Monday, March 29, 2010

AWW Alumni News

David Halperin (AWW 2008)

David emails that his novel, Journal of a UFO Investigator, will be published in early 2011 by Viking Press. What's more, the novel has also been acquired by publishers in Germany, Italy and Spain. Details are in this Publishers Weekly article. Congratulations David!

Christina Lovin (AWW/Judson Jerome Scholarship 2007)


Christina Lovin has been chosen as the inaugural Poet-in-Residence at Connemara, the Flat Rock, North Carolina, home of the late poet Carl Sandburg. The Write-in-Residence program was long a vision of the Sandburg family; it has come to fruition with the cooperation of the National Park Service and Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara. Lovin will spend three weeks at Connemara this spring. The residency also comes with a $1500 stipend.


Lovin has also been writer-in-residence at Devil's Tower National Monument (WY) and Andrews Experimental Forest (OR, through the Spring Creek Project). Lovin's other awards since her time at Antioch include: 2007 Emerging Poet Award from Southern Women Writers, 2008 Winner of both the Women Who Write and Portia Steel Awards, 2009 Ethnographic Poetry Award (from the Society for Humanistic Anthropology), 2008 AWP WC & C Scholarship for Poetry, 2007 "Best of the Best" from Triplopia, and two Pushcart nominations (for "Coal Country" and "Maguey Azul").




Julie Moore (AWW 2005; Judson Jerome Scholarship 2009)

Julie recently received word from The Fourth River that her poem "Stealth," (for which she received feedback during a one-on-one critique with Rebecca McClanahan during AWW 2009) won runner-up in the 2009 poetry contest sponsored by The Fourth River (out of Chatham University and its MFA program). Julie emailed us that: "AWW just keeps on giving and giving..." Julie is our Saturday Seminar poetry instructor, so she's going to be giving and giving to AWW this summer, too!


Kristina McBride (AWW 1996)
Kristina's first novel--a Young Adult titled The Tension of Opposites--will be published May 25 with Egmont USA. Her novel is about 16-year-old Tess who struggles to regain her best friendship with Noelle, a broken and self-destructive girl who has just returned from a two year abduction. Learn more at www.kristinamcbride.com Kristina emails: "Though I attended AWW over ten years ago, it has remained a source of inspiration." That's what we love to hear! Congratulations, Kristina!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Writing Starters... and the Focus on Form Seminars!

Spring making you antsy to start some new work?

Try one of these great writing-starters from Nancy Pinard (author, AWW alumna, and 2010 AWW Faculty member):
Copy out the first line of a published story that you haven't yet read. Change the nouns. Use it to start your own story.
Eavesdrop on others' conversations. Take a line out of context. Use it to start a story. Ex: "I want you to leave him alone."
Choose a well-known fairy tale such as "The Three Little Pigs" and write a contemporary tale using "characters" from your neighborhood.
Tell a family story, but change each of the family member's genders and allow that to inform/determine what happens.
Nancy is the Mentor-Leader for our Focus on Form afternoon seminar. This seminar does not require a manuscript... in fact, you get to start three works--fiction, poetry, and non-fiction--during the first three afternoons. Then during the final three afternoons, Nancy serves as Mentor to help participants develop that work more fully. By the end of the week... you have a solid piece of work to take home and continue creating!

Nancy was our Focus on Form afternoon seminar Mentor last year, and her participants were thrilled and amazed at how much creative work they developed in just six afternoons. Several of these participants read during the final workshop night at the Participant Reading... and everyone else was also very impressed with the work they started during the Focus on Form seminar.

In fact, it was such a success that we decided to offer Focus on Form two ways:
As part of the Full Week seminar, under Nancy's mentorship. (These students attend morning classes and have full week perks, then attend the Focus on Form seminar in the afternoon.). Greg Hoard leads the non-fiction afternoon; Herb Woodward Martin leads the poetry afternoon; Nancy leads the fiction afternoon and the mentoring portion of the seminar.
As an A La Carte seminar--same concept, but these participants go to their own Focus on Form seminar, afternoons only, from 2:30-5:00. Rebecca Morean (published author and Sinclair Community College instructor) is the Mentor for this option. This is perfect for those who would like to explore their creative writing in a seminar setting, but not attend morning classes. Offered at a reduced rate; see our A La Carte page for details. Jeff Bruce leads the non-fiction afternoon; Jamey Dunham leads the poetry afternoon; Rebecca leads the fiction afternoon and the mentoring portion of the seminar.

