Emerging Writers Network

Residency Opportunities

Just received an email from this one, and there's not much time to act, as there's a September 1 deadline, but an author I admire a lot, and who works at one of the better known author residencies around, and so i believe knows well enough when he recommends this one:

Good luck to those of you that decide to try for it.

The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City, NE offers 2- to 8-week residencies year-round for writers, visual artists, and music composers. Housing, studio space, $100/week stipend are provided.

Approximately 50 residencies are awarded per year. Two deadlines each year: postmarked March 1 for the following July through December 15; postmarked September 1 for the following January through June 15.

$25 application fee.

See website for complete information, guidelines and application:

 The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the  Arts, 801 3rd Corso, Nebraska   City, Nebraska 68410. 402-874-9600,

[email protected]"

Murray State University

I got back not long ago from my visit/panel at Murray State University in Murray, KY.  I have to say, it was as close to as perfect a trip as I could have had.

Holly Goddard Jones (as readers here know, a huge favorite of mine), arranged for me to come down and was then instrumental in getting the program to also be enthusiastic about having Aaron Burch and Matt Bell coming down, and turning the session from one by me into an Editor's Panel.

That was great for a few reasons - the three of us have all been busy lately and haven't really spent much time together, it made the 9 hour drive down to Murray, KY from Ann Arbor much more enjoyable, and I really think it made the presentation to the MFA students much more interesting.

It was interesting to go down and be around the program for a couple of days.  I really hadn't spent much time learning about low-residency programs before, and was able to ask many questions of both faculty and students while there and get a much better understanding of that type of program.  I can certainly see just how beneficial it would be to an individual who wanted an MFA, but was entrenched in a job, or had family responsibilities.  The idea of working from home with a mentor during the semester, and having a 9 to 10 day, intensive (sessions with faculty from about 10 a.m. through an evening get together that seemed to end around 9:30 or so each night) residency two times per year seems like it would be perfect for folks with those previously mentioned situations.

Road Trip

I'm off to Murray State University to sit in on a panel with Matt Bell and Aaron Burch for their MFA program.  Hmm, George Singleton was there yesterday and will be there today as well.  Lee Martin will be in on Wednesday.

I believe the title of our panel is "Intermission."

Mid-American Review Workshops

The fine folks at the Mid-American Review are offering an eight-week online workshop "designed to help you take your poetry, fiction, or nonfiction to the next level."

The workshops will begin August 11, 2008 and be led by the MAR editorial staff with thorough attention given to each writer.  The cost is $345 and spots are filling quickly. 

For information or to apply, contact Michael Czyzniejewski at [email protected]

Proof

Seriously, it's not a vacation, Christi Clancy has kindly provided some visual proof of the fact that I'm in Milwaukee to spread the good word about both Dzanc Books and the EWN.  This from a panel on Publishing on the Edge that was for the UWM Creative Writing Department Thursday afternoon (with Hobart's Aaron Burch, and great author, Cris Mazza).

Yesterday, Aaron and I gave a four hour (no, really) presentation on Accessing the Changing World of Publishing that kicked off the Spring Writer's Conference here at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

I'm getting ready to go get in line for Aaron's 2 p.m. Flash Fiction panel now - I think 6 hours early should be enough to make sure I get in the room.

2008 C. Michael Curtis Fiction Workshop

Ever wondered what C. Michael Curtis, Sr. Fiction Editor at The Atlantic, might think of your work?  Thanks to David Ploskanka, you can find out:

"Reserve your spot today for the 2008 C. Michael Curtis Fiction Workshop, scheduled for June 14th and 15th in the greater Columbus, Ohio area. This two-day workshop is a golden opportunity for writers of short fiction to broaden their understanding of craft and form; evaluate their best work against the standards of today's ultra-competitive publishing market; and gain access to an insider's view of the literary magazine submissions process. Spots are limited--please respond ASAP!

