The ABC's of Literary Journal Submission

What Submission Guidelines Don’t Tell You: An Insider’s Guide to Submitting to Literary Journals

Whether you’re just thinking  about sending your work out to literary journals, or you’ve already received a  handful of rejections, this class will explain how the dizzying process really works. We’ll cover targeting  markets, formatting work, handling rejections, and what happens when you get  accepted. After this lively class, you’ll be ready to charge the world of  publishing. (Note: Not for book-length publishing)
“I attended  a Liz Prato’s mini-workshop on publishing, & it was great. I walked away  with reassuring statistics on how many rejections to expect as opposed to  acceptances, models for cover letters, an online source for literary journals,  & lots of good, practical advice.” ~ Cindy Stewart-Rinier

Register for this class

Teacher: Liz Prato

Date/Time: Saturday, April 19th, 1 - 3pm

Location: Attic Institute, 4232 SE Hawthorne

Total Fee: $50 (cash/check); $59 (Paypal).

Liz Prato's stories and essays have appeared in Hayden’s  Ferry Review, Subtropics, The Rumpus, Iron Horse Literary Review, Hunger  Mountain, Carve, and ZYZZYVA, among others. Awards include the 2010 Minnetonka  Review Editor’s Prize, 2005 Berkeley Fiction Review Sudden Fiction prize. She was appointed a 2012 Sewanee Writers’ Conference Scholar and has guest-edited for VoiceCatcher. She is the editor of the fiction anthology The Night, and the Rain, and the River (Forest Avenue Press, May 2014).   www.lizprato.com

Transmit Culture: Food Writing and Publishing

PSU program to host discussion about food writing and publishing.

Portland State University’s Master’s Program in Publishing is excited to announce their next public lecture offered in conjunction with Ooligan Press. 

 “Transmit Culture: Food Writing and Publishing,” will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., Portland, on Thursday, October 24, 2013. 

 Dig into Portland’s vibrant food culture as a local writer, literary agent, publicist, and book designer discuss the business of food writing and publishing.

Panelists include Breanna Goodrow, book designer at Timber Press; accomplished journalist Marnie Hanel, whose writing on food and other topics has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Sunset, and other notable publications; Betsy Amster, whose work as a literary agent includes representing high-profile cookbook authors; and Greg Mowery, who has built a long, successful career as a cookbook publicist. The panel will be moderated by Diana Abu-Jaber, acclaimed novelist, PSU professor of creative writing, and former food writer for the Oregonian.

Transmit Culture: A Series of Conversations about Publishing is hosted by the Master’s program in Publishing at Portland State University, and Ooligan Press, a nonprofit trade publishing house staffed by students in the graduate program. The lecture series features professionals from all areas of the publishing industry. Lectures are free and open to the public, although there is a suggested donation of $5–10.

For more information about Portland State University’s Master’s program in Publishing and Ooligan Press, visit www.ooliganpress.pdx.edu.

Literary Arts Classes at MAC!

 

Fall 2013 Literary Arts Classes and Workshops

Multnomah Arts Center

 

To register for classes, call (503) 823-3187 or visit www.multnomahartscenter.org to find out about our Literary Arts faculty. Classes start soon; don’t miss out!

Memoir Writing  with Rob Freedman
Tuesdays 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
October 8 – December 03 $184 [9 weeks]

The Writer Within  with Nancy Linnon
Tuesdays, 12:30 -  2:30 pm
October 8 - November 26 $136 [8 weeks]

Writing Poetry  with Donna Prinzmetal
Tuesdays,  7:00 -  8:30 pm
October 1 - December 3 $135 [10 weeks]

Writing Personal Histories with Meg Ainsworth Eberle
Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
October 2 - December 4 $102 [5 weeks]

Memoir Writing  with Kate Carroll deGutes
Wednesdays  7:00 pm -  9:00 pm
October 9 - December  4  (no class November 20)   $154  [9 weeks]

Getting Beyond “I Like It”: Revision Workshop with Judith Pulman
Fridays 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
October 25 - December 6   (no class November 29) $110 [6 weeks]

The Playwright’s Toolbox  with Michael Thomas Cooper
Saturdays  1:00 -  3:00 pm
October 5 - November 16 $120 [7 weeks]


Saturday One-day Workshops

Writing Experiments  with James Yeary
Saturday, October 5 10:00 am -  4:00 pm $48

Writing from Archetypes  with Lyssa Tall Anolik 
Saturday, October 19 10:00 am -  4:00 pm $48 

Write for a Change in Yourself  with Amy Minato
Saturday, November 2   10:00 am - 1:00 pm $25

Being Your Own Publisher  with Vinnie Kinsella
Saturday, November 9, 1:00 -  3:00 pm    $30

Summer In Words Conference, 2013

Registration is now open for Summer in Words 2013. 

