WIN SOME CASH!!!

Join us for the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop, June 17-21, and you can submit any or all of our contests ~ for FREE!

Register for one day or all four ~ there's no minimum requirement!  And there a so many contests to choose from!  Do you have a novel, a short story?  Maybe humor, inspirational or personal narratives?  No matter!  There's a contest for you!  And best of all...

Every contests awards CASH PRIZES!!

2016 CONTESTS:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel
• The G.T. Youngblood Award for Short Fiction
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The Thomas Max "You Are Published" Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award

The submission DEADLINE IS May 15, 2016.  

Read the full guidelines on our website.

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop 

June 17-21, 2016 

Epworth by the Sea 

St. Simons Island, Georgia

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop: Contests with Cash Prizes!!!

41st Southeastern Writers Workshop ~ June 17-21 

All attendees of the 41st Southeastern Writers Workshop are eligible to enter our many contests.  And you can write just about anything you want: novels, short fiction, essays, funny stories, true stories, stories with a Southern flair, stories set in other worlds!  And best of all....

There is MONEY to be WON !!!

Contests include:

• The Hal Bernard Memorial Award for Novel 
• The GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award
• The Vega Award for Speculative Short Fiction 
• The Julie L. Cannon Award
• The Bill Westhead Memorial Award
• The Angel Award for Holiday Seasonal Writing
• The ThomasMax “You are Published” Contest
• The Award for Excellence in Inspirational Writing
• The Humor Award 

Click here for complete descriptions and guidelines.  Deadline is May 15.

Contests are open to attendees ONLY.  Click here to learn more and to register.

Reblogs: The Two Most Powerful Words That You Can Say To Yourself While Writing

(from io9.com)

“I’m bored.” 

These two words are the hardest thing to admit, when you’re writing your deathless novel, or screenplay, or short story. You’re supposed to be creating a work of timeless brilliance. How can you be bored?

But admitting that you’re bored is the first step to not being bored.

The power of boredom

A lot of writers get really good at pretending that we’re not bored, and it’s possible to get so good at pretending that you even convince yourself that you’re interested in what you’re writing, when you’ve actually checked out a while ago. We put so much energy into motivating ourselves to keep writing, to put words on the page at all costs, that it can be a huge nightmare to admit that what we’re writing is actually not that fun or interesting. It feels like a terrible betrayal.

And a lot of writing advice boils down to “If you get bored, just keep writing until you find your way through it.” Or ways to cover up your boredom, or work around it, or distract yourself from it. Just taking a beat and saying “This is boring” feels as though it goes against the “just write a crappy first draft” ethos.

Read the remainder of this article.

Getting A Clear Read

Picking a reader takes more than handing your manuscript off to the next person you see.  A reader can be instrumental in the success of your writing so choose carefully.

First, you need someone who is an avid recreational reader.  The higher the book count the better because he won't differentiate between your manuscript and the book he just bought today.  Someone who reads in multiple genres and mediums is good too, such as mainstream fiction, magazines and the daily newspaper.  This person knows what sits on the store shelves and can evaluate how your work will play within the current trends.

Second, an effective reader can explain the reasoning behind his opinions.  How many times have you handed a manuscript to someone and only to have the person say, “Oh I like it “ or “It’s not my favorite”?  That doesn’t help when you're trying to figure out if the ending gives the payoff promised or simply stops the story.   There must be some give and take with both sides questioning each other.  You have to feel comfortable with your reader to ask why does he think that and to play a game of "what if..."  with him. 

Third, honesty is the most important issue in the writer-reader relationship.  The risk of hurting your feelings may keep the people closest to you from giving you an honest critique.  Ask yourself, "I can trust him with my life, but can I trust him with my manuscript?"  On the flipside, struggling through life together can strip away all pretenses making your soulmate or your best friend the perfect reader.  He knows you and how you work and you know him.  Any inkling of sugar-coating would be spotted right away.  As your friend, he wouldn't betray the trust you placed in him when you turned over your manuscript.

Next you need to decide if a reader is necessary for you.  Look at your limitations.  I have a hard time seeing simple mistakes, not only in my work but in whatever I read.  My mind automatically corrects the mistake and I read through it.  Readers can spot basic errors and typos because they read with fresh eyes.  They can tell you what works, what to fix and what to cut out.  

