Women Who Write | A Place, A Space, A Voice | Louisville, Kentucky Dear Members,
Several members have shared a memory of Kim Snead or recalled something she wrote that had an impact on them. An announcement of Kim’s passing has been posted on the WWW Facebook page. As a tribute to Kim, everyone is invited to share a treasured moment or memory of Kim there.
We will also honor Kim at our next meeting on April 4. We invite you to come and share your memories of Kim with other members.
Hope to see you then.
Diane Cruze
WWW Director
March Meeting and Readings
Twenty-four members were in attendance. We had two visitors Janet Adkins and Barb Vasiloff.
Member Readings:
Clea D Lewis – Two poems. “The Ephemeral Flower” and “A Mother’s Fear.”
Janet Finger – An excerpt entitled “Dancing Polly.” From a chapter of her book.
Aimee Downs – A draft of her personal essay. No Title.
Cheri Powell – An excerpt from her book Bloodroot. “Clara’s Insight”
Pat (PG) Smith – A chapter of her book House Divided.
Selene Phillips – A poem. “My new Fan and Flight.”
Women Who Write Workshop
Developing Your Author Platform
Stephanie Feger, author and marketing strategist will address the concept of an author’s platform and why it’s important as well as the basics of building one and strategies to increase your visibility.
The workshop is open to everyone who aspires to write but space is limited and registration is required.
Workshop: Developing an Author Platform
When: Wednesday May 15 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. wine tasting ($5 for 3 wines)
6:30-8:00 writer workshop
Where: Old 502 Winery, 120 S. 10th Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Cost: WWW Member: $20
Non-Member: $30
*Note: advance payments only, no refunds
Register at: https://womenwhowrite.com/events/workshop-developing-an-author-platform/
April is Writing Buddy Month!
The WWW Writing Buddy program is designed to help us motivate each other to write. You and your Buddy determine what, when, where, how, and how much you’ll share – and commit to doing it!
Twelve members have committed to working with their writing buddy throughout the month. Below is a list of the Writing Buddy assignments.
Ramona Osborne and Peggy Grimes
Terri Lindsey and Diane Cruze
Joan Dubay and Brittni Caudill
Pat Smith and Pam LaFollette
Barbara Vasiloff and Aimee Downs
Mel Dixon and Alisa Childress
Interested in Hosting a Spring Write?
Seasonal Writes events give members an opportunity to bring their laptop or writing tablet and start on that new writing project, revise and edit a piece, or use a writing prompt to jumpstart new writing ideas. It is also an opportunity for members to support each other in their writing pursuits.
We would love for members to volunteer to host a Seasonal Write at their home or at a community location. As the host, you choose the date, place and time for us to gather. Contact a board member if you would like to host a Write.
Writing Opportunities
Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning Next Great Writer Contest – Submission deadline: Friday, May 3. Public reading: summer (date TBA). Writers are invited to submit manuscripts of fiction or nonfiction prose (up to 2,000 words) or poetry (up to 5 poems). Please include a $10 fee per entry, payable to the Carnegie Center. Entries should also include a cover sheet complete with writer’s name, address, e-mail address, and phone number; names should NOT appear on the manuscript itself. Manuscripts cannot be returned. The prize is $150 for first place and $100 for second place. Winners and finalists will be invited to read at a public reading this summer (date TBA). Entries must be received or postmarked by Friday, May 3 at 5:00 pm.
Send entries to:
The Next Great Writers Contest
Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning
251 W. Second Street, Lexington, KY 40507
Kaleidoscope Writing Contest.
The philosopher Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Embedded in this quote is the knowledge that when we look back at life we have the advantage of time and wisdom to reflect on our challenges and successes. Our theme for this contest is, what advice would you give your younger self? If you had the luxury of going back and advising your younger self would there be major pitfalls to be avoided, opportunities that were missed because you were headstrong going somewhere else? It is easily argued that a life has to be lived and pain and challenges are all part of the journey but what if you could advise that younger you? What would you say? Deadline May 10. When you are ready to get started click here – https://www.kaleidoscopewojo.com/take-action
Apply Now to Participate in November Kentucky Book Fair
The Kentucky Book Fair is one of the top book fairs in the area and titles must be selected for participation. If you have a book published after July 1, 2018, or a work in progress that will be ready by September 2019, consider applying. Special consideration is given to titles written by authors who are residents or natives of Kentucky, and to titles that have a clear Kentucky connection. Application are due by May 31. After the deadline, a selection committee will choose titles for the book fair, based on several criteria. See guidelines at www.kyhumanities.org/informationforau__thors_application.htm
WRITER’S DIGEST COMPETITION
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/annual-writing-competition
ENTRY FEE $20-$30. Early deadline May 6, 2019. We’re looking for standout writing in any and all of the following categories: inspirational/spiritual, memoirs/personal essays, print or online article, genre short story (think romance, thriller, mystery, sci-fi, etc.), mainstream/literary short story, rhyming poetry, non-rhyming poetry, script (think stage play or television/movie script), and children’s/young adult fiction. That’s easy. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 in cash, a trip to New York City for the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference, and an interview for a feature article in our magazine. Nine first-place winners in each category receive $1,000, nine second-place winners in each category win $500, and on and on!
