The Rag 3/19/12: Spring classes, Grub Goes...Up, and new agents at the Muse

"I figured if I threw enough beauty at the page it would eventually equal truth. I had the process exactly--almost touchingly--backwards."

—Steve Almond

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 view from under our parasols at Grub Street's brand new World Headquarters at 162 Boylston Street. As always, if you are receiving this email in horror, please advance to the bottom of the page to unsubscribe yourself.

Don't miss out: Spring Workshops start in just two weeks

Muse & The Marketplace update

Every agent in the Manuscript Mart is now sold out. Since the deadline for submitting manuscripts is not until April 11th, we’ve decided to add 2 or 3 more agents and “Shop Talk” lunch tables this week. Check the Manuscript Mart page by Friday for the new agents’ bios and lists of specialties. In the meantime, there are still just a few opportunities left to get feedback on your work from some terrific and varied editors, including Jamison Stoltz, Senior Editor at Grove/Atlantic, Michelle Wildgen of Tin House and the co-editors of the wonderful Brain, Child magazine.

March 30th: schedule of events for Grub Goes...Up

Next Friday, March 30th is Grub Goes...Up, a celebration of our new home at 162 Boylston. We've got a full afternoon and evening of activities planned, so please peruse the schedule below to find out what you'd like to attend.

3-5pm: Tea and Tours (and yes, you can bring your kids!)
Downtown during the day and want to check out our new digs? From 3-5pm, we'll have family-friendly daytime activities including tea, tours of the new space, arts and crafts, and volunteer babysitters to watch the little ones. Bring your kids and party with the next generation of Grub Street! (P.S.: YAWP students, this is a perfect time for you to bring your parents by for a tour.)

5-6pm: VIP Toast
Anita Shreve, Arthur Golden and members of Grub Street's Board of Directors clink glasses and toast Grub's move to the iconic Steinway Building at Poe Corner. *Open only to members of the Director's Circle.*

Winter Season Showcase

Muse Spotlights

For the next two months, The Rag will be spotlighting sessions from our annual conference, The Muse and the Marketplace. We hope you’ll be able to enjoy these sessions in person the weekend of May 5th & 6th at the Park Plaza Hotel. For all details, including registration info, go to www.museandthemarketplace.com.

"Muse" Spotlight: For his first Muse and the Marketplace conference, fiction writer and occasional essayist Colin Channer will be leading a session entitled, “How to Convert an Idea to a Story” on Sunday, May 6th. Mr. Channer is a dual citizen of the United States, where he's lived since 1982, and the island of Jamaica, where he was born in 1963. His five works of fiction include the bestselling novel Waiting In Vain, a Critic's Choice selection of the Washington Post, which described it as "a clear redefinition of the Caribbean novel." Colin's most recent book is the novella The Girl With the Golden Shoes, which was hailed by Russell Banks as "a nearly perfect moral fable." The short list of his academic positions includes: Fannie Hurst Writer in Residence, Brandeis University; Susan and Donald Newhouse Professor in Creative Writing, Wellesley College; Visiting Artist in Residence, Columbia College Chicago. Mr. Channer describes his Muse craft session in this way: “Story ideas are like the old Russia ruble. They have very little value outside the place where they were minted: the central bank of your mind. The global currency of fiction is the scenario: a story told in the form of wisely chosen, efficient sequence of scenes. The ability to convert ideas into scenarios—to think in scene form—is one of the essential skills of the writing craft. If you want to get better at writing stories that read like they're "going somewhere," or if you are never quite sure where a story should begin, then this is the class for you. Bring blank paper and a stack of ideas you'd like to convert to scenes you can use.”

