2015 Mississippi Writers Guild Conference
(See schedule below)
|
(Left to right) James Meredith, C. Liegh, C Hope Clark, Julie Cantrell
|
The Mississippi Writers Guild is proud to announce the first Mississippi Writers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Mr. James Meredith, author and Civil Rights legend, during the 2015 Conference July 31-Aug. 1. The award is scheduled during the lunch and awards program Saturday Aug. 1.
“We are honored to have Mr. Meredith as our first recipient of this new award,” said G. Mark LaFrancis of Natchez, MWG president. “He is an extraordinary individual on so many levels, and his life aptly represents our motto ‘No writer without a voice.’ And it is especially significant to honor him in Oxford, the home of Ole Miss, which he integrated in 1962.
LaFrancis said, “Mr. Meredith’s achievements as a writer often are overshadowed by his mission as a Civil Rights advocate and legend. Mr. Meredith has spent the last 40 years writing and speaking about his experiences and about Mississippi and American history. He has published 16 hardback books, nine booklets, and eight video movies.”
Mr. Meredith will be honored at the lunch awards program, which will be open to the public for a fee. “We thank The Oxford Eagle for sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award for Mr. Meredith,” LaFrancis said. Please click on his name for a complete bio of Mr. Meredith.
The conference also is packed with great workshops, speakers, book signings, and other activities. Our lineup of speakers includes Julie Cantrell, best-selling author; C. Hope Clark, author and editor; C. Liegh McInnis, poet, author and educator; and Marie Lamba, associate agent. Please click on their names for their bios.
“We have four terrific speakers who will share their expertise about writing, publishing, editing, and other topics,” LaFrancis said. “We have jammed a great agenda into a day-and-a-half.” Pre-registration is required for the conference and the awards lunch. On-line or mail-in registration can be done at www.mississippiwritersguild.com. Information also is available on the guild’s Facebook page: Mississippi Writers Guild. The conference is open to members and non-members of the Guild. Those interested in joining the guild can do so on the web site. The guild is a non-profit organization serving writers and aspiring writers.
Here is the schedule so far
Friday July 31, 2015
5:00 p.m.
Registration with light supper and beverages
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
Introduction of Keynote Speaker
Keynote by C. Hope Clark
7:30 – 9:30
Literary Artists on Stage (LAOS). Writers will have the opportunity to read from their published or unpublished works for five minutes.
Saturday August 1, 2015
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Registration/Orientation/Opening Remarks and Opening keynote by Marie Lamba
Morning snacks and beverages
WORKSHOPS
Note: Attendees do not have to pre-select workshops
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Workshop 1 or 2 (Your choice)
Workshop 1: C. Hope Clark: Falling in Love with Freelancing
C. Hope Clark believes that every author, writer, poet or screenwriter should consider freelancing. Getting paid to promote your good name through your quality writing can't hurt in the least, and can offer income to offset those long dry periods between your bigger projects. Learn how to envision freelancing as opportunity and a chance to grow your platform larger while having fun writing what intrigues, rejuvenates, or comes natural to you. www.fundsforwriters.com / www.chopeclark.com
Workshop 2: Julie Cantrell: Faith on the Page?
Are you a Christian writer or a writer who is Christian? What’s the difference? Does it even matter anymore? New York Times bestselling novelist, Julie Cantrell, will explore the rapidly changing realms of Christian vs Secular publishing and help determine where you fit.
10:30-10:45 Break
(Book sales and signings)
10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Workshop 3 or 4 (Your choice)
Workshop 3: Marie Lamba: “Get Real: Creating Believable Fiction”
How do we transform clever words on a page into something that feels real? Why do some perfectly correct and nicely plotted manuscripts fail to completely suck in readers (or literary agents, or editors)? This craft talk will help writers bring their writing to the next level. With before and after examples, I'll also show how the fix might be a less is more approach - letting the reader complete the picture, or sentence or thought in their own minds. I'll demonstrate how a bit of dialogue, thought and even setting can be pared back effectively so that readers actually become co-creators of your fictional world and feel themselves to be an inhabitant of your fictional dream.
Workshop 4: C. Liegh McInnis:
This workshop is designed to help writers move from telling to showing in a manner that condenses their work while allowing the work to be more symbolic or metaphoric.
1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Noon-1 p.m.
Awards Luncheon
Host: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
Presentation of the Mississippi Writers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. James Meredith, followed by his remarks, and a question-and-answer session. (Award sponsored by the Oxford Eagle)
1-1:15 p.m.
