Keynote Address: Nicholson Baker
We are thrilled to welcome Nicholson Baker, best-selling author of seven novels and three works of nonfiction, including Double Fold, which won a 2001 National Book Critics Circle Award. As a novelist, Baker often focuses on minute inspection of his characters’ and narrators’ stream of consciousness, and enthusiasts of Baker’s work appreciate his candid exploration of the human psyche. In his most recent work, The Anthologist, Baker has written a novel narrated by Paul Chowder, a somewhat-successful, middle-aged American poet who is trying and mostly failing to write the introduction to a poetry anthology. The New York Times Book Review notes that The Anthologist is “actually about poetry” and is also “startlingly perceptive and ardent, both as a work of fiction and as a representation of the kind of thinking that poetry readers do.” Whether you are a fiction or nonfiction writer, or a poet, find inspiration with Nicholson Baker at Writers' Day!

 

To read about all Writers' Day 2010 presenters, click here.

Choose one class or panel discussion in each session, plus a backup, then complete and submit the registration form below. Complete the form and pay online, or call us at (603) 314-7980 today!

Session #1 Classes, 10:00 to 11:15 a.m.

A. Meet the Keynote — Nicholson Baker
Beginning with a short reading, Nicholson Baker will field questions about his work and his keynote address. In his discussion, he will touch on his own writing process and discuss issues of craft.

B. Point of View: What’s the Big Deal? — Hallie Ephron
Point of view — you don’t even know what it is until you start trying to write fiction. Then the questions start. Whose story is this? First person or third? Can you use omniscient point of view? What about multiple points of view? How do you handle point-of-view shifts? How to keep the point of view from sliding all over the place? How does point of view relate to narrative voice? This workshop explores answers to all these questions and more. Only a few slots left!

C. Linked Worlds: Discovering Connections in Your Stories — Ann Joslin Williams (Also offered in Session 2)
Do you find yourself writing short stories that involve similar landscapes, themes, or characters? You know it’s not a novel, but maybe it’s a collection of related stories. In this class, you will learn more about the elements of a linked short story collection. What works? What are some of the pitfalls? We will examine examples and do in-class writing exercises to help you identify and hone your own stories’ "links."

D. The Picture Book: Creating Memorable Characters — Mark Karlins In this hands-on workshop we will explore various ways to create memorable characters within the strict confines of a thirty-two-page picture book. We will discuss strategies for coming up with characters; read excerpts from several published picture books with unique, even startling, characters; and work on a brief in-class writing project. All participants will be given a number of handouts on generating and developing characters.

E. Poems at the Edge of the Ordinary — James Harms (Also offered in Session 2)
Contemporary poetry may not have an enormous readership these days, but it retains the power to teach us where to find the sustaining mysteries that pervade our daily lives. Today’s poets look to the domestic and ordinary as sources of both constancy and wonder. This session will offer a survey of recent poems that allow us a glimpse of quotidian magic; the instructor will also provide a range of writing exercises to help poets tap into their daily lives as a source for subject matter.

F. The Uses of Anger (And Other POWERFUL Emotions) in Memoir — Gretchen Legler
How does a writer take the raw emotions of everyday life (jealousy, joy, passion, awe, anger, despair, surprise) and turn them into meaningful, well-crafted prose? As the late poet and essayist Audre Lorde said, “When we turn from anger we turn from insight, saying we will accept only the designs already known, deadly and safely familiar.” In this workshop you will be invited to try several techniques for finding insight in powerful feeling, and using that insight to create challenging stories.

G. Flash Fiction: Oblique Angles of Entry — Katherine Harbaugh
Do you want to practice writing very short stories using props, classmates, and constraints? Do you want to laugh and play with language and experience the hilarity of synchronicity? As a group we will focus on the free flow of ideas between individuals. We will set boundaries on our work by using photographs, sound, and scent. This is not a workshop. This is a generative experiment designed to uncover the exciting relationships that form when writers write together. We will attempt to complete a story in a short amount of time and a short amount of space. Everyone is required to bring one photograph. This photo can be of anything. Photos will be shared with the entire group. The instructor will provide all other props and writing constraints. You will be encouraged to share the work you generate during our class, but it is (of course) not required.

