Tag: member

BWA Conference

Announcing the 2019 Broadleaf Writers Sweepstakes!

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We’re nearing one month until the 4th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference is here, and we’re adding a new wrinkle! In addition to New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors, representatives from literary agencies and publishing houses, sessions and workshops packed with information to help improve your writing, and a growing community of writers like you, there’s one more reason to register!

We’re pleased to announce that every attendee for our 4th Annual conference will be entered into a drawing to win a free (FREE IS GOOD!) copy of either Scrivener or Final Draft 11! SIX lucky winners will be chosen during this year’s conference and will receive one of three copies of Scrivener or one of three copies of Final Draft 11! Both are excellent programs designed to simplify and assist in the writing process, whether you’re writing a manuscript or a screenplay! And with your registration, you could have one for free!

That’s right! Not only can you chat with our speakers, hobnob with agents, learn from professional writers, and make new friends who absolutely understand your struggle, but you could leave with a free writing program!

So, register today for your chance to win!

To read through our rules and regulations, Click here.

Programming, Writer's Night

Writer’s Night: Act Two coming March 31st!

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Writer’s Night is coming to Eagle Eye Book Shop for Act Two!

Join featured authors and 2018 Townsend Prize for Fiction Finalists, Stacia Pelletier and Daren Wang for an informal discussion on the craft of writing Act Two of your manuscript!

Spend some real-world time with writers like you, browse Eagle Eye’s great selection of books (Stacia and Daren’s books will be available for purchase!) have some food and drink, and chat with our featured authors! Find your inspiration! Join us!

This program is free and open to the public!

Stacia Pelletier is the author of Accidents of Providence and The Half-Wives, both short-listed for the Townsend Prize in Fiction. She earned graduate degrees in religion and historical theology from Emory University in Atlanta. A two-time fellow of the Hambidge Center, located in the mountains of North Georgia, she currently lives in Decatur, Georgia, and works at Emory University’s School of Medicine.

 

Daren Wang is the Founding Executive Director of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival, the largest independent book festival in the country. Before launching the festival, he had a twenty-year career in public radio, both national and local, with a particular focus on books and authors. Wang has written for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Paste magazine, and Five Points magazine, among others. The Hidden Light of Northern Fires is his first novel.

Programming, Writer's Night

Writer’s Night: Act One kicks off our 2018 Schedule!

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You’ve fleshed out a story, created a world, outlined, fretted, written, edited, edited some more, worried, and spent hour upon hour confusing friends and family by talking to yourself about your project when you thought they weren’t listening. Now you’ve developed feelings about it. You need to talk it out with someone who understands. Someone who gets you. Someone like you. Someone with thoughts and ideas about the craft of writing, about your writing, about any writing!

Your opportunity has arrived! Come and spend some real-world time (in a bookstore no less!) with writers, form new connections, chat with our featured authors, sit in on an informal conversation about writing Act One! Find your inspiration and inspire others! Join us! We’ll bring the food and drinks!

Our featured authors for this gathering will be Kimberly Brock and Ricki Schultz!

Kimberly Brock is the author of the award-winning modern gothic novel, The River Witch, and founder of the Tinderbox Writer’s Workshop, a transformative creative experience for women in the arts. She is a member of the Tall Poppy Writers, the only author-driven marketing cooperative in the U.S. that is exclusive to female authors who publish in a variety of genres. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in Psychology Today and Writer Unboxed, among other publications, and Kimberly is a bi-monthly contributor to the popular online writers site, Writers in the Storm, where she writes about the writer’s life.

Ricki Schultz is the author of Mr. Right Swipe, published June 2017 by Grand Central Press, and the forthcoming follow-up, Switch and Bait, due June 2018. A teacher, speaker, editor and writer, Ricki earned a B.A. in English and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Join us for a fun time with the fine folks at FoxTale Book Shoppe!

2017 Broadleaf Writers Conference

Registration for the 2nd Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference Opens March 31st!

