https://www.facebook.com/groups/motownwriters
The overall goal for this workshop is to learn to build up the SEO, increase ROI and to create a way for you to gain more eyes on your writing and more book sales
Click the link —>>>
and join us for this information workshop to prepare you for your 2023 literary goals
PS Share this with a friend!
Meet Sylvia Hubbard with SCBWI-MI and learn how she sells her books, grows her business and how you can, too.
Saturday, Oct4th
3-4pm
Link to join on the SCBWI-MI Calendar
michigan.scbwi.org
Related links
motownwriters.com
sylviahubbard.com
We want our contest to be more representative of all romance writers, so we want as many authors as possible to be aware of and have the opportunity to enter our contest, judged by booksellers and librarians.
A Published Authors’ Contest
Sponsored by GDRWA
Co-Chairs: Celia Mulder & Deby Henneman
Spring Writers’ Conference is Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Oakland University. Featuring Lev Raphael, Cyle Young, Bethany Morehead, Christine Rhein, Maria Dismondy and More.
https://rochesterwriters.wordpress.com/2018-spring-conference/
Aspiring Writers Association of America would like to introduce to you our Metro Detroit Chapter President, Tenita Johnson. AWAOA members are looking forward to growing and learning under her leadership.
Tenita is the author of several books and familiar with what it takes to help aspiring writers on their creative journey. With a vast knowledge of writing styles and a keen eye for spelling and grammar errors, Tenita brings added value as she leads the members of the NEW AWAOA Metro Detroit Chapter.
connect with Tenita on Facebook
I never ask for more than I deserve/You know it’s the truth/You seem to think you’re God’s gift to this earth/I’m tellin’ you, no way.
-Janet Jackson, What Have You Done For Me Lately
There are two ways to think about Stephen Santos and his new novel, N: The Compass Series, and the differences of how we interpret a failed marriage between two people whose worldview is inharmoniously synched with spirituality, practicality and conventional wisdoms that always seem to betray even the most decent of amorous intentions.
Joshua and Bridget are married, and Bridget wants (and is eventually granted) a divorce from her husband. She moves with her children into a new marriage which she feels will provide her with a better sense of emotional and financial security. Joshua is understandly devastated, torn with anguish, and is forced to accept the way his wife feels, and he thus spends the remainder of the book laying the bulk of his problems at the winged feet of his wife (whose voice in the matter seems controlled, choked and regulated, but more on this later). At times, Joshua seems delusional and romantic about marriage and women. He seems ironic and contradictory, believes he knows what Bridget wants, yet he is unable to hear her for sake of his own veiled conceit:
We were young, and she had so much life in her. I loved her with all of my heart, but I didn’t have concrete plans as to where I was headed in life. She, on the other hand, had a plan, a purpose and a desire to be free from uncertainty about things. She kept dragging her feet when I would ask her about our future. She knew that I couldn’t change, and that she would have to be the one to. That sounds bad. It’s not that I didn’t want to change for her, it’s just that I had discovered what everyone really wants (63-64).
But Bridget did seem to know what she wanted in life and marriage, if only Joshua had listened. The novel is full of these moments, Joshua is steady with his blame-game, and Bridget struggles to find happiness and a sense of marital fulfillment. All is difficult mostly because Joshua cannot bring himself to think in practical terms regarding the breakdown of his marriage, the problem of arrogance, and the limitations of spiritual/religious panaceas. He spends too much time ministering to us (in first-person), undervaluing his wife, and, fatalistically, seeing the world through romantic lenses.
********************
Sing your praises, hold your hand/Tell the world that I think you’re grand/I’ll do any, thing for you, (he-he) but slave.