H. Social Media for Authors — John Herman
Today’s authors increasingly use social media to promote themselves and their work — without spending a dime. Join John Herman as he demystifies social media, sharing strategies for blogging, vlogging, Flickr, Twitter, podcasting, live video casting, YouTube, Skype, Facebook, and more. Go beyond the buzz. Learn the right tools and strategies to enhance your writing career online.

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Session #2 Classes, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m

I. Block? What Block? How to Make the Most of Your Creative Process — Joni Cole, Peter Money, Alice B. Fogel and Kristen Laine
This panel discussion and workshop focuses on the myths, methods, and magic of the creative process. How do you stimulate your creative mind and invite inspiration? How do you “get out of your own way” to avoid frustration and dry spells? How do you make the most of every creative session — whether or not you’re feeling creative? This session includes a writing workshop that allows you to experience first-hand the power of your own creative process!

J. Inside the Writer’s Studio: Interview with Joe Monninger
Get a peek inside the writer’s life and process with this fun, informal interview. Join New Hampshire Literary Award winner Joseph Monninger, author of nine novels and three nonfiction books, as he talks to Rick Agran, our very own “James Lipton.” Enjoy a penetrating and fascinating discussion about the craft of writing. The interview will be followed by questions from the audience. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be uplifted and inspired!

K. Linked Worlds: Discovering Connections in Your Stories — Ann Joslin Williams (Also offered in Session 1)
Do you find yourself writing short stories that involve similar landscapes, themes, or characters? You know it’s not a novel, but maybe it’s a collection of related stories. In this class, you will learn more about the elements of a linked short story collection. What works? What are some of the pitfalls? We will examine examples and do in-class writing exercises to help you identify and hone your own stories’ "links."

L. Making the Most of Memory: Going Beyond the Obvious in Writing Personal Essays — Rebecca Rule Full!
We’ll do four exercises designed to help writers spiral into meaning as they explore the rich territory of their own experience and try to figure out, Why do I remember this? What does it mean to me? What might it mean to readers?

M. Poems at the Edge of the Ordinary — James Harms (Also offered in Session 1) Contemporary poetry may not have an enormous readership these days, but it retains the power to teach us where to find the sustaining mysteries that pervade our daily lives. Today’s poets look to the domestic and ordinary as sources of both constancy and wonder. This session will offer a survey of recent poems that allow us a glimpse of quotidian magic; the instructor will also provide a range of writing exercises to help poets tap into their daily lives as a source for subject matter.

N. Why Won’t Editors Take My Stuff?: How To Better Your Chances in Writing and Placing Short Fiction — Michael Brien (Also offered in Session 4)
Why do editors reject “wonderful stuff”? What can you do to give your work its best shot at publication? In this class we will examine the work and vision needed for your short story to be seriously considered by a magazine editor. Discover the tricks that make editors think, I need to take this before somebody else does! Find out how Michael Brien and the editorial board of Amoskeag Literary Magazine wade through nearly six hundred pieces of short fiction to select the best 1–2 percent for publication. Bring a copy of your best piece of short fiction and put it to the test. Be prepared to sit in on a fun and informative “editorial board” to review these pieces. Brien will bring his checklist, and by the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to judge for yourself whether your piece is indeed publication ready.

O. Let Your Light Shine When Reading Your Work Aloud — Genevieve Achiele
Learn to read and perform your written work more effectively, using techniques from professional theater, storytelling, and oral interpretation. Explore ways to help your audience hear and more deeply understand the written word. Please come prepared to read a short section of your writing aloud in this fun, interactive workshop.

P. Taking the Hysterical Out of the Historical: How to Develop Successful Research Strategies — Elise Lemire
Do you have a history project you are itching to tackle? Stymied by where to start and what resources to use? Join Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts, as she shares successful research strategies that will help you jump-start your project or hone one already in process. You will learn how to use vital records, probate documents, land deeds, and military and other records, as well as how to comb the built and natural landscape for important clues. Lemire will draw on her personal experience in writing Black Walden to illustrate and illuminate the research process. You will also learn more about potential publication venues for your work.

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Lunch 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. Join us for lunch! Remember to select your choice of lunch on the registration form.

Session #3: Pitch or Networking Sessions, 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.

Pitch your Book to an Editor or Agent! Full!

Think of speed dating. . . with a publishing professional. You’ll have five minutes to talk up your book and hear comments and suggestions from an editor or agent. Will your idea fly? Is your concept marketable? This could be just the feedback you need.