  

The fabulous line up of speakers/teachers includes: Monica Drake, Melissa Hart, Randal Houle, Lauren Kessler, Kelly James Williams, me, and keynote speaker Jonathan Evison. 

 Manuscript Evaluations also available.

When: June 20-22, 2013

Location: the Hallmark Inn & Resort in Cannon Beach 

 Go to the website for complete information: Summer In Words

LEARN TO CRAFT THE PERFECT QUERY LETTER IN THREE HOURS

Join Kelly Wallace for a three-hour class for writers to focus on honing and crafting a query letter for literary agents January 12, 2013. 

Participants will learn how to:

• Craft a query letter to a literary agent
• Use social media to promote your writing
• Market your work in new and old-school way

When they’re done, they’ll have a query letter to send, ideas for where to send it, a network of people to support them and next steps for how to continue the good work.

When: Saturday, January 12, 2013 from 9 am to noon at the Attic Institute, 4232 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland. 

Cost: $59

Follow-up cocktail party at the Press Club, 2621 SE Clinton St., in February to share their finished query letter and/or success stories.  Price of admission to the cocktail party: finished query letter. Date TBD

This class is led by Kelly Wallace, who owns and operates the Writers Boot Camp West.  She was a Hawthorne Fellow ‘12 at The Attic Institute and a member of the Pinewood Table writer’s group led by Stevan Allred and Joanna Rose. 

To register visit: http://www.bootcamp4writers.com/register/

For more information please contact:

Kelly Wallace (p): 503.575.5104 or (e): bootcamp4writers@gmail.com

Bagging Bylines: Marketing Nonfiction Class

Dates: October 9-December 18, 2012. No class Nov. 6, Nov. 20 or Dec. 4.

Time: 6:30-9 p.m.

Location: Hollywood district of Northeast Portland, Oregon. Exact location provided upon registration.

Cost: $200/8 weeks

Registration deadline: Oct. 5, 2012

Class is limited to 5 students 

Learn the secrets professional writers know about how to get published. Maximize the chances your articles, essays or memoir excerpts will sell. Students will read their writing aloud and receive feedback, with the goal of revising the writing to fit specific markets. Individual attention will be given to each student’s marketing goals. Students will find publications that fit their writing and learn how to analyze magazines and keep track of submissions.

 
For more information or to register: (503) 288-2469, wordpics@aracnet.com,
www.nancy-woods.com,
kickstartyourwriting.wordpress.com.

Payment may be mailed to Nancy Woods, P.O. Box 18032, Portland, OR 97218. To pay by credit card, call (503) 288-2469.

LEARN TO CRAFT THE PERFECT QUERY LETTER IN THREE HOURS

Join Kelly Wallace for a three-hour class for writers to focus on honing and crafting a query letter for literary agents September 15, 2012. 

Participants will learn how to:

• Craft a query letter to a literary agent
• Use social media to promote your writing
• Market your work in new and old-school way

When they’re done, they’ll have a query letter to send, ideas for where to send it, a network of people to support them and next steps for how to continue the good work.

When: Saturday, September 15 from 9 am to noon at the Attic Institute, 4232 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland. 

Follow-up cocktail party a month later to share their finished query letter and/or success stories.  Price of admission to the cocktail party: finished query letter.  Location of cocktail party TBA.

This class is led by Kelly Wallace, who owns and operates the Writers Boot Camp West.  She is currently a Hawthorne Fellow at The Attic Writing Institute and a member of the Pinewood Table writer’s group led by Stevan Allred and Joanna Rose.

To register visit: http://www.bootcamp4writers.com/register/west-coast-boot-camp-portland/

You’ve Finished Your Book. Now What? & Book Publicity

You’ve Finished Your Book. Now What?
Susan DeFreitas, Indigo Editing & Publications
10 a.m.–11:30 a.m., $45

The only task possibly more daunting than finishing a book is figuring out what to do with it once you have! In this class, writers will discover practical tools for clarifying the book’s strengths and weaknesses, and strengthening the manuscript in revision as well as solid strategies for determining the work’s potential avenues for publication and promotion. This class will be most useful to writers who have recently completed a book, or are close to doing so.

Book Publicity: The Vital Step No One Warned You About
Jessica Glenn, Mindbuck Media
11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m., $45

Book publicity is different than any other type of publicity and often seems to authors like an option rather than a necessity. If you are finishing a manuscript, you are most likely self-publishing or planning to submit to agents and publishers. Before doing any of these options, you will need a watertight marketing and publicity plan. Without it, statistically, you are highly unlikely to find a receptive agent or publisher. You are also unlikely to sell more than 50–150 books total if self-publishing. In this class, Jessica Glenn will lead you through the phases of book publicity from six months before the release date to three weeks after the launch. Learn how to contact bloggers; use radio, print, and TV to your advantage; and organize book tours.