-Ray Charles, I’ll do Anything But Work
Much masculinity, particularly when it is aggressive and overbearing and hostile and unrelenting, is really a mask for the innate puerile frailty most men suffer. This is why it is so important to repress oppress suppress and control women. This is why it is difficult for men to listen to women, husbands their wives. It is difficult for a man to respect a woman’s independence and self-assurance, but particularly her right to control her body mind and soul. And religion undergirds this male persistence simply by way of its own support and confirmation of female subjugation (Ayaan Hirsi Ali is still on the run last I heard). Throughout the novel, Joshua never accepts responsibility for his failed marriage, only insisting that Bridget has fallen from (his) grace like in a biblical scene, thus it is his righteous duty to rescue and rehabilitate her. Her dreams and ambitions (which he has taken for granted and/or is unable to bear) is never really the focus of Joshua’s concern, just that he must save her from herself. More of Joshua’s sermonic hubris:
I refused to worry about things, and I was ok with the ways that life changes direction. She figured she needed to control her life so that nothing was left in the air. I know why she did this, but I knew she would always be nagged by the fears of her childhood unless she followed me. She knew deep down her desire was to live with me, but she kept wondering how she would function in reality? She used to always tell me she thought I lived on a cloud somewhere, and she was trying to make things work down here in the real world (64)
“Why did she have to do this? Why now? Why ever? For comfort. That’s her reason. So that she could feel more comfortable, that’s what it boils down to. She was tired of being a journey. Well, did she really think that life was supposed to be easy?” (23) Ironically, the answers to Joshua’s questions – which he cannot see because of his evangelical preoccupation with all that is wrong with Bridget – is revealed in the futile soliloquies where he finds himself suffocated by his own romanticism.
In a scene that is quite revealing, Joshua asks Bridget pointedly if he is the reason to blame for her leaving the marriage. Bridget says yes. “If you would’ve just provided a safe place for us, a place where I didn’t have to worry about the things I was worried about, then I wouldn’t have felt like I needed to go look for it elsewhere” (44). Bridget is redolent with reason, trying desperately to lift her voice above Joshua’s impassioned sentimentality, hoping he will see the importance of financial and emotional security a woman needs and desires from a husband. She tries to explain what is practical in a marriage and what security means for her: “Josh, you know just as well as I do that whether you worry or not, there are still bills that need to be paid, people who get sick and things that were outside of our financial reach” (44). Again, Joshua misses his chance to learn something about women and how they view marriage. Here he cloaks his personal inadequacy in ignorant romanticism: “Yeah, but life is more than just paying bills. It’s more than just paying bills. It’s more than a feeling of safety” (44).
In his great novel, Baldwin wrote: “We all commit our crimes. The thing is to not lie
Stephen Santos
about them – to try to understand what you have done, why you have done it. That way, you can begin to forgive yourself. That’s very important. If you don’t forgive yourself you’ll never be able to forgive anybody else and you’ll go on committing the same crimes forever” (79, Another Country). Joshua’s burden is that he cannot forgive himself for his inadequacy as a provider. He cannot forgive Bridget (in the real sense) because forgiving her would place a deeper burden of confrontation: to excavate hidden pain; to look at the man in the mirror, to challenge all that he has come to know about life, love, and about people. Perhaps this is partly the inextricable burden Santos, too, confronts inasmuch as why he avoids the subcutaneous questions pervading the entire novel: Why is Bridget’s character so condensed, paralytic, voiceless, and solely dependent on Joshua’s holy mercy and righteous wisdom?
The biblical meaning of the name Joshua is “a savior; a deliverer.” The American meaning of the name Joshua is “a savior; a deliverer.” The Hebrew meaning of the name Joshua is “Jehovah is generous. Jehovah saves. In the Old Testament, Joshua was chosen to succeed Moses as leader of the Israelites for their journey to the Promised Land” (http://bit.ly/2h2Po4r). So perhaps that is Joshua’s real problem: He thinks his job is to save Bridget. He thinks he is on a righteous crusade of biblical importance, to rescue the fallen woman, the harlot, from imminent self-destruction and eternal doom – this, he believes, is his sacred calling. He ministers when he should seek counseling; he analyzes when he should accept; He proselytizes when he should be silent.
The Freelance Marketplace Writers’ Group meets Tuesday, November 15, at the Rochester Hills Barnes & Noble Bookstore at 7:30 p.m. Free and Open to new, working, and published writers, photographers, and illustrators. Come once, once in a while, or every time. We discuss the Business of Writing. This will be the last writers’ group meeting of the year – we do not meet in December.www.RochesterWriters.com
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
2800 S. Rochester Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48307
248-853-9855
www.bn.com
New post on The 2017 Michigan Writing Workshop |
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After a successful 2015 event in Detroit, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2017 Michigan Writing Workshop— a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event outside of Detroit, MI on March 25, 2017.
This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2017 Michigan Writing Workshop!
This is a special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 25, 2017, at the Embassy Suites Detroit – Livonia/Novi. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.
This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent faculty so far includes:
By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey.
10:00 AM
(Please forward this to a friend and bring several friends with you.)
See ya Sat and please bring a donation to help us out.
About this meetup:
After a 35+-year career in education (Pre-K – 14), collaborative sales, and sales management and marketing, I started my first writing and editing business, Writing It Right For You, in July of 2008; expanding to my second, Detroit Ink Publishing, in 2012, and my third, Your Business Your Brand Creatively, in 2014. Through my three companies, my clients learn that “It Matters How You Say It”! I work with solo professionals, creative freelancers, and businesses and corporations throughout the United States, Canada, and twelve other countries on a variety of writing, editing, publishing, and marketing projects. I am opening a satellite office in Birmingham, England.
I provide writing, editing, web design and maintenance, publishing, and social media marketing services for our clients of all sizes and in all niches, and I specialize in working with creative freelancers on branding and marketing their art and their businesses.
I have Bachelor’s Degrees in Special Education/Education and Sociology and a Master’s Degrees in English/Language Arts, Curriculum Development, and Psychology. I also have a Reading Specialist Certification from the State of Michigan and several business licenses.
Writing It Right For You Website: http://writingitrightforyou.com
Detroit Ink Publishing Website: http://detroitinkpublishing.com
Your Business Your Brand Creatively Website:http://yb2csystem.com
Office/Text: +1 313.769.3354
Cell/Text: +1 313.341.2398
Skype: pamela.hilliard.owens
Facebook: http://facebook.com/wirfy
Facebook: http://facebook.com/DetroitInkPublishing
Facebook: http://facebook.com/yb2cmarketingsystem
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelahilliardowens
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wirfy
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dipllc
Twitter: http://twitter.com/yb2c_system
Also bring your literary challenges, new books to announce and achievements. [url=http://motownwriters.com][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JVRDta94aCs/S3WPjrekcjI/AAAAAAAAA50/aTcHEmlUIlc/s1600/mwnevents-762307.JPG[/img][/url]
Networking is key to our survival as writers and authors! This is your chance to learn, network and connect!
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR WRITE ON THE RED CEDAR 2016
featuring
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BOB MAYER
Jan. 22–23, 2016
Who says you have to travel to New York or Los Angeles to attend a professional writing conference?
Write on the Red Cedar is a growing, premier writing event located conveniently in the heart of the Great Lakes State on the campus of Michigan State University.
WOTRC has one central goal: To give you the tools, access, and information you need to go from writer to
professional writer. And that’s why we hold WOTRC in January—to help you kick off the New Year on the right track to achieve your writing resolutions!
For 2016, Capital City Writers Association is thrilled to welcome New York Times bestselling author Bob Mayer as our headliner. Mayer—author of the sci-fi Area 51 series and owner of Cool Gus Publishing —joins an exciting line-up of authors, journalists, editors, and agents who have generously agreed to share their time and expertise with you.
Want to learn more? Click on the quick links below for more information about our speakers, schedule, agent appointments, and other conference opportunities.
Register for Write on the Red Cedar
To visit the main CCWA website, click here!
Capital City Writers is a professional association for career-focused writers in and around Lansing, Mich.
Founded in 2013 by four professional writers, the organization is designed to provide support and learning opportunities for working and aspiring writers in their publishing pursuits.
We have a four-part mission:
— Craft and career support through regular workshops
— Networking
— Recognition for member accomplishments
— Accountability, so you can achieve your goals
TO JOIN:
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
(Please forward this to a friend and bring several friends with you.)
Whether offline or online finding readers is a hard job for Writers. Get ready to take notes as we discuss how to find your readers to sell more books.
We’ll also touch on how to make money as a writer while increasing readership and SEO. See ya Sat and please bring a donation to help us out.
Also bring your literary challenges, new books to announce and achievements.
Networking is key to our survival as writers and authors! This is your chance to learn, network and connect!
