Welcome to the new members who joined us at the Writers Rendezvous yesterday! I’m so glad I live in a place where I’m surrounded by writers. We discussed a range of topics, including how long it takes to get traditionally published, how to get feedback on your book without paying a fortune, and where to find free or inexpensive writing classes.

Gotham Writing Workshops fall Open House happens next week on Tuesday, September 19 – 20 (on Zoom). As part of it, they’re offering a slew of free classes, to give you a taste of what they do and how they do it. They cover every topic from Fiction to TV Writing, from Stand-Up Comedy to Memoir. You’ll meet their instructors, do a little writing, and see what their classes are like, firsthand. Details and registration here.

Gotham Writers also offers free Zoom write-ins where the teacher gives an interesting writing prompt. Everyone writes for a while. Volunteers may read their work aloud. You take a break and socialize. Then you go through the process one more time. No pressure, no critiquing, no angst… Just untamed creativity. This kind of write-in can be helpful when you’re stuck with your current project and need to reboot. Sessions start most Friday afternoons at 2 pm Eastern Time and Friday evenings at 6.30 pm, Eastern Time and last for 75 minutes. Registration for the Friday Write-Ins open on the previous Thursday afternoon at 1 pm, Eastern Time.

Also on Zoom on September 24, from 11-11:30 – a free information session on Zoom: How to Pitch Your Book to Top Literary Agents hosted by three authors, Tessa Smith McGovern, Marcia Bradley (The Home for Wayward Girls), and Pat Dunn. Sign up for either or both event(s) here.

This is a great prep for attending PitchFest at the Westport Library’s StoryFest (October 21-23), which gives you the opportunity to discuss your work one-to-one with two agents. You pitch in private sessions (either in-person or virtually) where the focus will be on your work, your book, and your story. And you’ll be attending panels where agents, editors, and public relations professionals will discuss queries, pitches, what publishers are looking for now, and how your book fits in today’s marketplace. PitchFest takes place from 12 – 5pm ET, on Sunday, October 22 on the third day of the 2023 StoryFest at The Westport Library. $475

On September 27, from 1-5:30 ET, Publishers Weekly is offering a half-day seminar on Zoom to answer the question How Will AI Impact Authors and the Publishing Industry? With talk of ChatGPT, LLMs and Artificial Intelligence everywhere, this is a chance to find out more and get your questions answered. Register here  $49. Booklife members (free to join) get 25% off the regular ticket price with promo code BL25. Speakers include former Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle, Ethan Mollick, an associate professor at the Wharton school, one of the most astute and engaging advocates for AI, who will talk about the practical uses of AI from his perspective as a teacher and as a published writer. Panel discussions will cover AI and editorial, AI and marketing, and more.

If you’re interested in the craft of storytelling, it’s a good idea to listen to people who have honed it to a fine art. On Thursday, September 28 at 7pm at Hub & Spoke, Black Rock CT, We Rise Storytelling Collective is hosting a special evening of story sharing called A Glimpse of the Light. they’ll be celebrating the launch of member Mitzy Sky’s new book of poetry – Top of the Zinc Roof, and hearing other stories on the theme too. If you’d like to share a story email them.

PechaKucha is a different kind of storytelling that calls for telling a story using images rather than reading text from slides during a PowerPoint presentation. Pecha Kucha presentations use 20 slides and allow only 20 seconds of commentary per slide, keeping the total presentation to just 6:40 minutes. a PechaKucha night on the theme of Irony is scheduled for November 11 at 8pm at the Art Pop-Up Space, 211 State St, Bridgeport, CT. The organizers are looking for 8-12 proposals. Selection will be based on connections to the theme, passion, uniqueness, and creativity. For more information, application forms, and free tickets, click here.

More to follow on Monday!