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The time is almost at hand! In just nine days, registration for the 2nd Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference opens! We’re lining up another all-star cast of talented writers, agents and editors to offer you all you need to refine and improve your craft, and get you on the road to publication!

Join us September 23-24, 2017, at the Decatur Library in downtown Decatur, Georgia for two days of educational sessions, packed with expertise and insight to address the questions you have about the craft of writing! Attending a writing conference is an opportunity to invest in yourself as a writer, to learn from experts, and to become a part of a community of writers that inspire, uplift and support one another!

In addition to attending sessions, you will have the opportunity to schedule a five-minute one-on-one session with an agent. We’re in the process of adding our agents, so please check back with us soon for more information!

On Saturday, we will also be presenting a First Pages Critique featuring a panel of literary agents. Once you have registered, be sure to submit your first page and take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to get your manuscript on the right path!

Once again, the talented pool of writers in the state of Georgia moves into our spotlight. Each has earned great praise for their work, and now they are ready to offer you their thoughts and energy over the course of the weekend. Check out our list of this year’s confirmed speakers!

Take the leap. Invest in yourself. Be the writer you long to be. Find new friends, new connections, and be inspired!

2017 Broadleaf Writers Conference, 2017 Writer's High Retreat

The 2017 Writer’s High Retreat

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As a writing organization, it’s a thrill to have the opportunity to work closely with another organization, group, or individual seeking to assist other writers in their efforts to work toward publication. We’re excited to be a sponsor for Mari Ann Stefanelli’s fabulous writer’s retreat, The Writer’s High.

Now in its third year, The Writer’s High Retreat will take place March 17–19 at Amicalola Falls Lodge in Dawsonville, Georgia.

Author, speaker, writing coach, and former journalist twice-nominated for the Pulitzer Prize Jedwin Smith headlines this weekend-long writing retreat. Smith will be joined by Megan Sexton, award-winning poet and co-editor of Five Points; novelist Susan Crawford, author of the thrillers The Pocket Wife and The Other Widow; multi-genre author and founder of the Atlanta Writers Conference, George Weinstein; and professional speaker, storyteller, and instructor Jeanne Hewell-Chambers, founder of the 70,273 Project, which commemorates each of the disabled people murdered by Nazis between January 1940 and August 1941.

The Writer’s High Retreat at Amicalola Falls Lodge package includes two nights’ accommodations, all retreat presentations, workshops, and events; meals included are Friday and Saturday dinner buffet, lunch buffet Saturday, and breakfast buffet Saturday and Sunday (beverages included for all meals are coffee, tea, and iced tea). Space is very limited. To register or for more information, visit www.thewritershighretreat.com.

Members of Broadleaf Writers receive a discount toward registration! Additionally, if you have, or plan to, register for The Writer’s High, we will extend to you a discounted rate on the 2017 Broadleaf Writers Conference! Don’t miss out on this fantastic retreat, which offers you both the opportunity to improve who you are as a writer and to connect with an incredible community of writers!

Fundraiser

The 2017 Fundraiser has begun!

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Hello friends! Fundraiser time is upon us again and we need your assistance to help us grow in 2017!

Now entering our second year, Broadleaf Writers is looking for the resources to secure office space, technology and supplies that will aid in our educational efforts, and the resources to fund our operation as we build toward future goals. With every dollar pledged, we gain a greater opportunity to teach the craft of writing to those looking to improve a skill they may use in both their personal and professional lives!

Any amount helps! Whether $10, $20 or more, every dollar will help us accomplish our goals of assisting individuals in their attempts to learn the craft!

We want to offer what we can in return for your generosity, and have therefore created the following levels:

With any donation of $50 or more, you will instantly receive an annual membership into Broadleaf Writers (a $40 value), and be listed as a donor on our website and in our Annual Conference Program! For a list of membership benefits, please visit our membership page.