I also have a habit of "writing short" for the sake of the word count, sometimes sacrificing clarity.  When you research a project, you learn far more than you'll ever put in your manuscript.  As a result, you may leave out information inadvertently because you know what you're talking about.  You know the backstory.  A reader can point out areas where your 1000 words don't add up to a picture for those outside your brain, and he can work with you to get your point across without busting the word count. 

It may be that you'll find a need for more than one reader.  Different people give different perspectives even when they're looking at the same manuscript.  Life experiences, interests and education all influence how a person looks at the written word.  Two people may like the same things but for different reasons.  They may pick out the same problem area, but offer differing solutions.  Of course, you could get critiques that make you wonder if you even gave them the same manuscript.  In any case, they'll both give you something to think about.

If you write in different mediums, it can be helpful to have different readers for each.  A reader who enjoys fiction might find nonfiction boring, while a nonfiction reader might not pick up on the nuances and subtleties of fiction.  Another way to split your reading needs is between grammar and content.  One can read for sentence structure, grammar errors and spelling, much like a copy editor, while the other handles the big picture of content and flow.  Then there's the availability issue.  If your deadline looms and your reader is on vacation, having a second reader available saves you that risk of submitting a flawed manuscript.

Deciding on the need for a reader is personal.  If you're already selling every word you write, you might not need a reader.  If your sales are sporadic or if you find yourself bogged down in revisions unable to let anything go, an effective reader can help.  So evaluate your career honestly, recognize recurring problems, then look for someone with the traits and skills to give your next manuscript a good read.

Reblogs: The Writer's Circle: 5 Famous Authors and Their Strange Writing Rituals

(This article by Stephanie Ostroff originally appeared on The Writer's Circle.)

Routines keep us focused when we start drifting off course. They snap us back to reality and remind us that yes, we can do this. The words will come to us. Turning to a familiar writing ritual can help us find balance. Most authors have that one thing they do, even subconsciously, that sets the tone for a solid writing session.

Sometimes it’s as simple as creating the right lighting in a room or hearing songs from a favorite album. It’s the difference between churning out pages of your best work and wasting an afternoon staring at a blinking cursor.

At times, these rituals are taken to an extreme. Some of history’s most celebrated authors swore by unusual and bizarre rituals. It’s possible we owe many great pieces of literature to the fact that they were so meticulous in maintaining these strange habits.

In honor of the writers who embrace their quirky routines, the Writer’s Circle is highlighting a few of the oddest rituals practiced by famous authors:

1. JAMES JOYCE

Crayons, a white coat, and a comfy horizontal surface. These were Joyce’s essentials. The author of Ulysses found his words flowed better while lying flat on his stomach in bed. Since he was severely myopic, crayons enabled Joyce to see his own handwriting more clearly, and the white coat served as a reflector for light onto the pages.

2. MAYA ANGELOU

Most writers can’t afford to check into a hotel when the urge to scribble hits, but for Angelou, it’s the key to great writing. In the wee hours of the morning she’ll book herself a room with a special request: all distracting wall décor must vanish. Armed with a bottle of sherry, a deck of cards, some legal pads, a thesaurus and the Bible, she’s spent hours crafting prose in this carefully constructed environment stripped of almost all inspiration.

3. TRUMAN CAPOTE

The creative genius behind In Cold Blood, Capote was a superstitious man. His writing rituals often involved avoiding particular things. Namely, hotel rooms with phone numbers including “13,” starting or ending a piece of work on a Friday, and tossing more than three cigarette butts in one ashtray.

Read the remainder of Stephanie's article.

ABC’s for creating a Story From Scratch

What if there was a simple formula with which to turn that collection of words and sentences churning around just beneath the surface into a compelling story?  Here is my formula that beginners, or perhaps even seasoned writers, might try out to achieve breakthroughs on one of those frustrating writer's-blocked days.

This ABC Story From Scratch recipe might be able to help get energy moving on an existing story that is not quite moving at the right pace.  Perhaps this could also be of use for a story where there may be a better direction or there is a need for more depth.   The aim is to reach that satisfying level of memorable story telling that the writer wishes to create and readers like to read.  

