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FOOTNOTES
November 12, 2019
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In This Issue:
November Third Thursday, WLT's On the Craft, One Page Salon, & More
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Join us for our last three public events of 2019!
At Texas Writes in ATX this weekend, Owen Egerton said,
"Our job as writers isn't to wait for inspiration, it's to hunt down inspiration."
Don't just wait for inspiration to strike, hunt it down by spending at least one more evening surrounded by your writing community. You just might find, that's all you need.
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November Third Thursday:
WLT's On the Craft with Sherri L. Smith
Thursday, November 21, 2019
7 p.m.
Agard-Lovingood Auditorium
Huston-Tillotson University
900 Chicon Street
Austin, TX 78702
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
This event will include a craft talk with notable author Sherri L. Smith in conversation with Michael Noll, Program Director of the WLT. Sherri will be discussing story structure and research in regards to her latest novel, a powerful WWII romance between two Japanese teens caught in the cogs of an unwinnable war. The book is modeled, in part, on the Japanese kishÅtenketsu structure (as opposed to a Western 3-Act structure).
Her work has been called "enthralling!" by National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and a "gripping and emotional read" that "grabs you by the heart and won't let go until the final page."
THIS EVENT IS NOT AT BOOKPEOPLE!
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WLT's On the Craft with Edward Carey and Michael Noll
Saturday, November 16, 2019
5:30 p.m.
Lark & Owl Booksellers
Georgetown, TX 78626
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Join us at Central Texas' newest bookstore, Lark & Owl, located in beautiful downtown Georgetown for award-winning author Edward Carey and WLT Program Director Michael Noll in conversation with WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver.
There will be plenty of time for questions and mingling with writers and members. Make an evening of it! WLT members will receive a special bookstore discount on book purchases!
If you wish, come early (after 3:30 p.m.) to join fellow writers in a group write-in for National Novel Writing Month. Click here for more info about the write-in.
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One Page Salon
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
7:30 p.m.
The North Door
501 Brushy Street
Austin, TX 78702
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
One Page Salon (called "the best literary evening in town" by the
Austin American-Statesman) is the brainchild of novelist, screenwriter, and comedian Owen Egerton. During the course of the evening, five writers will read a single page from a work in progress (goodbye, literary readings that go on and on and on) and answer three questions from the hosts (hello, witty banter with the incomparable Owen Egerton).
One person from the audience will have the opportunity to read one page of their work. If you're interested, bring the page and put your name on the list once you arrive.
This will be the last public event of 2019.
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New Member Drive
In the spirit of giving, we're holding a New Member Drive this November! Do you have a writer in your life that you think could benefit from WLT programming? Or do you know a writer who is simply looking for a community? This month, you can nominate them as a potential new member of the WLT. All you have to do is fill out the nomination form below. We'll reach out to your nominee (one time only, we promise!) with some information about who we are and what we offer.
What do you get out of this you ask?
Any member who nominates someone will have their name entered into a raffle to win a $100 gift certificate applicable to any WLT programming and services. The number of people you nominate will be the number of times you're entered into the raffle. Hint hint, increase your chances by nominating as many writers as you can.
How many new members can we welcome into our community this November? We can't wait to find out!
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LAST CHANCE: ONLINE CLASS
Throw More Stones: How to Build Your Character Through Conflict
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. CST
No matter whether you're writing a character-driven or plot-driven story, comedy, drama or tragedy, it's the characters that readers follow. And to keep those characters moving and growing, you need conflict. Conflict can be big or small, come from outside or inside, but it must be challenging. When story gurus tell students to chase their characters up a tree then throw stones at them, they're talking about conflict. Conflict not only drives stories forward, it helps readers learn who the characters are by the decisions and actions they make. Conflict makes the story go round!
In this class, you'll learn about developing well-rounded, fully realized characters, the importance of conflict, types of conflict and how to use it to make your stories better.
Registrations closes Tuesday, November 12
at 5 p.m. CST. All registrants will have access to the class recording for one week.
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Character-Driven and Intricately-Plotted Mysteries
Saturday, November 16, 2019
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
ACC Highland, Austin, TX
Learn an approach to mystery writing that focuses on characters and conflict rather than figuring out your plot in advance.