(Book sales and signings)
1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Workshops 5 or 6 (Your Choice)
Workshop 5: C. Liegh McInnis
Whether it is Milton’s Satan, Shakespeare’s Iago, McKay’s “Mad and Hungry Dogs,” or Batman’s Joker, this workshop will help writers create more dimensional and engaging plots (for stories and poems) by creating more dimensional and engaging antagonists.
Workshop 6: Julie Cantrell: The Tough Stuff
Slavery, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicide, mental illness, gender issues – what topics make you squirm? New York Times bestselling novelist, Julie Cantrell, will talk about tackling the tough stuff in your writing and how to bring readers to extreme emotional depths.
2:15-2:30 Break
(Book sales and signings)
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Workshop 7 or 8 (Your Choice)
Workshop 7: Marie Lamba: All About Agents - An Insider's Look
The right agent can help your writing career soar. But how do you get this agent? And, most importantly, what can you expect AFTER you get one? An insider's look at do's and don'ts for writers, a peek at what agents do for their clients, and info on how you can build a lasting and positive author/agent relationship
Workshop 8: C. Hope Clark: How to Make Money Writing
The title is a simple one, but advice is solid on how to fill in your income gaps via an assortment of venues and writing opportunities. Or consider how to gather financial support for your dream projects. Thinking like an entrepreneur aids you in seeing that success can be within your grasp. C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com, chosen by Writer's Digest for its 101 Best Websites for Writers for the past 15 years. She's taught this subject for years, and received many thanks from writers who've used Hope's suggestions and made them work. www.fundsforwriters.com / www.chopeclark.com
3:30-3:45 p.m. Break
(Book sales and signings)
3:45-5
Closing Program
Comments by: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
And Richelle Putnam, Guild Founder
Remarks by Julie Cantrell, who will moderate a panel discussion by our speakers, followed by the closing keynote by C. Liegh McInnis
5–5:20
(Book sales and signings)
5:30–6:30 p.m.
Formal Critiques/Informal Critiques
Pre-registration required for Formal Critiques. Please see our mail-in form to register for the formal critiques. Writers must submit a 10-page sample of the work to be critiqued by July 1.
Notes: Book sales and autographs will be available throughout the day.
Conference registration includes Friday supper, Saturday morning refreshments and Saturday lunch, door prize tickets, and other items.
NOTE: Dinner for the MWG Board and Speakers will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Newk’s, across from The Powerhouse. All are welcome to join us, but must confirm with the Guild by July 15.
“We are honored to have Mr. Meredith as our first recipient of this new award,” said G. Mark LaFrancis of Natchez, MWG president. “He is an extraordinary individual on so many levels, and his life aptly represents our motto ‘No writer without a voice.’ And it is especially significant to honor him in Oxford, the home of Ole Miss, which he integrated in 1962.
LaFrancis said, “Mr. Meredith’s achievements as a writer often are overshadowed by his mission as a Civil Rights advocate and legend. Mr. Meredith has spent the last 40 years writing and speaking about his experiences and about Mississippi and American history. He has published 16 hardback books, nine booklets, and eight video movies.”
Mr. Meredith will be honored at the lunch awards program, which will be open to the public for a fee. “We thank The Oxford Eagle for sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement Award for Mr. Meredith,” LaFrancis said. Please click on his name for a complete bio of Mr. Meredith.
The conference also is packed with great workshops, speakers, book signings, and other activities. Our lineup of speakers includes Julie Cantrell, best-selling author; C. Hope Clark, author and editor; C. Liegh McInnis, poet, author and educator; and Marie Lamba, associate agent. Please click on their names for their bios.
“We have four terrific speakers who will share their expertise about writing, publishing, editing, and other topics,” LaFrancis said. “We have jammed a great agenda into a day-and-a-half.” Pre-registration is required for the conference and the awards lunch. On-line or mail-in registration can be done at www.mississippiwritersguild.com. Information also is available on the guild’s Facebook page: Mississippi Writers Guild. The conference is open to members and non-members of the Guild. Those interested in joining the guild can do so on the web site. The guild is a non-profit organization serving writers and aspiring writers.
Here is the schedule so far
Friday July 31, 2015
5:00 p.m.
Registration with light supper and beverages
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
Introduction of Keynote Speaker
Keynote by C. Hope Clark
7:30 – 9:30
Literary Artists on Stage (LAOS). Writers will have the opportunity to read from their published or unpublished works for five minutes.