Just for fun, let’s see what might be achieved from using the following ingredients and steps for writing a Story From Scratch:

A = Attitude  

A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, and in American culture it may represent individuality and confidence or rebelliousness.

B = Behavior  

Behavior is expressed by how attitudes (from author through main character, foe, friend, lover, culture, nations, etc.) are played out in the story.

C = Consequences  

The result of bringing together Attitude and Behavior.

A+B=C combines Attitude with Behavior to reveal Consequences when life intervenes to beat it all into some sort of solution — though often it may be a sticky one that is not quite ready for consumption.  So, for those who recognize that the story needs more to finish it well, let’s take things a bit further.

D = Delight  

The delight of seeing something not seen before is the gift a great story has to share.  Delight enlightens the story through its characters and/or the reader as a result of them having gone through that often agonizing mix up of attitudes and behaviors, then sifting through the consequences to come to a greater level of realization.  Delight could come from a pivotal decision that enlivens the story from the resulting increased awareness.  Or it may be some other surprising event or unexpected action that, in the end, produces the sought-after savory blend. 

E=Excavation 

Perhaps there could be even greater benefit found by the story being experienced and told from a more visceral level?  If so, then further emotional excavation may be in order.  When the author digs deeper, characters are likely to follow with a much more powerfully believable emotional portrayal that also touches and satisfies readers.

Born in Oklahoma, Diane Douglas lives in South Carolina where she enjoys Southern writing and cooking.  She received a BA in Political Science with a minor in English from the University of North Texas.  As an Officer in the Navy Reserves, Diane created an innovative publication and received a Navy Achievement Medal.  While a Training Director for the Child Welfare League of America, she created training materials and conducted strategic planning sessions for US & Canadian agencies.  

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A CRITIQUE GROUP

Among an author’s acknowledgments and thank you’s is often a reference to his critique group. A critique group may be the single best thing any writer can do to develop her craft and put a work-in-progress into publishable form. I was very fortunate to be a member of a quality critique group for about eighteen months and these are my thoughts.

GENRE

Generally, the more narrow the scope of the group, the better. If you’re writing poetry, then your group should be limited to poetry. People who write in other genres will probably not be able to give you quality feedback. It is best if you can find a group that writes only in your specific genre but you’re probably going to have to choose between three general categories: fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

SIZE

If the group is too large then everyone will not have regular participation. If the group is too small, then an absence by one person will adversely impact the quality of the meeting. Also, different members will have different strengths and will notice different things. One of our members saw point-of-view issues while another member saw continuity problems. I recommend no fewer than six people and no more than twelve.

FREQUENCY

This is partly a matter of where you are as a writer and what you want from a critique group. If you are a developing writer and want regular feedback on a work-in-progress, then the group should meet every week. Once a month will not give you enough feedback to develop your craft. Also, meeting less than every week will easily turn into commitment problems.

COMMITMENT

Group members should attend every meeting and participate. If it is your turn to read, then bring material on which you have made a genuine effort. If it is your turn to critique, then give quality feedback to the writer. Of course there will be absences but members should know about these in advance. If a member cancels at the last minute because he has to pick up his wife at the airport, or if someone forgets about the group and schedules a work meeting at the same time, then their position in the group could better be filled by someone else. An occasional absence, with advance notice, is expected. Even longer absences can be accommodated. Our group was blessed with the arrival of two babies!   

QUALITY

This is the most difficult factor to control when forming a group. I was fortunate to have all quality writers, including published writers, in my group. A weak writer, who gives unhelpful feedback, is not productive and will not help you grow in your craft. You’re probably not going to have Pat Conroy or Amy Tan in your group, but members who are quality writers and make a genuine effort to improve their own craft, will help you improve yours.   

Tom Jordan is a lawyer in Atlanta. His short story, “The Treasure of Walker County”, won the Georgia Bar Journal’s 15th Annual Fiction Writing Competition and his short story, “The Boy Who Drew the Spidery X”, won the GT Youngblood Short Fiction Award at the 2015 SWA writer’s conference. He lives in Marietta with two cats, Donner and Blizten.

