Short Fiction Contest

The deadline for Glimmer Train’s Very Short Fiction Award is Saturday, February 28. Prizes include:

• First place: $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies
• 2nd-place: $500 and possible publication
• 3rd-place: $300 and possible publication

Other details:

• Reading fee: $15 per story
• Open to all writers
• Stories not to exceed 3,000 words

For more information, see the guidelines.

“Building a Book” Series Continues: Writing the First Draft

The First Draft: Let the Words Rip!

7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 19
Writers’ League Office, 611 S. Congress, Ste. 130, Austin

FREE!

Sometimes getting that first draft down is the biggest hurdle to bringing that great idea to literary life. Find out how several authors approach the first draft.

With special guests authors: David Ciambrone, Evelyn Palfrey, Cynthia and Greg Leitich-Smith, and W.K. (Kip) Stratton.

Before the program, join us at Doc’s Motorworks Bar & Grill, 1123 S. Congress (two blocks south of the WLT office) for the Meet and Mingle Happy Hour.

Come on downtown!

Austin City-Wide Youth Poetry Slam

Attention, Screenwriters!

Screenwriters won’t want to miss a free event in Austin on February 17: “Hollywood vs. New York: Three Writers’ Perspectives,” with Shauna Cross, Owen Egerton, and Stephen Harrigan.

The event is presented by the Future Forum and the Texas Book Festival. For details and information on reservations, here’s a link.

Good Query Letters

Chuck Sambuchino, the editor of The Guide to Literary Agents,
offers tips on sites with samples of good query letters. Here’s an excerpt:

• Query Shark. This site is devoted entirely to evaluating queries. they come in, and agent Janet Reid tears apart the bad ones and tells you why they’re bad. The good thing here is that you get a lot of examples. The bad thing here is that most of them are not up to snuff, according to the Shark; however, she does praise some of them.

• Agent Nathan Bransford’s Anatomy of a Query Letter Part I, then don’t forget about Part II.

• BookEnds Literary is starting to post some of their successful query letters online. See the first one here. [Note: Oddly enough, this refers to our WLT friend Karen MacInerney's query letter!]

Chuck, who appeared at the 2008 WLT Agents & Editors Conference, is a great observer of the publishing industry, and his blog is worth bookmarking. Check it out.

Kristy’s Magical Discovery

Diane Fanning dropped by after her filming for an E! Entertainment Network special on murderous women.  She has a running list of her favorite books for writers here.

I’m reading Sarah Vowell’s The Wordy Shipmates and loving it. Comedy+history=awesome!

Wish List

Metal folding chairs (bonus points if they’re padded)

An LCD projector

A  shredder that can eat staples

A cabinet on wheels (example: http://www.bargain-outlets.com/buyers/images/products/5011512_microwave.jpg)

A selection of gourmet cheeses…

2009 Manuscript Contest

Deadline: March 6, 2009

The Writers’ League of Texas is now accepting entries for its annual manuscript contest for unpublished fiction, creative nonfiction, children’s, and young adult books.

Prize: The winner in each category meets individually with an agent or editor during the annual Writers’ League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference.

For guidelines and more information, view the 2009 Manuscript Contest brochure (pdf format).

Publicity and Marketing

Nettie Hartsock

Overloaded, OverWWWebbed: What You Really Need to Know About Social Media

Saturday, February 28, 2-5p

with Nettie Hartsock and Jennifer Hill Robenalt

How do you choose the best social-media tools that will work most powerfully for you? This class will focus on blogging and Web 2.0 social-media tips, tools, and traps to avoid so you’re not mired down and online 24/7 without a return on your right investment.The class will cover:

• Facebook, LinkedIn, and who still needs MySpace
• How to follow the short and long tail on social media so you don’t waste your time
• Myths about what social media can and cannot do for you
• The top ten tips for reaching out to bloggers today
• Why microblogging and Twitter are the next cool tool for you to use

Don’t miss this opportunity and register online early!

The Secrets of the Agents

“Building a Better Beginning”

Saturday, February 28, 9am-1pm

with Brandi Bowles

Guest Brandi Bowles will help writers re-evaluate the beginning of their book to craft an opening that pops, has an irresistible concept, and relays relevant background, ensuring that readers will stay hooked till the very end.

Register online at www.writersleague.org.