RedBird-RedOak Writing

The Wisconsin Writers Association (formerly the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association) is known for its terrific writers’ contests. Current contests offer cash prizes to those who write funny, who write straight-up and who write poetically.
The Florence Lindemann Humor Contest
The Al P. Nelson Feature Contest
The Jessica Nelson North Poetry Contest
SOAR (School of the Arts Rhinelander) Scholarship Contest
Visit their website for more details

“10 Writers, 10,000 Words”

Books & Co.

1039 Summit Avenue
Oconomowoc, WI
(262) 567-0106

Sunday, Nov. 6

1:00 – 3pm.

Something exciting happens when writers work in community. When we hear the scratch of another’s pen on paper or the tap of their fingers on the keyboard, we’re motivated to keep going and write a little more. It can be inspiring in what is otherwise a fairly isolating endeavor.

RedBird-RedOak invites writers to come for as much or as little of the time as they’d like. They just need to have a notebook or a laptop and the desire to connect with other writers in the community. It will be a fun way to carry out our mission, which is to support writers in their creative process. We just ask that writers leave an estimated word count on our tally board before they leave.  Collectively, the group is hoping to log 10,000 words in the 2-hour time span.

The event will be held during “National Novel Writing Month*,” known as NaNoWriMo by participants who are referred to as WriMo’s. These writers set the goal of writing 50,000 words (the length of a short novel) in November and log their progress at the official website. However, those who participate in the Books & Co. event need not be WriMo’s or even be attempting a novel.

* “This is not an official NaNoWriMo site, and the content has not been reviewed by National Novel Writing Month. For more information on National Novel Writing Month, visit www.nanowrimo.org.”

Register now for the following Special Saturday Topic:

Shut Up & Write! Family Stories

with Judy Bridges

Nov 5 (9:30 am – 3:30 pm)

Sounds like there was lots of “heat” in Robert Vaughan’s recent workshop, “Flash in the Pan.” Participants ranged in aged from 18 – 70 (wow!) and included brand new faces (count ‘em 7!) and a bunch of writers who have been around the studio for a long time. They explored sample pieces and wrote a few of their own. An optional follow-up Roundtable will give them a chance to share their revised “flashes” for feedback on Thurs. May 26th. Many thanks to the participants and to Robert for sharing his love for and expertise in writing Flash Fiction!

Writers from our adult Roundtables and teen Writers’ Circle shared their works in progress with a most appreciative audience.

Many thanks to our readers (you did a fabulous job!), our audience (thanks for your support!) and to Shari Franz and her tireless helper, Kayla (hope I spelled that right!), who provided such a lovely atmosphere for sharing work.

In this era of digital marketing, even books get trailers. Check out this one for Karen McQuestion’s book,
A Scattered Life

Visit Karen McQuestion‘s website to find links to information about her other books, including two more to be published by AmazonEncore this fall.

This invitation to make a difference in the lives of terminally ill patients and their loved ones comes from Jo Ann Schultz, Volunteer Coordinator at AseraCare Hospice…

AseraCare Hospice is seeking volunteers for our Reflections Program. The mission of the Reflections Program is to interview and document life stories of patients who are terminally ill. Our patients and their families are given the opportunity through volunteer support to reflect on their lives and find great meaning in their memories!

Reflections volunteers are required to complete an orientation, training and other requirements to complete the application process. Please contact Jo Ann Schultz, AseraCare Hospice Volunteer Coordinator at 414-607-1782 or email at jo.schultz@aseracare.com for more information

It’s the highlight of summer: young people who like to write come together for a week of sparking their creativity, playing at the page and sharing their work, all under the dedicated mentorship of some of our fine RedBird-RedOak Writers (Robert Vaughan, Pam Parker, Kris Jaeger, Susa Silvermarie, Laurel Poston, Alison Polivka and Kim Suhr).

As you might expect, the kids had a thing or two to teach us:

Taking writing risks yields great writing rewards
Ideas can come from some pretty unlikely places (a crazy hat, a marshmallow, a barred owl feather)
When we step out of our comfort zone, we find all kinds of fun writing surprises
The thought of sharing writing with peers is more scary than actually doing it (and once you’ve done it, it becomes addictive)
Writing is more fun when it’s done with others

Many thanks to our 79 campers for their enthusiastic participation and to their writing coaches who gave them a week to remember.

Just uploaded an excerpt of my prose at the I Write Like website to learn that I (supposedly) write like Stephen King (ah, that I could sell/publish like him as well!) It sounds like the King comparison is a common one: according to the Huffington Post Margaret Atwood uploaded some of her own writing to find out that SHE writes like King, too! (Apparently, she doesn’t write like herself — even though she’s among the authors to which her writing was compared.) How ’bout this: upload some of your writing to the IWL site and see if YOU write like Margaret Atwood!

July 1st marks the one-year anniversary of the date that Redbird Studio founder, Judy Bridges, and I signed on the dotted line to make two great organizations from one. Judy would continue to teach Shut Up & Write! (and write her book by the same title), and facilitate writers’ retreats and events, while I took the helm in administrating Roundtable groups and workshop offerings at the studio.

At the time, I was excited (and a little nervous) but had no idea what a great year was in store for RedBird-RedOak and the writers who come through our doors.

In addition to our stellar Roundtable groups led by Robert Vaughan, Jeannee Sacken and myself, we offered a host of new opportunities to support writers:

Write ’til You’re Blue in the Face (my writing exercise group)
Saturday Sessions (an extended Roundtable-style group to accommodate longer pieces, led by Pam Parker)
Roundtable “West” (my facilitated writers’ group for those in Oconomowoc and the far west ‘burbs)
Open Studio Writing (a twice-monthly drop-in)
RedBird-RedOak On the Road (quarterly readings presented by Roundtable participants at Fixx Coffee House)
Special Topics (self- and e-publishing with Karen McQuestion, writing picture books with Katy J Vopal, and a panel on getting published co-hosted with Judy Bridges and Redbird Studio)

Phew!

It has been a pleasure to carry on and expand this special place for writers. I am deeply grateful for Judy’s support and the many dedicated writers, Roundtable leaders and teachers who share their talents with our unique writing community.

With much gratitude and excitement about the year to come,

Kim