The Who

Workshop facilitator C. Michael Curtis joined the staff of the Atlantic
Monthly in 1963. Today, he serves as the magazine's Fiction Editor, charged with sifting through some 12,000 unsolicited manuscripts per year to compile the annual Atlantic Fiction Issue. He also supervises the magazine's annual Student Writing Competition. In addition, Mr. Curtis holds the John C. Cobb Endowed Chair in the Humanities at Wofford College in South Carolina, a position he shares with his wife, novelist Elizabeth Cox. He has also served as editor for numerous anthologies, including God: Stories, Faith: Stories, American Stories: Fiction From The Atlantic Monthly (vols. I and II), Contemporary New England Stories and Contemporary West Coast Stories.

The What

While most workshops focus on the creative writing process, this gathering
is uniquely product-oriented, with the ultimate intent of assessing your
submission's success as a stand-alone work of short fiction. Though the
general discussion - usually 25-40 minutes per story - will also cover
matters of craft and provide inspiration on how to revise and improve your
work, this is not the ideal environment for a draft fresh off the
typewriter. Please submit your single most polished and self-contained work, up to 20 double-spaced pages. You will also be expected to read and thoughtfully critique the work of your 14 fellow workshoppers, meaning you will come away with extensive written feedback on your story as well.

The Why

Ever submit a story to a literary magazine, chew your nails waiting for
several months, then receive a blank rejection slip offering only the
vaguest sense of why your work has been returned? Here's your chance to hear from the man behind the editor's desk and get a sense of the standard by which literary submissions are measured.

The workshop has lead to several publications including the following: In 2004, a story first seen in this very workshop made it all the way to the pages of the Atlantic - "Bullheads" by Michael Lohre, this happened again this past year, 2007, to Mark Fabiano’s “We Are All Businessmen.”

The Where

The workshop will be held in the library room of the Granville Inn
(http://www.granvilleinn.com <http://www.granvilleinn.com/> ), an English
manor located in Granville, Ohio, 30 minutes east of Columbus. Granville
itself is a quaint, New England-style village, founded in 1805 by settlers
from Granville, Massachusetts and home to Dennison University. Out-of-town attendees have their choice of staying at the Granville Inn at a rate of
$125 per night, or at the Buxton Inn (http://www.buxtoninn.com
<http://www.buxtoninn.com/>), located across the street, at a rate of
$85-$100 per night. We have a room block at Granville and there will be other nearby lodgings.

The When

Copies of your story should be mailed directly to Mr. Curtis and your fellow workshoppers during the week of May 5th. The workshop itself will take place Saturday, June 14th  (9AM-6PM) & Sunday, June 15th (9AM-4PM).

The How

To register for the workshop, please email me at this address
([email protected])

The cost will be $295, payable by check or money order to:

David Ploskonka,
994 Blenheim Rd
Columbus OH 43224

Once I receive your payment, your spot will be officially reserved. I must receive your check to reserve your spot. A 50% refund will be available until March 31st. Thereafter no refunds will be issued. Again spots are limited please contact me ASAP.

If you have any questions whatsoever, feel free to contact me via email.
I look forward to seeing you in person in June!"

Spring Writers Festival

The Sixth Annual Spring Writers Festival at UWM School of Continuing Education will be next Friday through Sunday on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.  I am aware of this as they have asked me to be a part of the process.

Aaron Burch, editor extraordinaire of Hobart, and I, will be heading to Milwaukee Thursday to first take part in a panel being run by the creative writing department there, along with Cris Mazza (whose waterbaby sits high upon my TBR pile right now) having to do with editors and what they're looking for, and that sort of thing.

Then Friday morning, the Festival officially kicks off with, drumroll please, a Pre-Conference Offering:

Accessing the Changing World of Publishing with Aaron Burch and Dan Wickett

There are sessions on craft, on pitching your work, on the business of writing, and many others over thenext two days, plus readings and author panels and a party.  Many reasons to head on over to Milwaukee next Thursday and hang for a few days.