Bestselling author Sherry Thomas shares her secrets for building a well-paced, well-structured mystery organically, by drawing on what a writer already knows about storytelling and characters-in-conflict. There's often an expectation that mysteries, because of their twists and turns, require a detailed outline, but this class will offer strategies for creating and finding conflicts as you go.
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ONLINE CLASS
Ten Steps to a Leaner, Cleaner, Meaner Manuscript
with Tex Thompson
"The instructor was energetic and knowledgeable. The slides were excellent."
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. CST
Do your sentences sag? Does your description drag? Or is your manuscript simply struggling to lose those last 5,000 words? Never fear! Now you can trim and tone your prose in a fearless, fun session that's guaranteed to leave your work leaner, cleaner, and meaner than ever before. Come learn how to take your writing style from flab to fab!
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ONLINE CLASS
Sparkling Sentences and Glitzy Grammar
"Hilariously entertaining; super smart."
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
6:30 to 9:30 p.m. CST
Are you tired of apologizing for your lack of syntactical savvy? Sick of crying in your commas, panicking over prepositions, and second-guessing your sentences? It's not too late to become a confident writer! Join us as we ditch the sentence diagrams and MLA handbooks to focus exclusively on the grammar issues that are relevant for storytellers of all stripes - in a fun, fearless, fast-paced workshop guaranteed to leave you feeling empowered and inspired!
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WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver, raves about Cameron Dezen Hammon's memoir This Is My Body:
"This Is My Body is an honest and compelling memoir, an exploration of the author's evolving faith coupled with a candid look at her marriage as she and her husband find themselves growing apart."
WLT Program Director Michael Noll recently picked up Mark Barr's debut novel,
Watershed:
"In his debut novel
Watershed
, Mark Barr plays up the drama caused by the changes that electricity brought. If your house had lights, if your kitchen had an electric stove and refrigerator--if, in other words, your entire world order was upended by a transformation nearly as drastic as moving from
The Flintstones
to
The Jetsons
--what would you do?
"
Our Member Services Manager / Program Coordinator, Sam Babiak, couldn't put down How We Fight For Our Lives, Saeed Jones' memoir:
"
Jones weaves his coming (out) of age story with short vignettes that paint a vivid and honest portrait of what it is like to grow up as a gay, Black man in the South."
Read their full accounts on our blog here.
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Member News
Brenda Marie Smith (Austin) has a book launch event at BookPeople for the dystopian thriller,
If Darkness Takes Us, Saturday, November 16, 2019, 5:00 p.m. 603 N. Lamar. Winner of the Southern Fried Karma Press 2018 Novel Contest, this family survival drama takes place in the author's South Austin neighborhood.
Ron Seybold (Austin) has released the audiobook of his baseball and fatherhood memoir
Stealing Home: A Father, a Son, and the Road to the Perfect Game, produced by Skin Horse Studios. Performed by the author, the audiobook is available at Audible and Amazon, Apple Books and iTunes, and Kobo Books.
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.
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Open Office Hours
Sign up for a one-on-one meeting with a WLT staffer!
On the second Thursday of every month, the Writers' League is happy to open its doors for an opportunity to schedule a 30 minute meeting with a staff member in person or over the phone. Bring all of your burning questions on the craft and business of writing!
Open Office Hours for November will be held on Thursday, November 14.
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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.
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Coming Up @ WLT
Classes, Free Programs, Deadlines, and Other Events Across the State
November 12
Online
Registration closes on Tuesday, November 12, at 5 p.m. CST. All registrants will have access to the class recording for one week.
Austin Public Library, University Hills Branch, Austin, TX
November 13
Austin Public Library, Windsor Park Branch, Austin, TX
November 14
Cenote Coffee Shop, Austin, TX
November 16
ACC Highland, Austin, TX
Lark & Owl Booksellers, Georgetown, TX
November 19
Online Class
November 20
Online Class
Austin Public Library, Windsor Park Branch, Austin, TX
November 21
Agard-Lovingood Auditorium, Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX
December 3
The North Door
December 7-8
Writers' League of Texas offices
December 11
Online Class
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This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.
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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
.
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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,
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