Marketplace Spotlight: Continuing in Grub’s tradition of remaining optimistic but informed about the “digital present” of publishing, we are excited to offer a panel entitled “The World Is Your Oyster: The Unprecedented Opportunities of the Digital Age” on Sunday, May 6th. For this panel, we’ve gathered an exciting, innovative and cool group of individuals from various publishing ventures across the country. The panel will discuss this exciting (and also daunting!) time to be a writer, when techies and publishers are busy collaborating, trying on new models and creating new opportunities for writers online. Some of these opportunities you may have heard of; others are brand-new; each is breaking new ground to showcase, distribute and/or promote the work of creative writers. The goal of the panel is to introduce you to these individuals and organizations and also to talk at both a practical and philosophical level about the various ways aspiring and emerging authors can thrive in the digital age. Our overall attitude: Take a deep breath. It’s going to be OK. Panelists include Jason Allen Ashlock (Agent, Movable Type), Matt Cavnar (Vook), Ned Lomigora (Zeeen.com), and Jesse Potash (Pubslush.com). Moderated by Eve Bridburg (Executive Director, Grub Street).

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.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 19th, 6:15-9:15pm, Writing the Big Moments
In this seminar we will focus not only on the big moments but also on the smaller moments around them, looking with a fresh eye to create a context from which we can deliver our most powerful material.
Instructor: Rita Zoey Chin
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 19th, 6:30-9:30pm, Freelance Writing Essentials
In this seminar we’ll discuss how to come up with ideas that editors want, and where to get insider information on who edits what. We’ll also look at the do’s and don’ts of contacting editors and cover the basics of pitching stories and writing pitch letters.
Instructor: Ethan Gilsdorf
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 19th, 6:15-9:15pm, Mastering Twitter: Beginning Course for Authors
Do you have the Twitter jitters? Not sure where to start or how to use this valuable social media tool? This course will teach you all the basics ranging from getting up and running, profile optimization, tweeting, retweeting, lists, directories, hashtags, updating remotely, how to find followers and build your base of potential readers. Please bring your laptop and if desired, a phone with texting or app capabilities.
Instructor: Crystal King
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ.

SEMINAR: TONIGHT, Monday, March 19th, 6:00-9:00pm, Surviving the Slush Pile
Ever wonder what happens after you click submit and your story is sent through cyberspace to a literary magazine? This course, led by a journal editor and author, will take you through the maze of the submissions process from submissions peccadilloes to editorial hallelujahs. We’ll take a close look at opening lines and final paragraphs through the lens of narrative; and we’ll also talk about cover letters, bios, and story format. Relying on exercises and prompts, our focus in the second half will be on stirring up our creative minds and sending you – and your work, into the world of publication.
Instructor: Catherine Parnell
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ.

Saturday, March 24th, 10:30am-5:30pm, Fiction Writers’ Workout
Spend the day with one of Grub Street’s most popular instructors generating new scenes, characters and descriptions.
Instructor: Lisa Borders
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, March 24th, 10:00am-5:00pm, Structure as Solution: Form and the Personal Essay
Appropriate for both the experienced and aspiring essayist alike, the seminar will cover the wide array of structures established essayists like Didion, Lopate, and Ballantine use to, in the words of Aldous Huxley, “look at the world through the keyhole of anecdote and description."
Instructor: Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday, March 24th, 9:30am-4:30pm,Writers Breaking Rules: Playing with Form in Creative Nonfiction
Are you bored with the traditional story line? Do you think a narrative arc is better left in the water? If you’re ready to take some risks as a creative nonfiction writer, you’re in good company. Many successful writers today push the boundaries of what we think of as conventional memoir or essay structure. We’ll spend time closely examining the brief essay, the lyric or braided essay, and excerpts from untraditional longer memoirs by authors such as Joan Wickersham, Abigail Thomas, Joann Beard and Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Then we’ll break some rules ourselves and try exercises where we play with our own writing. If you have a short piece that pushes boundaries, bring it along for workshopping.
Instructor: Amy Yelin
*4 spots left* $115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Saturday-Sunday, March 24-25th, 10:30am-5:30pm, Line-By-Line
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is the perfect novel. Each line is a model of economy, crafted with precision. On the first day of this class, we'll explore how Steinbeck structured his work to ensure each scene, every last line, had a purpose, and how it all came together to support one of the most memorable endings in literature. The following day, we'll apply the lessons learned from Steinbeck to the students' own work. Students should come to class with the novel, having read it beforehand, and email up to ten pages of their work-in-progress to be shared with the class.
Instructor: Amy MacKinnon
*4 spots left* $220/$195 members, Grub Street HQ.

