Sierra Writers

Winners to be announced – Sierra Writers

2013 Young Writers’ Contest

Winners of 2012 Young Writers’ Contest

Join us in honoring student writers of Nevada County schools at a special ceremony, to be held Wednesday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room in Nevada City.  Among the prizes to be awarded, the first place winner will receive $300, second place $200, and third place $100.

In addition, students’ winning manuscripts will be posted on www.sierrawriters.org, included in the Wildwood Literary Review, and announced in the Parent’s Resource Guide.

For over ten years, Sierra Writers has encouraged young writers in our community by giving them an opportunity to enter the Young Writers’ Contest and earn one of the three highly-coveted Lee Roddy Awards.  Local author Roddy is the author of more than 50 novels written for children and young adults, and the awards honors Roddy’s contributions to writing in our community.

Sierra Writers provides a venue for writers of all types to meet, share, and learn, and offers writers a wide range of experience and support. Meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month except July and August, including two “Open Reads” per year where anyone can submit a few pages anonymously to be read aloud and critiqued constructively. Meetings are open to the public. More information can be found at www.sierrawriters.org.

Let Them Speak!  Using Dialogue to Power Your Writing

Sierra Writers hosts a free workshop for writers with Director Sandra Rockman on Wednesday, April 10, 6:30 pm in the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room.  In this hands-on class, Sandra will show how to strengthen your writing through dialogue, using examples from novels and plays. Participants are encouraged to bring a short one-page narrative section of their work for an exercise in adding dialogue to narration for a more powerful “show” rather than “tell.”

Sandra moved to Nevada County in 1978 and joined the nascent Foothill Theatre Company, first as an actress, then director, and finally Artistic Director until 1992.  She has acted in or directed more than 30 productions, including the 2012 Sierra Stages’ “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” for which she received an Elly nomination for Best Director of a Musical. She currently teaches workshops in acting, improvisation and playwriting. Sandra’s articles, stories and essays have also been published in newspapers, journals and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul II.

Sierra Writers offers free monthly meetings for writers of all genres, experience and expertise to meet, share and learn. Meetings are the second Wednesday of every month at 980 Helling Way, Nevada City.  For more information, log on to www.sierrawriters.org or call 205-5068.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jesse Locks, jesselocks@gmail.com, (916) 548-7716
MARCH 15, 2013

Nevada City, CA – Nevada County Arts and the Magic Lantern Film Society present “Pages to Reel” a unique experience that combines the appeal of a book club with the opportunity to be a film critic.

Many of the greatest films of all time were adapted from great works of literature, for example, Casablanca, A Room With a View, The Great Gatsby, No Country for Old Men, Brokeback Mountain, and The English Patient, to name just a few.

Every other month a novel will be selected, and the film based upon the novel will be shown followed by a lively discussion.

“Nevada County Arts is pleased to collaborate with the Magic Lantern Film Society to fulfill our mission of promoting literature and film and enhancing the experience of each,” said JoAnn Marie, of the Board of Directors for Nevada County Arts.

On Friday, April 5th, Pages to Reel kicks off with “On the Road” starring Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart (Twilight series), and Amy Adams, directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) and produced by Francis Ford Coppola, at the Magic Theatre, an intimate 60-seat Art House Theatre in the 7-Hills Business District in Nevada City.

The film is an adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s seminal 1957 novel of the same name.  The story is based on the years Kerouac spent traveling the United States in the late 1940s with his friend Neal Cassady and several other figures who would go on to fame in their own right, including William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg.  “On the Road” is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat Generation and portrays the story of a fierce personal quest for meaning and belonging. On the Road was released at an interesting point in American history when conformity was praised and outsiders were suspect.

After the film, attendees are encouraged to stay and take part in discussion on the many themes Kerouac touched on in the novel including religion and spirituality, masculinity and patriarchy, travel and self-discovery, among others, lead by renowned local poet Chris Olander.  He will speak about the social and political backdrop of the novel and the novel’s influence on American culture.

