Author: broadleafzach

BWA Conference

Announcing Paul Jenkins, 2016 BWA Conference Keynote!

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We are thrilled to announce that Paul Jenkins is the 2016 BWA Conference Keynote Speaker! With an incredible list of accomplishments in the writing industry, Paul brings his indelible energy and expertise to our talented cast of writers! Be sure to be a part of what is shaping up to be the premiere writing conference in the Southeast! Register now!


Paul JenkinsPaul Jenkins has been creating, writing and building franchises for over 20 years in the graphic novel, film and video game industries. From his employment with the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the age of 22 to his preeminent status as an IP creator, Paul has provided entertainment to the world through hundreds of print publications, films, video games, film and new media. With 6 Platinum selling video games, a Number One MTV Music Video, an Eisner Award, Five Wizard Fan Awards, and multiple Best Selling Graphic Novels, Paul Jenkins is synonymous with success. He has enjoyed recognition on the New York Times bestseller list, has been nominated for two BAFTA Awards, and has been the recipient of a government-sponsored Prism Award for his contributions in storytelling and characterization.

One of the premier creators and writers of comic books and graphic novels and video games in the world today, Paul’s writing credits include the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hellblazer, Inhumans, Spider-Man, Batman, The Incredible Hulk, the smash hit Wolverine: Origin, for which he won five Wizard Fan Awards. He recently completed the first of two novels – entitled Curioddity – for St. Martin’s Press, which will be released in August of 2016. Paul is currently working with Nickelodeon on a brand new series, Underwhere, which is being developed across all media. He also recently wrote and directed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animation for Nickelodeon. Additionally, Paul’s work as Writer and/or Creative Director in the video game genre includes Twisted Metal: Black, Soul Reaver, Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, God of War and many others. 2007’s The Darkness earned him a BAFTA nomination for storytelling and characterization, as did Vivendi Universal’s 2008 smash hit Prototype.

Formerly a consultant on the advisory board of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Paul is currently devising a cross-media program in Georgia with the Joel Katz School of Music and Business Entertainment at Kennesaw State University, where he also teaches. He was asked by Governor Nathan Deal to assemble and chair an advisory committee to educate the Georgia General Assembly on the evolution of digital and interactive technologies.

BWA Conference

Registration is now open!

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2016 BWA Conference

Registration for the 2016 Broadleaf Writers Conference is now open! To register, visit our event page. You can also include the purchase of an annual membership, which offers you an immediate discount on your registration!

For a current list of this year’s Speakers, click here!

We will be updating our conference page soon, with further details on scheduling one-on-one sessions with Literary Agents! If you haven’t done so yet, sign-up for our newsletter or visit us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates and news!

Writer's Night

Writer’s Night 2.0, featuring Colleen Oakley!

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Writer’s Night returns!

Our second installment on the Writer’s Night calendar is quickly approaching! This go around, we’ll be at Book Exchange in Marietta, Saturday April 30th from 5-7 p.m.! As before, there will be food, drinks, socializing and, of course, a featured speaker from this year’s conference! So, take some time away from writing, power down the laptop, steel yourself for some friendly conversation and spend some needed time with fellow writers!

For this Writer’s Night, we are pleased to announce our featured author will be Colleen Oakley!

Colleen Oakley
Colleen Oakley

One of Atlanta’s great new voices in fiction, Colleen Oakley’s debut novel Before I Go was a People Magazine Best New Book Pick in January 2015, an Us Weekly “Must” Pick, and a Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Book. Formerly the senior editor of Marie Claire and editor-in-chief of Women’s Health & Fitness, Colleen’s articles, essays, and interviews have been featured in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Marie Claire, Women’s Health, Redbook, Parade, and Martha Stewart Weddings. She is hard at work on her second novel, Close Enough to Touch, due out April 2017.

It is our hope to continue hosting Writer’s Night events throughout the year, leading to the First Annual BWA Conference in September. In addition to offering an event designed to create a community–one that encourages writers to join en masse to offer support, discuss ideas, projects, and life in general–we also want to keep solid attention on the many quality independent bookstores in the area. So, come out, have some fun, throw some support to Book Exchange, and help us build a writing community!

We have a great deal in works for this year and beyond. For the latest updates and news, please sign up for our newsletter, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

Writer's Night

Our Next Writer’s Night is Coming Soon!

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Thanks to all who came out for our first Writer’s Night at Eagle Eye Books! We took over a portion of the store, conversations were had, books were discussed and purchased, Featured Author and 2016 BWA Conference Speaker Nicki Salcedo waived a social wand with her usual grace and humor, and we left simply buzzing with anticipation for our next event!