WEEKEND WORKSHOP: Sunday, March 25th, 9:30am-4:30pm, Memoir: Making Smart Choices Behind the Scenes
Capturing your story on paper requires dozens of choices, from the creative (Who are you as a character? How do you represent family & friends in a way that won't crush those relationships? How do you find the best narrative arc?) to the practical (What legal hurdles do you need to clear? How do you put together a winning proposal?) In this class we'll look at the "behind the scenes" aspects of writing memoir, and help you create a personalized strategy for for telling and selling your story. Class will include writing exercises, goal setting, and opportunities to share your work.
Instructor: Trish Ryan
*4 spots left* $115/$95 members, Grub Street HQ.

MEMBER EVENT: Sunday, March 25th 12:00pm to 2:00pm, Grub Street Book Club - March
The Grub Book Club will offer a chance to read and discuss great books with a focus on reading from a writer's perspective. The book club's pick for the month of March is the novel Tinkers by Paul Harding.
MUST BE A CURRENT GRUB STREET MEMBER TO ATTEND. MEMBERS MAY BRING FRIENDS.
FREE, Grub Street HQ.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 26th, 6:00-9:00pm, Polishing Your PR Skills: Press Release and Pitch-Crafting Workshop
You know what a press release is and what it’s used for, but can you write one that works? How about a press pitch, a review request, an “about” blurb or your book’s jacket copy? Most authors need to hone these skills. This workshop will lay out the fundamentals of PR-writing and provide good examples as models. It’ll give everybody a chance to draft a few pieces in a workshop environment and have them critiqued by a pro.
Instructor: Sharon Bially
$65/$50 members, Grub Street HQ.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 26th, 6:30-9:30pm, Crafting the Pitch Letter for Nonfiction Projects
In this seminar, you will learn how to write killer pitch letters (AKA “query letters” or “cover letters”) for submitting essays, op-eds, articles and feature stories to editors of magazines, newspapers, literary magazines, and online publications, and for submitting nonfiction book proposals to agents.
Instructor: Ethan Gilsdorf
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

SEMINAR: Monday, March 26th, 6:30-9:30pm, Muse and the Marketplace 101: Hone Your Networking Skills Before the Big Conference
A veteran journalist, who’s also an experienced conference schmoozer and former public speaking instructor, will give tips on how to not only survive a huge writers’ conference but come away with contacts for a lifetime.
Instructor: Linda K. Wertheimer
Sorry, this class is sold out. Join the waiting list.

OPEN MIC: Wednesday, March 28th, 7:00-9:00pm, Winter Season Showcase
Join Grub students from the winter 2012 term, plus two of our very own Grub instructors, Catherine Parnell and Katrin Schumann, as they read (for 5 minutes each) from recent work. You'll hear great fiction, non-fiction, poetry and maybe even a screenplay. Open only to students who've taken courses, seminars or weekend workshops in the winter term. Limited to 15 readers. Everyone gets free snacks and drinks. Sign-ups begin at 6:30pm. A great event for current Grubbies and those who want to check us out.
FREE, Grub Street HQ.

LUNCHTIME WRITING: Wednesday, March 28th, 12:30-1:15pm, Brown Bag Lunch Series - March
Do you work downtown and want to fit some writing into your day? Or do you have a schedule that gives you free afternoons instead of evenings? Bring your lunch and come on over to Grub Street for a Brown Bag Writing Workshop – a series recently profiled in the Boston Globe. For 45 minutes, you’ll meet fellow writers and get your creative juices flowing with some cool writing exercises. Led by one of our award-winning instructors or ambassadors. Best of all, you’ll leave lunch with some new ideas to ponder for the rest of your day, and beyond. No need to RSVP-- just come!
Instructor: Shuchi Saraswat
FREE, Grub Street HQ.

PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! Friday, March 30th from 6:00pm, Grub Goes...Up!
We've revised our address, and we want you to help us celebrate. The literary party of the year takes place at our brand-new headquarters on the 5th floor of 162 Boylston Street in Boston. There'll be celebrity author bartenders, music, literary-themed drinks and appetizers, tours of the new space, and word game throwdowns all night long.
Instructor: TBA
$15/$10 members, Grub Street HQ.

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: Wednesday, March 21st, 6pm, Anne Lamott & Sam Lamott
The NYT bestselling author of such books as Grace (Eventually), Plan B, and Operating Instructions returns to the Coolidge with her son, Sam, to tell the story of the first year of her grandson Jax’s life. Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son’s First Son is a touching, poignant, and beautiful story of how a new life changes a family.
FREE, Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline (Tickets required; call 617-566-6660 or stop by the Brookline Booksmith).

--RETREAT: April 19-22, Ideas That Move: Ground Your Voice and Energize Your Work in Hartland, Vermont
Attention women writers: Join Erica Dhawan and Lex Schroeder for a writing-meets-embodiment retreat at Sumner Mansion in Hartland, Vermont. Using traditional writing workshop exercises, Bollywood dance, and meditation--and drawing upon the work of such writers/athletes as Mary Catherine Bateson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Timothy Galwey, Twyla Tharp and more--Erica and Lex will help you connect with your own energy to write, claim your writing voice, and step into a new creative flow. Participants will have opportunities to co-create the agenda. Students receive $100 discount and a number of discounted tuition slots are available. Please contact ideasthatmove@gmail.com or call Lex at 207.590.8291. Learn more or register: http://bit.ly/wCNUzc.

--ART AND WRITING: March 24th or April 5th, Ekphrasis course at the Museum of Fine Arts
Be guided through the MFA’s collections to find inspiration and content for your writing. Discover and explore the deep relationships between visual art and creative writing. The class includes weekly presentations of artists and poets, group discussions, and a personalized tour of the galleries that can expand on the ideas for your writing. Develop a polished poem or a work of short prose, meet other writers, and experience the museum in a whole new way.
Register: Ten-week sessions for Adults or Teens (15-18) start April 5th or March 24th, respectively.

--SEMINAR: Saturday, March 24th, 10am - noon, Concept and Writing
Learn the ins-and-outs of how writing and concepts for film, television, and advertising come together from an esteemed panel of professionals. Topics will cover: concept and writing for advertising, writing and development for television, and writing for feature films.
Speakers and Panelists:
• Seanbaker Carter – SVP, Programming, Powderhouse Productions
• Maureen Foley – Writer / Director
• Rick Frisiello – Creative Director / Conceptual Writer, Rick Frisiello Creative (former VP/Creative Director, Arnold)
• Diane Lake – Screenwriter
• John Macneil – Executive Producer, Moody Street Pictures
• Chuck Matzker – Art Director
Tickets and more info at http://massprodcoalition.org/news/concept-writing-seminar-march-24th/.

--Reading: Monday, March 26, 7PM, Deb Olin Unferth
Deb Olin Unferth is the author of the story collection Minor Robberies, the novel Vacation, and the memoir Revolution: The Year I Fell in Love and Went to Join the Sandinistas, a finalist for the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award. Her work has been featured in Harper's Magazine, McSweeney's, The Believer, and the Boston Review. She will be reading at the Suffolk University Sawyer Library Poetry Center (3rd Floor).
FREE, 73 Tremont Street, Boston (one block from Park Street T ) - Entrance is around the corner on Tremont Place.

Welcome to the end of the e-mail, where like putting a notch in your pencil for every story you complete, we offer you the chance to win a prize. This once-unknown poet financed his immigration to Jamaica by selling a volume of his poetry. The book was so successful he later became the national poet of his home country. Email your answer to whitney@grubstreet.org. The first correct respondent wins a Starbucks gift card for a coffee treat.

Last week's trivia: At the height of Rudyard Kipling's fame, he earned about a dollar a word. When a fan tried to get his autograph, the fan wrote Kipling a letter and and asked for a sample with a dollar enclosed.Kipling responded with a simple unsigned postcard that said, "Thanks." Winner: Vishwas Gaitonde.

In this issue