Upcoming Summer Events

I’m pleased to share a few dates for upcoming writing workshops in the community. If you have any questions, send me an email. More info and links to register for these 3-hour classes are included below:

June 15—Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor MI

Writing for Publication

Intro to Flash Fiction

Info & Registration

July 22—Owens Community College, Toledo OH

Intro to Memoir Writing

Ready, Set, Write: Creativity Workshop

Info & Registration

July 23—Owens Community College, Findlay OH

Intro to Memoir Writing

Ready, Set, Write: Creativity Workshop

Info & Registration

Since fall is just around the corner, I already know a few of my community workshop dates. More will be confirmed soon, though, so stay tuned.

Rochester Writers’ Conference: 8/20/12

The Fifth Annual

Rochester Writers’ Conference

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Oakland University

http://www.rochesterwriters.com

I’m pleased to once again be a presenter at the annual Rochester Writers’ Conference. This year, my topic is “Framing Narrative in the Personal Essay.” We’ll be discussing how to use turning points in your narrative to create multidimensional stories ‘beyond the self’ in creative nonfiction.

The conference includes a full day of presentations for fiction and nonfiction writers at all stages in their careers. This year’s theme is ‘The Writer’s Voice.’

Attendees may choose from a variety of sessions taking place throughout the day. The $99 registration includes your choice of workshops and lectures, lunch, and the keynote address.

All events take place in the Oakland Center on the campus of Oakland University. OU is located on the border of Rochester Hills & Auburn Hills at this address:  2200 N Squirrel Rd, Rochester, MI 48309.

For more info and to register online, visit http://www.rochesterwriters.com.

National Dzanc Workshop Day in MI

The second annual National Dzanc Workshop Day, a charity event benefiting writing programs for school children, is planned for Saturday, April 9. 

Creative writers in all genres are invited to participate in the workshop, titled “More Creative Plots, Deeper Characters.” The session will include writing exercises and discussions about craft. Joe Ponepinto and Gwendolyn Jerris will lead the workshop at the Royal Oak Public Library (222 East 11 Mile Rd) from 10 a.m. to noon. 

Admission is $30 per attendee, and all proceeds go to Dzanc’s Writers in Residence program, which places professional authors with individual schools or classrooms. The writers return each week to build relationships with students and develop their potential as writers and poets. 

Dzanc Books, a nationally known book publisher and writer advocate, is based in Ann Arbor. They are coordinating dozens of similar workshops around the country, all taking place on April 9. 

When & Where
Royal Oak Public Library 
222 East 11 Mile Road
Royal Oak, MI 48067
April 9, 2011 - 10am-12pm
Admission $30
Registration 

Workshop Description
This workshop examines the traditional sections of a short story (beginning, middle, end) and shows how an understanding of each of these aspects of structure can result in more creative plots and deeper characters. Through a series of discussions and prompts, we’ll lead attendees through techniques that can expand the possibilities of their writing.

Since this is a morning workshop, we’ll have free coffee and pastries too. 

Workshop Leaders
Joe Ponepinto is an editor with the Los Angeles Review and holds an MFA in Fiction. His short stories and criticism have been published or accepted for a variety of journals, most recently Vestal Review, Apalachee Review, Stymie, Tottenville Review, and, of course, LAR. 

Gwendolyn Jerris is the founder and leader of the fiction writing group Writers by the Woods, which meets in Beverly Hills, MI. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Antioch College and a Secondary (6-12) English and History Teaching Certificate from Wayne State University. She's in her 3rd term at Goddard College, earning an MFA in fiction. 

The Writer-in-Residence Program
Since 2006, the Dzanc Writer-in-Residence Program has been committed to increasing literacy in public school students in Michigan and beyond. During each school year, Dzanc places a professional author with an individual school or classroom, who returns each week to build a relationship with students and develop their potential as writers and poets.

More Info
Visit http://www.dzancbooks.org/dzanc-day/2010/10/19/michigan.html.

Contact Joe Ponepinto, jpon@thirdreader.com if you have questions about the Royal Oak workshop.