“Pages to Reel is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn something new about film, literature, and screenwriting; meet like-minded people; and of course, have fun,” said Jesse Locks, Festival Director of the Nevada City Film Festival who also oversees the festival’s Magic Lantern Film Society.

Copies of the book On the Road can be purchased at Harmony Books and The Book Seller.

About Nevada County Arts
Nevada County Arts facilitates collaborative efforts that promote and sustain the visual, literary and performing arts of Nevada County in order to advance the cultural, social and economic life of our community.

About Magic Lantern Film Society
For 13 years, the Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) has brought top independent cinema to the beautiful gold rush era town of Nevada City, CA. In 2008, NCFF formed the Magic Lantern Corporation, a non-profit 501(C)3 organization, to better serve Nevada County and nearby regions by providing art, entertainment, education, and culture through the
medium of film and video. In 2011, the Magic Lantern Film Society was established to encourage membership, local partnerships, and a year-long program of film.

KNOW & GO
What:  Nevada County Arts and The Magic Lantern Film Society present
Pages to Reel: On the Road
When: Friday, April 5, 2013
Where: Magic Theatre, 107 Argall Way, Nevada City, 95959
Doors 630pm, Film 7pm, Discussion 9pm
Tickets: $9/GA, $7/Student and Senior, Discount to NCArts and Magic
Lantern Film Society Members
Seating limited to 60
More info: www.nevadacountyarts.org or www.magiclanternfilmsociety.org

Write Now for 2013 Young Writers’ Contest

For the past twelve years, Sierra Writers has encouraged young writers in our community by giving them an opportunity to enter the Young Writers’ Contest and earn one of the three highly-coveted Lee Roddy Awards. Roddy, is the author of more than 50 novels written for children and young adults, and is a local writer and former Sierra Writers president. The award honors Roddy’s contribution, inspires teens in our community to write short stories, and provides them with an opportunity to win a cash prize for their efforts.

1st Prize: $300

2nd Prize: $200

3rd Prize: $100

with possible Honorable Mentions of $50 each

The 13^th annual Young Writers’ Contest is open to teens (ages 14-19) who either reside in or attend a school in Nevada County. Only one story per entrant, and not longer than 2,000 words. Submission must be postmarked no later than April 1, 2013. Complete contest details and the contest entry form are available at http://sierrawriters.org/young-writers-contest.

Students’ winning manuscripts will be honored in a variety of ways: awards will be presented at a special ceremony in May, posted on www.sierrawriters.org, included in the Wildwood Literary Review, and announced in the Parent’s Resource Guide. Email questions to sierrawriters@gmail.com

Please pass this information along to anyone who may be interested.

Join us for Sierra Writers Open Read!

Sierra Writers will host a free Open Read on Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Madelyn Helling Library Community Room.

This is an opportunity for writers of all ages and abilities to have their anonymously-submitted story, poem, memoir, essay or excerpt read aloud, then receive brief, considerate, and supportive feedback from participants.  Entries must be 750 words or less (2-3 double-spaced pages, size 12 font).  State whether piece is beginning, middle, end or entire piece (such as a poem). Do not include author’s name.  Author must be present.

Sierra Writers provides a venue for writers of all types to meet, share and learn, with a range of experience and expertise.  Meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month at 980 Helling Way, Nevada City.  For more information, log on to www.sierrawriters.org or call 563-6273.

February 13 — 6:30 PM

Madelyn Helling Library Community Room

Jan Westmore will join us for our Wednesday meeting to talk about researching, writing and publishing non-fiction. Her newest book, Images of America, Colfax was just published in January.  She will also share information about working with Arcadia Publishing, which is actively seeking new writers.
Author, scholar, and retired corporate executive Jan Westmore, a Sierra Nevada foothills resident and native Californian, is a contributing author to two books, plus a writer and photographer for numerous magazine articles. In Images of America: Colfax, her insightful commentary engages readers as they visually explore the historic images offered from private and public collections. Each photograph reveals an element of the colorful past that enriched this Colfax area.

