Writers' Morning Out--August 15

 "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to

start somewhere." - Anne Lamott. 

"I write really shitty first drafts. Don't make me prove it to you." - Rick
Bylina

BULLETIN: The Fall 2020 NCWN Conference has been canceled. Instead, the
Writingest State Online Conference, a virtual alternative will be offered
11/10-14. Registration starts in early September. See www.ncwriters.org for
more details.

The 2020 WMO theme is "Inspiration." Together we'll inspire each other to
writing greatness (or, at least, mediocrity). The current pandemic could
inspire great literature as we react to the events surrounding it and the
unexpected consequences good, bad, and ugly. Life goes on; writing goes on. 

WMO MEETINGS will ZOOM on the third Saturdays at 1:00 pm, through the end of
the year, at which time we will re-evaluate. Zoom invitations will be sent
the morning of each meeting. The NCWN sponsors WMO. Carol Phillips
heads WMO. .

Note: We plan to continue to open our meetings with short check-ins about
what you are working on or what solutions you have found to difficulties you
were having.  To have time for planned presentations, keep your responses to
25 words.  Think of it as practice for creating your elevator speeches.

Happy August, everyone.  I hope you are all holding up well and keeping safe
under the continuing restrictions.  

Tracy Crow, the Randolph County Regional Rep, is interested in exploring
ways we can combine our efforts to serve writers.  Our schedules have not
yet allowed us to talk about the possibilities, but we hope to next week.
I'll keep you informed.  

Last month I said I would discuss details of a second meeting for open
discussions--Writers Discuss Away--but I don't have any. Yet. I'm having
major work done on my house and currently living in temporary quarters. I'm
just now determining how Zoom will work here.  

As some of you know, I've written a memoir about the brain injury I incurred
in the 1990s. Having done so, I am pretty bored with writing about myself
and prefer writing fiction. However, I find that much of what I learned
while writing the memoir--both in terms of process and craft-- translates
nicely into writing fiction.  Even prompts designed to elicit memories I
find useful to delve into a character's memory. 

I tell you this because Writers' Morning Out's program this month is
ostensibly about memoir. However, those who write fiction may also learn
something about using a different POV, or using senses or setting to a
create story. I hope you will join us.  

Take care ~ carol 

August 15: "Writing Appetizers" with Jody Savage. Zoom instructions will be
sent on Saturday morning, 08/15 for this memoir writing workshop., Jody will
offer two short exercises, or "appetizers," to be completed during the
meeting.  Please have your laptop or pen and paper ready to write.  The
exercises come from books on memoirs Jody particularly likes, and additional
exercises will be included in a handout to be sent after the meeting, to
help us decide which book will be most useful to our writing style.

September 19: "Negotiating with a Midsize Press without an Agent" with Jody
Savage. Zoom instructions will be sent on Saturday morning, 09/19.  Think
you need an agent to publish your book?  Maybe not. Join twice-published
author Jody Savage for hints on finding a publisher, negotiating a contract
(including an advance), and the subsequent process from book design through
marketing.  Is an agent worth the money?  Only you can decide.

October 17: "Slush Pile!" Zoom instructions will be sent on Saturday
morning, 09/19. Not even a pandemic will stop the Fourth Annual WMO Slush
Pile! For the uninitiated: A Slush-Pile is that pile of 50 or more
unsolicited manuscripts publishers and agents receive each week. They read
them hoping for that gem, but looking for reasons to reject to reduce the
pile. We're going to imitate that procedure.   Anonymous one-page
submissions will be read to our panel of judges. They will explain why they
would reject that submission, or why they think that submission has real
promise. We'll provide details for submitting in our October email. In the
meantime, polish up that first page or poem. 

Applause! Applause! Have a writing success story? Share it! Let Rick Bylina
know.

*Rick wrote 19 pieces of flash fiction in July based on prompts from Writers
Write.

Writing-Related Timely Events. Have one? Let Rick Bylina

know. 

*08/08. 1:30 p.m. Zoom
gu> . Turning an Idea into a Novel by Sisters-in-Crime National President
Lori Rader-Day.

*08/25. 7 p.m. Open Source NCWN-BYO Query. Space is limited. Currently full,
but check back.

Classes, Prompts, Critique Groups, and Workshops. 

*Free online, self-paced course <https://page.stellafosse.com/journey>  from
Jody Savage (Stella Fosse) for midlife women interested in writing memoir
through the lens of the erotic life.