Follow the path to Publication

The path to publication is a journey of many steps. A marathon, not a sprint. 

What can you do to ensure you're on the right path? 

Invest in yourself. 

Southeastern Writers Association is the perfect ticket to help you reach your destination. 

Want proof? 

Meet H.W. “Buzz” Bernard

Award-winning Author 

and SWA board member. 

This is Buzz's story journey with SWA: 

2005: first workshop; Buzz’s novel, The Koltsovo Legacy, is sliced and diced rather severely by international, best-selling author Steve Berry.

2007: Buzz’s novel, Eyewall, wins Honorable Mention.

2008: Eyewall (rewritten) wins First Place.

2010: The Koltsovo Legacy (rewritten) wins First Place; Buzz signs a contract with Sullivan-Maxx Literary Agency.

2011: Eyewall is published by Bell Bridge Books, goes on to become a number-one best seller in Amazon's Kindle store; Buzz joins SWA Board of Directors.

2012: Plague (formerly The Koltsovo Legacy) is published by Bell Bridge Books, goes on to win the 2014 EPIC eBook Award, Suspense/Thriller category.

2013: Supercell (Buzz’s third novel) is published by Bell Bridge Books, goes on to win the 2015 EPIC eBook Award, Suspense/Thriller category.


2015: Blizzard (Buzz’s fourth novel) is published by Bell Bridge Books; he continues work on my fifth novel.

Buzz is dedicated in his service to SWA and bringing writers quality educational opportunities. 

There are many success stories of SWA members and you could be one, too. 

Register now! Click Here. 

What do you get for the price of admission? 

Contests that pay money. Critiques. Networking. Plus, direct interaction with two publishers--  

Publisher: Maria McGaha – Dancing with Bear 

Publisher: CreateSpace 

An agent: Agent-in-Residence: Sorche Fairbank 

of Fairbank Literary Representation 

A well-rounded faculty for all your writing needs: 

Novel Writing: C. Hope Clark 

Nonfiction: Don Vaughn 

Poetry & Flash Fiction: Chris Tusa 

Young Adult: S.R. (Shelli) Johannes 

Columns: Darrell Huckaby 

Memoir: Dana Wildesmith 

AND there's more! Scholarships!

★☆★ WRITERS ★☆★

Win one of two scholarships to the SWA Writers Workshop!

SWA is offering two scholarships. 

One for the Fiction mini-workshop (June 20-21) and one for the Non-Fiction mini-workshop (June 22-23)

Just submit a 300-word essay on why you should be selected to attend the Fiction mini-workshop or the Nonfiction mini-workshop. You MUST state which mini-workshop

you want to attend.

The entry deadline is midnight on April 15th. The scholarship pays for tuition only. 

Please email your entry to DebraAyersBrown@gmail.com with a subject line

of SWA Fiction Scholarship or SWA Nonfiction Scholarship.

Want to know more? 

Check out SWA on Facebook

and on Twitter. 

Will we see you at SWA in June?  

Last Minute Submission Information

Hey y'all! I know we usually post about submissions and contests well before the deadlines in order to give all of you plenty of time to write and edit your stories/poems before you send them in. 

Well, this is not one of those times. But! If you have something ready to go and you would like to submit your short fiction or poetry to a contest where you might win £500 and either an agent consultation  for your fiction or a mentorship for your poetry, as well as publication in the respected Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual. For more information, click that link up above and get cracking on those submissions! The deadline is this Sunday (the 31 of August), so you only have a few days to enter! 

If August 31 seems too soon, how about September 1? That gives you a whole extra 24 hours to prepare something to submit to Dancing With Bear Publishing's October anthology that will be specifically about breast cancer in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. They are looking for stories both from survivors and from family members and friends of those who have had the disease. If you have been affected by breast cancer, please think about submitting to this anthology. For more information and how to enter, click the link above. 

We do hope that everyone who is able to submit does, and we'll be sending you all well wishes this holiday weekend! And, if any of you are chosen for either anthology, let us know! We'd love to post about that, or any other exciting news you may have here on the blog. Send any and all emails to swapurplepros@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you and good luck!