Another Scottsdale Writer Published!

 Congratulations to Scottsdale Writers’ group member Pascal Marco on publishing his first book, Identity: Lost! Pascal wrote his story with the help of the writers’ group by bringing a new chapter to every meeting, listening to everyone’s critiques, polishing and revising. He’s done an excellent job with marketing himself and his book, using social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Bookstore events are an important marketing tool as well, and he’s made the best out of them. Click on the book to go to Pascal’s site, and check the events page to see when you can go support him at your local bookstore.

 

Phoenix College Writing Class

Hello Group-

Following, you will find details regarding a writing class some of you may be interested in.

Phoenix Community College has one of the best creative writing curriculums in the state and Carol Test has quite a lot of experience not only as an instructor, but also as the editor of a prestigious literary magazine.

Check out the details below and contact Carol directly if you have any questions: caroltest@gmail.com

Deborah J Ledford

Moderator, Scottsdale Writers Critique Group

 

Writers,
 
Have you dreamed of writing a novel, but didn’t quite know how to start? Have you started a novel and found you couldn’t get beyond the first three chapters…or finished one, but it keeps getting rejected? If so, register for CRW 271:  Structuring Your Novel.  Back by popular demand, this novel class offers deadlines, a chance to connect with other writers and valuable critiques on your work.  
 

Topics in Writing:  CRW 271:  Structuring Your Novel is a 1 semester class designed to help students take a mass of pages and turn them into a novel with a clear, solid structure.  The course will focus on outlining, developing scene lists,  creating conflict and workshopping pivotal scenes.

Fall semester 2010  (8/25-12/17)      Wednesdays, 6-8:40 p.m.

Instructor:  Test                                    Section #: 12158

 

Register through Phoenix College:  http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/index.php?page=29&subpage=619&sublink=621

FAQs about CRW 271:

 

Will we workshop novels in class? 
Workshopping is an essential part of any good writing class; therefore students will have multiple opportunities to submit novel excerpts for both sentence-level and big-picture evaluation. Workshop submissions will focus on pivotal scenes such as beginnings, reversals, and climaxes.  
 
What else will we do in the course?
Lectures will focus on structure to determine exactly how successful elements of story “work.”  To this end, we will diagram both films and novels in class, as well as draft outlines and scene lists. Each student will also select a novel that s/he considers a model for his/her own project and apply successful elements from it to his/her own work.  
 
And, we’ll have punch and pie. 
 
Do I have to have a novel draft underway to take this class?
This class works equally well for those just starting to outline novels as those with a number of pages already completed.  The only requirement is that each student commit to a single novel project for the course of the semester.  While starting a novel can be easy, finishing a novel requires confidence and a solid commitment to a long-term project.  
 
I haven’t taken a writing workshop before.  How do I get an override?  
This is an intermediate course designed for writers who have completed at least one creative writing workshop. Writers who do not meet this requirement are welcome to email caroltest@gmail.com to obtain an override.  When doing so, students should provide their full names last 4 digits of their SS#s to pass on to Admissions & Records – and ensure that they’ve enrolled in the College. 

Why study writing at Phoenix College?
Phoenix College has one of the largest community college Creative Writing Programs in the country, and is one of only a handful of community colleges to offer a Creative Writing Certificate.  One third of individuals in our evening classes are traditional degree-seeking students, while two thirds are working professionals who wish to realize goals such as bringing novels and short stories to publication and/or polishing portfolios for application to MFA programs. 
 
Located in the heart of the downtown Phoenix Arts District, Phoenix College is an excellent place for writers to make friends, network with others in the literary community, and pursue their dreams while polishing their craft.  
 
For more information on this and other creative writing courses, visit the Phoenix College Creative Writing Program: 
http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/index.php?page=29&subpage=619&sublink=621&mod=news&newsID=1600521 

Cheers,
Carol
 
Carol Test received her MFA from the University of Arizona in 2005 where she served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazineSonora Review.  Her fiction has appeared in Red Rock Review, Swink, Night Train, The Normal School, and Other Voices:  Journal of Literary and Visual Arts, among others. She is a 2006 recipient of an Arizona Commission on the Arts Award for her novel project, OTHER DESERT CITIES, and a 2008 Pushcart Prize nominee. She teaches creative writing at Phoenix College. 

Congrats to another published author!

Mary Nickum, Scottsdale Writer’s Group member, has published her book, Mom’s Story. The book centers around a little girl who finds out that her mother has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Mary has deftly woven a fictional tale with facts about MS, and how family members learn to live with this disease – some better than others. The 80 page book is told from the child’s point of view, and is meant for other children and families to better understand what it means to have MS.

Mary, an Arizona resident, science magazine editor and retired librarian, holds two masters degrees. She is dedicated to bringing her love of science to children through her writing.

For more information, please visit her website: http://marynickum.com/default.aspx

Congrats to our newly Published Authors!

Congrats to Deb Ledford on the publication of Staccato!

And to Leslie Kohler for Sins of the Border!

Please support our fellow writers – buy their books, and pass the word along to friends and family!

Don’t forget, books make fantastic holiday gifts!

Click either book to order.