Please see Faculty page for full bios for all instructors.

Monday, March 22, 2010

AWW Loves Young Writers!

AWW Loves Young Writers... And We Bet You Do, Too!

Conventional wisdom holds that young-people-these-days are not interested in the literary arts.

We at AWW think that "wisdom" isn't very wise at all.

In fact, at AWW 2009, the best-in-show winner of the Dayton Daily News creative writing contest (who was awarded a scholarship to AWW) was a young 18-year-old named Tyler. He wowed everyone with his amazing literary abilities, great attitude, and enthusiasm.

We were so wowed that we started talking about how many super-talented young people had entered that contest.

Then we started asking ourselves... why don't we find a way to open up the workshop to young writers--though 15-18, or entering sophomore-senior year of high school in autumn of 2010?

Our answer was to create the Young Writers program for, well, young writers in the greater Dayton area.

We're asking these young writers to submit three pages of work and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or (if home-schooled) a coach or leader from an activity.

Then, up to fifteen of these young writers will be awarded an AWW Young Writers' Scholarship so they can attend the workshop for $450.00.

These lucky young writers will attend morning classes with all workshop participants, then have lunch with faculty, followed by their own seminar led by Katrina Kittle--AWW alumna, fabulous author (Traveling Light, Two Truths and a Lie, The Kindness of Strangers), and former high school teacher.

So... how can you help with this exciting, new program--and the only program for young writers in the greater Dayton area?

First, if you know any young writers that fit the location/age requirements, please, tell them about this amazing opportunity! Details on how to apply (deadline is May 1) and particulars about the program are on our Young Writers page.
Are you a high school teacher in the greater Dayton area? Do you know high school teachers in the greater Dayton area? Work with kids in libraries or similar programs in the area? Then email sharon@antiochwritersworkshop.com I will send you handouts to give to these students!
You can also help by becoming an I Believe in Young Writers' Angel. Simply make a $25.00 contribution to the Young Writers' program, to help underwrite the scholarships. Send a check for $25.00, payable to Antioch Writers' Workshop, to our P.O. Box 494, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387. Put "Young Writers" in the memo line. (If you'd rather donate via PayPal--no surcharge!--email sharon@antiochwritersworkshop.com) At the workshop we will publish our "I Believe in Young Writers Angels" list--with your name and if you like your website url. After the workshop, we'll also publish this list in this newsletter and on our own website.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

AWW Scholarships!

Scholarship Opportunities!

As we have for many years, we are offering the following scholarships:

► Betty Crumrine Scholarship--awarded to a single parent who is committed to writing and who could not otherwise attend the workshop. The Crumrine Scholarship was created by friends of Betty Crumrine, who lived and wrote in Yellow Springs and participated in the Antioch Writers' Workshop from 1986 until 1990.

► Judson Jerome Poetry Scholarship--The scholarship is named after Judson Jerome, a poet and nonfiction writer, writer of textbooks, professor, and poetry editor who founded the Antioch Writers' Workshop along with William Baker.
► Bill Baker Scholarship--for a writer who is nominated by someone who can testify to his or her qualifications both as writer and community member. The scholarship is named after Bill Baker, co-founder of the Antioch Writers' Workshop, writer of textbooks, journalist, and fiction writer.


Details for exactly what you need to submit... and how to submit... are on our Scholarship page.

This year, we're excited to announce that First Place winners of each scholarship will, as in the past, receive a scholarship covering the full registration and tuition. (Lodging, critiques, Saturday Seminar, and other expenses are not covered.

However, for the first time, we've added Second Place awards for each of the scholarships--covering 50% of the registration and tuition fees!

So... if your work fits these scholarships, please submit, or pass this information on to writers you know who would qualify to compete for these prestigious scholarships.

