July 18th, 2011

 
Grub Street News

Welcome to the latest installment of the Grub Street Rag, a newsletter of the Boston literary scene brought to you every Monday from the curly straw production line at Grub Street's world headquarters. As always, if you are receiving this e-mail in horror, please advance to the bottom of the page to unsubscribe yourself.

Scholarships for Daytime Classes

Grub Street is happy to be able to offer fifteen partial (50% discount) scholarships for our newly expanded daytime course curriculum to writers who have been impacted by the economic downturn. Scholarships can be used towards any weekday Grub Street class that takes place between the hours of 9am – 5pm. To learn more about this opportunity, please click here: http://www.grubstreet.org/index.php?id=573. Application deadline: Monday, July 25th.

Announcing the 2011 National Book Prize in Poetry Winner, Frances McCue

Grub Street is very pleased to announce that Frances McCue of Seattle has won our 2011 National Book Prize in Poetry for her collection, The Bled, published by Factory Hollow Press. McCue will receive $1000 and will lead a free craft class for members on the craft of poetry at Grub Street sometime this fall or in early 2012.  McCue is also the author of The Stenographer’s Breakfast (Beacon, 1992).

Of The Bled, head juror Elisa Gabbert, Grub instructor and author of The French Exit, wrote: “An uncultivated wasteland; the hinterland behind a fertile populated area – the “bled” in which these poems take place is Marrakesh, where Frances McCue found great happiness and suffered crippling loss. While living in Morocco, the poet’s husband died unexpectedly, and The Bled is a brief and beautiful collection of elegiac love poems born of the event, poems about a mother and daughter suddenly missing their third. [This collection] joins Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking and Tess Gallagher's Moon Crossing Bridge among fierce, gorgeous books about marriage and grief.” For the full citation, visit our website.
Grub Street also warmly congratulates two finalists:  Thomas Sayers Ellis’s Skin, Inc. (Graywolf Press) and Paula Cisewski’s Ghost Fargo (Nightboat Books). All of these books are available to be borrowed from the Grub Street library.

We remain ever-grateful to the anonymous donor who makes the Grub Street Book Prize possible.

Bread Loaf or Bust

We heard from quite a few of you who will be attending Bread Loaf next month. Chris Melchior is thrilled to be attending the conference for the fourth time.  With a career in human resources consulting and business writing, she began writing fiction ten years ago.  She is currently working on her first novel and has made great strides and benefited greatly from the outstanding consultation services and encouragement of Grub Street instructor Jasmine Beach-Ferrara. Christen Enos, a Grub Street volunteer, is also excited to attend. Grub instructors Adam Stumacher and Jenn De Leon (who are also engaged to be married--hooray for Grub romance!) will both be attending, and will be joined by fellow Grub instructor Alexandra Marzano-Lesnevich. Longtime Grubbie Octavia Randolph told us she was humbled to be awarded the 2011 Donald Everett Axinn Tuition Scholarship for Fiction in support of her John Ruskin novel.  Grub staffers Sonya Larson, Christopher Castellani and Chip Cheek will all be in attendance as well, leaving the Grub office a bit forlorn and empty! We hope everyone has a great time and can connect with other Grubbies while you're there.

A Fond Farewell

Many of you have gotten to know Chip Cheek, our Administrative Coordinator, over the past two years, if you didn't already know him as one of our most beloved fiction instructors. Chip has been the steady, wonderful presence who greeted newcomers to the Grub office, and the dedicated leader of the YAWP writing program. We regret having to announce that Friday was Chip's last day as part of the Grub Street staff. We are so sad to lose him, but also excited for him as well: Chip will be freelancing, focusing on completing his first novel, and, thankfully, still teaching courses at Grub Street in the evenings. Good luck, Chip--we will miss you more than we can say! Read Chip's eloquent farewell blog post on living a writer's life here.

Our Daily Best

• The Daily channels Post Secret, writing style
• What your blog and the Lascaux Cave Paintings have in common
• For Chip Cheek, it's not about the money
  

