03/05/10 - 03/31/10 - Online Workshop: Prose And Contests: Everything You Wanted To Know About Writing Contests But Were Afraid To Ask with Amy Atwell

March 2010 — Prose And Contests: Everything You Wanted To Know About Writing Contests But Were Afraid To Ask
Presented by Amy Atwell
Dates: March 5-31
Deadline: March 2

Course Description:
Overwhelmed by the number of writing contests out there?
Unsure whether to enter?
Unclear about why you should enter?

This class is geared for unpublished writers seeking feedback and/or a chance to final in the hundreds of writing contests offered through RWA® chapters.

Contests offer opportunities for feedback from published authors, agents, and editors. But contests cost money and valuable writing time.

This interactive lecture format will include
• Handouts, examples and
• Open Q&A to help writers understand what they can expect to gain from entering a contest.

The class will provide an overview of
• The contest process, sources for researching contests,
• Help writers identify their motives for entering a contest, and even
• Give tips on preparing your contest entry.

This class is focused on beginning writers as well as writers of all levels with little contest experience.

Class Objectives:
Give you an overview of RWA® chapter contests
Help identify your motives for entering a contest
Help prepare your contest entry by offering basic editorial lessons
Offer a forum to ask questions about your own work and situation

Week 1
• Lecture One: Understanding What You Can Gain From Entering A Contest
• Lecture Two: How To Choose A Contest

Week 2
• Lecture Three: Choosing What To Enter
• Lecture Four: Mechanics of an Entry

Week 3
• Lecture Five: Most Common Point Deductions in Contests – Pacing and more
• Lecture Six: Most Common Point Deductions in Contests – Characterization

Week 4
• Lecture Seven: Preparing Your Manuscript
• Lecture Eight: Contest Etiquette
• Lecture Nine: Wrap Up, Final Questions

Instructor Bio:
2008 Golden Heart® finalist Amy Atwell has experienced every aspect of writing contests. Having entered over 60 contests over the past ten years, her manuscripts have won the Winter Rose, Great Expectations, Beacon, Golden Gateway, Heart of Outreach contests and Award of Excellence. She has over 25 contest finals to her credit, including The Maggie, The Sheila, and The Daphne du Maurier contests. Amy's also judged numerous contests including Romance Through The Ages, Great Expectations, The Golden Pen, The Barclay Sterling, More Than Magic, and she coordinated the 2009 Golden Pen Contest. In addition to her writing, Amy runs the WritingGIAM community of loops to help "PRO equivalent and up" writers achieve their writing goals.

A former theater professional, Amy's had two plays commissioned and produced. During her tenure as education director at Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Amy taught workshops to middle and high school students and developed and led a state accredited program for English teachers teaching Shakespeare's plays in the classroom. Amy holds an MA in Speech Communication and has worked as a writer/editor for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the National Park Service, and Virgina Tech.

Read more about Amy at her website: www.amyatwell.com

Register for Online Workshop at: http://lowcountryrwa.com/online-workshops/#MAR