Conference Schedule Site
IWWG is happy to present several virtual options for the August Summer Conference from author conversations to free writes to workshops and a closing session on self-publishing. See descriptions below and join us! You can also participate in a virtual book fair. When you register, you will receive on the virtual book fair. HERE IS THE LINK TO SEND YOUR INFORMATION FOR THE VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR (INCLUDED WITH VIRTUAL REGISTRATION FEE)
Friday, August 2
6:00 - 6:45 pm
Conversation with Sigrid Nunez
Join IWWG Instructor and Past Board Chair Judith Huge in Conversation with Author, Sigrid Nunez: Sigrid Nunez has published nine novels, including A Feather on the Breath of God, The Last of Her Kind, The Friend, What Are You Going Through, and, most recently, The Vulnerables. Nunez is also the author of Sempre Susan: A Memoir of Susan Sontag. The Friend, a New York Times bestseller, won the 2018 National Book Award and was a finalist for the 2019 Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Prize. In France, it was longlisted for the 2019 Prix Femina and named a finalist for the 2019 Prix du Meilleure Livre. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her story “The Plan” was selected for The Best American Short Stories 2019. Her essay “Life and Story,” originally published in The Sewanee Review, was selected for The Best American Essays 2023. Her work has been published in more than thirty countries. This session has a separate Zoom link.
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Saturday, August 3
9:00 - 10:00am
"Our Blinding, Bright Lives": A Meditation and Freewriting Circle #1
(Lisa Freedman)
We will gather, and Lisa will guide us in five minutes of silent, breath-awareness meditation. Then we will freewrite off quotes and poems by Tracy K. Smith and share what comes through. The sharing is optional. The focus here is listening – listening to your inner self, listening to Tracy K. Smith’s lines, and listening to your own and each other’s words.
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11:00am - 12:15pm
Flashes of Fiction
(Melissa Michal)
In this workshop, we will look at and write flash fiction, and pay careful attention to what makes this form unique. We will discuss the palpable and rich textures these tiny stories can evoke and how other authors weave such elements with so few words. Through examples and flash-story developing exercises, we will define how character, point of view, description, and setting play key roles in this form. This workshop is for any level and we will work on several exercises to help you work with the form.
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1:00 - 2:30pm
Writing Peace
(Amy Shimson-Santo)
Writing Peace - how women are imagining culture and place beyond conflict and war.
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Sunday, August 4
9:00 - 10:00am
"Our Blinding, Bright Lives": A Meditation and Freewriting Circle #1
(Lisa Freedman)
We will gather, and Lisa will guide us in five minutes of silent, breath-awareness meditation. Then we will freewrite off quotes and poems by Tracy K. Smith and share what comes through. The sharing is optional. The focus here is listening – listening to your inner self, listening to Tracy K. Smith’s lines, and listening to your own and each other’s words. Note: The format for both circles on Friday and Saturday mornings will be the same, but the prompts by Tracy K. Smith will be different in each circle.
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11:00am - 12:00pm
Pet Whispers
(Kate Copeland)
Dog circles moons of language.
Dog barks for homecomings.
Dog is a name away.
From: Dog - by Katherine Gallagher (Circus Apprentice, 2006)
During this workshop, we are going to read, write and whisper about pets! Whether they are swimmers or singers, curled up on your bed or crawled away in a crate, pets are our sweet, loyal (and yes, sometimes annoying) companions. Expect fun and facts re animal language and training thoughts, expect lots of ‘pet prompts’ as well. Even if you do not own a dog or never had a cat, you will find inspiration in the animal pieces that will spring up. Do bring photos or memorabilia along, and let’s nose at how pets’ moves affect us in all manner of ways!
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3:00 - 4:30pm
The Modern Publishing Landscape
The publishing industry today looks much different than it did a decade ago. In that time, self-publishing has outgrown its longstanding 'vanity' stigma and become a viable publishing option for many writers. The traditional publishing industry has also experienced great changes and as a result it just isn’t what it used to be, even for those who’ve found success within the system. This workshop provides an overview of the modern book publishing landscape and gives advice to authors on how to successfully navigate it. We’ll discuss the general publishing options of Traditional Publishing, DIY, and Assisted Self-Publishing — how it all works and the logistics of
moving your book from the computer screen to the bookshelf. This session has a separate Zoom link.
August 1-5: Virtual Book Fair - email for details
