Call for Submissions! Deadline Feb: 5, Theme: Obsession-Aversion

We are now seeking submissions for our spring edition of Rio Grande Review. This issue is themed around OBSESSION-AVERSION.

Our idea: Obsessions can be plaguing and oftentimes, dictate the direction and content of our writing. Here are the RGR office we are especially fascinated with the idea that to some degree, all writers are “obsessionists.” What we find even more interesting though, is that at
times we become obsessed with our aversions. With this in mind, we’re asking that texts submitted for our Spring 2010 edition consider this dynamic in some fashion. Whether this means writing about an obsessive aversion, an aversion, obsession, or how the two complement and direct/enhance/or inform one another, that’s up to you.

Deadline: February 5th, 2010.

Us: The Rio Grande Review is a non-profit bilingual publication run by students of the MFA in Creative Writing at The University of Texas at El Paso. ALL genres and visual ART forms are considered for
publication.

Prose: 5000 words, Poetry: 10 pages. We accept works in English and/or Spanish.

To view our complete submissions guidelines, visit our website at www.riograndereview.com

Lori Ostlund reading tonight

A reminder that short story writer Lori Ostlund will read from her collection THE BIGNESS OF THE WORLD this evening at 7:00 in the SUB Mirage/Thunderbird Room.

Lori Ostlund received the 2008 Flannery O’Connor award and most recently the Rona Jaffe Award. She teaches fiction writer at The Art Institute of California, San Francisco.

Fellowship Opportunity for Writers

The deadline is fast approaching for the writing Fellowships here at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA.

No degree is required for a Fellowship, but we have found that students who are about to finish or have recently finished graduate or undergraduate writing programs are often in search of opportunities like the Work Center Fellowship.

Details about the Winter Fellowship at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA

For the last forty years, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, has run the largest and longest residency Fellowship in the United States for emerging visual artists and writers. Artists who have not had significant recognition for their work and writers who have not yet published a book with significant distribution are welcome to apply. Fellows receive a seven month stay (October 1-May 1) at the Work Center and a $650 monthly stipend. Fellows do not pay or work in exchange for their fellowships in any way. Fellows are chosen based on the strength and promise of their work. Former Visual Arts Fellows include Ellen Gallagher, Jack Pierson, Lisa Yuskavage, Angela Dufresne, Geoffrey Chadsey, and Lamar Peterson. Former Writing Fellows have won every major national award in writing including the National Book Award and six Pulitzer Prizes. The list of former Fellows includes Denis Johnson, Louise Glück, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Yusef Komunyakaa.

The postmark deadline for the 2010-11 Writing Fellowships is December 1, 2009.

2010-2011 Visual Arts Fellowship applicants may apply online beginning December 1, 2009. Online submissions must be received by midnight February 1, 2010. FAWC will accept slide applications for one more year. Applicants submitting slides, must have their applications postmarked by February 1, 2010.

For details, please visit:
http://www.fawc.org/fellowships/

Privileged Little Artiste Writing Something Oh-So-Precious Into His Moleskine Notebook

Satire from The Onion

SAN FRANCISCO—After gently unfastening the elastic strap keeping his dearest musings safe from prying eyes, little literary artiste Evan Stansky penned a few more darling thoughts into his clothbound Moleskine notebook Wednesday. “These are much higher quality than the notebooks you find at CVS,” lilted the auteur, who couldn’t be bothered to use—dare it be said—a journal of lesser craftsmanship or pedigree, or one not famously used by such legendary artists as van Gogh and Hemingway. “They’re a little more expensive, but I try to write on both sides so I don’t go through them as quickly.” At press time, the princely scribe was seen finishing his apricot jasmine tea, asking a mere mortal sitting nearby to watch his literary accoutrements, and then prancing off to the Starbucks powder room, light as a feather.

Happy Birthday to Anne Tyler

Reposted by Rick from Writer’s Almanac. [I've long been an Anne Tyler fan -- I hope that's OK. I can never tell what's allowable at the University.] Anyway, I liked the last quote.

Image copyright Diana Walker/Alfred A. Knopf

It’s the birthday of the novelist Anne Tyler, (books by this author) born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1941), the author of The Accidental Tourist (1985), Back When We Were Grownups (2001), and Digging to America (2006). Early in her career, she decided she did not want to be a public person, so she stopped giving readings and only does occasional interviews in writing. She said, “Any time I talk in public about writing, I end up not able to do any writing. It’s as if some capricious Writing Elf goes into a little sulk whenever I expose him.” Ann Tyler also said, “I want to live other lives. I’ve never quite believed that one chance is all I get. Writing is my way of making other chances. It’s lucky I do it on paper. Probably I would be schizophrenic — and six times divorced — if I weren’t writing.”

One Week Left to Apply for Sirenland 2010!

This sounds like a pretty suckass experience, but I thought I’d mention it in case any one was interested in torturing themselves by spending a little time writing in Italy. Posted by Rick

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Join writers Dani Shapiro, Jim Shepard, and Ron Carlson, along with One Story magazine March 21-27, 2010 for the Sirenland Writers Conference.

