September Workshops
Fiction in All Forms w/Laura Maylene Walter ($75.00/$60.00 for members)
Wednesday, September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Gordon Square Arcade Conference Room, 6516 Detroit Ave., Cleveland
Are you writing a novel? Short stories? Flash fiction? It’s all welcome in this four-week workshop designed to help strengthen, deepen, and enrich your fiction, no matter the form. Writers should be prepared to submit one piece of fiction in advance of the first workshop. During close readings of these submissions, we’ll discuss plot, character development, structure, style, tension, pacing, and more, while additional assignments will help generate new material.
Writing Out Loud w/Dana Norris ($65.00/$50.00 for members)
Thursday, September 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland
Ever seen someone on stage, captivating the crowd, and thought “I want to do that”? This class will show you how to create, edit, and perform your own stories. We’ll show you how to turn off your inner critic and turn up your creative juices.
Each student will move a personal story from the draft stage to a performance-ready piece of electrifying theater. In class we’ll create stories, discuss the fundamentals of live storytelling, and provide feedback on each others’ work. Outside of class you’ll be encouraged to attend storytelling shows and discover techniques you can use to enhance your own writing and performances. The class will conclude with a public show (date TBD) where students will join the storytelling community in full.
Motive, Means, and Opportunity: Building a Mystery w/Shelley Costa & Casey Daniels (Free!)
- Session I: Saturday, September 9th, 16th and 23rd, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Session II: Session II: Saturday, September 30th, October 7th and 21st
CPL Memorial-Nottingham Branch, 17109 Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland
Learn how to write compelling mysteries with published authors Shelley Costa and Casey Daniels! This workshop is recommended for beginning and intermediate writers that have completed a draft of at least one short story. Participants will study the craft, complete writing exercises, and read each other’s work. Note: Registrants can sign up for one or both sessions, as there will be some repetition but different material will be covered in each one.
Writing About Nature w/Lee Chilcote ($20.00)
Thursday, September 21st, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Look About Lodge at South Chagrin Reservation, 37374 Miles Road, Bentleyville
Lit Cleveland Director Lee Chilcote will be your guide to explore poetry and personal essays with a focus on nature and environment. Read selections from writers who explore a connection between their lives and the environment, complete a writing exercise, and share your work with other participants. **Please note: Registration opens Sunday, August 20th
Gordon Square Review Announces Call for Submissions
Lit Cleveland is pleased to introduce Gordon Square Review, an online literary magazine published biannually to showcase emerging writers nationwide, award editing mentorships, and provide a venue to spotlight Northeast Ohio writers. Submissions for GSR’s first issue are open now through October 15, 2017. Submissions are free, and accepted contributors will be paid a modest honorarium. We’re also holding a contest for Northeast Ohio writers. Click here to learn more about the submission process, and here for an overview of the magazine’s mission and team.
Lit Cleveland Podcast with D.M. Pulley, author of The Dead Key
Award-winning author D.M. Pulley recently sat down with Lit Cleveland Director Lee Chilcote to discuss her favorite places to write, the changing face of publishing, strategies for overcoming writer’s block, and more. Click here to listen to the podcast, and be sure to follow us on Soundcloud for more podcasts spotlighting local literary stars.
On our blog: Lit Cleveland caps off Cleveland Inkubator Week with daylong literary conference at CPL
This year’s Cleveland Inkubator literary arts fest culminated in a free day-long conference at Cleveland Public Library’s Main Branch downtown. The conference drew nearly 300 readers and writers from Northeast Ohio and offered an array of writing workshops, craft talks, and a Resource Fair featuring local literary arts organizations. Over the course of the week, events attracted nearly 500 participants. Go to our blog for a recap of the event and check out more photos here.
Lit CLE Events Around Town
MindFair Poets writing group (Free!)
Tuesday, August 22nd from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., MindFair Books at Ben Franklin, 13 West College St., Oberlin
Come out to the last couple summer poetry sessions at MindFair books! Poets of all ages, backgrounds, and levels welcome.
Poetry in the Park ($250.00/$225.00 for CVNP members)
Friday, August 25th at 3:00 p.m. – Saturday, August 26th at 4:00 p.m., Stanford House and Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center
Immerse yourself in the writings of celebrated poet Mary Oliver and in the natural beauty of your national park. David Hassler, director of the Wick Poetry Center, will guide you as you explore your own relationship with nature through your writing, and park educators will walk with you along the river in search of inspiration. Stay overnight at the historic Stanford House and wake up in your national park.
Research for Writers with Jane Ann Turzillo (Free!)
Wednesday, August 30th at 7:00 p.m., Hudson Library & Historical Society, 96 Library St, Hudson
Hudson Library and Historical Society kicks off its 2017 Writing to Publish Series with award-winning nonfiction author Jane Ann Turzillo. Turzillo will share tips and tricks to make research easier and more enjoyable for writers of all genres and at any stage in their writing careers.