Double Feature
You’ve Finished Your Book. Now What? with Susan DeFreitas, AND
Book Publicity: The Vital Step No One Warned You About with Jessica Glenn,
10 a.m.–1:15 p.m., $70

Register at: http://www.indigoediting.com/classes

Literary Journal Publishing: Rejection, Acceptance, and Everything In Between

 Untangle the dizzying process of sending your stories, poems, and essays to literary journals. We’ll cover how to target markets, format your work, handle the inevitable rejections, and what happens when you get accepted. After this lively 2-hour class, you’ll be ready to charge the world of publishing. (Note: Not for book-length publishing).

Teacher: Liz Prato

Time: Wednesday, November 16, 7-9pm

Location: Attic Institute, 4232 SE Hawthorne Boulevard

Total Fee: $45

Register at: The Attic

PDX Writers Guest Poet Workshop and Getting-it-Published Panel

•    Saturday, August 13•    Poetry workshop: 10am – noon•    Lunch is on your own in the Belmont District or get snacks at TaborSpace or bring a sack lunch to eat in the large community room.•    Panel: 12:45pm-2pm•    Location: TaborSpace, 5441 NE Belmont Avenue http://taborspace.org•    You can sign up for just the poetry workshop ($20), just the panel ($20) or for both at a discounted rate ($35)!   
Guest poet Brendan Constantine takes time out during his current book tour to facilitate a workshop with us. He is joined in the afternoon by novelist Kim Taylor, nonfiction writer Claire Sykes, and poet/prose writer and Susan Rich to discuss how to navigate agents, editors and book tours. Bring your burning questions for the panel.

For more information and on line registration, visit our website: www.pdxwriters.com

Oregon Writers Colony Founders Day Celebration

August 13-14, 2011

All members and friends of the Oregon Writers Colonly are invited to the annual Founders Day held in Rockaway Beach, Oregon.

Saturday’s schedule includes a Writing Class taught by publisher/editor/writer, Lynn Price – Cost $40. Lynn Price will also have private appointments following the class available for $15 for a one-on-one.

Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen and historical novelist, Barbara Corrado Pope are the featured speakers for Saturday with a reading at the Rockaway City Library at 1:30 and at 3:30 in the afternoon dedicating the newly installed Poetry Pole at the Colonyhouse followed by a reception at Colonyhouse from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Sunday’s program at the Rockaway City Hall kicks off with speaker/writer, Dana Haynes at 9:15a.m., followed by the Authors’ Showcase – a time for featured published authors of OWC to share their work.

The luncheon speaker is R. Gregory Nokes. The afternoon program features break-out sessions moderated by published writers in Poetry, Mystery, Short Fiction, Non-Fiction, Research, and Self-Publishing.

At 4:30 attendees are invited to a reception and tours of the Colonyhouse.

Cost for the Founders Day Celebration is $40 per person. For further information contact Marlene Howard.

To register for the Lynn Price class or Sunday's Founder's Day Celebration festivities, visit the Oregon Writers Colony Founder's Day 2011 Events page.

Winning at Fiction: How to Build a Better First Page

with Susan DeFreitas of Indigo Editing & Publications

Why should agents or editors pick your book out of that mile-high slush pile on their desk? Why should bookstore browsers lay down the cold, hard cash to buy your book? Answer: because your first sentence, first paragraph, and first page are so arresting, they can't put it down. In this workshop, writers of prose will learn effective techniques for winning "the war of art" on the very first page, along with some common pitfalls to avoid before sending a work out for consideration. (Writers should come with the first page of a book, story, or essay, and be prepared to offer constructive feedback.)

-PLUS -

Turn Your Readers into Raving Fans with Cory Huff of the Abundant Artist
Fans love having opportunities to connect with their favorite writers. If you are a writer, then you are already a skilled communicator. In this class, you will learn how to form meaningful connections with your fans through your website, email, and social media. Then we'll learn how to give your readers exactly what they want and turn those meaningful relationships into cold, hard cash.


Saturday, August 13
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 Register at www.indigoediting.com/workshops


Indigo Editing & Publications' August workshops make a solid connection between your hard work as a writer and growing your bank account. Join us for three hours packed full of writing feedback and publishing advice. This twofer costs only $50, and space is limited, so register early!

June Workshops at Indigo Editing & Publications

The shortest forms of writing often hold the most magnificent insights into other worlds. This month you'll learn how to build tiny kingdoms in flash fiction and how to condense your book's world into a one-page query letter. Join us!

