to be? What will be your professional identity? People are going to know who you are as… what?

Some things to consider including:

Tagline: A tagline is a good way to plant who you are and what you are in people’s minds.

Mission Statement: Think about your values. Connect passion with what you do.

Client/student testimonials: If you have them, they are great to have your testimonials in writing and to share.

Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform and Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids. Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication.

Upcoming Writing Class by Eric Witchey

2009-01-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Writing Short Stories for Fun and Profit -- Not Just Fiction Anymore

Join us to write short fiction for fun, for money, or to learn to write novels.

This hands-on, five-session class on short story writing will include discussion, exploration, and exercises in story structure, character development, theme development, language use, and marketing. The class is appropriate for students of all levels. The class will meet five times over seven weeks on Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00 at The Tea Party Bookshop.

Class dates appear below. It will be taught by award-winning author Eric Witchey.

For additional details or to sign up, contact The Tea Party Bookshop or Eric Witchey at:
http://www.teapartybookshop.com/ PH: 503.990.6471
http://www.ericwitchey.com/ PH: 503.581.0458

Cost for five, three-hour sessions over a seven-week period: $200.00. Class size limited to 15. Non-refundable deposit of $50.00 required. Balance due before the beginning of the first session.

Class Dates:
Feb. 15th and 22nd
Mar. 8th, 22nd, and 29th

About The Instructor, Eric Witchey:

Eric M. Witchey has sold over 50 short stories and a novel into national and international markets. His stories have appeared in multiple genres under several names. His How-to articles have appeared in The Writer Magazine, Writer's Digest Magazine, and other print and on-line magazines. He has won awards and recognition from a number of organizations, including Writers of the Future, Writer's Digest, New Century Writers, and ralan.com. When not writing or teaching, he restores antique, model locomotives or tosses small bits of feather and pointy wire at laughing trout.

Currently Available Articles and Stories from Eric Witchey:
· Article: The Writer Magazine: "How To Obtain Sharp, Useful Critiques." Jan. 2009
· Article: The Writer Magazine Web Site: "The Care and Feeding of High-functioning Critique Groups." December, 2008
· Fiction: "Can You See Me Now?" Available online at www.Clarkesworld.com, Issue 24.
· Fiction: "Mirages," http:\\www.wheatlandPress.com. Soon to appear nationally in print in the Polyphony 7 anthology.
· Teaching: Willamette Writers. Five Minutes on Fiction. June, 2008 on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzJlg2tQf3M

Upcoming Events, Articles, and Fiction:
· Speaking: Willamette Writers Meeting January 6th, Portland's Old Church. (details at www.ericwitchey.com)
· Speaking: Willamette Writers Meeting January 8th, Salem. (details at www.ericwitchey.com)
· Fiction: "Mirages." Polyphony 7. On-line December, 2008. Print volume February, 2009
· Teaching: TripleTree Press Seminars. March 13-15, 2009 (details at http://www.ericwitchey.com/)

Additional Awards, Credits, and Credentials:
http://www.ericwitchey.com/

Upcoming Workshops by Sara Wiseman

2009-01-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

Journal Writing for Spiritual Growth

Choose from two sessions: Sunday, March 15 • 11 am to 1 pm OR Sunday, May 3 • 11 am to 1 pm

At this intensive, experiential workshop, you’ll learn new ways to use your journal to delve deep into the heart of your soul. We’ll write, laugh, cry and use our whole bodies in this soul-immersion session, focusing on:
• How to write deeply, without fear
• How to find clarity through your writing
• How to use meditation to enhance your process
• How to use music to access emotions
• An overview of how to manifest in writing, and
• A brief introduction to channeled writing

WHAT TO BRING: dress comfortably as we will be moving our bodies. Also, bring a notebook and pen (or plan to purchase one at the store), plus anything you need or would like to share. Snacks provided.

COST: Tickets $60 advance, $70 day of event at Tea Party Bookshop, 420 Ferry St. SE. Event held at Tea Party Bookshop, in the upstairs workshop room.