The Next Step

Hello Group-

Just wanted to give a heads up to those following the SWG blog–my debut suspense novel “Staccato” is still on track for release September 15th.  My copy of the Print Proof should arrive any day now.  If you would like to be one of the first to receive “Staccato” go to: www.secondwindpublishing.com to pre-order your copy.

Member booksigning event!

Hey everyone!  Group member and and author Sydney Gould is having a booksigning event this Thursday, at the Barnes & Noble right down the street from the library.  If you’re in the area, stop by and say hi, and give your support.  Don’t forget to spread the word…

Good luck, Syd!

Heidi

 

Author Sydney Gould  Book Signing

                                    Thursday, April  2nd,  7pm

                                    Barnes and Noble  92nd, Street & Shea

                                    Hijack at Malacca    $!5.00     -$17.95 retail

                                    Stop Sendintg E-Mail, My Boss Is Watching  $15.00      – $17.95 retail

                                    Free Gift (Best E-Mail Practices Booklet) with any purchase

 

 

Writer Events

Hi everyone!

Spring is almost here, can you believe it?  I have fresh dirt under my nails to prove it. It was a nice day to perk up the flower pots on my front patio. A bit warmer than I’d like for this time of year; hopefully it’s just March coming “in like a lion.”

 

My cat, Leo

Here are a few events at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe:

MEET THE BUYERS 2-4PM SATURDAY, MARCH 14 If you have a new book idea or you’re about to do another printing of your present volume, come talk to one of our buyers and get expert advice about shelf appeal before it’s too late to make changes. If it’s a new book, you might want to bring samples of covers you are considering, an abstract of the book, and any questions you might have regarding marketing or how to contact other bookstores with your new book. One of our buyers will take a look at the book or your abstract and give you tips on how to improve its shelf appeal. Cost: $25 for 15 minutes with either our Children’s or Adult buyer. Registration and pre-payment required at 480.730.0205. WORKSHOP:

SCREENWRITING 1-4PM SATURDAY, MARCH 28 Writing a screenplay? Want to sell a screenplay you’ve already written? Screen and television writer and producer Jeb Rosebrook is here to inform, advise, and assist. Rosebrook also discusses his 40 years’ experience as a professional writer. Cost: $30. Registration and pre-payment required at 480.730.0205.

WRITING WORKSHOP FOR GUYS: CREATING DYNAMIC HEROES & NEFARIOUS VILLAINS 3-4:30PM SUNDAY, MARCH 29 J.S. Lewis, co-author of the Grey Griffins fantasy novels for young readers, helps guys ages 11-18 write fiction and nonfiction pieces based on a variety of exercises. Attendees will also edit each other’s work and discuss published works as good story models. Cost: $25. Registration and pre-payment required at 480.730.0205.

Looks like fun!  For you singletons out there, try the “Sweet on Geeks” singles night!  That and other events can be seen here:

http://www.changinghands.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp?s=storeevents&

Have a wonderful week,

Heidi

Sisters in Crime Author Event

  WHEN:  7:00 P.M. Wednesday MARCH 18, 2009

                WHO:  SISTERS IN CRIME  

             WHAT:   LYNN WIESE SNEYD TO SPEAK

           WHERE:   Café Carumba located at 7303 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale.  

PUBLICIZING THE MYSTERY NOVEL

Writers, publicize your book. At the Wednesday March 18, 2009, meeting of Sisters in Crime in downtown Scottsdale, writer-book publicist Lynn Wiese Sneyd will provide mystery authors with cost-effective tips on book publicity. Attendees will learn how to write a pitch that attracts the attention of producers, journalists and book reviewers, as well as how to assemble a media kit that speaks for the book. Lynn, the award winning author of several nonfiction works as well as numerous articles and poems, is a literary publicist with LWS Literary Services in Tucson, AZ. She conducts national, regional, and local publicity and marketing campaigns for authors. The Desert Sleuths Chapter meets at Café Carumba, located at 7303 E. Indian School Road, for dinner at 6:00 PM and speaker at 7:00. The Public is invited.

A Wealth of Online Information

Hi Gang,

I subscribe to a weekly newsletter called “Funds For Writers,” by C. Hope Clark.  There are always great tips and articles to get you going, and give you new ideas.  Hope is a great proponent of finding contests, markets and funds that you didn’t even know existed, and everything she lists is a paying market.  You can sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.fundsforwriters.com/  

For an amazing interview, where she talks about how she got started, and more about funds, listen to this podcast : http://www.writingshow.com/podcasts/2006/05082006.html   

Be prepared to take notes!

Another fantastic podcast, by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, out of University of California/Irvine: http://writersonwriting.blogspot.com/  Barbara interviews authors, as well as many in the publishing industry, like editors &  agents.

Another newsletter, with paying markets and industry news, including a writer’s forum: http://www.writersweekly.com/  

There is so much information out there, and with just these few sites, you will find inspiration, information, and hopefully – publication!!

Good Luck,

Heidi

Submissions-online magazine

Well, up late online again, and I came across this interesting call for submissions.  Here’s the link – check it out!  And let me know when you get published…

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/abbyholcomb/

See you at the library,

Heidi