With any donation of $100 or more, you will receive a membership, donation listing, and a critique on the first ten pages of your manuscript by one of our Conference speakers!

With any donation of $250 or more, you will receive a membership into Broadleaf Writers, you will be listed as a Sponsor of our organization or conference (your choice!), receive a ten page critique on your manuscript, AND you will be invited to all 2017 conference functions as our guest!

With any donation of $500 or more, you will receive a lifetime membership into Broadleaf Writers, invitations to future private and public functions and the opportunity to join us in an advisory capacity, as well as everything else in the above groups!

In addition to helping our educational organization grow, all donations are tax-deductible!

Thank you and we appreciate your time and attention!

Partners

Featured Partner: The Atlanta Writers Club

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One of the fundamental tenets of the Broadleaf Writers Association is that through community, writers gain not only in talent but in strength and confidence. As a unit, we can achieve more, we can assist one another in the dreams birthed the first day we created worlds. Our region is deep in organizations dedicated to writers, and we believe it is necessary to partner with and promote them all. The broader the community, the greater we can assist our writers. So, today we launch a feature promoting each of our partners. Please, follow the links, see what these groups are doing. Perhaps they speak to you. Perhaps they speak to a writer you know. Perhaps you will share the word, help us in our efforts to build the biggest, most diverse community of writers in existence.

Atlanta Writers ClubToday, we spotlight the Atlanta Writers Club. Founded in 1914, AWC is dedicated to teaching its members about the craft and business of writing through monthly meetings, two annual Atlanta Writers Conferences, workshops, dozens of critique groups, and other opportunities. The mission of the Atlanta Writers Club is to assist and encourage upcoming new writers; to unite for mutual benefit, promote and sponsor creative educational activities for writers, lecturers, artists, and composers; to train members to write and develop their aesthetic creative talents; to present open forums for discussion on topics of importance to those interested in the advancement of the arts; and to promote advancement of literary art throughout the region and provide an atmosphere for more intimate acquaintance among the members with the work of established Southern writers.

On November 4-5 at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel, the Atlanta Writers Club will host its 15th Atlanta Writers Conference. Twice each year, this conference brings to Atlanta well-respected acquisition editors from the large publishers and highly recommended literary agents, along with other industry experts, to give participants two days of education about the craft and business of writing as well as opportunities to advance their writing careers. Nearly two dozen past participants have received publishing deals and/or agent representation contracts following these conferences. Full details–including testimonials by past participants and guest editors and agents–and registration instructions are at AtlantaWritersConference.com.

BWA Conference

2016 Broadleaf Writers Conference Schedule Now Available!

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The 2016 Schedule for the Broadleaf Writers Conference is now available*! Click the link for a downloadable version, or scroll below to see it now!

Saturday, September 24th

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Writing With Confidence

Keynote Address, Paul Jenkins

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

The Southern Voice: Writing Southern Fiction

Panelists: Patti Callahan Henry, Joshilyn Jackson, Brian Panowich

Moderator: George Weinstein

 

The Butler Didn’t Do It: Keeping the Mystery in Your Work

Panelists: Shelli Johannes-Wells, Grant Jerkins, Romily Bernard

Moderator: TBD

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

A Panel of Panels: The Comic Book Writer

Panelists: Paul Jenkins, Clay McLeod Chapman, James A. Moore

Moderator: Bill Blume

 

Kill Your Darlings, Over and Again: Editing Your Work

Panelists: Jessica Handler, Joshilyn Jackson, David L. Robbins, Colleen Oakley

Moderator: George Weinstein

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

You Just Don’t Understand Me!: Writing for Teens and Children

Panelists: Romily Bernard, Shelli Johannes Wells, Clay McLeod Chapman

Moderator: Bill Blume

 

Marketing in a Digital Age: Marketing and Branding on Social Media

Panelists: Clifford Brooks III, Nicki Salcedo, Kate Sweeney

Moderator: TBD

3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

First Pages Critique

Panelists: Kristy Hunter, Kaylee Davis, Kimiko Nakamura, David L. Robbins

Moderator: Zachary Steele

 

Sunday, September 25th

9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.