Cheers,
Whitney, Sonya, Chris, Chip, and Eve

Grub Events

In addition to our ongoing workshops, Grub Street offers numerous writing-related events around town. See our website for a long-term view of all we do.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, July 23rd, 10:00am-5:00pm, Plotting the Novel
Starting with Aristotle and working through three contemporary authors’ ideas about plotting, this course will offer several plot forms to help you rethink your novel’s structure and the vital connection between character and plot.
Instructor: Michelle Hoover
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, July 23rd, 10:00am-5:00pm, Jumpstart Your Writing-- Fiction Focus
This one-day weekend version of one of our most popular courses has a very clear mission: spend the day writing. Through a series of fun directed writing exercises, we will explore the terrain of fiction: mining for material, constructing characters and settings, shaping vivid dialogue, understanding point of view, and finding your voice. We will discuss the process of writing and the strengths and weaknesses of the work we produce in class. We will read and discuss published stories in regards to craft, then write exercises inspired by the stories. A supportive and generative experience for both new and practicing writers.
Instructor: Jennifer De Leon
*5 Spots Left* $115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, July 23rd, 10:00am-5:00pm, The Art of the Scene
Scenes play important roles in fiction and nonfiction—an opportunity for the reader to experience the action as it unfolds in the real time of the story and for the writer to dramatize crucial encounters and key moments. But combining numerous narrative elements into a successful scene can be a challenge. This one-day class—an expanded version of the popular seminar—will look at the way scenes work and strategies employed by various authors. We’ll focus on pacing, choreography, tension, details, subtext, and more and practice these with in-class writing exercises designed to inspire and elevate your own writing. There will also be time to workshop a short scene you bring (up to about five pages double spaced) in small groups. Bring 5 copies.
Instructor: Amy Marcott
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, July 23rd, 10:00am-5:00pm, The Business of Writing
It’s no secret that being a writer these days is like running a one-person business. In fact, any writer who doesn’t see him/herself as a business is in for a rude awakening when that first (or second, or beyond…) book comes out. This class will tell writers at any level and at any stage of the game everything they need to do to get started as a businessperson, or to improve their current business's profitability. The teacher, Hillary Rettig, has taught hundreds of business classes over more than a decade, and has presented on her techniques at national microenterprise conferences. You will spend the morning learning about and discussing profitability, marketing fundamentals and legalities; the afternoon will be focused on marketing and sales. This seminar is a good companion to Hillary Rettig’s “The Time of Your Life,” which will be held the next day, Sunday, July 24th, but you can take either or both classes.
Instructor: Hillary Rettig
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Weekend Story Intensive
The goal of this seminar is to create a brand new, polished work of fiction in a single weekend. We will focus on the flash fiction form, and over the course of two days, we will go through the entire process of drafting, workshop, and revision. On Saturday, we will read some stellar examples of the form and write from a range of inspiring prompts to generate new material, and then each participant will work from one of those prompts to finish a first solid draft. On Sunday, we will begin with a workshop, follow with a series of revision techniques and exercises, and end with time for participants to complete their next draft. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just getting started, you will end the weekend with not only a well-crafted story but also a new set of tools for your fiction.
Instructor: Adam Stumacher
$220/$195 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Sunday, July 24th, 10:00am-5:00pm, The Time of Your Life
One of the keys to success in writing is using your time properly. That can be tough when you have a job, family, home or other major commitments – and when occupational hazards like procrastination and writer’s block rear their ugly heads. The good news is that all of these issues can be addressed once you’ve figured out the root causes of your time “issues” and applied some practical strategies to address them. (Hint: it’s not that you’re lazy or uncommitted—so stop blaming yourself! Another hint: it is not so difficult to create and stick to a time “budget” and schedule that will help you achieve your goals.) Author Hillary Rettig (The Lifelong Activist) will help you achieve these goals with two three-hour seminars offered on the same day: “Time Management” first, then a lunch break, then “Stop Procrastinating!” The best news of all is that once a writer actually starts solving his or her procrastination problems or blocks and starts managing his/her time better, change can happen amazingly fast!
Instructor: Hillary Rettig
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

GRUB STREET SOUTH SEMINAR: Tuesday, July 26th, 7:00pm, Everybody's an Expert: Writing the Nonfiction Book
It’s true. We’re all an expert in something. Maybe you’re the only one who knows the best places to go clamming on the Cape. Or perhaps you built your own boat and have a great tale to tell. Perhaps it’s your delicious baking experiences, that popular blog and how you did it all while raising a family on the South Shore. So, why not share your hard-won expertise in a book? After all, isn’t it time to share your genius with the world? In this lecture/workshop you’ll learn how to streamline your ideas, structure your book, create a writing schedule, finish your book within a year and finally how to get published and get the attention you so richly deserve.
Instructor: Jamie Cat Callan
FREE, Buttonwood Books.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, August 6th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Developing Family Members as Characters
One of the most difficult tasks of the memoirist is learning to see family members as fully developed characters. As writers, we must set aside self-interest to understand our characters' motivations and allow them to live on the page. Only then will our characters have as much emotional reality for our readers as they do for us as writers. This is as true when our characters are our family members as it is for fictional characters-- only sometimes more difficult (as writers are human, too)! Fortunately, writing exercises can help. In this class, we'll use writing exercises to develop the characters that just happen to be our family members. We'll also read and discuss exceptional examples of family member characterization in published memoirs, and use these examples as models for our own writing. Come prepared with family stories and ready to write! Please note that while this class is intended primarily for the family memoirist, it is also appropriate for the writer of autobiographical fiction, and all exercises will be adaptable for both.
Instructor: Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, August 6th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Telling the Story: Perspective, Narration and Imagination
Point of view is one of the most vital aspects of writing fiction, yet it’s also one of the most overlooked. When it’s done well, it evaporates into the background, allowing the reader to be enraptured by the story. But when point of view is done poorly, there’s few things more destructive. In this seminar, we’ll tackle the strengths and weaknesses of various perspectives, determining which one best fits your story, and how to make the most of it. Additionally, we’ll illuminate broader issues of narration such as how to balance scene and summary, the role a good narrator plays, and the power of using your point of view character’s imagination.
Instructor: Cam Terwilliger
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, August 6th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Building Your Web PresenceReady to create a web site or blog that promotes your writing and/or services? Interested in learning how social media can lead new readers to your work? Students in this class will learn how to create attractive sites and blogs using free, simple, and professional tools. They will also learn how to purposefully expand their online presence, without being spammers. No previous tech knowledge required!
NOTE: Participants MUST come with a laptop capable of wirelessly connecting to Grub Street's network. No additional software is necessary. Everything will be accomplished via web based tools.
Instructor: Jorge Vega
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, August 6th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Jumpstart Your Writing-- Creative Nonfiction Focus
This one-day weekend version of one of our most popular courses has a very clear mission: spend the day writing. Through a series of fun directed writing exercises, we will explore the terrain of creative non-fiction (no five-paragraph essays here!) and some poetry: mining for material, constructing characters and settings, shaping vivid dialogue, understanding point of view, exploring the many forms of non-fiction today, and finding your voice. We will discuss the process of writing and the strengths and weaknesses of the work we produce in class. We will read and discuss some short published non-fiction pieces and poems in regards to craft, then write exercises inspired by the texts. A supportive and generative experience for both new and practicing writers.
Instructor: Jennifer De Leon
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, August 6th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Taking the Imaginative Leap
This seminar, open to fiction writers of all levels, will provide the chance to stretch your imagination and write outside your own experience. Many writers feel hesitant to take this leap, but whether writing historical fiction or telling the stories of characters from different identities, we often feel compelled to do so. After working through inspiring prompts and exercises and closely reading some outstanding excerpts by authors such as Anthony Doerr, Nam Le, and Toni Morrison, you will have the courage and skills to set your imagination loose.
Instructor: Adam Stumacher
$115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

