Thursday, March 29, 2012

A Novel Approach: A Year-Long Novel Course

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2012

The Program
A Novel Approach is an advanced year-long novel course designed for serious novelists/writers of fiction to encourage and motivate the writer to the completion of the first draft of a novel. Through instruction, writing exercises, work-shopping, group discussion and mentorship this program will get you well on your way to completing the first draft and depending on how far along you are, maybe even the second draft.
Throughout the year, you will discuss common obstacles to finishing your draft from beginnings, plot, story, POV, voice, structure and endings. Elements of flashbacks, sex scenes, symbolism, dialogue, character development, research and methods of submitting to publishers/agents will also be discussed with more emphasis on specific needs of the participants, but all areas will be covered.
You will meet twice a month for two and a half hours. Between classes you will be expected to read and comment on other student’s work, as well as work on your own projects.
Students will also have the opportunity to meet one on one with their instructor throughout the year to discuss their manuscript.
Please note: There is an extensive critique/workshop component to this course.

The Pre-Requisites
Successful applicants must:
  • Have a novel-in-progress
  • Have completed A Novel Idea, the AWCS 10-week intermediate novel course, or equivalent at another institution ; or have previously published short stories.
The Application Procedures
  • There is a non-refundable application fee of $25 which must accompany each submission.
  • There are only 18 spaces available, so send us your best, well-edited submissions.
  • Submit 25 pages or first three chapters of your novel in-progress along with a brief synopsis or outline of the story. Manuscript submissions should be typed in an easy to read font, double-spaced on one side of the page, numbered.
  • Include a cover page with your name, contact information and writing experience along with a brief paragraph about why you should be considered for this program, how far along you are in your novel, previous courses you've taken and/or publishing credits and your level of commitment to the program.
  • Send to: AWCS, A Novel Approach, 922, 9th Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0S4
  • Or email as an attachment in .doc, .docx, .pdf or .rtf to: awcs@telusplanet.net
  • Applications and fee must be received by July 31, 2012 applications will not be processed until application fee is received.) Payments can be made by credit card over the phone, online through PayPal, cash or cheques made payable to: AWCS
  • You will be notified of your acceptance by August 31, 2012
Course fees, instructors and meeting times TBD and will be announced shortly.

www.alexandrawriters.org

Friday, March 2, 2012

In the Shadow of the Wall: Marcello Di Cintio

AWCS 2012 Writer in Residence, Marcello Di Cintio, talks about walls. The theme for his upcoming book, In the Shadow of the Wall, to be published later this year.


AWCS Presents: Gail Bowen

AWCS PRESENTS: GAIL BOWEN, LIVE AT OWL'S NEST BOOKS
Sunday, June 3, 2012 | 7pm | Owl's Nest Books
FREE EVENT

For one night only, Canadian mystery writer, Gail Bowen will be live at Owl’s Nest Books reading from her newest book, Kaleidoscope, released April 2012.

Bring friends and join AWCS and Owl’s Nest Books in welcoming one of Canada’s best-selling mystery writers.

The evening will be followed by a Q & A, wine and refreshments.

~~~

How to Get Your Manuscript Out of the Desk Drawer and Onto the Best Seller List
Instructor: Gail Bowen
June 4 | 10-4:30pm
Registration Fee: $125
Venue: Memorial Park Library, 1221, 2nd St. SW, Calgary

This workshop will teach you how to use the elements of fiction most effectively. We will deal with the following: defining your theme so that it drives your work, creating truly dimensional protagonists and antagonists, using secondary characters effectively, making setting an integral part of your story, establishing plot points and developing sub-plots to support your principal plot line. The workshop will also discuss solutions to challenges that you, as emerging writers, are facing. Most importantly, we'll have fun.

Register Online


Special thanks to Mystery Writers Ink for helping make these events possible.

Return Of The Blog


Greetings fellow writers,

After a period of inactivity, the AWCS blog is back and better than ever, powered by buckets of clean-burning unicorn blood.

Here, we'll talk about literary events, the publishing industry, our successes, our less-than-successes, and of course, the challenges, joys, politics and wackadoo of writing itself.

We'd like to build a supportive community made up of the only people who truly understand us: other writers. So check in regularly for news, well articulated explorations and strident rantings on a variety of topics.

And here's the super cool part. If you have something to say, we want to hear it. Be bold. Send us stories, poems and book reviews. We also want information, opinions, confessions, drabbles and dweebles (you decide what those things are).

If you have words, and we know you do, send 'em to awcswriterscorner@gmail.com

More fun stuff coming soon. Until then, give your muse a pat and a cookie. It can't hurt.

-AWCS Blog Monkey