Welcome Back

9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Life, the Universe, and Everything: The Elements of World Building

Panelists: Paul Jenkins, Patti Callahan Henry, James A. Moore, Brian Panowich

Moderator: Bill Blume

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Driving a Stake Through Clichés: Writing Original Fantasy and Horror

Panelists: James A. Moore, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Clay McLeod Chapman

Moderator: TBD

 

You Could Say That: Choosing the Right Word

Panelists: Clifford Brooks III, David L. Robbins, Kate Sweeney

Moderator: Ed Hall

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Make ‘em Laugh: Injecting Humor In Your Work

Panelists: Patti Callahan Henry, Nicki Salcedo, Jessica Handler

Moderator: TBD

 

Putting Them Through Hell: Pushing Your Characters to the Brink

Panelists: Colleen Oakley, David L. Robbins, Grant Jerkins

Moderator: TBD

1:00p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Lunch

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

You Don’t Say…: Writing Believable Characters and Dialogue

Panelists: Nicki Salcedo, Brian Panowich, Grant Jerkins

Moderator: David L. Robbins

 

Sad Hours Seem Long: Writing Grief and Loss for Everyone

Panelists: Jessica Handler, Kate Sweeney, Colleen Oakley

Moderator: TBD

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Elevator Pitch: The 60-second Pitch

Panelists: Kristy Hunter, Kaylee Davis, Kimiko Nakamura,

Moderator: Zachary Steele

4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Clifford Brooks III, The Fifth Movement &

Closing Remarks

*schedule subject to change

Partners

Featured Partner: The Southern Collective Experience

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One of the fundamental tenets of the Broadleaf Writers Association is that through community, writers gain not only in talent but in strength and confidence. As a unit, we can achieve more, we can assist one another in the dreams birthed the first day we created worlds. Our region is deep in organizations dedicated to writers, and we believe it is necessary to partner with and promote them all. The broader the community, the greater we can assist our writers. So, today we launch a feature promoting each of our partners. Please, follow the links, see what these groups are doing. Perhaps they speak to you. Perhaps they speak to a writer you know. Perhaps you will share the word, help us in our efforts to build the biggest, most diverse community of writers in existence.

Today, we begin with the Southern Collective Experience.

Southern Collective Experience

The Southern Collective Experience is an organization of the arts founded in 2010.   After its founder, Clifford Brooks’ first book of poetry, The Draw of Broken Eyes & Whirling Metaphysics, was published, he saw a need for increased professionalism and tight-knit feel of a family within, and around, those who shared a similar vision.  The Southern Collective Experience is a group of men and women who not only dream of being an artist, but have gained success in that endeavor.  They promote and provide personal support within their ranks to show through doing that not all of the Creative Ilk are incapable of sharing a stage.

The cardinal virtue of the Collective is to promote the arts, in all its forms, proving that integrity, high standards, and classical understanding of the past, present, and future of expression do exist.  Not only that, but they are thriving.  Innovative minds are able to balance their dreamscapes as well as their check books.

Every member holds their own responsibilities within the organization, while gaining enormous promotion for their own endeavors through social media, a magazine (The Blue Mountain Review), and an NPR radio show called Dante’s Old South.  You can find all of this and more by visiting their website, www.southerncollectiveexperince.com.

Of course, the presence of the word “Southern” isn’t meant to exclude any part of America, or the world for that matter.  Everyone is south of somewhere.  This has more to do with the couth, tact, and honor.  This is about laughter, relaxation, and mutual success while retaining absolute independence.  This is not a Utopian hope.  This is not a haughty construction of vowel and consonance sounds more akin to prayers than statements of facts.  It is what it is, and the SCE welcomes you to submit, inquire, and learn.

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!