Important details: This opportunity is for Writers’ Day participants who are working on or have completed a fiction or nonfiction book. Please do not bring your manuscript to Writers’ Day— editors and agents will not be reading or receiving manuscripts. Do prepare a five-minute pitch for your manuscript that will allow time for feedback from the publishing professional.

More important details: Pitch sessions take place after lunch, from 1:45-2:45 p.m. To register: On the registration form select your first and second choice of agent or editor you would like to pitch to. Please note that each editor and agent has very limited slots. Pitch sessions fill up quickly therefore you may not get your first or even second choice. If this happens we will be in touch to discuss your options.

Networking Sessions: Discover the Fellowship of Writing

This year, we have added Networking sessions to help you meet and mingle with your fellow writers. To register: Select your region to meet writers in your area, or choose one of the other topics on the registration form.

Session #4 Classes, 3:00 to 4:15 p.m.

Q. Agents and Editors Panel — Kermit Hummel, Roland Pease, Ann Collette, Jeremy Townsend, Joanne Wyckoff, and Lissa Warren
Looking for tips on what it takes to get an editor or agent’s attention? Bring your questions for these esteemed publishing professionals and learn from their experiences. Gain fresh insights into the ever-changing world of publishing.

R. The Art of Collaboration: Relationship Advice for Writers — Jim Collins and Kristen Laine
Improve your writing by working more effectively one-on-one with editors or other writers. Discover the strategies, behaviors, and approaches that apply to collaborations of all kinds. Whether you are writer just starting out, a professional editor working with professional writers, or a professional writer working with professional editors — and whether you work in the magazines, books, or the Internet — get an inside view from Jim Collins and Kristen Laine. Collins and Laine are a married couple with experience on both sides of the editing-writing relationship, and they are currently collaborating on a book together — they know of which they speak! Learn from real-life examples. Kristen and Jim will share excerpts of communication and of before-and-after collaborations, to make abstract ideas come to life. They’ll also invite participants to join in the conversation.

S. Expanding Myth: Finding Writing Gold in Stories of Old — Clark Knowles
Where do stories come from? How do writers render real-world experience into the realms of imagination? Do we invent new stories or build on age-old tales? Where do our characters come from and into what landscapes do we thrust them? So many of the great stories have been told . . . how do we make them fresh? In this class, we will discuss how fiction is driven by the twin engines of imagination and memory and address how other writers bring big subjects into their writing. Come prepared to share your own personal insights and be prepared to write. What myths, tall tales, legends, or fables ring true in your story life? Is there one story that you return to again and again that holds particular power? We’ll set pen to paper and explore old territory in new ways.

T. Every Word Counts: Crafting Nonfiction that Sings — Melissa Stewart
Whether you’re writing for children or adults, every nonfiction piece begins by choosing a compelling topic and doing solid research. But don’t underestimate the power of language. Tone, style, and word choice can transform a good nonfiction manuscript into a truly memorable piece. This class examines how to enrich your nonfiction with strong verbs, language devices, meaningful comparisons, and sensory details.

U. Nonpoets’ Poetry (Reading) Session: A Prescription For Poetry-Reading-Avoidance Syndrome — Alice Fogel
Are you a writer and reader who doesn’t write or read poetry? Discover how to let poems “get” you, instead of worrying that you don’t “get” them. This little seminar is for anyone who’d like to feel more comfortable reading poems or who’d like to know what else is going on in poems that they might be missing. While we’ll begin to demystify the craft, we’ll also establish a whole new attitude towards the value of the mystery that remains. P.S.: Poets can also enjoy a new look at their art; they might take home some new insights and ideas for their own work, as well as ideas on how to inspire more potential readers. (Note: This is not a writing workshop.)

V. Why Won’t Editors Take My Stuff?: How To Better Your Chances In Writing and Placing Short Fiction — Michael Brien (Also offered in Session 2)
Why do editors reject “wonderful stuff”? What can you do to give your work its best shot at publication? In this class we will examine the work and vision needed for your short story to be seriously considered by a magazine editor. Discover the tricks that make editors think, I need to take this before somebody else does! Find out how Michael Brien and the editorial board of Amoskeag Literary Magazine wade through nearly six hundred pieces of short fiction to select the best 1–2 percent for publication. Bring a copy of your best piece of short fiction and put it to the test. Be prepared to sit in on a fun and informative “editorial board” to review these pieces. Brien will bring his checklist, and by the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to judge for yourself whether your piece is indeed publication ready.

