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Yesterday was our October #WriteChat. If you weren't able to make it, here's what we talked about:
We have THREE open calls this month!
Teams Challenge is open Oct 20-27 for teams of 4-6 writers. We're excited to bring this co-writing challenge back into "live" status to help writers learn from each other. Each team will submit a single entry to be judged and critiqued (yes, you get feedback!). We'll publish the winning piece(s) when it's over!
This challenge is public domain mash-ups so you'll choose two titles from the list of available options, then incorporate characters and settings from both to tell your tale. We'll post the list on Oct 20. You can use the #teams-overview channel of our Discord to find and chat with your team. There's #nofee and no registration required, just be sure to include the listed Title Information (submissions guide) so we can contact you.
Fiction Potluck is open Oct 1-31 for classic "whodunnit" stories. For this challenge, you'll need a medium-sized cast and for your sleuth to solve the mystery by the end. Think "two truths and a lie", casual deception, or Agatha Christie novels. Fans of Writer's Games might recognize this as similar to the "Split Up, Gang!" Event. If you've competed this Games Event before and your piece was not published, send it in! This quarter's challenge is guest judged by the amazing EL Johnson, a regular contributor and fantastic writer. Find her bio on the Potluck page.
WayWords literary journal is open Oct 1 - Nov 20 for themes of "cozy". The editors want to see what this means to you, whether it's hot chocolate, fuzzy slippers, time with family or pets, or even macaroni and cheese, explore the subject of "cozy". What makes your character feel comfortable and calm?
We also talked about our upcoming CONFERENCE in March! S.E., Lindsey, and I have been working hard to find amazing industry professionals to talk about writing, editing, and everything that goes into our craft. We have more than 40 talks planned for an amazing three-day weekend in March (still TBD, I know, I'm working on it). This conference is FREE, VIRTUAL, and housed online indefinitely so you can watch on your schedule, no matter where you are in the world. We make learning accessible!
Check out the list of presenters and their talks on the Conference page. We'll add bios over the next month so you can learn more about each of these amazing humans. If you have questions about the industry (seriously, any part of the industry), click the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any page or email me directly at Theresa.Green [at] writersworkout.net to reach out. I'll pass your question to our presenters so they can cover it in their video. Many will also be available during their presentation to chat with you live!
Join us throughout November for biweekly write-ins. Whether you're committing to NaNoWriMo or not, come hang out with us on Wednesdays and Saturdays on Discord. We'll be in the #nanowrimo channel, sprinting and challenging each other to break barriers and put words on the page.
I'm working on an adventure novel this year; it's a new genre for me and I'm hoping the "newness" will help me break out of this funk I've been in: deliberately creating work to crowd my life so I don't have time to write. I still have a TON of work to do but if I dedicate two days a week to this, 5,556 words per day, I can hit the 50k goal by the end of the month. If you're signed up for NaNoWriMo and want to be buddies, I'm @kuzitiz.
About the author: Theresa Green is a cofounder of The Writer's Workout, a crime fiction writer, and developmental editor at Premier Literary Services. Ask for a WW discount!