Juddville, Wis. (March 4, 2021) – This time last year, Write On staff and board members were geared up to go to San Antonio for the annual Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference. As news of the first death related to COVID broke just two days earlier, plans changed for thousands of people who planned to attend the largest gathering of writers in the world, including our own team.
Only Jerod ended up going to San Antonio. He and Door County Poet Laureate Nancy Rafal and Margaret Rozga, who just concluded her term as Wisconsin Poet Laureate, reminisced about that conference, which all three attended, during a recent Member Monday Forum. Until we can gather again in person, WODC presents these opportunities every Monday at 10 am for our members to meet our writer-in-residence and one another and to talk about writing.
They talked not only about writing, but about not writing. So much has changed in the past year in all of our lives. For some, it has been a surge of creativity. For others, it has been difficult to write a single line. They have heard from people who are reading more books than ever before and others who can’t concentrate enough to get through a page.
Whether you are creating or not, WODC has some wonderful opportunities for you to enjoy, including two afternoons of readings by contributors to the new international anthology, No More Can Fit Into the Evening (which happens to include several Write On members), a conversation about poetry and race, and classes on writing screenplays, life stories, and poems. And, of course, there is their virtual poetry conference at the end of April with keynote addresses by Kwame Dawes and Naomi Shihab Nye, who hung out at the Write On booth during last year’s AWP conference (see photo).
Poetry Conference is Going Virtual
Join WODC as they welcome ten renowned poets for a weekend of poetry readings, conversations, and exploration into the craft of poetry writing. They are thrilled to have Naomi Shihab Nye and Kwame Dawes as our keynote speakers. Click to LEARN MORE AND REGISTER.
Register Now for Kids WOW
A week-long creativity camp for youth ages 8-12, Kids WOW will be led by John Coy, author of young adult novels. Aspiring writers will learn about character, setting, and plot. First drafts, revisions, and practice dialogue will be produced, resulting in a completed picture book.
The majority of time will be spend outdoors thinking, writing, and moving. Indoor time will be limited and masks will be required.
The day camp will be held July 12-16th from 1:00-4:00 pm. Register by April 1 for Early Bird rate. Space is limited to 10 students. Click to LEARN MORE AND REGISTER.
March Event Highlights
Fundamentals of Screenwriting begins March 9.
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No More Can Fit Into the Evening: International Poetry Reading. March 13 & 14.
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Renegotiating North: A Poetry Conversation. March 20.
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To view all of March’s events, CLICK HERE.
Submit Your Work for the 2021 Hal Prize
Submissions to the 2021 Hal Prize, the annual literary and photography contest sponsored by the Peninsula Pulse and Write On, Door County, are now being accepted.
Open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and to photographers throughout the United States, the Hal Prize offers winners publication to a readership of more than 25,000. First place in all categories receive $250 and a Hal Prize mug from Clay Bay Pottery. Second places receive $100 and third places receive $50.
Click here for official rules and to submit your work.
New Topic for the Hike and Write Series
As we begin to come out of the deep freeze in Door County, grab your notebook and boots and head out to Write On’s trails for an hour of activity and inspiration. March’s theme is A Fun Scavenger Hunt. A find-the-treasure, scrolled activity sheet that gives visitors of all ages a list of nature items to hunt for on the path can be found here: https://writeondoorcounty.org/visit-us/.
The half-mile loop starts behind the Writing Center at 4210 Juddville Road and takes about an hour to walk and write. No reservations are necessary. The Writing Center building is open by reservation Tuesday through Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Restroom facilities for hikers are only available during open hours.
Register for April’s Craft of Writing Series
April’s Craft of Writing Series will explore playwriting. Led by playwrights Jenny Magnus and Dana Stringer, this three-week virtual class puts the skills of dialog, monologue, and producibility center stage. Educators will receive a 50% discount; email Jerod for the coupon code. Click here LEARN MORE and REGISTER..
Word on the Street
Word on the Street is a place where WODC will share links to interesting things in the literary world we’ve stumbled across.
ABC News will kick off Women’s History Month with its new podcast In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson, co-produced with Best Case Studios and hosted by author Julia Sweig. The podcast is based on Sweig’s new book, Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, which takes a revisionary look at the legacy of this First Lady.
Book Time at the Writing Center
Schedule a free, private two-hour block of time in Write On, Door County’s Writing Center. Alone, or with a few others in your bubble, you can spend time in our Discovery Library or Classroom. Give yourself the gift of focused time, tranquility, and access to books by Door County and Wisconsin authors, Write On residents, craft and writing volumes, and more. Spaces are sterilized in between visitors. Masks are required at all times during your visit. Organized groups, like book clubs or writing groups should contact Write On directly at (920)868-1457.