We had another great Zoom meeting yesterday. I love seeing new people, as well as the usual suspects. This is a strange time for us all, but I see many positives coming out of it – in particular the creative ways in which writing and publishing are being supported. Check below for excellent online events you can get to without moving from your living room. Member Lauren Busser (right) had several useful links for you. (Thank you, Lauren!) I’ve marked her contributions LB.
If you’re having trouble getting down to writing, and you’d like some accountability, you might try writing 1000 words a day for two weeks, with author Jami Attenberg’s #1000WordsofSummer challenge.  The 2020 session will be from May 29-June 11. You’ll receive a daily email encouraging you to write and all levels of writers are welcome. LB
The annual BookExpo in New York is the largest book fair in the country, and part of it, BookCon, is devoted to the public, rather than to the business of publishing. This year they’re doing it virtually, and at no charge, from May 30-31. BookConline will feature sessions throughout each day with different authors and publishers to give you a front-row look at debut books and behind-the-scenes peeks at some of your favorite titles. Plus – they’re offering ARC (Advance Reader Copies) giveaways, quizzes, trivia, and more.
If you’d like to attend, ‘like’ BookCon’s Facebook page and join BookCon’s Facebook group.  You can view the session listings to find out whether a session is taking place on the Facebook page or the Facebook group. They are adding sessions all the time, so keep checking back. Connect with them on Instagram and Twitter too, to stay in the loop.

Until May 31, She Writes Press, a successful hybrid publisher, is offering a series of free recorded webinars on various subjects of interest to writers. Among them are Everything You Need to Create a Striking Author Brand,  A Deep Dive into Instagram, and Pinterest for Authors.
On June 1 at 11am I’ll be running a free Zoom workshop for the Pequot Library. It’s a kind of work-in-progress clinic, so if you’re stuck with your writing, need help sorting out your character arc, or help with outlining or editing, come and talk it over (online) with your peers. And if you’re finding it hard to write these days, come and check in. You’re not alone. We’ll do everything we can to get you back on track. Register here.
On June 5, from 6-8pm, Grub Street Writers in Boston is doing a virtual submitathon – an evening of submitting work in any genre, talking about submitting work, thinking about where to publish your work, answering your questions about submitting work, and then submitting more of your own work. For more information, email here. LB
ONLINE CLASSES
A few free classes here at the School of Visual Concepts in Seattle, including Writing Our Way Through Quarantine, and Power up Your LinkedIn Profile. LB
Most writing schools have moved their classes online, meaning you can now attend classes all over the country, if you like. Among them are our local Fairfield County Writers’ Studio and the Westport Writers Workshop.
Catapult in New York offers a range of fiction, memoir, and non-fiction classes. LB
The National Press Club Journalism Institute has some recorded programs and free programs of particular interest to freelance writers. LB
 
More to come in Part 2, which covers editors, submissions and publishing, should be with you over the weekend. And if you have any useful links to share, please leave them in the comments.
Until then – keep writing!