Ruffe Writing in France

Incredibly poor pun, my apologies, but you can read much more about this Writing Retreat in Ruffe, France set for mid-March 2008 here.

A detail or two:

"Writing classes morning and afternoon, and group readings in the evening (reading is voluntary). We will not be workshopping existing material, but generating new pieces/fragments (for future work) in whatever form you wish.

Excursions to local farmer’s market and vineyards, the pilgrimage road to Santiago, and nearby 12th/13th century towns and villages such as St. Emilion: beautifully preserved medieval town in a spectacular setting; Bergerac: well-restored old town center, good street market; nearby is Monbazillac, with great views from its chateau.

This is a fantastic opportunity to expand, explore, and experiment as a writer."

Every so often, I wish I were a writer.  Doesn't last long though.

The Panel

As mentioned earlier, I was asked to moderate a panel of editors.  I'm going from memory here as I wasn't really able to take many notes, but do have an idea of what I asked, and to some degree, what each editor replied with.

The editors in question, again, were:

C. Michael Curtis - Senior Fiction Editor of The Atlantic

M.M.M. Hayes - Publisher and Editor of StoryQuarterly

Richard Newman - Editor of River Styx

Ron Mitchell - Managing Editor and occasional Muscle for Southern Indiana Review

If there is no response for an individual listed, it's due to my poor memory, not because they had nothing wise or witty to add.

1.  How did each of you become publisher, editor, etc. of the journal you are at?

In general the responses here were what you'd expect, though Newman noted River Styx had been defunct for a bit of time and they were looking for a "dumb, naive and energetic person" to come in and get it going again, and Ron mentioned that he had "missed a meeting."

2.  What do you see as the role of literary journals in the publishing world - something self-contained, a stepping stone to book deals, or something else?

My brief scribblings here are unreadable and to be honest, I don't recall the replies, though I remember having the feeling that I hadn't made my question clear enough.  Though, I do remember Richard Newman mentioning that when he took over, he did put in place an agenda, and feels all journal editors should have some sort of an agenda - his was to avoid printing poems that led him to ask WTF was that about, as well as to make sure to include some humor in the journal.

3.  As the editor, do you make all of the decisions on what will be published, or is there a committee?  What is the process?

C. Michael Curtis noted that when The Atlantic was publishing one story per issue, in most of the 12 issues per year, he usually had to find 9 or 10 stories in a year, and now with the single Fiction issue it may be more like 7 or 8.  He'd find about 3 or 4 extra and submit them all to the Editor in Chief who would really make the final decision.  And how each time the EiC changed, he'd have to go through the process all over again in finding out what parameters he needed to use when reading.  I believe this is also where he mentioned that as a reader for The Atlantic, he has pet peeves that will eliminate a story from being read until the end - grammatical errors, incorrect spelling, overuse of ellipses, etc. that he has learned if there are 2 or 3 on the first page, there will be on every following page.  The other editors all agreed with him regarding this.

M.M.M. Hayes said she has about 20 readers, all over the place, as they take submissions online only these days.  And that the final say is hers.

Newman noted that the key was that the final say was his, but his readers couldn't know that.  He actually likes when the readers and he disagree, the debates, etc.  And for each issue, each readers has a (I forgot the name but will call it ) ziggy - even if everybody else hates the poem, the usage of such will get it included in the issue.  He notes those aren't used often, but frequently when they are, that work will be one of the most commented upon poems in the issue.

Mitchell said that the Editor has the final decision and that there are three (I believe) levels of reading with Yes/No/Maybe comments.  He also noted that occasionally an underling will send out an acceptance letter prior to it reaching the Editor, and at that point it's a bit difficult to go tell the author that no, their work is not good enough for the journal.  And the other issue there is that when they go to the reader/intern to complain, the response is often, "What are you going to do - Fire me?  I'm a volunteer."

Event: Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival in Carbondale, IL

To begin with - damn is 9 hours a long time to be in your car!  Okay, that out of the way, what a fantastic weekend!!