Please take a moment and share this post with other who are writing a book, writers groups, and other interested parties in your blog, social media and even offline. (There are print functions below.) Thanks in advance.
REGISTER NOW http://www.eventbee.com/event?eid=157135035
On Saturday, December 12th, Join me and other professionals to discuss self-publishing options and solutions. I’m excited to join this team of knowledgeable people to help people to their literary goal.
I’ll be doing an ebook workshop for lunch and then social media consults throughout the rest of the day.
Note: I’ll still be doing the regular 2nd Saturday from 10am to Noon at the Detroit Public – Main Library so I’ll have a very busy Saturday.
See you there and I hope you register for the self publishing workshop and training at: http://www.eventbee.com/event?eid=157135035
Don’t let another year go by without attending a conference and if you have attended a conference this year, YOU MUST attend this one!!
Advanced Registration is $125.00
Space Permitting, at-the-door registration will be $150.00
Registration is going on NOW for the 8th Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference. The Story Within is the theme this year. Michigan author, Bonnie Jo Campbell, will keynote the October 17 Rochester Writers’ Conference. Current Springfed Arts’ members will enjoy a discount this year. If you’re a member in good standing with Springfed Arts, look for the Special Registration Page on the conference website. Presentations include Lectures, Workshops, and Panel Discussions for Fiction and Non-fiction Writers.
Presenters include: Lev Raphael, Zilka Joseph, Karrie Waarala, Linda Anger, Dorene O’Brien, Carrie Pearson, Hillary Rettig, Alice Speilburg, Danielle Schnakenberg, and Cindy Kitchel.
Presentations include: Avoid Bad Sex Writing, Our Story through Memoir, Publishing Poetry, Speaking Skills for Writers, Flash Fiction, Children’s Book Publishing 101, Joyful Writing Productivity, Small Group Agent Sessions, Personal Branding for Writers, I Have a Website – Now What?, and a Publishing Panel.
Complete Schedule is now available!
New Year Literary Endeavors
Baby steps count too
mwn newer
Discussion outline of our January monthly meetup at The Detroit Public Library Main Branch. We meet every 2nd Saturday from 10am to Noon. Interested in Joining us next month, please feel free to come or RSVP at http://meetup.com/michiganliterarynetwork.
Please feel free to share this post with another writer, author, poet or group!
Writing Goals
Realistic Monthly Writing Goals
Word Count
Page Count
Publishing Goals
Set timelines.
Get a publishing buddy
Find someone who is ahead of the publishing goals and help them out to learn from them
Marketing
Offline – placing marketing material places in state and out of state
Visiting networking groups related to book or the writing industry
Supporting other authors and ppl in your book’s genre
Online
Social networks
Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Google, Youtube
Produce one audio file and one video file a month
Produce one blog post a month
Get a free account at Hootsuite to make posting easier for yourself
Promotion
Find one event to speak at, perform at, teach at… online or off line.
Easy one… check out blogtalkradio and set up an interview for yourself
Get a blog to be featured on
Offline… check out churches, library or youth groups in the area to speak at about your genre, specialty or book
Overall
Get a buddy
Budget monthly
Do ONE thing in your goal sheet and then next month try to do two things and next month do three… and so on
Come back to Motown Writers and give us an update.
January group goal
Take one selfie of you and another writer. Post it to social media with a hashtag of #motownlit
Resources
http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/get-published-sell-my-work
Now add your beginning of the year goals and any tips you can offer to other writers! See you next meeting.
RSVP now at http://meetup.com/michiganliterarynetwork
Michigan Literary News & Events
Founder’s Posts & Notes Michigan Lit Radio Show (Listen Live (646) 915-9177) MichLiterary Monthly Events (Contact us to add yrs)
Agents, Editors and You: The Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published (Writers Market Library)
Alan M. Schlein: Find it Online: The Complete Guide to Online Research, Third Edition
Jack Neff: Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript (Writer's Market Library Series)
Kathy, Henderson: Market Guide for Young Writers: Where and How to Sell What You Write
Novel & Short Story Writer's Market 2007 (Novel and Short Story Writer's Market)
Alice Speilburg is a literary agent with 
click here for details
Motown Writers Network . . . Michigan Literary Network 
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