Deadline to apply is May 1, 2010.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Dayton Daily News/AWW Contest: Enter to Win an AWW Scholarship

The Dayton Daily News has long held a short story and poetry writing contest, with the best-in-show winner receiving a full scholarship to Antioch Writers' Workshop. Now, the Dayton Daily News and AWW have teamed up to not only continue this program, but to add more scholarships to AWW programs. Entry rules here.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

AWW Alumni

AWW Alumni News

Fran Baird (AWW 2007/2008)

Fran's poem, Neshaminy, which was published in the Spring 2009 Schuylkill Valley Journal has been nominated for a 2009 Pushcart Prize. Fran recently emailed: "I workshopped this poem at AWW in 2007 and 2008 under the title Crow. I just want to thank Cathy Smith Bowers and John Drury for their extraordinary support and insightful feedback and their exquisite friendship, and my fellow participants for the same. AWW is a sacred place where special people meet and where writers grow. I'll be back!"


Cyndi Pauwels (AWW 2009)
Cyndi's book, Historic Warren County: An Illustrated History, was recently published by the county's Heritage Advisory Council. This is the first updated comprehensive history of the county since 1882! The colorful, limited edition has been distributed in each public library and school district in Warrent County, Ohio. The book is available to member agencies of HAC, and proceeds will benefit the historic preservation efforts of the HAC throughout Warren County.

Monday, March 8, 2010

AWW's 2010 Tuition

AWW 2010--Tuition Rates
We are pleased that we have not raised rates in the past five years. This year's rates are the same as last year's... and as 2006's!

We're also pleased to offer "a la carte" options for attending AWW, for the first time in our 25-year history. It makes our tuition structure a bit more complex, but we think it's worth it in order to provide our participants the flexibility you've been requesting.

Full Week Tuition (all include non-refundable $125.00 registration fee):
First Time Attendees/Non-Local: $735.00.
AWW Alumni/Local: $675.00
Ohio College/University Student or Faculty: $575.00
Young Writers (age 15-18; Miami Valley area of Ohio; please see web or contact director for details): $450.00

A La Carte Options (all inclu de non-refundable $125.00 registration fee):
Morning Classes Only:$375.00
Afternoon Only Focus on Form Only: $375.00
Saturday Seminar Only: $125.00
Morning Class Plus Saturday Seminar: $450.00
Afternoon Only Focus on Form plus Saturday Seminar: $450.00

Full Week Optional Add-Ons:
Agent Pitch Sessions: Included in tuition
Saturday Seminar: $75.00
Village Hosting: $150.00 (space very limited; contact director)

We accept checks, money orders, and major credit cards via PayPal. (We no longer charge a processing fee for using a credit card via PayPal).

As always... please contact the director at info@antiochwritersworkshop.com with any questions!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

AWW's 2010 Schedule

Start Marking your Calendar... AWW's 2010 Schedule

SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2010 (all events at Antioch University McGregor)
Saturday Seminar (available as a stand-alone event, or as an add-on to the Full Week Experience)

8:00 a.m.--Check in and continental breakfast
9:00 a.m.--Keynote with Carrie Bebris
10:30 a.m.--Break Out Session One (choose from Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Query Critique/Publishing Nuts & Bolts, or Awakening the Writer Within)
12:00 p.m.--Box Lunch and Book Signings
1:45 p.m.--Break Out Session Two
3:15 p.m.--Break Out Session Three

Full Week Participants--Sign In
3:00-4:30

Dessert and Wine Reception (Open to any AWW registered participant)
6:00-7:00 p.m.

Keynote Speech by Sigrid Nunez (Open to public)
7:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010
Full Week Participants (at Antioch University McGregor):
10:00 a.m.--Meet the Faculty/Ice-breakers
12:00 p.m.--Box Lunch

Full Week and Afternoon Only Focus on Form Seminars:
2:30-5:00 p.m. (at various locations throughout Yellow Springs.)

Evening Reading (open to public)
7:00 p.m., at Antioch University McGregor

MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010 THROUGH FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010
Continental Breakfast (Full Week and Morning Only Participants)
8:00 a.m., Antioch University McGregor

Morning Classes in Fiction, Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, and Professional Connections (Full Week and Morning Only Participants)
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Antioch University McGregor

Lunch with faculty (Full Week Participants only)
12:30-2:30 p.m., various locations

Pitch Sessions, Critiques (Full Week Participants only)
Scheduled individually, held at Antioch University McGregor

Afternoon Seminars for Full Week Participants/Afternoon Only Focus on Form Seminar
2:30-5:00 p.m., various locations

Evening Readings (open to public)
7:00 p.m., various locations

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