4th ANNUAL ETC 10-MINUTE PLAY FEST AT THEATREWORKS MEMPHIS
http://www.etcmemphistheater.com/
ENTRY FEE $10. Deadline May 30, 2019. Theme: “The Gift of Pride.” Eight to ten plays will be produced in black box style. A wrapped gift box must be presented to a character as part of the story. One to three characters maximum. Ten pages maximum. No kid’s shows or musicals. No previously published or produced scripts. First prize $300, second prize $200, third prize $100. Submit two copies of script with no identifying information, plus a cover sheet with: Title, Playwright’s name, address and contact info. Mail to: H. Harmon, ETC, 1402 Linden Ave., Memphis TN 38104. Checks should be made out to: E.T.C.
KENTUCKY WRITER FELLOWSHIP
https://balticwritingresidency.submittable.com/submit
Deadline May 15, 2019. The winner is NOT chosen by anyone with a particular relationship to Kentucky, nor is the winner chosen by the staff of the Baltic Writing Residency. Rather, an anonymous member of the English Department of Harvard University will judge. The application fee is $8 and the winner receives $500 which is paid out over several months. Open to any writer of English who is a Kentucky native, resident, past resident, or current student, or whose writing is set in Kentucky or about Kentucky.
BLACKACRE FOREST WRITING RESIDENCY
https://balticwritingresidency.submittable.com/submit/11494/poetry-blackacre-reserve-writing-residency
The Blackacre Writing Residency is located in a beautiful, 300-acre forest and nature preserve located near Louisville, KY. The writer receives a $200 honorarium, and resides, for one to two weeks, in a furnished house, on the grounds, offering all of the modern domestic necessities. The period of the residency is dependent, in part, on the institution’s overall schedule of visiting artists and writers. In turn, the writer has an immense amount of say as to when they occupy the residency, having the ability to delay beginning the residency for up to a year of being awarded the residency. We are more than open to genre writing (YA, sci-fi, romance, thriller, crime, etc.).
MEMOIR MAGAZINE #METOO NONFICTION ESSAY CONTEST
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline April 30, 2019. The winning story receives $500 and publication. Open to all writers. Men, emerging writers and underrepresented voices are encouraged to submit. Theme: Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse. As in, have you or someone you know survived sexual harassment, assault, rape or abuse? Perhaps you are married or related to a survivor and you’ve witnessed the emotional journey that is so rarely spoken of. If so how did it change you? How does it affect your daily life? Where has the effects of violence led you in your life? We want to know. You were strong enough to get through that, and your story matters. Why? Because Memoirs fuel movements. Sharing true stories are our way of cultivating global consciousness. And few issues today require more enlightenment than the way sexual trauma can affect us as a person, a family, a society. Your essay may be humorous, sad, upsetting. It can be one paragraph long, or several pages. Limit 7,000 words. All contest entries shall be considered for standard nonfiction publication in Memoir Magazine.
SATURDAY EVENING POST GREAT AMERICAN FICTION CONTEST
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline July 1, 2019. The winning story will be published in the January/February 2020 edition ofThe Saturday Evening Post, and the author will receive $500. Five runners-up will each receive $100 and will also have their stories featured online. Stories must be between 1,500 and 5,000 words long. All stories must be previously unpublished (excluding personal website and/or blog publication). No extreme profanity or graphic sex scenes. Entries should be character- or plot-driven pieces in any genre of fiction. More info at:
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest/
Literary Events
April 5–6 -16th Annual Arnow Conference for the Humanities, Somerset Community College, 808 Monticello St., Somerset, KY. Workshops on fiction, poetry, playwriting, songwriting, and more. This year’s theme is “Weaving the Tapestry: Past, Present, and Future.” Keynote speakers: Sena Jeter Naslund and Kentucky Poet Laureate Frederick Smock. Full conference pass, $30; day pass, $15. Information: Theresa Kibby, 451-6766 or .
April 6, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Kentucky Writing Workshop, a daylong how-to-get-published event that includes classes, presentations, optional agent pitch sessions, and more. Louisville Marriott East, 1903 Embassy Square Blvd., Louisville. https://kentuckywritingworkshop.com/
April 26–27 – Southern Kentucky Book Festival and Kentucky Writers Conference, 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY. Authors include Silas House, Rita Mae Brown, Angie Thomas, Andrew Shaffer, Ann Gabhart, David Bell, and 100 or so others. Book fair, workshops, and panels on Friday and Saturday; Teen and Children’s Day, Friday. All workshops are free. Contact a board member if interested in attending to arrange possible car pools