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RECAP – Let All Voices Be Heard: Writers of Different Faiths Share Their Stories

RECAP – Let All Voices Be Heard: Writers of Different Faiths Share Their Stories

        “I go into the Muslim mosque and the Jewish synagogue and the Christian church and I see one altar.” Rumi – 13th century Persian Sufi poet In this turbulent election season when divisive rhetoric threatens to tear the fabric of our…

RECAP: Conquering the Query Letter with Ellen Meister

RECAP: Conquering the Query Letter with Ellen Meister

by Mally Becker, TWC Outreach & Development The person sitting next to you at a dinner party leans in and asks: “So, what’s your book about?” They mean well. Of course they do. But you go blank. Or you answer, “Ummm.” Because how do you…

Performing Research On the Ground

Performing Research On the Ground

by Michelle Cameron, Director, The Writers Circle I’ve never before had the opportunity to research my novels in the places they happened. When I was writing both The Fruit of Her Hands and my current work, a variety of factors kept me at home – not least…

Attending the SCBWI Conference – Part 2: The Space Between the Panels: David Wiesner on Storytelling

Attending the SCBWI Conference – Part 2: The Space Between the Panels: David Wiesner on Storytelling

by Jeff Campbell, author and instructor at The Writers Circle Storytelling is storytelling, no matter what medium. That is the second lesson I learned at the annual SCBWI New Jersey conference on June 4 and 5. Not only that, I learned it on the first…

Attending the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Conference – Part 1: Gathering Your Tribe

Attending the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Conference – Part 1: Gathering Your Tribe

by Jeff Campbell, author and instructor at The Writers Circle Writing is often considered a lonely profession. But it doesn’t have to be. That’s the lesson I learned last weekend. On June 4 and 5, I attended the annual conference of the New Jersey chapter…

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part Three: Finding the Perfect Literary Agent for YOU!

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part Three: Finding the Perfect Literary Agent for YOU!

Now that you’ve come up with your brilliant Elevator Pitch, drafted your query letter and the dreaded synopsis, it’s time to face the part of the process over which you have little control: actually finding an agent. Not only “an agent” but the RIGHT agent.…

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: Less Stress College Essays

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: Less Stress College Essays

Sarah Lyman Kravits knows what it takes to write a great college essay.  Not only is she the co-author of the Keys to Success college textbook series, but she’s read applications and interviewed candidates for the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholars program for more than…

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part Two: The Dreaded Synopsis

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part Two: The Dreaded Synopsis

Now that you’ve had the pleasure of boiling down your entire novel, memoir or nonfiction book into a single “elevator pitch” and tucked it neatly into your one-page query letter, it’s time to address the next big marketing piece: the dreaded synopsis! As Jane Friedman…

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: Kick-Start Your Blog

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: Kick-Start Your Blog

by Laurie Lico Albanese “Go with your passion,” was the phrase of the day at Stacey Gill’s Kick-Start Your Blog workshop held at The Writers Circle in Montclair this past Sunday.  “Focus on what you’re passionate about and put all that energy into the blog.” Stacey –…

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: How to Get Successfully Published with The Book Doctors

SPEAKER SERIES RECAP: How to Get Successfully Published with The Book Doctors

by Mally Becker “This is the greatest time in history to be a writer,” declared David Henry Sterry. Because of all the publishing options now available, he and Arielle Eckstut, collectively The Book Doctors, assured a full-house of aspiring writers that our works-in-progress could be…

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part One: The "Elevator Pitch" Query Letter

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – Part One: The "Elevator Pitch" Query Letter

After six years as The Writers Circle, we’ve witnessed the birth of some amazing writing and worked with writers who’ve truly stretched and grown. We’ve cheered a great many on their publications—articles, essays, short stories, and poetry that were beautifully done and well received.  Now…

The Writers Circle’s 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Finalists

The Writers Circle’s 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Finalists

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE…. Here they are: The Writers Circle’s 2016 finalists in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards!  We have a lot of key winners this year in practically every writing category!  And the FOUR Gold Key winners will go on to compete on the national level.  Since TWC started sponsoring…