Wednesday’s Writers’ Rendezvous raised a question about how to get feedback on your writing. As it happens, I had several places to suggest, including libraries, which often have writing groups that meet regularly to critique each other’s work. There are also workshops and classes to sign up for. What I hadn’t expected were the contests and services that can do the job at a relatively low cost. I’ve mentioned one below and will have more on Monday.
Gotham Writers Workshop is offering several three-hour online intensive afternoon workshops. Personal Essay Writing takes place Saturday, May 20 & Sunday, May 21. Grammar 2: Expertise and Finesse is scheduled on Friday, June 2 & Friday, June 9, and Character on Saturday, June 3 & Sunday, June 4.
Connecticut author Judith Marks-White leads a monthly writing-to-prompts class on Zoom for my favorite indie bookstore, Byrd’s Books in Bethel, CT. The next meeting is Sunday, May 21 from 3-5pm. If you’d like to join, register with Alice Hutchinson at 203 730-2973 for the Zoom link. $20.00.
The Connecticut Bards Poetry Review is now taking submissions for their next anthology from poets of all ages and all parts of Connecticut. Send up to 3 poems of 100 lines or fewer each to ctbardspoetryreview@gmail.com, before May 25. Include your poetry both in the body of the email as well as attached as an rtf, Word document, or pdf. Include a 3-4-line bio in the third person with your submission. Poems of all styles, themes, and genres will be considered. Current
The Connecticut Author Project creates opportunities for indie-published authors and the Norwalk Public Library is part of this contest looking for submissions of adult and young adult fiction, to be recognized as the top indie-published eBooks in Connecticut. Winners in each category will receive $1,000, opportunities to promote the winning title at public libraries, and inclusion in a full-page spread in Library Journal. Each book that is submitted to the contest must be: independently published, written by a local resident, and available in either ePUB or PDF format. Deadline: May 31. No entry fees. Submit here.
The Westport Writers Workshop is holding a Lit & Wit evening at the Saugatuck Rowing Club on June 7 at 6pm. This Comedy Night Fundraiser will benefit the Westport Writers Outreach Program, and features Aline Weiller, Laurie Newkirk, Mat Orefice, and Lee Emery among others. Door prize and comedy trivia. Tickets ($50 per person) here.
On June 8 at 7pm, I’ll be at the Westport Library in conversation with best-selling suspense writer Kate White about her latest release, Between Two Strangers. Details here.
The 15th annual Flash Fiction Challenge organized by NYC Midnight will challenge writers worldwide to create short stories no longer than 1,000 words based on genre, location, and object assignments – in 48 hours. Each writer will participate in at least two writing challenges and as many as four, depending on how well they place in each challenge. It costs $67 to enter, but you get feedback from the judges for every submission, writers keep all the rights to the stories they create, and there are thousands in cash prizes for the winners. Register here. The deadline for registration is June 8, and the challenge kicks off on June 9.
Cindy Eastman is a writer, podcaster, teacher, and editor. Her latest project is the Everyday Grief anthology, which aims to collect and share the many different voices of grief. She also runs an ongoing Saturday morning writing group that goes for 3 weeks, takes a break, then starts back up. It’s a great group to get some inspiration or company, seek accountability, or run a writing problem past the members for feedback. Sign up for the whole session or for the dates that work for you. $20 per session/$50 for 3 session. The next session runs June 10– 24.
The Connecticut Press Club is looking for people to join or rejoin the organization. Their goal is to enroll 50 new members by June 10, and new members will be eligible to win a pair of Apple AirPods. Membership is open to anyone in the communications field – writers in all genres, designers, journalists, and advertising and PR people. Professional dues are $35/year and student membership costs $15/year. Already a member? Click here to refer a friend or colleague to the Club and you can win a $50 gift certificate to the Boathouse Restaurant at the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, CT.
More to come on Monday!
