FOOTNOTES
April 24, 2018

In This Issue:

Summer Writing Retreat; Statewide Free Events; Upcoming Classes; A&E Conference Registration; Member News; & More

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Summer Writing Retreat in Nacogdoches, TX! MEMBERS ONLY REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

We're excited to announce that registration for the 2018 Summer Writing Retreat is now open to all current Writers' League members. Now through May 7, WLT members can register for one of five classes at a discounted rate ($289, the lowest rate we've ever offered for this event). 

This year, for the first time, we'll host this annual gathering in beautiful Nacogdoches, Texas  -- the Lone Star State's oldest town, known for its rich history and wonderful gardens.  Step away from the constant distractions of everyday life and spend a week with your fellow writers immersed in your craft and drawing inspiration from the literary community.

Each registrant selects the class they'll participate in  (students stay in the same class for the duration of the event), choosing from five topics all taught by experienced instructors with winning credentials. The classes are open to writers of all genres and categories and are appropriate for both beginners and more seasoned writers.  This year's instructors include past favorites -- Charlotte Gullick , Donna M. Johnson & Kirk Wilson, Stacey Swann -- as well as two terrific instructors who are new to this event -- Christine Butterworth-McDermott and Rachel Starnes. Find this year's full class descriptions on our website .

If you've ever traveled with us all the way out to Alpine for this event (or perhaps you attended the retreat for the first time last year in Austin), consider taking the ride east to Nacogdoches with us this summer. It's going to be a special week. 


Upcoming Free Events Across Texas

April 28, 2018
      Spicewood Elementary School Cafeteria, Spicewood, TX

Join us for this free and open event featuring two presentations on the craft of writing and the business of publishing from Writers' League of Texas staff members, plus the opportunity to meet other writers in the area, learn about the WLT's programs and offerings, and more.

May 5, 2018
      Austin Central Library, Austin, TX

The Austin Public Library welcomes several of the most notable fiction authors to publish new work in 2017 and 2018 to the Austin Public Library for a day of readings, conversations, panel discussions, and craft talks. This event is FREE and open to the public. Executive Director Becka Oliver will moderate a panel at 4 pm, and WLT Member Services Manager Jordan Smith will be at the Austin Lit Fair from 2-5 pm to talk to you about all things WLT.

May 11, 2018
      Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX

It has been said that all fiction and poetry is autobiographical to a degree. But how can a writer borrow overtly from their past -- or someone else's? How does the writing process change when elements in a narrative are clearly torn from real life? To what degree can a writer obscure or change a story that is inspired by their own experiences? And in the case of memoirs, personal essay, and first-person reportage, how do writers recount their past or other's pasts accurately? Where should the story begin, what is the right frame, and how much context and background should the writer provide? Join our panelists for a discussion on these topics and more.

May 12, 2018
Texas Writes with Charlotte Gullick and Antonio Ruiz-Camacho
      Peñitas Public Library, Peñitas, TX

Join us for this free and open event featuring two presentations on craft from two acclaimed authors, plus the opportunity to meet other writers in the area, learn about the WLT's programs and offerings, and more.

May 19, 2018
Texas Writes with Meg Gardiner and David Eric Tomlinson
      Bonham Public Library, Bonham, TX  

Join us for this free and open event featuring two presentations on craft from two acclaimed authors, plus the opportunity to meet other writers in the area, learn about the WLT's programs and offerings, and more.



ONLINE CLASS
Social Media 101 for Writers  
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with Shennandoah Goodson  
 
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CST

Learn to use social media as an author without letting it take over your life.
 
You don't need to spend eight hours a day on Facebook to build a successful marketing platform. This class will cover the following:
  • The online marketing landscape and why every author should be marketing online
  • The top social media platforms and which ones work for you (guess what: you don't have to be on all of them!)
  • The key strategies of successful online marketing that work on any social media platform.
Registration closes Wednesday, April 25, at 5 p.m. CST. Everyone who registers will have access to the class recording through May 3. 

IN-PERSON CLASS
Creating, Using, and Selling Your Copyright    
with Melynda Nuss   
 
Saturday, April 28, 2018
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
St. Edward's University, Austin, TX

There is no such thing as a "standard" publishing contract - especially with the explosion of small publishing houses competing for new authors. In this class, an experienced attorney who specializes in literary law will talk about points that you can negotiate with publishers, and things that you should watch out for in agreements to publish your book. 
 