Having been kindly invited to moderate a panel at the Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival, I left here Friday a.m. early enough to arrive in Carbondale, IL in time to check into my hotel and get over to Southern Illinois University's Student Center right at the end of their fiction panel with Kevin Brockmeier, Roxana Robinson, Amanda Filipacchi, and Lamar Herrin.  This meant I had missed readings Thursday night by Donald Platt, and Lamar Herrin, as well as the earlier poetry panel with Platt, Jennifer Maier, Susanna Childress, and Crystal Williams.

Walking in, I met Jason Lee Brown, who had set my panel up, Desiree Dighton, who was kind enough to both hand me a check (amazingly enough, I was paid for this trip), as well as being the first student to lean in and whisper to me "Mike Magnuson wanted me to give you his cell phone number," and Andrew Lewellen, a grad student who is originally from Ann Arbor.  And, as people began shuffling out of the auditorium, I met Pinckney Benedict.  Pinckney and I have been corresponding since late 1989 (though, with a chunk of a few years in absentia), but this was the first time I've had the pleasure of shaking his hand and actually talking with him in person.

The deal with Magnuson was, he's on sabbatical this semester and has been trying to lay low - so any time somebody wanted to let me know they had access to him for me, it was very hush hush, creating an almost spy-like feel to it.

With a break before afternoon readings, I headed back to my hotel to crash for a few hours, but noticed a used bookstore, Bookworm, on the way and swung in.  Great move - I found Charles McNair's Land O'Goshen, which I've been looking for everywhere for a month now with no luck.  McNair is Paste Magazine's book editor and his reviews have been so dead on, I hope to find I like his fiction as well. 

So, I got back to the hotel and was thinking I'd stay there until going to meet Pinckney and his wife, Laura, for dinner.  I foolishly called Magnuson though, and he chided me into going to the readings, telling me the university was paying for my presence, and I should be there for the students to talk to.  While I reminded him that until my panel the next morning, not a student in the building would know who the hell I was, he was still convincing enough that I changed and went back to the auditorium.  I'd missed Brockmeier and Maier reading, but caught the last two and a half poems by Susanna Childress, including a finale where she sang one of Dunne's Holy Sonnets a cappella - it was pretty freaking amazing.  Then, Amanda Filipacchi read from (I believe) her third, and latest, novel.  She read from two sections, and the protagonist's voice was really very funny, as was the story itself.

From there it was out to dinner with the Benedicts, who took me to Hunan's, a nice Chinese restaurant (I'd been warned by Jason and Andrew to make sure it was Hunan's and not the other Chinese restaurant in the area, as the last time Andrew ate there he ended up laying down pretty much right at the table.  Anyhow, the meal was really nice - got to talk to Pinckney about his previous work that I've slobbered over before, his forthcoming novel and short story collection, his moving from Hollins to SIU, etc. as well as find out more about Laura's book due out around this time next year, if not a little earlier.  Some of Pinckney's grad students were there as well and sent over a Zombie for him in an interesting head shaped mug.

After a very long week of meetings and late nights, then the very early wake-up and nine hour drive, I think it took all of four or five minutes after getting back to my room for me to fall dead asleep.

I got up really early again on Saturday, about 4:30 a.m. - partly out of falling asleep so early the night before (around 10 or so), and partly because I really wanted to make sure I was ready to moderate the panel.  I'd moderated that editor panel at the AABF earlier in the year and went in woefully unprepared, putting my editors in the horrible position of answering lame questions and needing to elaborate on their responses to kill time for me.  So, I got ready and went to the Student Center at about 9 a.m., nearly three hours early, and had the area mostly to myself for an hour or so.  As I was wrapping up scribbling questions and notes down, I looked up and the first person arriving to the area was none other than my great buddy, Kyle Minor, who had woken up ridiculously early himself and driven straight through from Columbus to see the panel and hang out for the day.  Not too much later, Jason showed up and the auditorium was opened up.