Writing with the Muse

Choose from two, 2-class sessions: Fridays, February 27 & March 13 OR
Fridays, April 10 & 24

Do you want to write, but can’t seem to find the time? Are you being held hostage by a project you can’t seem to more forward? Wish there was a way to make the writing process easier? This uber popular class includes TWO intensive classes filled with exercises, aha! moments, lots of laughter and an insanely supportive environment.

Join us and learn:
• how to find your writing voice
• how to get “unstuck” fast
• techniques to help your creativity flow
• the four essential steps of the creative process
• why using this process will help open your writing in ways you never dreamed!

Come prepared have fun and be completely surprised by the writing you produce!

BRING: Bring a notebook and pen (or buy one at the store). Snacks provided.

COST: Tickets $60 advance, $70 day of event at Tea Party Bookshop, 420 Ferry St. SE. Event held at Tea Party Bookshop, in the upstairs workshop room.

How to Market Your Work

One session only!

Get ready for the Willamette Writers’ Conference! 2-class workshop on Fridays, June 12 and 26 • 6 to 8 pm

This concentrated, 2-class workshop will teach you the step-by-step process to marketing your fiction, including:
• determining your market
• researching your competition
• locating and attracting an agent
• where to send materials
• how to package/brand your materials
• live pitch practices
• and much more.

Session is spaced two weeks apart to allow for time to get your materials prepared. Caution: the workload for this class is intense! However, if you do the work, you’ll end up with everything you need to • start sending out your fiction work or • pitch an agent at a summer conference.

This course is designed for FICTION; non-fiction folks, check with me first to see if this workshop is right for you. Already taken this class but want to hone your work? Take it again—the benefits will be just as great!

BRING: A notebook/journal to write in (or buy one at the store). Snacks provided.

COST: Tickets $60 advance, $70 day of event at Tea Party Bookshop, 420 Ferry St. SE. Event held at Tea Party Bookshop, in the upstairs workshop room.

Manifesting via Writing

Choose from three sessions: Saturday, February 21 • 10:30 am to 1:30 pm OR Sunday, April 5 • 11 am to 1 pm OR Sunday, June 14 • 11 am to 1 pm

Manifesting is incredibly simple—you just have to know how. The wildly popular The Secret and Law of Attraction teach a style of manifesting. But actually—there are easier ways.

Come to this fun, hands-on workshop, and learn how to…
• Clarify what you want
• Receive Divine guidance on what you actually need
• Manifest everything your heart longs for, from the ineffable (spiritual awakening) to the specific (a new job).
• Learn how to manifest specifically and correctly using writing.
• Learn the second and third stages of manifesting
• Learn how to follow Divine clues and strands.

This class is suitable for adults who are ready to experience immediate changes in their lives, and for those who are beginning to wonder if perhaps there is MORE to this life than they are currently experiencing (answer: there is!).

BRING: A notebook/journal to write in (or buy one at the store). Snacks provided.

COST: Tickets $60 advance, $70 day of event at Tea Party Bookshop, 420 Ferry St. SE. Event held at Tea Party Bookshop, in the upstairs workshop room.

About the facilitator: Sara Wiseman is an author, intuitive, singer and consultant. Her book, WRITING THE DIVINE will be published by Llewellyn in Fall 2009. Sara works extensively with channeled writing, and offers private readings and creative consults. For information on any of the above workshops, contact sara@sarawiseman or visit http://www.sarawiseman.com/.

Play Well with Words Workshop

2009-01-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

"Plays Well With Words"
Thursday Night series (6 weeks) in Salem
Dates: January 29 – March 5
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm (light refreshments provided)
Location: Woodland Chapel Library (582 High Street SE, Salem).
Cost: $115 (sliding fee or payment plan available, paypal accepted)

*The workshop has a maximum of 10 participants so please register in advance. No payment is expected until after the first night, so you are welcome to attend to see if the workshop is a fit for you before choosing to participate in the full 6-week workshop.

All Writing Matters workshops use the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method (www.amherstwriters.com) and are led by Joanne Scharer, an AWA certified workshop leader/coach and affiliate.

These workshops are unique experiences providing a safe place to experiment, create, work on an existing writing project, learn more about yourself, heal, or reflect in a supportive and affirming atmosphere.

