by Theresa Garee | Jun 3, 2024 | Blog
In its sixth year, Into the Springs Writers’ Workshop welcomes featured guest instructors,
Andrew Welsh-Huggins and Jeffrey Marks, for the whole weekend of August 2-4, at the Mills
Park Hotel in Yellow Springs, OH. In addition, the Ohio Audiobook Narrators will present a
three-hour session on August 3.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins is an award-winning mystery author mostly known for his series
featuring ex-OSU Buckeye quarterback now private eye, Andy Hayes. As a journalist, Mr.
Welsh-Huggins also publishes nonfiction.
Jeffrey Marks is a mystery writer as well as the publisher at Crippen & Landru Publishing
Company, well-known for its short story mysteries and classic mystery collections. Mr. Marks
has won every mystery award for his biographies of mystery writer Craig Rice and Anthony
Boucher.
Both authors will present collaboratively and individually in sessions throughout the weekend.
Their topics include: the short story from idea to publication; how to make research count; the
nuts and bolts of revision; the history of the mystery genre; essentials for query letters and
nonfiction book proposals; and a guided live writing activity.
For an extra fee, Mr. Welsh-Huggins will critique the first ten pages of your story and meet in
conversation for up to 15 minutes. Mr. Marks will critique book queries and also meet in
conversation for up to 15 minutes.
As is traditional at Into the Springs, both Mr. Welsh-Huggins and Mr. Marks will be available to
participants all weekend for any additional questions.
In a special, three-hour session, the Ohio Audiobook Narrators will cover all aspects of book
narration. Elements of their presentation will include: their process of narrating an author’s work;
what’s needed if an author wants to narrate their own book; what makes up a legitimate audio
book contract; and the issue of Artificial Intelligence in audio book narration. Mini
demonstrations and Q&A will follow.
Other activities will fill out this intensive writers’ weekend, including morning creative writing,
Saturday night open mic readings where you have seven minutes to read your work, and, new
this year, a free half table to sell one of your books. The public is invited to listen and buy.
Registration is open now through July 25 for Into the Springs Writers’ Workshop. For more
information and to register, please go to www.IntoTheSpringsWritersWorkshop.com.
by Theresa Garee | May 2, 2023 | Blog
Sponsored blog post:
Cultivate your craft at the Into the Springs Writers’ Workshop.
This summer’s version of the Into the Springs Writers’ Workshop will feature award-winning writer, author, and strategist Jane Friedman and science fiction and fantasy writer Jason Sanford.
The two will collaborate for a two-day writer’s intensive in Yellow Springs, Ohio on August 4-6, 2023.
In its second year at The Mills Park Hotel, a larger venue than in prior years, Into the Springs attendees will enjoy numerous opportunities for personal interactions with Ms. Friedman and Mr. Sanford.
- Writing topics Ms. Friedman will highlight include Publishing Trends; Fixing Mistakes on Author Websites; How Likely the First Lines of a Story Will Attract an Agent, Editor, or Reader; and How to Get a Book Traditionally or Independently Published.
In 2023, Jane was awarded Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World; her newsletter was awarded Media Outlet of the Year in 2020.
Mr. Sanford has been a four-time finalist for the Nebula Awards in various categories such as Best Novel and Best Short Story.
- His sessions will focus on Publishing Trends; Writing Tips to Advance a Story; How Likely the First Lines of a Story Will Attract an Agent, Editor, or Reader; The Short Story Market & Patreon.
The second and final night of the event, August 5, will include book sales by the two authors, followed by author signings, An Open Mic Reading Night will immediately follow. Volunteer participants will give five-minute readings from their work. If anyone is hesitant to do so, one of two actors will be glad to read the piece instead. A cash bar will be available.
In addition, for one hour on both mornings of the workshop, before the sessions begin, participants are invited over for coffee, tea and writing.
Registration is open now until July 25. For more info and to register, go to the website at www.IntoTheSpringsWritersWorkshop.com.
by Theresa Garee | Aug 8, 2018 | Blog
A SENSE OF PLACE: Exploring New Mexico Through Words
a retreat with NATALIE GOLDBERG & ROB WILDER
January 27 through 31, 2019
Santa Fe Writers Lab
Santa Fe, NM
Every piece of writing is grounded in a sense of place, whether it’s a metaphorical space or a physical setting. In this retreat we read the writers of New Mexico then go on excursions to explore the territory and places they have written about. Experience New Mexico’s particularities–the dry cold in winter, red earth, snowy peaks (if snow comes), deep river gorges, Sangre de Cristo mountains, tiny towns tucked in valleys or plateaus, and, yes, also the landscape of hardships that come with drought, poverty, and decades of social disparity. We take this all in and wake up to the Southwest. Read more.
by Theresa Garee | Aug 4, 2018 | Blog
“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe
My memoir, formerly titled Twenty-Six Point Freaking Two: How a Sedentary, Middle-Aged Manic Depressive Became a Marathoner (with the help of her dog) has a new working title: Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink.
But that’s beside the point.
The real news is that the manuscript (whatever you want to call it) earned a spot as a finalist in the 2018 William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition in Nonfiction. The winner will be announced in September at the conference in New Orleans.
How in the heck did that happen?
It happened because I followed the instructions of my writing coaches, the award-winning authors Tania Casselle and Sean Murphy. Among other things, they advised me to enter every single contest for which the book was eligible.
Every! Single! One!
Still, how does someone who continues to have depressive episodes so crippling they make it difficult to get out of bed some days achieve such a goal? My secret? Structure.
The following five structures work for me:
1) Classes and Workshops.
The idea of entering every contest (or submitting to every publisher) that fit my book came from two extremely qualified writing instructors. Suggestions might come from other students as well. In either case, these people could help you do what might not occur to you, what might seem too difficult, or what you might think is a waste of time and money.
2) A deadline.
The final days of a contest or publisher’s reading period usually is enough to spark me into action. It’s that pressure cooker effect. There’s no time for perfectionism. I just have to get it done.
3) Tracking Tools.
I love querytracker.net and Submittable. Real numbers don’t lie. I can see my submissions and percentages. The geeky part of me loves this. Plus, Submittable recognizes people who collect the most rejections in a month. Anything like that helps.
4) Accountability Partners.
I tell a friend I’m going to do something. I tell my little writing group. I tell my husband or my neighbor. I tell the regulars at the coffeeshop where I write. Eventually, one of them will ask about my goal. I don’t want to let either of us down.
5) Online Groups.
These are a different breed of accountability partners. But be careful with this. Choose wisely. I’m in a secret Facebook group for artists collecting rejection letters. If I’m not entering, I have no rejections to report. Telling these kind strangers is oddly satisfying.
But here’s the true secret. At some point, these external structures become internal. They light a fire inside me and I’m surprised to find myself motivated to attempt things I would never have done before. Magic? Perhaps. But I’ll take it.
What kind of structure do you need to meet your goal? What will help you not give up? I’d love to hear about it.
by Theresa Garee | Jul 20, 2018 | Blog
Do you dream of studying with my long-time teacher, best-selling author Natalie Goldberg? It was my dream for many years before I made it a reality. Nat has updated her website with new workshops. Maybe it’s time for you to make your dream come true. It was life-changing for me.
