Practical Advice on Writing

Conversations and Connections is a DC writer's conference organized by Barrelhouse, the Baltimore Review, and the Potomac Review. Held on April 16, 2011, with Steve Almond as the keynote, Conversations and Connections features editors from a mix of established and cutting-edge literary magazines and small presses. Our panels and craft workshops are led by writers and editors from a wide variety of styles and genres, all speaking to issues that will help you take your writing to the next level. Topics this year include flash fiction, experimental fiction, writing ethnicity, social media for writers, the power of repetition, the poetic sentence, the one hour MFA, and many more. You won’t want to miss the panel discussion, Debut Writers and How They Got There featuring Dylan Landis, Eric D. Goodman, Janice Shapiro, Robin Black, and moderated by Leslie Pietrzyk. Learn how first time authors got from slamming their heads against the wall to getting a book published. Your registration fee of $65 includes the full day conference, a book of your choice, a year subscription to a participating literary magazine, and one ticket to "speed dating with editors," where you'll get immediate feedback on your work. This conference sells out every year, so reserve your spot at Conversations and Connections today: http://www.writersconnectconference.com/word

Fitzgerald Conference Offers Unique Opportunity for Writers

According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Action is Character.”

Now, 113 years after the great American author’s birth, many writers will put their character in action by registering for 14th annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference in Rockville, Maryland. You can too.

The conference takes place on Saturday, October 17.

The Fitzgerald conference offers the unique opportunity for writers to hone their craft in top-notch workshops, and then listen to the masters who already have.

Julia Alvarez is this year’s honoree. Alvarez excels in multiple fields of writing: storybooks for children, young adult books, nonfiction, poetry — and most notably, novels. She is best known for her critically acclaimed novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies. More recent fiction includes Return to Sender and Saving the World.

Alvarez joins a diverse and prestigious list of honorees, including John Updike, Norman Mailer, E.L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, Ernest J. Gaines, Edward Albee, William Styron, John Barth, Grace Paley, Pat Conroy, Jane Smiley, William J. Kennedy, and most recently, Elmore Leonard.

Azar Nafisi, best known for her national bestseller Reading Lolita in Tehran: a memoir in books, will share her experiences teaching The Great Gatsby in Tehran.

Pulitzer-prize winner Henry Allen will moderate a panel discussion on Literary Border Crossings. The panel will include authors H.G. Carillo (Loosing my Espanish) and Olga Grushin (The Dream Life of Sukhanov).

In addition to talks from these masters, writers attending the conference will participate in writing workshops lead by top-notch professionals, including editors of literary journals, authors of books, writing instructors, publishers, and others involved with the art and industry of writing.

Workshop topics include short story, novel, poetry, screenplay adaptation, voice, writing for children, and more.

Adding flavor to this year’s international theme, coffee from Julia Alvarez’s own coffee farm in Dominican Republic has been generously donated by Vermont Coffee Company, and the lunch menu features a selection of international cuisine.

Support comes from the City of Rockville, Montgomery College, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Gazette Newspapers, the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Legacy Hotel and Meeting Center, Vermont Coffee Company, Roundhouse Theater and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.

The conference runs from 7:30 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. with events for everyone. Visit www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF for a complete schedule.

Learn more about Julia Alvarez and her work at her website.
www.juliaalvarez.com

International Celebration at Fitzgerald Conference

An international theme dominates this year’s F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference. The 14th annual conference is scheduled for October 17, 2009 in Rockville Maryland.

Popular novelist Julia Alvarez is the 2009 honoree for the prestigious F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Award. She will accept the award and give a reading from her work at the conference.

The keynote address, Teaching The Great Gatsby in Tehran, will be presented by Azar Nafisi. Literary Border Crossings is the subject of a panel discussion moderated by Pulitzer Prize winner Henry Allen and featuring H.G. Carillo, Olga Grushin, and another panelist to be announced.

Workshops on subjects such as creative nonfiction, short story style, screenplay adaptation, voice, and novel writing are offered in the morning and afternoon.

Registration includes an international lunch representing three national food types and coffee throughout the day provided by Vermont Coffee Company — Julia Alvarez’s favorite coffee.

In being selected as an F. Scott Fitzgerald Honoree, Julia Alvarez Leonard joins an impressive group of talented authors. Previous award winners to accept the Fitzgerald award at the annual conference in Rockville include John Updike, Norman Mailer, E.L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, Ernest J. Gaines, Edward Albee , William Styron, John Barth, Grace Paley, Pat Conroy, William J. Kennedy, and Jane Smiley. Last year’s honoree was Elmore “Dutch” Leonard.

Support comes from the City of Rockville, Montgomery College, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Gazette Newspapers, the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Vermont Coffee Company, Roundhouse Theater, The Legacy Hotel & Meeting Center of Rockville, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.

Learn more about Julia Alvarez and her work at her website.
www.juliaalvarez.com

Make plans to participate in the international literary celebration at the next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17, 2009. Stay tuned to the conference website for details as they become available.

www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF

Julia Alvarez Announced as Next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Honoree

Popular novelist Julia Alvarez has been announced as the 2009 honoree for the prestigious F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Award. She will accept the award at the 14th Annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17.

Julia Alvarez is an author who excels in multiple fields of writing: storybooks for children, young adult books, nonfiction, poetry — and most notably, novels. She is best known for critically acclaimed novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies. More recent fiction includes Return to Sender and Saving the World.

In being selected as an F. Scott Fitzgerald Honoree, Julia Alvarez Leonard joins an impressive group of talented authors. Previous award winners to accept the Fitzgerald award at the annual conference in Rockville, Maryland include John Updike, Norman Mailer, E.L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, Ernest J. Gaines, Edward Albee , William Styron, John Barth, Grace Paley, Pat Conroy, William J. Kennedy, and Jane Smiley. Last year’s honoree was Elmore “Dutch” Leonard.

Support comes from the City of Rockville, Montgomery College, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Gazette Newspapers, the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Vermont Coffee Company, The Legacy Hotel & Meeting Center of Rockville, Roundhouse Theater and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.

Learn more about Julia Alvarez and her work at her website.
http://www.juliaalvarez.com/

Make plans to see Julia Alvarez in person at the next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17, 2009. Stay tuned to the conference website for details as they become available.
www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF