We had a good time at our hybrid Writers Rendezvous today and covered a bunch of topics from poetry anthologies, to contests, to workshops and writing events. Take a look.
Are you a poet from, or formerly from CT? Are you looking to connect with other poets and have some of your poems published? Check out Local Gems Press, publishers of the Connecticut Bards Poetry Review, which is now taking submissions for the 2024 edition. The Review seeks to celebrate poetry from poets of all ages and all parts of CT. Submit by sending up to 3 poems 100 lines or fewer each to ctbardspoetryreview@gmail.com Deadline May 20. Full details here.
Ploughshares, the literary journal at Emerson College, is running an Emerging Writers Contest, open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book. Fiction and nonfiction submissions should be under 6,000 words, and poetry entries should be 3-5 pages long. Deadline May 22. Details and submission guidelines here.
Smokelong, the publisher of flash fiction journal, runs annual classes for those wanting to perfect their flash fiction craft, SmokeLong Summer 2024 The sessions include webinars, author readings, panel discussions, open mics, writing tasks three times a week, workshopping in small groups on their dedicated website, and community. They have various ways to participate, from their BookFair special with pre-recorded publisher interviews, publishers panel discussion with Autumn House, Alternating Current Press, Rose Metal Press, and Curbstone Books; 3 open mic parties; optional participation in a SmokeLong reading group: $49, to a summer-long workshop in small groups of around 15 participants. You’ll do 3 writing tasks each week from June 3 to July 28, and you can decide your pace: cardio (high-intensity group) or endurance (medium-intensity group). All interaction is in writing, so you can participate anytime from anywhere. $169. Full information here.
The Milford Arts Center in Milford, CT, runs an open mic for writers and musicians on the Mac Stage at the Milford Train Station. It’s a great locale, with a café-style setting and a handy bar. It runs on the second Wednesday of the month and the last one of the season is on June 12. $5 admission, unless you sign up to perform, when there is no charge.
The Milford Arts Center also hosts a writers’ group on the first Wednesday of each month at 7PM at the MAC’s Firehouse Gallery in Walnut Beach, so the next one takes place on June 5. This supportive group will comment on your work, and share thoughts and ideas about the written word. This is an open invitation for a friendly and spontaneous evening of networking, brainstorming, and sharing of ideas. Join The Written Word Facebook Group to stay up-to-date.
The Westport Writers’ Workshop offers an outreach program that delivers pro bono writing workshops to underserved populations and communities. To raise funds for this project they are hosting a comedy evening, Lit & Wit, on Thursday, June 6 at 7 pm at The Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, CT. The evening will feature twelve comedians from Connecticut and New York. Tickets are $55 per person including snacks and walk-ins are welcome. Lit & Wit will also feature the Tacos Los Potrillos food truck (for purchase starting at 6:00 pm), a cash bar, comedy trivia for prizes, and a Lit & Wit-themed door prize gift basket.
Check in with me via Zoom on June 13 at 6:30pm ET, when I talk with Valerie Taylor (What to Know) about how and why she switched genres from romantic comedy to writing cozy mysteries (A Whale of a Mystery). CAPA (The Connecticut Assn of Publishers and Authors) will be running this virtual talk, and all are welcome to attend. Valerie will be giving away a copy of her book to someone who attends in person, but if you can’t make it, email me to register and you’ll get the recording afterward. Free.
More info on Monday!