*Writing Prompts available. Rick likes: writers write
<https://www.writerswrite.co.za/>  and Reedsy prompts
<https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/?utm_source=mailparrot&utm
_campaign=writing_prompts_welcome_e_mail&utm_medium=writing_prompts_welcome_
e_mail_1> .

*Follow the NCWN Facebook page
<https://www.facebook.com/NCWriters/?ref=page_internal> , including their
100-140 word writing prompts on Saturdays.

Submission Opportunties.

*Poets and Writers <https://www.pw.org/>  has on-going calls from journals,
agents, and editors. Click "Publish Your Writing." 

*Submittable <https://manager.submittable.com/opportunities/discover>  lists
submission opportunities.

*Duotrope <https://duotrope.com/account/signup.aspx>  has a free monthly
newsletter listing various opportunities.  

*08/15. Deadline. County Lines: A Literary Journal. See WMO Blog
<http://pittsboro-wmo.blogspot.com/>  for guidelines.

*08/15. Deadline. The Crossroads Project
<https://forms.illinoisstate.edu/forms/diversevoices>  (playwriting, no
musicals).

*08/15. Deadline. $. Poetry. Red Wheelbarrow
<http://www.deanza.edu/english/creative-writing/red-wheelbarrow.html> .

*08/21. Deadline. Short Edition
<https://short-edition.com/en/contest/color-it-in-summer-2020> . Various
formats.

*08/31. Deadline. $. U of New Orleans Press
<https://unopress.submittable.com/submit>  is looking for fiction
manuscripts. $10K advance/pub contract.

*08/31. Deadline. $$. Barthelme Prize for Short Prose.
<http://gulfcoastmag.org/contests/barthelme-prize/>  Sponsored by Gulf
Coast.

*09/01. Deadline. $$. Steel Toe Books 2020 Prize in Prose
<https://steeltoebooks.submittable.com/submit.> .

*09/01. Deadline. $$. Black Warrior Review Writing Contest
<https://bwr.ua.edu/> . For poem, short story, essay.

*09/02. Deadline. The Insecure Writer
<https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/the-2019-annual-iwsg-antholog
y-contest.html> 's Support Group Anthology. Dark material. Sci-fi. 4,500-6K
words.

*Open-ended. Cold Mountain Review
<https://coldmountainreview.submittable.com/submit>  seeks works engaging
eco- and social-justice issues and experiences.

*Open-ended. $. Blue Mountain Review
<https://bluemountainreview.submittable.com/submit> . Poetry and fiction.

*Open-ended. Trampset, an online literary journal
<https://trampset.org/submissions-6e83932b0985>  of fiction, poetry, and
nonfiction seeks your stuff. 

*Deadline. 21st of each month. 53-word story contest
<https://www.press53.com/53word-story-contest> . Sponsored by Press 53.
'Natch. 

*Dates vary. Redbud Writing Project <http://www.redbudwriting.org/> .
Writing courses for an adult education writing school in Chapel Hill.

*NCWN maintains a comprehensive list of opportunities for its members. See
Members Only on the NCWN website <https://www.ncwriters.org/>  

Writing-Related Ongoing Events. (monthly unless otherwise). Have one? Let
Rick Bylina
<mailto:anilyb@earthlink.net?subject=Writing-related%20Ongoing%20Events>
know. If you go, how was it?

EXTRA! EXTRA!  

Remember:  Don't forget. The NCWN <https://www.ncwriters.org/>  offers
critiquing and editing services, even online.

Legit or Forget it: Want to know if publisher or contest is legit?  Writers'
Beware <https://accrispin.blogspot.com/>  may be able to help.

Links: Don't rely solely on WMO for your reading events. Link to local
bookstores Event's Calendar.

August #1 Indie Pick: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy.

Book Sales: If you're selling in a store, increase sales by putting your
books near the toilet paper.

How to Write Flash Fiction Course (free): Flash Fiction Magazine
<https://learn.flashfictionmagazine.com/p/free-course?fbclid=IwAR3fw1K1ThwKc
EHZxcflVz3anPkOQTkiGcR1NFzkzaZh8xyiRgS8FuFYFS0> .

Ten Ways to Support Your Favorite Author: (1) Buy their books, (2) Write
reviews, (3) Give their books as gifts, (4) Tell ten people about the author
or book, (5) Read for a book club, (6) Recommend on Goodreads, (7) Request
at your library, (8) Promote on social media, (9) Post pictures holding
their book, (10) Send the author a fan letter.

Yes, this is THE END. The rest is up to you. Work on that WIP and you too
can type: THE END.