Saturday August 1, 2015
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Registration/Orientation/Opening Remarks and Opening keynote by Marie Lamba
Morning snacks and beverages
WORKSHOPS
Note: Attendees do not have to pre-select workshops
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Workshop 1 or 2 (Your choice)
Workshop 1: C. Hope Clark: Falling in Love with Freelancing
C. Hope Clark believes that every author, writer, poet or screenwriter should consider freelancing. Getting paid to promote your good name through your quality writing can't hurt in the least, and can offer income to offset those long dry periods between your bigger projects. Learn how to envision freelancing as opportunity and a chance to grow your platform larger while having fun writing what intrigues, rejuvenates, or comes natural to you. www.fundsforwriters.com / www.chopeclark.com
Workshop 2: Julie Cantrell: Faith on the Page?
Are you a Christian writer or a writer who is Christian? What’s the difference? Does it even matter anymore? New York Times bestselling novelist, Julie Cantrell, will explore the rapidly changing realms of Christian vs Secular publishing and help determine where you fit.
10:30-10:45 Break
(Book sales and signings)
10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Workshop 3 or 4 (Your choice)
Workshop 3: Marie Lamba: “Get Real: Creating Believable Fiction”
How do we transform clever words on a page into something that feels real? Why do some perfectly correct and nicely plotted manuscripts fail to completely suck in readers (or literary agents, or editors)? This craft talk will help writers bring their writing to the next level. With before and after examples, I'll also show how the fix might be a less is more approach - letting the reader complete the picture, or sentence or thought in their own minds. I'll demonstrate how a bit of dialogue, thought and even setting can be pared back effectively so that readers actually become co-creators of your fictional world and feel themselves to be an inhabitant of your fictional dream.
Workshop 4: C. Liegh McInnis:
This workshop is designed to help writers move from telling to showing in a manner that condenses their work while allowing the work to be more symbolic or metaphoric.
1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Noon-1 p.m.
Awards Luncheon
Host: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
Presentation of the Mississippi Writers Guild Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. James Meredith, followed by his remarks, and a question-and-answer session. (Award sponsored by the Oxford Eagle)
1-1:15 p.m.
(Book sales and signings)
1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Workshops 5 or 6 (Your Choice)
Workshop 5: C. Liegh McInnis
Whether it is Milton’s Satan, Shakespeare’s Iago, McKay’s “Mad and Hungry Dogs,” or Batman’s Joker, this workshop will help writers create more dimensional and engaging plots (for stories and poems) by creating more dimensional and engaging antagonists.
Workshop 6: Julie Cantrell: The Tough Stuff
Slavery, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicide, mental illness, gender issues – what topics make you squirm? New York Times bestselling novelist, Julie Cantrell, will talk about tackling the tough stuff in your writing and how to bring readers to extreme emotional depths.
2:15-2:30 Break
(Book sales and signings)
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Workshop 7 or 8 (Your Choice)
Workshop 7: Marie Lamba: All About Agents - An Insider's Look
The right agent can help your writing career soar. But how do you get this agent? And, most importantly, what can you expect AFTER you get one? An insider's look at do's and don'ts for writers, a peek at what agents do for their clients, and info on how you can build a lasting and positive author/agent relationship
Workshop 8: C. Hope Clark: How to Make Money Writing
The title is a simple one, but advice is solid on how to fill in your income gaps via an assortment of venues and writing opportunities. Or consider how to gather financial support for your dream projects. Thinking like an entrepreneur aids you in seeing that success can be within your grasp. C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com, chosen by Writer's Digest for its 101 Best Websites for Writers for the past 15 years. She's taught this subject for years, and received many thanks from writers who've used Hope's suggestions and made them work. www.fundsforwriters.com / www.chopeclark.com
3:30-3:45 p.m. Break
(Book sales and signings)
3:45-5
Closing Program
Comments by: G. Mark LaFrancis, Guild President
And Richelle Putnam, Guild Founder
Remarks by Julie Cantrell, who will moderate a panel discussion by our speakers, followed by the closing keynote by C. Liegh McInnis
5–5:20
(Book sales and signings)
5:30–6:30 p.m.
Formal Critiques/Informal Critiques
Pre-registration required for Formal Critiques. Please see our mail-in form to register for the formal critiques. Writers must submit a 10-page sample of the work to be critiqued by July 1.
Notes: Book sales and autographs will be available throughout the day.
Conference registration includes Friday supper, Saturday morning refreshments and Saturday lunch, door prize tickets, and other items.
NOTE: Dinner for the MWG Board and Speakers will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Newk’s, across from The Powerhouse. All are welcome to join us, but must confirm with the Guild by July 15.