The class will also cover common questions about copyright, including when your copyright is created, whether you have to place any sort of mark on your copyrighted material to indicate that it's copyrighted, and whether you have to register your copyright for it to be valid, plus when you can use someone else's copyrighted material - art, song lyrics, etc. - in your writing.

Online registration closes Thursday, April 26, at midnight. Walk-in registrations will be accepted. 


Meet our 2018 Agents & Editors

Casey Kittrell is an editor at the University of Texas Press, where he acquires books about food, music, Texas, anthropology, and archaeology. He is co-editor of the anthology  Down Time: Great Writers on Diving. 

Casey will accept unagented submissions.

Actively Seeking

Nonfiction: Narrative, Current Events, History, Biography, Memoir, Pop Culture, Essays, Lifestyle

View the full list of agents at the 2018 A&E Conference here and the full list of editors at the 2018 A&E Conference here
!


Member News

New Releases
Eva Silverfine's (San Marcos) newly released essay collection, Elastic Walls: From Brooklyn to Texas and Points in Between, a memoir in vignettes, travels across time & place and explores that which is enduring among life's impermanent experiences. Purchase  here .

Awards & Honors
Suzanne Gene Courtney (Austin) has received a book award from Texas Authors Association for Heaven Held, An Angelic Account of Children in Transition. It was named Best Spiritual Non-Fiction Book of 2018. Visit Suzanne's website here .


Interested in having your news listed here? Current Writers' League members can submit their news to member@writersleague.org. Announcements should adhere to the following guidelines: third-person, starting with your first and last name, followed by your city of residence, maximum 50 words. We may edit your announcement for style and clarity.


 
Open Office Hours: May 10
 
Our next Open Office Hours will be on Thursday, May 10. The deadline to sign up is Thursday, May 3 at noon.  Writers' League members can meet one-on-one with a WLT staffer (in person or call in). This member benefit is available to all members regardless of their city of residence. Current members only. 

Due to limited availability, please email member@writersleague.org to sign up. Please be sure to indicate whether or not you'd like to speak in person or over the phone (and provide your phone number), and outline what questions you'd like to discuss so we can be prepared for your appointment. Before you send an email, please read the OOH guidelines available here.


 
Writer Classifieds 
 
Looking for a writing group or critique partner? Look no further than our Writer Classifieds. Current Writers' League members can submit their name, contact information, and additional details to be included as a listing on a private page on our website. 
 

Coming Up @ WLT
Classes, Free Programs, Deadlines, and Other Events Across the State

April 25 
"Social Media 101 for Writers" with Shennandoah Goodson
      Online Class
       Registration closes Wednesday, April 25, at 5 p.m. CST. Everyone who registers will have access to the class recording through May 3. 

April 28

"Creating, Using, and Selling Your Copyright" with Melynda Nuss
      St. Edward's University, Austin, TX 
      Online registration closes Thursday, April 26, at midnight. Walk-in registrations will be accepted.

Texas Writes with Becka Oliver and Michael Noll
      Spicewood Elementary School, Spicewood, TX

May 5
"Pacing the Plot of Your Novel or Short Story" with John Pipkin
      ACC Highland, Austin, TX 

New Fiction Confab
      Central Library, Austin TX

      Online Class 

May 11 
Panel: "Tell It Slant: Writing True Stories in Fiction and Nonfiction"
      Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX

May 12 

Texas Writes with Charlotte Gullick and Antonio Ruiz-Camacho
      Peñitas Public Library, Peñitas, TX

May 17 

Third Thursday: The Art of Memoir

      BookPeople, Austin, TX

May 19

"How to Conceive and Structure Personal Essays" with Antonio Ruiz-Camacho
      St. Edward's University, Austin, TX 

Texas Writes with Meg Gardiner and David Eric Tomlinson
      Bonham Public Library, Bonham, TX  

May 23 
      Online Class

June 29-July 1 
      Hyatt Regency, Austin, TX

July 29-August 3 
      Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 


This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.  Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.

Writers' League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts - Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to  www.arts.texas.gov .  

This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities,
visit www.arts.gov.
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