August 22nd, 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 uninsured boat builders at Grub Street's world headquarters. As always, if you are receiving this email in horror, please advance to the bottom of the page to unsubscribe yourself.

Master classes: Deadline is August 31st

Are you ready to take your writing to the next level, to delve deep into revision and work with a small and dedicated group of students? Consider taking a Master Class at Grub Street this fall. Whether you're looking for fiction, poetry, popular fiction, novel in progress, or creative nonfiction, we've got a Master Class for you. Each of these classes is limited to nine students, is by submission only, and includes a visit from an agent or editor looking to sign new talent. Deadline for submission is August 31st--don't miss out!

Daytime classes

Want to go to bed early, have dinner with your kids, AND still write? Take a Grub Street daytime class! This fall we're offering a brand-new line-up of morning and afternoon classes in short fiction, the novel, creative nonfiction, poetry, screenwriting, children's and young adult literature, publishing, and promotion. Register today!

Strike a pose

Who's that guy? Oh, wait, it's me! Grub's been busy taking snaps of current students in evening, daytime and weekend classes. Check our Facebook page to see if you're that handsome writer looking writerly. New photos posted each week. Not friends with us yet? What are you waiting for?!

You've got writing questions, we've got answers. Good ones.

If you haven't been following the advice column on our blog, The Friday Five-O, it's time to start. Our dream team of advice-givers—Jane Roper, Stuart Horwitz, Allison Adair, Jim Scott, and Jenna Blum—answer writing questions from the community, and they do it with style, panache and laugh-out-loud humor. The comments on their posts say it all: one woman has even printed out a Five-O response and hung it in her cubicle! If you have a question you'd like answered by one of the Five-O team, please email it to whitney@grubstreet.org. Include your name (or a funny alias) and any other biographical info you feel is necessary. Most of the Five-O questions get answered within a few weeks!

Welcome, Grubbies!

The 135 writers below have joined our renewed their Grub Street memberships in the past month, and we are so glad to have them. A huge thank you to all of them for supporting our programming and outreach efforts--we couldn't do it without their support. Want to make the list and help us get to 1,000 members by the fall? Learn about the benefits of membership or sign up today.

Our Daily Best

• Interview with slam poet Laura Brown-Lavoie
• Friday Five-O: Mad Libs or Method: On doing research while writing
• Grace Paley: fantastic workshop leader and . . . great kisser?
  

Cheers,
Whitney, Sonya, Eve, Chris, Rowan and Sean

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.

LEGAL ADVICE: Thursday, August 25th, 2:30pm-5:30pm, Members-Only Offering: Free Legal Consultations for Writers
If you've been working on your manuscript for a long time, you probably have a million questions about the next steps to getting published and/or protecting your work. Maybe you want clarification on confusing clauses in publishing contracts, advice on whether to register the copyright in your latest piece, or a few basic tips on what legal issues exist for budding writers. While he may not be able to answer every question you have, Attorney Mitchell Bragg of Ascentage Law, PLLC, will be offering free 30-minute consultations to help explain the law as it applies to aspiring, emerging, and established writers. This is meant to provide writers at all stages in their career with basic answers to legal questions and issues they may be facing. All sessions are by appointment only; to reserve a slot please email mab@ascentagelaw.com. Be sure to arrive early to your appointment and be prepared with specific questions. Only active Grub Street members may participate.
Instructor: Mitchell Bragg
FREE, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

TEENS: Monday, August 29th - Friday, September 2nd, 11:00am-3:00pm, Creative Writing Camp for Teens
We'll have prompts, writing time, guest speakers, outdoor activities to get our sensory descriptions flowing, and workshop. By the end of the week, you'll have your toolbox full of ideas, beginnings, and some drafts to keep you going all fall. We will discuss the submission process/publication opportunities for teens, and end the week with a reading and potluck lunch. Limited to 12 students age 13-18.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Grub Street is happy to be able to offer a limited number of full scholarships for this course. You are eligible for one of these scholarships if you are in a household that receives benefits from Massachusetts SNAP or Massachusetts TANF, if you are a foster child, and/or if your household’s gross income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines.
To apply for a scholarship, please send an email of no more than 500 words to chris@grubstreet.org describing why you want to take this class and stating that you meet the requirements above. At the end of the email, list the name and email address or phone number of one teacher or other non-relative adult whom we could contact for a recommendation. Please put "Fall Teen Scholarship" in the Subject line of the email. Deadline is Wednesday, August 31st at 5pm.
Instructor: Jennifer De Leon
*2 Spots Left* $330/$305 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

SEMINAR: Monday, August 29th, 6:30-9:30pm, So You Want to Be a Writer?
In this seminar, we’ll examine, discuss and debunk the myths, dreams and tough realities of becoming a writer and then map out realistic action plans for making the leap to a full or part-time commitment to writing.
Instructor: Ethan Gilsdorf
*SOLD OUT* $65/$50 members, Click here to join waitlist.