The workshops are open to all writers (and yes, everyone is a writer...) regardless of writing experience, age, ethnicity, educational background, or genre interest.

Contact Joanne Scharer at 503-409-9910 or joanne@allwritingmatters.com
http://www.allwritingmatters.com/

Soul Immersion Workshop: Journal Writing for Spiritual Growth

2008-12-08T18:01:00.001-08:00

SOUL IMMERSION WORKSHOP: Journal Writing for Spiritual Growth

Saturday, January 24
• 10:00 am to 1 pmTea Party Bookshop (workshop room)
• 420 Ferry SE, downtown Salem.

We are now a point in human development where the practice of journal writingcan have as much power to affect our lives as meditation or prayer.In order to utilize a journal for soul growth and personal development, we must understand how to use this new tool. A journal is your direct link to the Divine, the universe, God, whatever name you choose. Because of this, your journal must be filled with your own personal truths, which will be as sacred and profane as life itself.

At this intensive, experiential workshop, you’ll learn new ways to use your journal to delve deep into the heart of your soul,. We’ll write, laugh, cry and use our whole bodies in this workshop, focusing on:

• How to write deeply, without fear
• How to find clarity through your writing
• How to use meditation to enhance your process
• How to use music to access emotions (if you’ll be dancing, please dress comfortably)
• How to manifest in writing and
• A brief introduction to channeled writing

Note: All writing done in the workshop is confidential—you may choose to share it or not. This workshop focuses on the Divine, but subscribes to no particular religion or belief system.

$60 in advance, $70 day of event
• Purchase at Tea Party Bookshop or via www.sarawiseman.com (email sara@sarawiseman.com). Refreshments will be served. Please bring a journal and dress comfortably so you can stretch, sit, and move.

About the facilitator: Sara Wiseman is an author, intuitive, singer and writing teacher. Her book, WRITING TO GOD: THE 33 DIVINE LESSONS will be published by Llewellyn in Fall 2009. Sara works extensively with channeled writing.

Elizabeth Lyon: Manuscript Makeover

2008-11-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

In the December '08 issue of The Writer magazine, contributing editor Chuck Leddy, also a reviewer for The Boston Globe, cites Manuscript Makeover: Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford, a 368-page book by Elizabeth Lyon, as among the "10 great writing books from '08."

He writes: "Perhaps the most comprehensive book yet written on the process of revising fiction."

Don't forget that Elizabeth Lyon will be presenting for Willamette Writers Salem Chapter in June. You DO NOT want to miss this opportunity!

Author Signings

2008-11-17T13:04:00.001-08:00

Saturday, November 22:

12 Oregon authors will be selling and signing their books from 1-5 P.M @ the JCPenney Court, lower level east end at Clackamas Town Center.

Thirty percent of the proceeds will go to Doernbecher's Children's Hospital.

To view an online poster go to
www.SeedsOfCivilization.com/signing/AuthorsHoliday.jpg

www.SeedsOfCivilization.com/signing/flyers_Authors.jpg

Call for Submissions

2008-11-16T21:42:00.001-08:00

Visual Art, Music, Film, Writing

Perceptions, a journal of the arts published by Mt. Hood Community College, is now open for submissions. The journal includes the work of established writers/artists as well as work from new talent. Our only requirement is quality.

We accept work in six genres: poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, music, visual art/photography (color and b&w), and film.

All contributors whose work is accepted for publication will receive a contributor copy, and the top entry in each genre (as judged by a body of student editors) will receive $100. There is no entry fee.

The submission period ends January 16, 2009. Questions? Contact Lidia Yuknavitch, faculty adviser to the Perceptions student staff:
Lidia.Yuknavitch@mhcc.edu.

Submissions may be emailed to this address:

megamind9@gmail.com

or mailed to the following address:

Mt. Hood Community College
Humanities Division c/o Perceptions Magazine
26000 SE Stark Street
Gresham, OR 97030

If you would like to receive a free review copy to see if your work might be a good fit, please email the address below. Other questions about the magazine or the submission or judging process are very welcome.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing your creativity!

Note: You do not have to be a current/former MHCC student or involved with the college in any way to submit your work.