Be sure to check out our website for a comprehensive view of upcoming events.

Spreading the Love

Grub Street wants to promote YOU! Please send events for consideration to whitney@grubstreet.org. Bonus points and undying gratitude for submitting your event info in the same format as the events below. Our apologies in advance if we cannot fit you in. Please note that we do the best we can to evaluate requests, and do privilege requests from members, but cannot be held responsible for the quality of these events and programs or the legitimacy of contests. We expect that readers will do their own due diligence before sending their work or their money to any individual or organization.

--READING: Monday, July 25th, 7pm, Dawn Tripp discusses Game of Secrets
Muse 2011 presenter Dawn Tripp will discuss and sign her newly released book, “Game of Secrets” (7/5/11), at the Hingham Public Library.  “Game of Secrets” is a literary mystery about a fifty-year-old murder and family secrets. Dawn Tripp graduated from Harvard and lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two sons. She is the author of the novels Moon Tide and The Season of Open Water, which won the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction. Books, provided by Buttonwood Books & Toys,  will be available for purchase at the event.
FREE, Hingham Public Library, 66 Leavitt Street, Hingham.

--FUNDRAISER: Thursday, July 28th, 6pm, Revelation: Summer Fundraiser for the Boston Book Festival
It's a summer fundraiser to support the Boston Book Festival! Tom Perrotta will give a sneak peek of The Leftovers, his new novel about the Rapture, as well as a light-hearted Q&A with writer and comedian Steven Brykman. There'll be a beer and wine open bar, heavenly hors d'oeuvres, and the very first glimpse at our divine author lineup for BBF 2011. It might be the end of the world as we know it, but at least we'll be going out in (literary) style!
$35, Middlesex Lounge, 315 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

--WORKSHOP: Saturday, July 31st, 12PM-1PM, How to Get an Agent to Read Your Script
So you wrote that perfect screenplay, everyone has told you how wonderful it is and that it would make a great movie, so you send it off to some agents who read unsolicited scripts and you haven’t heard a peep.  What did you do wrong? What can you do right? How do you get noticed? And most of all, how do you get someone to want to read it?  Come to a conversation with Faith Kakulu, former junior agent for the Gersh Agency in Los Angles and now owner of ABL Creative in Atlanta, specializing in independent media production and consultation with production companies and filmmakers. Come  and hear the ins and outs of what goes on in an agency and what makes agents want to purchase scripts. Taking place as part of the Roxbury Film Festival.
$5, Northeastern University - Egan Center, Forsyth Street, Boston, MA.

--CONTEST ALERT! Harvard Bookstore Comics Contest Now Open
Harvard Book Store is creating and printing its first collection of comics and wants to hear from you! Minimum Paige, Harvard Book Store’s first ever comic anthology, will include work from some of the New England graphic novel community’s most well-known names – and from you! Harvard Book Store is putting out the call for your talents in cartooning and graphic storytelling for inclusion in this unique and exciting compilation. Whether it’s a few humorous comic strips, an autobiographical mini or a tale of superpowered vengeance, we want your submissions! Select entries will be included in Minimum Paige and will be automatically entered to win a Harvard Book Store gift certificate, but get to the drawing board quickly – the deadline for submission is August 19th at 5 PM EST. Printed on Harvard Book Store's in-house book machine, Paige M. Gutenborg, Minimum Paige marks the first graphic novel and comics anthology ever printed on Paige.