SEMINAR: Monday, August 29th, 6:30-9:30pm, Writing the Graphic Novel
Slowly but steadily, graphic novels have escaped the dimly lit confines of comic shops and found critical acclaim under the soft fluorescents of mainstream bookstores. Blending a static art form with compelling narrative and dialog, the graphic novel gives fans an engaging reading experience while presenting the writer with a unique set of creative challenges. How do you write with the human eye in mind? How do you write for two different types of audience-- the reader and the artist (your collaborator)? With graphic novels like Gene Yang's American Born Chinese being considered as a finalist in the 2007 National Book Awards, now may be the perfect time to give the comic medium another look and discover just how much it has grown. In this course, you will learn the basics of how to write a graphic novel, and get feedback on your drafts.
Instructor: Jorge Vega
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

SEMINAR: Monday, August 29th, 6:30-9:30pm, Obsessive Writing
Most good writing -- whether fiction or non-fiction -- arises from a writer's obsessions. In this session, we'll discuss how to explore our obsessions on the page, without falling pray to self-absorption or sentiment. We'll start by looking at the work of Nick Hornby, Calvin Trillin, and other obsessive writers, and proceed to a broader discussion of passionate attachment.
Instructor: Steve Almond
*2 SPOTS LEFT* $65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

SEMINAR: Monday, August 29th, 6:30-9:30pm, From Anecdote to Character
A well-deployed anecdote, even if incidental to the overall plot of your story or memoir, can help define your characters in action and give them a reality and history that extends beyond the page. We’ll look closely at examples of character definition through anecdote in both memoir and fiction, and will practice brainstorming and writing anecdotes that will help define our own characters in vivid detail.
Instructor: Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

SEMINAR: Monday, August 29th, 6:30-9:30pm, Provoking Thought: Selling and Writing A Book of Ideas
There's a burgeoning market for nonfiction books of ideas, and fortunately they're much easier to sell than fiction or memoirs. All you need is a great idea--and a great proposal. In this seminar, you'll learn everything you need to know to market your science, medical, or idea book to a publisher. You'll learn about the state of the nonfiction publishing industry, what editors are looking for, what readers are looking for, how to find the best agent for your project, and how to craft a winning proposal. We'll analyze successful and failed books of ideas published in the past few years, giving special attention to the different styles of Malcolm Gladwell (author of Outliers) and Steven Pinker (author of Blank Slate). You'll also learn what to expect when you do sell your book--and the challenges you'll face when you must actually get the research and writing done by a deadline. We might also address special topics such as e-books, Amazon, and endorsements.
Instructor: Ogi Ogas
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

WEEKLONG INTENSIVE: Tuesday-Friday, August 30th-September 2nd, 11:00am-3:00pm, Novel Boot Camp
Do you have a great idea for a novel but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re well on your way, but lately your manuscript has become a flabby mass of pages? Either way, this course will whip that novel into shape. Over the course of four days, we will focus on the elements of craft necessary to sustain a book-length narrative, from structure to scene, character arcs to subplots. We will read excerpts from a range of published novels, pick them apart as writers, and apply these lessons to our own projects. The course will include an optional homework assignment every evening and will culminate in a one-on-one meeting with the instructor to discuss your opening chapter and outline. Please note that the same craft issues also pertain to memoir, so this class is also open to writers of creative nonfiction. Writing a novel is a long, unpredictable journey, but you will end this course with a new set of tools to navigate your way.
Instructor: Adam Stumacher
Level: Intermediate
$330/$305 members, Grub Street HQ. Register Now.

SEMINAR: Tuesday, August 30th, 6:30-9:30pm, From Anecdote to Character
A well-deployed anecdote, even if incidental to the overall plot of your story or memoir, can help define your characters in action and give them a reality and history that extends beyond the page. We’ll look closely at examples of character definition through anecdote in both memoir and fiction, and will practice brainstorming and writing anecdotes that will help define our own characters in vivid detail.
Instructor: Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
$65/$50 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: Tuesday, August 23rd, 5pm, Elin Hilderbrand
Elin Hilderbrand is coming to the Wellesley Booksmith for a quick visit, to sign books and greet customers, at 5 pm on Tuesday, August 23rd. She is the beloved author of Silver Girl, Barefoot, Castaways, Island, and Summer Affair, among others! There will be a great selection of her books available, so you can purchase them for yourself and your friends. Feel free to bring your own books for personalization, too.
FREE, Wellesley Booksmith

--EVENT: Wednesday, September 7th, 6:30pm, WNBA/BOSTON Writing Mysteries: An evening with Hank Phillipi Ryan and Hallie Ephron
Join WNBA for the 2011 kick-off event for WNBA/Boston! Hank Phillippi Ryan, investigative reporter for WHDH Channel 7, is the author of Prime Time, Face Time, Air Time, and Drive Time. Her new mystery novel, The Other Woman, will be published in 2012 and is the first in a new series. Hallie Ephron’s newest mystery, Come and Find Me, was published in March of 2011 and follows her first mystery, Never Tell A Lie. Ephron also wrote a guide to the art of mysteries: Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel. Both authors will talk about their books, what it takes to write a compelling mystery, and answer your questions. Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. www.wnbaboston.org
FREE, Hunneman Hall, Brookline Public Library 361 Washington Street, Brookline

--CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Zip-Code Stories
The Drum Literary Magazine and WBUR's Radio Boston have joined forces to create Zip-Code Stories, an effort to involve listeners in the creation of stories about our communities. Zip-Code Stories invites people to submit 500-word stories about one of the four zip codes we will be announcing each month. Since we're an audio literary magazine and a radio station, our favorite way for people to submit is through Broadcastr's audio social-media platform. But we'll also accept submissions through The Drum's website or through snail mail to WBUR. Zip-Code Stories launches this month with a round of featured authors including Daphne Kalotay, Askold Melnyczuk, Roland Merullo, and Jennifer Haigh. You can hear their interviews at radioboston.wbur.org and hear their stories at http://www.drumlitmag.com. For more info, contact Henriette Lazaridis Power at editor@drumlitmag.com.

--CALL FOR WRITERS: The Review Review
The Review Review  is looking for people to interview journal editors. This is a great way for writers to get to know individual editors of various literary magazines, and to learn more about what these editors are looking for in their submissions. Also, it's fun! We have a core readership of hundreds of journal editors and writers, and your interview will be featured in our weekly newsletter. If interested, please email Becky at 99review@gmail.com.