Tuesday, December 21, 2010

AWW Participant/Faculty News... and Three Great Writing Tips!

Two authors closely associated with the Antioch Writers' Workshop have been named 2010 recipients of the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District's Literary Fellowships in recognition of their work: AWW Director Sharon Short, and AWW Young Writers' Seminar Instructor Katrina Kittle. Both Sharon and Katrina are AWW alumni and, since first attending, have served AWW in numerous roles.

From AWW alumni (2009) and instructor (Saturday Seminar, 2010) Julie Moore: "Hi, Sharon. I thought you'd like to know that a poem of mine workshopped in the 2009 AWW was just nominated for a Pushcart Prize. The poem is "The Problem with School," which appeared in the summer issue of Verse Wisconsin. My workshop leader that year was Ed Davis, and I read that poem at AWW's closing program where I received many favorable responses. Three cheers (again) for AWW!"

And from Donald Ray Pollock (Afternoon Fiction instructor, 2010): Don's new novel, THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME, has been accepted for publication by Doubleday and will be available fall 2011. The novel is set in the 1950s and 1960s and centers on the convergent lives of a tough but morally-upright young man from Ohio, a pair of serial killers who prey on hitchhikers, and an itinerant, spider-handling preacher and his crippled guitar virtuoso accompanist.

We asked Don to share three pieces of writing advice. His suggestions:
1. Write at least 90 minutes (a bare minimum) every day.
2. Read 5-8 books per month. Try new stuff: if you're a Stephen King fanactic, read a couple Barbara Pym or Muriel Sparks novels. No matter what you write, read some poetry.
3. Turn off the electronic junk--cell phones, internet, etc.--for at least a couple hours every day (especially when you're writing!).

Do you have publishing news you'd like to share? Send it to info@antiochwriterworkshop.com for possible inclusion in a future e-newsletter!

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