Tag: networking

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.

Partners

Featured Partner: Tinderbox Workshop

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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 spotlight Tinderbox Workshop, led by award winning and bestselling author Kimberly Brock. Tinderbox Workshop is a salon-like workshop designed to help you reconnect with your creative self through awareness, movement, and an environment that encourages you to find your true north, embrace your unique voice, and discover the innate resilience of life lived from your Creative Core. For a full list of Kimberly’s workshops, visit her site at http://kimberlybrockbooks.com/events/.
 
Kimberly Brock is a writer’s greatest champion, networking and connecting one writer to another, supporting and celebrating organizations who serve writers, and the energy and vision behind the Milton Literary Festival. We are proud to partner with her in her continued efforts to support and educate writers. In addition, we are proud to help promote her great work, not the least of which includes the forthcoming Tinderbox Writers Retreat for Women.
 
Tinderbox RetreatThe First Annual Tinderbox Writers Retreat is an inspiring four-day celebration of story. Challenge your writing and find clarity for your voice in this oceanfront sanctuary for women writers… Take to the sea to write, create, make art and nourish your Creative Core! Because we all have a journey to take, a truth to speak and a story to tell!
 
This retreat was created to nurture the creative spirit of women, to celebrate our stories through the written and spoken word. We’ll spend four transformative days, writing, reading, and sharing. You’ll be challenged to explore the deeper questions about what you want to say in your writing. We will begin our days with walks on the beach, nourish ourselves while cooking together, embrace solitude when we need a quiet moment, and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Your heart and your writing will grow through workshops and intimate sessions created to transform your writing.
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 Writer’s High

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The Writers HighOne 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 spotlight The Writer’s High, a fantastic writer’s retreat, run by the incomparable (and super awesome!) Mari Ann Stefanelli Perusek.

Picture yourself nestled in the gorgeous North Georgia mountains, with cool breezes caressing your summer-weary skin, lodging in a beautiful resort, doing what you love––writing, refilling your creative well. Tantalizing, isn’t it? Now, add in a NYT best-selling author, two award-winning authors, and an extraordinary poet who share their writing secrets with you. Can you imagine? They’re with you ALL weekend. You’ll attend their workshops, eat delicious meals together, and enjoy relaxed conversations. Can you see yourself? Now, add in a sprinkling of fellow writers from all levels and backgrounds who are eager to learn, to experience, and to meet other writers. Your newest best friend might be the writer sitting next to you. It’s all at The Writer’s High Retreat, waiting for you. No competition. No comparisons. You need this. Your writing deserves this. Registration has been extended to September 1st. http://www.thewritershighretreat.com/

Featuring Joshilyn Jackson, Charles Clifford Brooks III, Jessica Handler, and Michael Morris, this retreat should be at the top of every writer’s wish list. Register now!

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!

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!