It is our hope to continue hosting Writer’s Night events throughout the year, leading to the First Annual BWA Conference in September. In addition to offering an event designed to create a community–one that encourages writers to join en masse to offer support, discuss ideas, projects, and life in general–we also want to keep solid attention on the many quality independent bookstores in the area. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that our next Writer’s Night will be held on Saturday, April 30th, from 5-7 p.m. at the fabulous Book Exchange in Marietta!

We’re in the process of lining up our Featured Authors and hope to have that information out to you soon! In the meantime, for the latest updates and news, please sign up for our newsletter, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

Writer's Night

BWA Writer’s Night

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We have to start somewhere, right? We may have our eyes set upon the 1st Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference this September, but we also want to create as many opportunities to bring writers together as we possibly can. So, we’re pleased to present our first program for 2016, the aptly-named Writer’s Night! Hosted by the excellent folks at Eagle Eye Books on Saturday, February 27th, from 7-9 p.m., this is your chance to network with other writers, talk about your projects, discuss your ideas, nosh on some food and drinks, and learn more about all that Broadleaf can offer. Featuring 2016 BWA Conference Speaker, author, and Decaturish.com columnist Nicki Salcedo, Writer’s Night is more than a simple networking event. It’s the beginning of a community, and an opportunity to spend a couple hours talking with other writers about the craft we love so much. Join us!

Writers Night

2017 Writers and Readers Cruise, BWA Conference

Cruising On

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The holidays are behind us, 2016 has taken off running, and Broadleaf is busy compiling a hefty list of activities leading us to our first annual conference in September! The conference guest list is growing and we’ll be adding more talented writers, registration information and exciting news in the near future! Be sure to keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for our newsletter!

For us, 2016 is a year of growing roots. Though the conference is our focus, we hope to offer you as much programming and activities as we can possibly manage. Additionally, it is our aim to work with other local organizations designed to offer you, as a writer, a forum in which to network, to learn, and to hone your craft. As such, we will be offering our assistance as volunteers in the forthcoming Atlanta Writing Workshop, hosted by the staff behind the organization and instruction of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop. This workshop will held on Saturday, February 20 at the Hyatt House Atlanta/Cobb Galleria: Cobb Galleria Hotel. There are still spots available, so be sure to check out the website for more information! We hope to see you there!

Additionally, we are in the process of putting together multiple Open House networking events, the first of which we will be announcing quite soon. The aim of these events is to offer an opportunity to socialize with other writers, discuss the craft of writing and writing projects, meet some of the speakers we will be featuring at this year’s conference, and to learn more about the Broadleaf Writers Association. We will be featuring these events in forthcoming posts and newsletters, so keep an eye out! The fun is just beginning!

Of course, we aren’t only focusing on 2016. We want to offer you the best writing conference you can find in the Southeast, to be sure; but we’re keeping an eye on 2017 and beyond, working to expand our programming and offer you new opportunities you may not find elsewhere! The first of these arrives in January of 2017, when we launch, in partnership with Cruise Tour and Travel, the first Writers and Readers Cruise! Featuring Guest Writers David L. Robbins and Brian Panowich (both of whom will also be participating in the 2016 conference!) and a soon-to-be-announced third Guest Writer, this 7-day cruise will carry you from the port of Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, aboard Holland America’s newest Pinnacle-class ship, the ms Koningsdam! While aboard, you can not only enjoy all the luxuries and amenities of cruising, but participate in a writing seminar, multiple meet-and-greet events, a cocktail party and dine with our Guest Writers! Book your rooms now! Join us for this rare opportunity to vacation with other writers, to have fun in the sun and expand your knowledge of writing, to be pampered and spoiled aboard this amazing vessel while creating a larger network of writers and readers to assist you in your efforts to improve your craft! For information on reserving or booking your stateroom, please contact Judy at 404-378-1080, or email her at judy@cruisetourandtravel.com. If you would like more information about the cruise, the writers, or general information, feel free to email Zach at broadleafwriters@gmail.com!

This is just the beginning of what we hope to offer! If you are interested in joining our organization, let us know! If you like what you’re seeing and want to help us in our efforts to grow, please consider donating to our cause! A donation of $40 or more earns you a membership in BWA, which will offer you discount opportunities on registrations, information to special V.I.P events, and will help further our efforts to expand our programming! Every dollar helps!

Uncategorized

The Broadleaf Writers Fundraising Campaign is Underway!

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We are pleased to announce we have opened the fundraising window to Broadleaf and are now accepting donations! Our first campaign will run through GoFundMe and can be found here! Every dollar helps, every donation offers us greater opportunity in our quest to teach the craft of writing to those looking for assistance! With every donation of $40 or more, you are automatically enrolled in BWA membership! Please take a few moments, take a look at our campaign, and if you find it to be a project worth your support, donate!

If you have any questions about Broadleaf, the campaign, or our annual conference, contact our Executive Director, Zachary Steele, at broadleafwriters@gmail.com!