Saturday, June 18
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tiny Kingdoms: Writing Flash Fiction with Alissa Nielsen
 

Short, short stories—some have described them as vignettes, sketches, anecdotes; they’ve been given multiple names such as flash fiction, sudden fiction, mini fiction, quick fiction, or micro fiction. Joyce Carol Oates compares flash fiction to “Chopin’s brilliant little preludes,” and Mark Strand claims they “can do in a page what a novel does in two hundred.” In this workshop we will write from prompts geared toward this condensed form of storytelling and discuss strategies for revising longer pieces to create a successful flash. Through exploring several compelling flash fiction examples, we’ll investigate how these authors use lyricism, subtext, and the element of surprise to create tiny kingdoms that contain multitudes.

A Winning First Impression: Making the Most of Your Query Letter with Ali McCart
 

The query letter is one of the most daunting pieces you as a writer will ever take on. It’s your first impression with the publisher, and the final draft could come across as a soggy handshake or an impressive, firm grip. In this workshop, we’ll examine what makes a well-crafted query letter and what dooms it for rejection. Then we’ll draft and critique our own queries so you can leave with the confidence to stand up straight, make eye contact, and smile wide for your literary introduction.

Take both classes for just $50.
Register at www.indigoediting.com/workshops.
Space limited to ten students.

E-Books for Writers with Shanna Germain

A huge potential market!

If you're not at least considering putting your work out on ebooks for the Kindle, the Nook and more, you're missing a huge potential market. This class will provide you with a basic understanding of the ebook market, including pros and cons, the ever-changing technology, and how to make your own work available in this popular format. 

Teacher: Shanna Germain

Time: Wednesday, 6-9pm, July 13

Location: Attic Institute, 4232 SE Hawthorne Boulevard

Total Fee: $70

Register at: The Attic

May Workshops at Indigo: Talk the Talk

Please join Indigo for another inspirational and informative day of workshops. May's focus will be on the art of conversation--both between your characters and between you as an author and the bookstores you hope will carry your book. We'll have special guests to help us out on this one, so come on out and join the fun!

Saturday, May 21
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dialogue Clinic: Conflict, Implication, and Subtext with Susan DeFreitas
In this very special Indigo Editing workshop, writers of fiction are invited to come with a piece of dialogue from a work in progress. Actors and actresses will act out these scenes, revealing opportunities for more natural idioms, stronger exchanges, heightened emotions, and implied subtext within the conversation. Each writer will leave with detailed feedback on strengthening both the dialogue and the scene.

Partnering Successfully with Local Bookstores with Sally McPherson
Selling and marketing your book is an integral part of the publishing process. At this workshop you will learn how one local independent bookstore (Broadway Books) makes decisions about the store's inventory and events, and how you can partner successfully with bookstores to deliver your book to its intended audience. The interactive workshop will focus on three primary topics: how bookstores make decisions about what to stock in the store and how you can best position your book for maximum exposure and sales; what makes for successful bookstore events and what authors can do to maximize their success; the future of bookselling and the advent of ebooks.

The small-group format of the workshop will enable you to engage in productive dialogue with bookstore owner and with your peers to determine what steps are best for your individual situation.

Register for both classes for just $50 at www.indigoediting.com/workshops.

Special Offer for Indigo Workshop Attendees
If you're aching for an even bigger educational experience that weekend, augment the Indigo workshops with Ooligan seminars! Ooligan Press's Write to Publish conference takes place at PSU Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22. Indigo and Ooligan have teamed up to offer a special deal: take Indigo's morning workshops ($50 total) and two of Ooligan's afternoon seminars ($35 each) on Saturday, and receive free admission into Sunday's Industry Mingle! More information on Write to Publish can be found at http://www.ooliganpress.pdx.edu/w2p/?page_id=2.

Write to Publish Conference

Are you tired of hearing, “no”? Do you wonder how to get an agent or if you even need one? Are you tired of going to the same type of writing conferences; teaching you how to write, how to develop your characters and the correct formula for plot, climax, and ending? Have you ever said aloud, “I wonder if I need an agent?” or, “Which publishing companies should I submit my manuscripts to?” Write to Publish is unlike any conference you’ve ever attended. Instead of focusing on the craft of writing, we explore to process of getting published. Our primary goal at Write to Publish is to demystify the publishing process for writers. Write to Publish is a two day conference taking place over the weekend of May 21st and 22nd.

The first day of Write to Publish includes two tracks of four workshops, each workshop is a hour and fifteen minutes long. You may choose to come to one, two or three workshops.

The price for students is $28 and non-students is $35 per workshop, or to the whole day is $100 for students and $120 for non-students. Purchasing the whole day will give you a free ticked to day two of the conference.

More info at: Ooligan Press, Write to Publish

If you have ticket questions please contact events@ooliganpress.pdx.edu .