Are you a Shakespeare fan? Will you be celebrating? What is your favorite Shakespearean creation?
How about you? Do you ever enter writing contests? Why, or why not?
It's the annual National Library Week (April 7 - 13, 2024) in America. This is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all. The theme for National Library Week 2024 is "Ready, Set, Library!"
Libraries are full of stories in a variety of formats from picture books to large print, audiobooks to ebooks, and more. But there's so much more to the story. Libraries of Things lend items like museum passes, games, musical instruments, and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, story times, movie nights, crafting classes, and lectures. Library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. National Library Week 2024 will be a great time to tell your library’s multi-faceted story.
“I’m thrilled to serve as the honorary chair of National Library Week for 2024! Libraries connect our communities and enrich our lives in ways we may not realize, and one of my greatest pleasures is discovering the unexpected and beautiful things libraries offer. From book groups to lending sports equipment to providing a safe after-school hangout space and so much more, libraries support us wherever we find ourselves on the roadmap through life’s journey. Join me and the American Library Association in celebrating the gift of libraries everywhere and the adventures and opportunities they unlock for us every day. Ready, Set, Library!”
For more ways to celebrate, visit: http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek
Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.
APRIL 3 QUESTION - How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?
MY ANSWER - My first Blog post was in October 2010. I joined Facebook around the same time. I was hesitant about both. A friend encouraged me to start the blog as a way to get back into my writing which I had given up for a time. I finally joined Facebook because my daughter's ballet studio only had a Facebook account instead of a web page and it was the easiest way to keep up with information about her classes and performances. While I quickly became comfortable with both platforms, I've used them to varying degrees since. Some months, I blogged nearly every day while others I only blogged a couple times a month. Sometimes I'm on Facebook and posting multiple times a day, and other times it may be weeks between visits. I joined Twitter sometime later but have barely every utilized it. I joined Instagram and Pinterest in the years that followed but utilize them in much the same pattern as Facebook. I like Facebook for keeping up with friends and family, and for checking out what other professionals are doing. I enjoy Instagram and Pinterest for checking creativity and sharing design ideas as well.
What about you? How long have you been blogging? (Or on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram?) What do you like about it and how has it changed?
We just finished Spring Break here. I spent the majority of it ill. I've been sick more in the last nine months than I have been in the previous few years combined. I'm hoping the upcoming long weekend will offer me a chance to finish recuperating.
I hope you are all able to enjoy some much need time of relaxation, fun, and love this weekend as well.Looking for a great Easter read? Check out This Easter Reading List.
For a little Easter writing inspiration, check out one of my former posts 4 Easter Inspired Prompts, or this list I came across: Easter Journal Prompts.It's nearly time for the 2024 "Twitter Pitch" as well as he 2024 "A to Z Blogging Challenge". If you're interested in either:
Will you be participating in #IWSGPit? Have you had success with a Twitter pitch party? Have you ever participated in the "A to Z" challenge? Will you be taking part this year? What other hops or challenges do you enjoy? Are you attending any this year? Do you have a favorite that we haven't listed here?
Feeling Lucky? Check out the post about where I and a few other writers get their inspiration: https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2022/03/feeling-lucky.html
Some additional educational and fun holiday ideas include:
How about you? Are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day? How are you spending this time?
Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.
MARCH 6 QUESTION - Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?
MY ANSWER - We had a similar discussion in our October posting if you'd like to look back at those. My only interaction with AI as a writer has been to address using it in the classroom. As soon as ChatGPT released more than a year ago, I saw a huge use of it by students to attempt writing assignments. We spent time actually looking at instances where you could use it, but the software was creating sadly horrible and oftentimes completely incorrectly factual writing. This helped to dissuade plagiarism in that first year. However, as AI software increase in reliability so too does it's use, not just by students but also by teachers and writers. Some only use it as a means to see examples (a learning or confidence building tool). However, I believe we may see an increase in reliance on this technology, and an outright substitution for individual authentic creation. In response, more schools and legal systems will attempt to define what is allowable and what is not (refer back to Hollywood/writers/actors strikes last year).
What about you? Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?
Seven fast approaching deadlines...
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles, messages from heaven, angels - The deadline for submissions is FEBRUARY 28, 2024. Stories about miracles, angels, messages from heaven, premonitions, amazing coincidences and other unexplainable but good events! We are looking for powerful, astounding, stories that will make people say "wow" or give them chills. This book is for everyone, whether religious or non-religious.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The power of thinking
positive - The deadline for submission is FEBRUARY 28, 2024. We know that using the power of thinking positive helps
you to achieve your goals and lead a happy, purposeful, and productive life.
Almost anything is possible if you think you can. You can dream big, overcome
challenges, create the best life possible for yourself, and turn adversity into
opportunity. What do you do to think positive and how did it change
your life? Tell us your success story about using the power of thinking
positive!
GRAYWOLF
PRESS NONFICTION PRIZE
https://www.graywolfpress.org/about-us/submissions
NO MENTION OF ENTRY FEE. Deadline February
29, 2024. A $20,000 advance and publication by Graywolf Press will be
awarded to the most promising and innovative literary nonfiction project by a
writer not yet established in the genre. The winning author will also receive a
$2,000 stipend intended to support the completion of their project. The Graywolf
editors are particularly interested in new approaches to the personal essay,
cultural and literary criticism, creative scholarship, and books exploring
complex ideas from unexpected angles. Must live in the United States,
regardless of citizenship status. Must have published at least one piece of
nonfiction in a literary journal or magazine.
SEJONG
WRITING COMPETITION
https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo.php?fbclid=IwAR3dsNgV_I0yqv-oCp4MFqmMihAVk6cwHbmBCsihV0iPfrSQIjIDtbDwdKU
Deadline February 29, 2024.
