Websites for Writers

You probably already have more than a hundred websites and blogs linked in your bookmarks folder. There’s always room for more, particularly when you come across a great resource to offer inspiration, prompts, and insider industry know-how. From time to time, The Write Life will be happy to direct you to a handful of sites you may find worthy of bookmarking:

Writer Unboxed began in 2006 as a forum for book and writing discussions, but has since grown to be a go-to source for emerging writers. Monthly contributors include legendary literary agent Donald Maass, social media expert and former publisher of Writer’s Digest Jane Friedman, and marketing guru/novelist MJ Rose. In a recent post, Jane Friedman weighs in on the importance of copyediting and how writers can approach the skill with the know-how to earn and keep an audience coming back for more.

The Renegade Writer has an endless supply of short, energetic articles geared to help you get your butt in the chair and be productive. Focused on freelance writing, this resource can cheer you up after a rejection, steer you toward new markets, and show you ways to improve your query skills. Recent posts range in topic from “3 Excuses that are keeping you from a successful freelance writing career” to “How to gain control over your freelancing life.”

Duotrope.com should already be in your modern day file-o-fax. This resource lets you search and discover poetry and fiction markets, review guidelines, and gain insight into response times. You can also log and track your own submissions, use the handy submission tracker for improved organization, and find compatible markets based on what publications have accepted your work before. Duotrope lists more than 3600 markets you may search by pay scale, publication frequency, and genres.

More resources will be shared in the coming weeks and months. Feel free to let us know what websites and blogs are essential to your writer’s toolbox.

The Writer: contest deadline approaches

A lot can happen in a week: Thanksgiving with the family; resurfaced issues between in-laws; how a turkey can once again bring together so much love (or resentment, anger, and other genetically passed down neurosis). Use those awkward family moments to your advantage and submit your best work to The Writer essay & memoir contest, new for 2011! The deadline is Nov 30….

The Writer, in collaboration with Gotham Writers’ Workshop, invites writers to enter The Writer 2011 Essay/Memoir Contest with guest judge Lee Gutkind. Only original, unpublished works of 1,000 to 1,200 words will be accepted. Prizes include cash, publication in The Writer, and more. 

Editors at The Writer will read and judge each of the entries and select 20 semifinalists. Lee Gutkind, the finalist judge, will select and rank three winners from among the semifinalists. Lee is founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction and author of more than 20 books, including Almost Human: Making Robots Think, featured on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His new book, You Can’t Make Stuff Up, the Creative Nonfiction Writer’s Bible, will be published in July 2012 by DeCapo. He is editor of Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction.  

Entry fees are $10 US.

The deadline is 1:59PM (EDT) November 30, 2011. 

Visit this link for more info and to submit your work. Go Wilkies!

poetry MFA grads: feature reading

 

This Friday, November 18, 2011, two Wilkes Poetry MFA grads will be featured readers at the Doylestown Bookshop in downtown Doylestown, PA. 

Dawn Leas (MFA, 2009) developed her thesis about the places she lived as a child. The result was a thesis, I Know When to Keep Quiet, about moving around the country, landing in Pennsylvania, and the struggle to fit in and find a place to call home. A portion of the thesis was recently released as a chapbook titled I Know When to Keep Quiet by Finishing Line Press. 

Visit Dawn’s website here. Order Dawn’s book here. 

 

Brian Fanelli (MFA, 2010) has published poetry in a variety of national journals and websites, including Young American Poets, Word Riot, Pennsylvania Literary Journal, Boston Literary Magazine, San Pedro River Review, Yes Poetry, WritingRaw.com, Chiron Review, My Favorite Bullet, and several others. His work has also appeared in the anthology Ripasso, which also features the work of former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. Brian’s latest book of poems, Front Man, was published by Big Table Publishing Company. 

Visit Brian’s website here. Order Brian’s book here. 

The Doylestown Bookshop is a locally owned and operated bookstore dedicated to preserving the heritage and traditions of independent bookstore ideals. Dawn and Brian will be reading from their most recent works. 

Event Details:

Friday, November 18, 2011
7:00 p.m.
Doylestown Bookshop
16 South Main Street
Doylestown, PA

Wilkes student places in Hippocampus contest

Not long ago, this blog featured a Q&A with Donna Talarico, editor of Hippocampus Magazine. Within the interview, Donna mentioned The Remember in November Contest for Creative Nonfiction hosted by Hippocampus and it seems winners have been selected – and there are some bragging rights for Wilkes to celebrate! 

Vicki Mayk, Wilkes MFA, won third place for her piece, “Verismo.” Read her winning essay here. 

 

“My grandfather brought his love of opera with him from his native Sicily. He played records of the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso for hours, sometimes to the annoyance of his three daughters and one son, who preferred something more contemporary.”

— from “Verismo” by Vicki Mayk 

 

Vicki has been a journalist, magazine editor and public relations person for 35 years. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, Ms Magazine, daily newspapers, university magazines and trade publications. She is studying for an MFA in the graduate creative writing program at Wilkes University and is working on a memoir. 

Congrats, Vicki!

free AWP registration for students/faculty

The creative writing M.A./M.F.A. Wilkes programs are once again sponsors for AWP’s (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) national conference to be held in Chicago, IL February 29-March 3, 2012! If you are a Wilkes creative writing student or faculty member there are still a few conferences passes available to you. Hotel and travel is on your own, but the pass will allow you to attend all of the conference panels and readings, as well as the conference bookfair.

Students and faculty must reach Assistant Director Jim Warner via LIVE by Monday, November 11 to claim a pass.

The 2012 AWP Conference & Bookfair takes place February 29-March 3, 2012 in Chicago. This year’s conference Keynote Speaker is Margaret Atwood. See a full list of accepted 2012 readings and panels here. 

As in years past, Wilkes will have a booth shared with Etruscan Press in the Book Fair. Also, keep your eyes out for the return of the highly acclaimed All Collegiate Slam, hosted by Misterjim and the Wilkes writing programs!