RWA Chapter Contests
The Write Stuff, sponsored by Connecticut RWA, is open to unpublished writers and non-PAN writers. Categories and judges are as follows: Young Adult (Jennifer Shober, Spencerhill Associates), Historical (Megan Records, Kensington), Series Contemporary (Victoria Curran, Harlequin), Single Title (Leis Pederson, Berkley), Paranormal (Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates), Mainstream with Romantic Elements (Holly Blanck, St. Martin’s Press), Mystery/Suspense (Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks). Entry deadline: December 1, 2009. To register, enter or for more information: Go to CTRWA.
WisRWA’s Write Touch Readers’ Award Contest is Wisconsin’s contest for published authors, judged by readers. The contest has a romantic elements category that is “popular with our judges.” The deadline is January 9, 2010 – check out WisRWA for more information.
Announcing the 2010 Between the Sheets Contest, Greater Detroit RWA’s annual love scene contest for unpublished writers. Enter your best 10-page love scene (anywhere from erotic to sweet). Final round judges are Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester, Patience Smith from Harlequin/Silhouette, and Melissa Jeglinski of The Knight Agency. Please visit GDRWA’s website.
North Texas RWA’s Great Expectations Contest has a deadline of December 30, 2009. Enter the first 25 pages plus a form query letter. The contest has a quick turn around with final results announced by the end of March. Final round editors: Contemporary Series, Victoria Curran, Harlequin Books; Erotic Romance, Katherine Pelz, Berkley Heat; Historical, Danielle Poiesz, Gallery/Pocket Books; Inspirational, Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson; Mainstream with Romantic Elements, Abby Zidle, Gallery and Pocket Books; Romantic Suspense, Alex Logan, Grand Central Publishing; Single Title, Holly Blanck, St. Martin’s Press; Futuristic / Fantasy / Time Travel / Paranormal, Talia Platz, NAL; Young Adult, David Linker, HarperCollins Children’s Books. www.ntrwa.org
RWA Chapter Workshops
British Royal Navy 1770-1815, taught by Cindy Vallar, runs January 4-29, 2010. This online workshop explores a period in British naval history that saw the nation at war with her American colonies, and later against Napoleon – a favorite time period for many romance novels. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to discuss their characters, what role they play at sea, and what type of ship they sail. At the end of the workshop, Cindy offers to provide a free edit of a chapter from participants’ manuscripts.Click to register for this class.
The No Tears Way to Write Query Letters, taught by Connie Cox, will run January 4 – 15, 2010. No-Tears Query Letters in four easy lessons! Connie will be answering all your questions and also allow you to submit your queries for analysis and comments! Click to register for this class.
Announcing the Heart of Carolina Romance Writer’s January Online Workshop: Turning Your Dreams into Reality, by Tawny Weber and Beth Andrews. Kick off the new year with a solid, workable plan to make all your dreams come true. Want to sell a book? Hit a list? Snag that perfect-for-you agent? This workshop will give you solid, time-tested tools to help you make all of those dreams happen. Dreams to Reality is a method of using goal setting, personal empowerment and planning to get from where you are to where you want to be. January 1-31, 2010. To register, please visit the HCRW website.
Dunes & Dreams RWA presents its January 2010 Online Workshop, No Matter How Busy You Are, You Can Find Time to Write!, with Kelly L. Stone, based on the instructor’s book Time to Write: More Than 100 Professional Writers Reveal How to Fit Writing Into Your Busy Life, which features interviews with 104 professional writers, including 45 national bestsellers (including Sandra Brown, Jodi Picoult, Ann Major, Christine Feehan, Steve Berry, Tess Gerritsen, Pamela Morsi, Eloisa James. Date: January 4-29
www.dunesanddreams.org/writing-workshops
Southwest Florida Romance Writers will host a 1-day workshop with author/book doctor Tony Andrews on February 6, 2010. www.swfrw.org
Surviving Almost There, by Jeanne Adams, January 11–29. Are you still waiting, waiting, waiting for The Call? You’ve finished the manuscript. You’ve queried agents, editors, and everyone you can think of to sell your story. Now what? Maybe you have an agent or have sold, but in this economy, how do you stay excited about writing the next manuscript, the next story, the next idea? Jeanne will walk you through establishing personal milestones and show how to use those to keep writing. http://www.elementsofrwa.com/workshops.html
Orange County Chapter of RWA presents The Purpose Driven Scene, with Lynn Kerstan. Scenes are the building blocks of a novel. But while a scene is advancing the book’s story question, each scene is, in itself, a story in miniature. This workshop focuses on how to develop a scene that is chock-full of character development, conflict, emotion, and—for the reader—a vivid sense of “being there.” January 11 to February 6, 2010, Enrollment Information here.
RWA Chapter Conferences
Chicago North-RWA chapter conference is pleased to announce, Spring Fling 2010, April 23-24, 2010, Hyatt, Deerfield, IL. Headliners and Keynote speakers: Cherry Adair and Julia Quinn, as well as Jenna Petersen, Elizabeth Hoyt, Jade Lee, Courtney Milan, and Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and many others. Pitch appointments will be available with guest Editors: Amanda Bergeron (Avon), Lindsey Faber (Samhain) and Kat O’Shea (Leap Books & The Wild Rose Press) or Agents: Diana Fox, Laurie McLean, Joanna Stampfel-Volpe, and Paige Wheeler.