Experience advanced fiction and memoir workshops in an intimate, supportive environment at one of the most beautiful five star luxury hotels in the world – Le Sirenuse – in Positano, Italy. Participation in this conference is limited to ensure individual attention and create a close, friendly community. Each day features an intensive, small group workshop with acclaimed writers Dani Shapiro, Jim Shepard and Ron Carlson, as well as private time for writing, and excursions to nearby Pompeii and the Isle of Capri. Evenings will include talks about publishing and living the writer’s life, with Dani Shapiro, Jim Shepard, Ron Carlson, screenwriter Michael Maren and Hannah Tinti (co-founder and editor-in-chief of One Story), distinguished visiting authors, student and instructor readings, and fantastic meals overlooking the Islands of Li Galli, formerly called the “Island of the Sirens.” To apply writers must submit a brief statement of purpose (about 250 words) and a writing sample (no more than 7,000 words). All applications will be taken online at www.sirenland.net. The final deadline is October 31st, 2009, so turn your application in today!

One Story
230 3rd St. #A111
Brooklyn, NY
11215
www.one-story.com

October 23 Works in Progress

–posted by Jennifer

On Friday October 23, 2009 the 2nd of this semester’s WORKS IN PROGRESS readings, sponsored by the Creative Writing Department at UNM will be held.

Readers include:

Poet Erika Sanchez, who says, “Sometimes images seem to haunt me until I am compelled to write a poem around them; other times I do everything I can to “break my eye open” ….To break your eye open is exactly what it sounds like— to see the world in a new way, to make unusual associations.”

Part Time UNM Instructor Debra Goldberg who writes magical realism
fiction.  She has been published in literary magazines such as Inkwell
and Teferet.  Before teaching writing at NYU, Rutgers, UNM, FIT, and
Yeshiva University, she produced television shows for more than twenty
years. She is currently working on a novel and a completing a
collection of short stories.

and Me! Jennifer Simpson….   I write very creative, mostly non-fiction. In other words, I write stuff about my life and try to make it interesting.  I may read  a little poetry (it’s what I do when I’m avoiding homework).

Where?  RB Winnings Coffee at 7-8pm on Harvard 1/2 block south of
Central (right by UNM)

Need Money for an Amazing Project? Just Ask.

Don’t ask me, of course. I’m tapped, man. No spare change. I only carry plastic. But here’s a potential source of funding for that book you’ve had in mind.

Posted by Rick. Originally posted at Utne.com

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Need Money for an Amazing Project? Just Ask.

10/9/2009 9:00:44 AM

by Jeff Severns Guntzel

There’s a rather inspiring look at Kickstarter over at Poynter:

As journalists face pay cuts and are asked to do more with fewer resources, it has become increasingly difficult for them to find the time and money to pursue large-scale enterprise stories or personal projects.

But some journalists are finding a way to make it work. In recent months, they have raised thousands of dollars on Kickstarter, the crowd-funding journalism site, but it isn’t limited to journalists.

Launching projects on the site, journalists say, has given them the opportunity to pursue passions, think entrepreneurially about their work and find new ways of interacting with audiences, not only after completing a
project, but while they’re working on it.

“The truth is, you can get better results if you tap the collective brain power of a big group of people” on the front end, said Robin Sloan, who has raised about $7,000 more than the $3,500 he set out to raise since launching his book project on the site at the end of August.

There is hope, friends. Now get out there and ask for some money!

When Creative License isn’t Enough

Media Liability Insurance Now Available to Authors Guild Members

The Authors Guild has entered into an agreement with Axis Pro, the world’s leading underwriter of media liability insurance, to offer Guild members professional liability insurance. Freelance writing, blogging and book authorship are insured under this program for claims of libel, invasion of privacy, copyright or trademark infringement, plagiarism, errors & omissions and other related risks. To apply for coverage, members complete an online form and, in many and perhaps most cases, will find out their proposed insurance premiums immediately.

Liability limits start at $100,000 for each loss/$300,000 total limit. Higher limits are also available.

Visit www.authorsguild.org for more details.

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This is a service for members of the Authors Guild, but it got me to thinking…  has it really come to this?

What do you think? Do you worry that something you write could get you in trouble?  In the Creative Non fiction classes this does come up, but more from the perspective of potentially hurting people’s feelings and damaging relationships–  not so much the idea that someone would sue….

–Jennifer

Duotrope

Posted by Rick

Duotrope’s Digest is a new resource I just got turned onto by David Rubalcava.

Like the Poets & Writers listing I mentioned a while back, Duotrope’s Digest gives a listing of publications that accept poetry and short stories. Here’s a blurb from their home page:

Welcome to Duotrope’s Digest, a free writers’ resource listing over 2625 current Fiction and Poetry publications. Use this page to search for markets that may make a fine home for the piece you just polished. Use the menus at the top and right to explore the rest of the free services we offer writers and editors, including a free online submissions tracker for registered users. We usually make several updates per day, and we check each of the current listings regularly (once a week for most listings) to ensure the most up-to-date database humanly possible. So far today, we have checked guidelines for 241 listings. So far today, we have made 20 updates.