Jan Westmore’s Newest Book:

Images of America, Colfax

Centered in Placer County, Colfax lies northeast of the state capital, Sacramento, in the California foothills. The Gold Rush of 1849 transformed these serene surroundings overnight into a flurry of human activity as men sought wealth. The town soon became the supply transport center for miners working their claims. When technology evolved to meet the needs of our expanding country, trains replaced pack trains and stagecoaches. Colfax grew to accommodate the thousands of workers toiling their way through the Sierra Nevadas to complete the western end of the transcontinental railroad. The town still serves as a junction point for the railroad and a destination stop for tourists to enjoy its unique history.
Author Website: www.Janwestmore.com

Writers Forum – Feb. 4th
Mike Lambert, Publisher – Wildwood Literary Review
E-mail: edboard-WLR@att.net

The members of the Wildwood Writers’ Workshop are presenting some of their favorite writing products in a Writers Forum to be held on Feb. 4th in the Community Center.　This will be the 2nd annual celebration of their work; a similar event was held last year in early Feb.　The Workshop members will provide readings, re-enactments, and excerpts from their original writing pieces from the last couple of years that they are most proud of. The Forum will be held from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Oak Room at the Community Center. An extra feature of the event will be a Decadent Dessert Buffet that will be offered at the break period for the session. Admission is $3 per person and seating is limited to only 80 people.　 Deserts will be provided by some of the attendees – you can get free admission if you wish to bring your favorite desert instead of buying a ticket.　Buy tickets to this event at the Recreation Department office at the Comm. Center. Or, pick up a ‘will bring desert chit’ there, too.　Contact Mike Lambert if you’d like to attend.

Write Your Story – Feb. 10th
Jan Fishler, Author/Workshop Leader
E-mail: jan@janfishler.com

Local author Jan Fishler will present “Write Your Story,” a memoir-writing workshop, at The Parsonage Bed and Breakfast on Broad Street in Nevada City on Sunday, February 10, from 12:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The event is open to people of all ability levels who wish to record a legacy for family, bring life experiences to the printed page, or heal a painful memory.

Fishler’s workshop is designed to help aspiring writers start the creative process and stay motivated. In her four-hour session, she will teach participants a quick and easy methodology that enables them to write painlessly and effectively. States Fishler, “By escaping our judgmental left brain and tapping into the power of the subconscious, our stories come to life and practically write themselves. Even individuals who think they can’t write find themselves becoming amazingly productive.”

The cost of the workshop is $60 per person, and space is limited to 15 participants. For additional information, visit http://www.janfishler.com or call Fishler at 530-264-5105.

About Jan Fishler:
Jan Fishler is the author of Searching for Jane, Finding Myself (An Adoption Memoir). She presents her memoir-writing method to small groups and national organizations. Her professional background includes 25 years as a corporate scriptwriter, video producer, instructional designer, and freelance writer for profit and nonprofit sectors. She is the producer of the DVD writing series The Path to Publication, distributed by Films for the Humanities and Sciences. Her work has been featured on National Public Radio and in The Huffington Post.

About The Parsonage Bed & Breakfast:
The Parsonage Bed & Breakfast is filled with history dating back to the mid-1800s. It is located at 427 Broad Street in downtown Nevada City and provides a comfortable setting for engaging the writing process.

BIRDSONG: A Writing Practice Group
Learn how to do “Writing Practice” (based on Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones), a cumulative series of short easy exercises. Quiet your inner critic, delve into your unconscious, go deeper into your writing, and increase your creativity.   . . .  READ MORE

CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
Learn how to begin your story or work on a draft-in-progress. Learn specific craft techniques to improve your writing, and how to give and receive gentle feedback. For memoir, short story, novel or essay. For all levels of experience.  . . .  READ MORE

Stephanie Chandler, Author

Own Your Niche on the Internet and Beyond: Simple Strategies to Build Your Audience and Sell More Books

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SierraWritersNL Oct 2012

We hope you enjoy this season’s news!