Bellingham Writers’ Resolutions, plus a Call for Women Writers

I’m blessed that both of my home communities have amazing bookstores: Old Harbor Books in Sitka, Alaska, and Village Books in Bellingham, Washington. Independent bookstores do heroic work to foster lively literary communities – readings, events, opportunities you won’t get from Amazon. Village is hosting one of those opportunities this weekend, with their annual “Resolutions for Writers” extravaganza.

Saturday’s five mini-workshops are designed to help jump-start your writing year, by tackling clutter, getting un-stuck, loving finances, intention-setting through collage, and maintaining vision and balance. Check here for more information on teachers and workshop times.

As good as Saturday looks, I’m especially invested in Sunday’s line-up:

• At noon, Cami Ostman and Christina Claassen are co-teaching “Journaling for the Writer.”
• At 1:00, I’m joining Village staff members Lindsey McGuirk, Brendan Clark, and Rachel Hanley for a “Blogging for Writers” panel.
• At 2:00, “The Care and Feeding of Writing Groups,” with Paul Hanson, Brandon Bryson, and Shannon Laws.
• At 3:00, author/teacher extraordinaire Laura Kalpakian joins authors Janet Oakley, Jennifer Wilke, and Nancy Adair for a “Road Map to Writing Your Novel This Year.”
• At 4:00, “The Many Paths to Publishing: Self, Small, Traditional” with Paul Hanson, Sarah Martinez, and Janet Oakley.

If you’re in the Whatcom/Skagit County area, I hope you can join us. Check here for full details.

*****

In an opportunity open to female readers wherever you are, Cami Ostman is seeking submissions for another anthology. (Her first, Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religion, co-edited with Susan Tive, will be released this spring.)

She Writes Her Life: Women Explore How Writing Has Informed Their Identity Development explores women’s relationships with writing. Why we write, how our writing influences how we think about ourselves and who we are in the world. Essays should be no longer than 3500 words, have a $25 submission fee, and are due by March 4, 2013. Visit Cami’s site for more details.

I’ve had a few friends ask about the submission fee. She Writes Press is an independent publisher that prioritizes empowerment and community. Your $25 covers evaluation and printing, but most importantly, contributes to a pool for publishing at least one pro bono project a year. (Visit She Writes Press to learn more.)

I suspect Cami’s project – and SWP’s values – will resonate with many of Hooked’s regulars. (Happy New Year, Patricia, Tina, EBW, Heather, Claire, Lisa!) Please do pass this opportunity with your own readers. A new year is a great time to start a new essay!