Braving the frigid January weather here in the Northeast, a dozen of us met on Wednesday to talk about writing. One new member signed in from Egypt, pushing our Canadian member, Alison McBain to second place for the most distant attendee!
I’m starting this post with the Indie Author Project Awards, which I won last year for my novel, A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Over, because it’s offering a free virtual call to explain the contest rules on January 23. So, although you can’t submit until April 1, I’ve listed it first, in case you’re considering entering.
The Indie Author Project (IAP), until now a prestigious regional contest for indie-published authors (small indie press, hybrid, press or self-published), is changing its structure in 2024. One reason it’s a good place to submit is the it’s organized by librarians, whose mission has always been to connect independent authors and local libraries, and to foster this relationship in a way that elevates quality indie books and gets them into the hands of patrons in their author’s own local communities and beyond. In 2024 they will be switching from location-based contests, with winners in each participating region, to genre-based contests that will have winners in each of the following categories: Romance, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Historical Fiction, General Fiction, Memoir, and Young Adult Fiction. There will be one winner ($2500 prize) and two finalists ($500 prize) chosen for each genre. Submissions are open from April 1–May 31, and the winners announced during Indie Author Day (every November). They’ll be hosting a launch call to discuss the contest format in more detail, and answer any questions you may have, on Tuesday, January 23 at 3:00 PM EST. You can register to attend here.
RJ Julia Booksellers, the renowned Connecticut indie bookstore, has resumed its local and independent author events featuring up to six authors and their books in an evening at their Middletown store. The application period for fiction titles ends on January 31. All fiction is eligible for this event except for mystery, historical fiction and sci-fi/fantasy. If you are shortlisted, they will contact you directly by Friday, February 9, to request a copy of your book for further consideration. They receive thousands of applications, so will only contact you if they want a copy of your book to consider. Apply here.
The deadlines for entering the Connecticut Press Club Awards are coming up. Books, January 31. All other submissions, February 7. To be eligible, writers must live or work in the state, the the work submitted must have appeared in 2023. To enter, follow the directions on the contest site. There are more than 60 categories—check here for a complete list of categories. Email the contest director Tom Renner with questions about the contest.
Until January 31, Cardinal Rule Press, a publisher of children’s books, will be open for submissions. Make sure to review their submission guidelines . They’re searching for realistic fiction picture books up to 1000 words aimed at children ages 4-11 that are representative, inclusive, and meaningful.
I’ll be running a three-week memoir workshop at the Ferguson Library in Stamford on Saturday mornings, February 3, 10, and 17, 10-11:30AM. Learn more about how to begin writing your memoir, or how to get started again on a memoir that’s stalled. In this three-week class, you’ll learn the best ways to get your memories on the page, why writing badly is a great way to begin, and what to include and what to leave out. Bring your questions, some paper, and your favorite writing instrument. Suitable for beginners and experienced writers. The class is free, but you must register for all three sessions.
On February 3, (10am-12pm), Wendy Mages will be leading a Workshop, Strategies for Literary Journal Submission at Manhattanville College. More information and registration here. If you’re interested in seeing your work published more frequently (or for the first time) and boosting your future acceptance rates, this workshop should help.
The Westport Writers Workshop is running its third annual Pitch and Publish Conference on Saturday, March 16 at the Westport Library. Details here. Attendees can attend in person or can access the conference virtually. Along with our agent panel, we also have a new panel: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Everything You Wanted to Know About Publishing But Were Too Afraid to Ask, moderated by Julie Sarkissian Early-bird tickets for $600 are available until February 9. $375 conference-only tickets includes all panels; but do not include pitching to agents. Whether or not you can attend to conference, the WWW has suggested some websites that can help you pitch to an agent. These are among the ones they recommend: Jane Friedman, Penguin, The Write Practice, and Writer’s Digest.
More to come on Monday!