Divisions: adult division (age 19 and older) and pre-college division (age 18
and younger). Write one sijo in English on a topic of your choice. Only one
entry per applicant. Adult division: First ($1,000), Second ($750), Third
($500). Pre-college division: First ($500), Second ($400), Third ($300). Must
be a resident of USA or Canada.
LITTLE TOKYO HISTORICAL
SOCIETY SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.littletokyohs.org/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline February 29,
2024. The Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) seeks fictional short
stories for its 11th annual Imagine Little Tokyo short story contest in the
categories of English language, Japanese language and youth (18 and younger).
The purpose of the contest is to raise awareness of Little Tokyo through a
creative story that takes place in Little Tokyo. Each category winner will be
awarded $500 in cash with their short story being published in The Rafu Shimpo,
Discover Nikkei and Little Tokyo Historical Society website.
ALPINE POETRY PRIZE
https://alpinefellowship.com/poetry-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2024. Theme: Language. You may
submit one poem or a collection of poems as long as ALL the poems in the
collection speak to the theme. There is a maximum of 500 words per entry. There
is no minimum required word count. First place: £3,000. Second place: £1,000.
Third place: £1,000. The winner and runners-up will be invited to the annual
symposium. Up to £500 travel expenses to help with travel to the event and
meals and accommodation.
ALPINE WRITING PRIZE
https://alpinefellowship.com/writing-prize
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 1, 2024. Theme: Language. All
genres of writing are permitted, including fiction, non-fiction, and
non-academic essays. Open to all nationalities. First place: £3,000. Second
place: £1,000. Third place: £1,000. The winner and runners-up will be invited
to the annual symposium. Up to £500 travel expenses to help with travel to the
event and meals and accommodation. A maximum of 2,500 words per entry.
Last month, I shared a couple of posts on Love (to celebrate any form of love) and upcoming conferences, workshops, and festivals for readers and writers. Today, I thought I would share more opportunities for lovers of the written and illustrated word.
February 17 - Hickory Con is a one day, in person comic con event in North Carolina. To learn more, check out: Home (hickorycon.com)
March 15-17 - Galaxycon is a 4-Day FESTIVAL OF FANDOM with celebrities, creators, voice actors, cosplayers, entertainers, fan groups, gamers, panelists, streamers, and wrestlers in Richmond, VA. To learn more: Galaxycon Richmond
March 27 - see the TWITTER PITCH info below.
April 5-7 - CyPhaCon: https://www.cyphacon.org/ - taking place in the Lake Charles Civic Center Complex, CYPHACON 2024 is the largest fan run Pop Culture Convention in the State of Louisiana!
July 12-14 - ConGregate is a speculative fiction convention held in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. To learn more: ConGregate 7 / DeepSouthCon 59 (con-gregate.com)
July 25 - 28 and OTHERS- Galaxycon is a 4-Day FESTIVAL OF FANDOM with celebrities, creators, voice actors, cosplayers, entertainers, fan groups, gamers, panelists, streamers, and wrestlers in Raleigh, NC. To learn more: GalaxyCon Raleigh This group actually offers multiple events virtually at at multiple locations throughout the year so be sure to follow for more news.
August - Wake Forest mini Comic Con - WakeForest, NC - https://www.facebook.com/WFComiCon/
If you'd like to see an even longer list of opportunities, check out the IWSG page here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/publications.html
Will you be participating in #IWSGPit? Have you had success with a Twitter pitch party? How about you? Are you attending any this year? Do you have a favorite that we haven't listed here?
Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.
Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.
FEBRUARY 7 QUESTION - What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?
MY ANSWER - Information overload turns me off immediately. If I click on a site and there is a ton of text and images (the entire screen), flashing ads, or constantly moving images then I'm done. I prefer simple design and layout that lets me know who the author is, their platform or genre, and how to access more information if I want it. Don't try to cram it all down my throat at once.
What about you? What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?
Many are already making plans for the next holiday, but did you know there is actually an entire week of love that thousands celebrate? Most of the people I know only celebrate, or dread, the most famous day which is Valentine's. However, according to multiple sites, there is an entire week of love and each day leading up to Valentine's has a significant meaning or purpose.
According to those love experts, the days are as follows:
While I love flowers and jewelry, my family and friends know my favorite gifts are a good book and chocolate.
It's also the day Minnie Mouse finally received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame six years ago - a mere 40 years after her counterpart, Mickey. You can find out more about that here. First, please let me recommend MASTERCLASS. This is an online set of instructional and motivational videos given by some of the industry's top professionals and gathered together in one location. These are very reasonably priced, and you can read about my personal experiences with it by clicking on the link in the labels below. There are other genres besides just writing that are extremely beneficial and interesting as well. They just added quite a few more options this past month.
There is also a similar site called SKILLSHARE, but I have not personal experience with it. Let us know in the comments if you have, and what you think of them.
Any Time: More than a dozen authors - https://www.masterclass.com/homepage
Any Time: Skill Share
2/9-11 - Austin SCBWI In-Person Conference in New York - https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024
February 11-14 - American Booksellers Association Winter Institute
February 15-18 San Francisco Writers Conference
February 18-20 - Social Media Marketing Conference
2/23-24 - Austin SCBWI Virtual Conference - https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-virtual-winter-conference
3/8-16 - SXSW Film and writers festival in Austin - http://www.sxsw.com/
3/14-16 - New Orleans Book Festival - New Orleans Book Festival
3/22-24 -Writer's Digest 10th Virtual Mystery and Thriller Convention - https://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/courses/wdu-mystery-and-thriller-virtual-conference
HAPPY WRITING!
