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Johnston Country Literary News
November is National Novel Writing month! Log into https://nanowrimo.org/ to join the online community that will help you meet your writing goals!
Writing Competitions. Here are two writing contests from Scrivenings Press as part of their launch (Hope Toler Dougherty of Smithfield is one of their authors – www.hopetolerdougherty.com). One is for completed manuscripts and the prize is a book contract. https://scriveningspress.com/get-pubbed/ The other is for partial manuscripts. The prize is feedback and a free writing course. https://scriveningspress.com/novel-starts/
The North Carolina Writers Network’s Writingest State Online Conference is November 10-14 Online. This is a five-day festival for writers featuring classes and conversations on the craft and business of writing, as well as a keynote address by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, a Pre-Conference Tailgate and a Prompt Party to get creative juices flowing, online Open Mic readings and Happy Hour virtual gatherings, and an Agents & Editors panel discussion. The cost varies. For more information and to register, go to: https://ncwriters.org/index.php/programs-and-services/conferences/11466-wsoc
Come to our
virtual or face-to-face meetings!
The Johnston County Writers Group meets Thursday, November 12 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm on Zoom. Talk with other writers, share your writing goals, and ask questions about craft or publishing. For more information, or to receive the Zoom link, contact Cindy Brookshire at jocowriters@gmail.com. Links are also in a file on the group’s Facebook group page.
Writers of Rohan is the Clayton writers group. Currently they meet on Zoom or a Facebook room for critique sessions, networking and writing prompts. Contact Don Craig at gdcraigjr@gmail.com or 919-745-0793 for meeting times and the links.
Selma Critique Group: Meets Thursday, November 19 at 10 am at the new coffee shop in Selma, Coffee on Raiford, 123 N Raiford St. Up to 10 critique pages due November 12. For more information, contact Cindy Brookshire at jocowriters@gmail.com.
Selma Open Mic: Meets Friday, November 20 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Zoom. Bring something to read or perform, or sit back and enjoy the evening’s presentation. The October Open Mic included poetry, essay, history, and guitar! Email jocowriters@gmail.com in advance for the link. Links are also in a file on the group’s Facebook group page.
Clayton Poetry Group is on hiatus in November and December. But you’re not off the hook! Keep writing!
Check out the North Carolina Poetry Society’s poetry competition at https://www.ncpoetrysociety.org/gcdps/. The 2020-2021 submission period for the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series is open until November 15. This mentoring program links established poets in three regions of North Carolina with emerging poets, enabling them to develop and perfect their lyric craft. Students in middle school, high school, and college, and adults not in school may apply to work with a Distinguished Poet during the winter months. Our Distinguished Poets this year are: Anna Lena Phillips Bell in the eastern region, Dasan Ahanu in the central region, and Jessica Jacobs in the western region. In spring 2021, the resulting poems will be presented at group and individual readings at venues across the state. An anthology of these poems entitled
Witness: Appalachia to Hatteras will be published by Saint Andrews University Press in late 2021.