W. Writing About Art: Strategies for Looking at, Talking about, and Writing about Visual Art — Chris Volpe
We begin with a simple premise: anyone can write about art. The trick is knowing how to look at the work and, from there, how to shape perception into thesis. As we reconsider basic artistic concepts, such as medium, choice, composition, line, and color, even the “nonartistic” will begin to see art with new eyes. The rest of the session will teach the craft of transforming one’s thoughts and perceptions about art into words. We will examine strategies for visual description, stylistic analysis, and evaluative interpretation when writing about a single work of art, multiple works by a single artist, and multiartist exhibitions. You will leave with a model first paragraph for a short, publishable review or essay, as well as a practical road map for publishing writing about art, including a sample query and knowledge of a range of publication venues, from newspapers and scholarly journals to exhibition catalogs and popular print and online magazines.

X. Is an MFA Right for Me? — Diane Les Becquets and Jacqueline Gens
Wondering whether to enroll in an MFA program? What about low-residency versus full-time programs? Join our experts from Southern New Hampshire University (fiction/nonfiction) and New England College (poetry) as they delve into this subject. Get the help you need to determine whether an MFA is right for you. This informative talk is sure to be enlightening. Bring your questions!

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Showcase: NHWP Literary Idol, 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.

Join the fun! Sign up for Literary Idol and your chance to win great prizes, including free admission to Writers' Day 2011. Read your complete 3-minute flash fiction piece in front of the audience and our panel of esteemed judges. Don't miss Rebecca Rule as "Ryan Seacrest."

Up to 12 contestants will duke it out to be crowned New Hampshire's next Literary Idol. First come, first served, so sign up today! This event is open to the public, so be sure to invite your family and friends. What a way to end an amazing, inspiring day! Full!

Book Sales (All day)

Gibson's Bookstore will be on hand all day selling books.

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Directions to Southern New Hampshire University

2500 River Road, Manchester, NH 03106

From I-93
Take I-93 to NH exit 9N onto US3/RT 28 heading north.
At the first intersection, go left onto West Alice Drive, which becomes Donati Drive at the sharp curve.
Follow Donati to the end, and then go right onto Bicentennial Drive.
Follow Bicentennial to the stop sign
Take a right onto North River Road.
The university is 1/4 mile down the road on the left.

From the East
Take I-95 New Hampshire, to Route 101W to I-93N.
Follow the I-93 directions.

From the West
Take NH-10/NH-9/RT9/Franklin Pierce Hwy.
Continue to follow NH-9.
Merge onto I-89S.Merge onto I-93 S.
Follow the I-93 directions.

From the South (Everett Turnpike/Route 3)
Take U.S. Route 3 to I-293 North to exit 6.
Cross the Amoskeag Bridge, then turn left onto Elm Street.
Follow Elm for 1 mile,
Turn left onto Bennington Road. Go 1 block,
Turn right onto North River Road.
The university is 1.5 miles down the road on the left.

From Boston (1 hour)
Follow the I-93 directions.

From Worcester, Massachusetts (1.25 hours)
Take I-290 to I-495N to I-93N.
Follow the I-93 directions.

From Hartford, Connecticut (2.5 hours)
Take I-84E to I-90E to I-495N to I-93N.
Follow the I-93 directions.

From New York City (4-4.5 hours)
Take I-95N in New York
Then follow the same directions as from New Jersey.

From New Jersey (5-6 hours)
Take the George Washington Bridge in New York City
Take I-95N to I-91N to I-84E in Hartford, CT to I-90E to I-495N to I-93N.
Follow the I-93 directions.

From Bangor, Maine (5 hours)
Take I-95S (Maine Turnpike) to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Route 101W to I-93N. Follow the I-93 directions.

Look for event parking signs when you arrive.
Registration, keynote address, and NH Literary Idol take place in the new Cafeteria Building. Classes, lunch, booksales and networking take place in the new Academic Center. The campus is wheelchair accessible. If you have mobility concerns, please call our office at 603-314-7980 before you register, so that we can discuss your needs.