Got a Creative Non-Fiction email today. CNF director LeeGutkind will be inundated with a virtual backwash of events this fall. Some people adore MIchael Chabon, others admire him, and some people think he’s just the cat’s pajamas. Our mysteries of Pittsburgh include the walled-up door in the basement of C4’s house on Scheneley Farms Terrace.
But, to keep up with the staccato of inert vebage, check out the Pittsburgh in Words essay site. It doesn’t get much better than that…
Annie Dillard is even there!
Pittsburgh in Words: The Website, the Reading, the Publication -
2008 Creative Nonfiction Writers’ Conference – The Best CNF Vol. 2 -
Lee’s Workshops and Thoughts – A Reminder – Mentoring Programs -
AdvertisingA BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
This fall marks Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary, and whether or not
you have any connection with the city, there’s one thing we can all
connect with–great writing.In honor of the city’s birthday, CNF has collected some of the best
true stories ever written about Pittsburgh and its people, and we’ve
put them up on our brand new Pittsburgh in Words website.
<http://www.pittsburghinwords.org>
These essays cover everything from coal mining in the 19th century
to dating in the 21st.The website currently features essays by Stewart O’Nan, Annie
Dillard, and Cathy Day. Plus, we ll keep adding essays, so stop by
often. And if you don t see your favorite Pittsburgh story on the
website, you can email your suggestions to
shaffer(at)creativenonfiction(.org)
But the website is only part of this literary celebration. We’ve
decided to add to the local lore by collecting seven all-new stories
by up-and-coming writers in a special Creative Nonfiction
publication. This special book will be released on October 2 at a
reading and launch party in Pittsburgh–an event that conveniently
coincides with CNF’s 2008 Writers’ Conference (see below).THE LITERARY EVENT OF THE YEAR!
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
October is shaping up to be one heck of a month. Not only do we have
the Pittsburgh in Words project, but CNF is hosting the 2008 Writers’
Conference
<http://www.creativenonfiction.org/events/pgh_science/info.html>
here in–yep, you guessed it–Pittsburgh. And registration is now
open!From October 2-4, the 2008 Creative Nonfiction Writers’ Conference
will offer engaging speakers, writing workshops, panel discussions,
readings and networking. This year’s focus is on science and
technology writing–a theme inspired by Pittsburgh, a city whose
social and economic life has always been intertwined with scientific
discovery and technological innovation.Featured guests include Lawrence Krauss, bestselling author of The
Physics of Star Trek, Corey Powell (Discover), Virginia Morell
(Science and National Geographic) and CNF’s Lee Gutkind.A series of intensive writing workshops will also be offered. Topics
include research and writing about science and technology, crafting
book proposals and query letters, writing dialogue, developing
characters, and much more. Manuscript review workshops are also
available.Did we mention there are price breaks for early registration? For
more information and to register, visit the CNF website.
<http://www.creativenonfiction.org/events/pgh_science/info.html>THE BEST NEWS AND REVIEWS
Rest assured, the Best Creative Nonfiction Vol. 2 will be making
its way to subscribers shortly.What’s that? You’re not a subscriber? Well, now’s the perfect time
to become one. Subscribe today and your first issue will be The Best
CNF Vol. 2. This book alone is a $15.95 value–which is a steal. But
don’t take our word for it. In a recent review, Publishers Weekly
<http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6579659.html?q=best+creative+nonfiction+2>
called the book “a whirlwind of moods and thoughts captured by some
of the biggest talents on the essay and blog beat…another fresh
collection of exemplary essays from a wide range of authors and
sources” and “a 30-run homer” (we don’t know what that means, either,
but we like the sound of it!)It doesn’t get any better than this. It’s called “The Best” for a
reason. To subscribe now and receive the book automatically, click
here. <http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/subscribe.htm>KEEPING UP WITH THE GODFATHER
Keeping up with CNF’s head honcho, Lee Gutkind, can be a daunting
task. This summer he’s been doing a good bit of globetrotting abroad,
but lucky for us (and the U.S.) he’ll be returning stateside just in
time for the fall.Besides the 2008 CNF Writers’ Conference, the Godfather will be
making appearances in the nation’s capitol and the Volunteer State:September 13, 2008, Franklin, Tennessee.
There are only a few available spots left for this 15th annual
writers’ workshop hosted by the Council for the Written Word. This
all-day workshop will define the genre and present all the basic
elements of creative nonfiction, including structure, voice, tone,
writing in scenes and using background information and descriptions.
The course will focus on real life, research and reflection as the
primary Rs in the 5 Rs of Creative Nonfiction.For more information click here.
<http://www.cww-writers.org/events/FallSem2008/FallSem08Home.htm>September 20, 2008, Washington, DC.
This intense, day-long program will present the art and craft of
memoir writing, explaining how to capture traumatic stories in a way
that touches and impacts readers.During this intense and entertaining day, participants will learn
how to:” find the precious nugget of the story
” isolate the crucial magic moment
” infuse the story with a universal chord
” develop a narrative arc
” frame and focus the story
” capture essential intimate details
” share their hard-earned, hard-learned wisdom
Register before August 20 to take advantage of the price break. For
more information or to enroll, click here.
<http://www.creativenonfiction.org/events.html>The Godfather continues to examine truth and ethics in the world of
creative nonfiction.This month Lee’s newest blog post <http://www.leegutkind.com/blogs/>
tackles the issues associated with pyschoanalyzing characters,
speculation, and Esquire’s role in shaping the creative nonfiction
genre.HTML REMINDER
If you haven’t done so already, please change your newsletter
settings so that you will receive our HTML correspondence.Trust us: not only will this make the newsletter much more dynamic,
it will also make it more readable. No more long url addresses
cluttering up the text. Just colorful images and imbedded hyperlinks.Updating your preferences takes less than a minute.
To do so, scroll down to the bottom of this email and click on the
link that says: “TO UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCES TO HTML VISiT (URL
ADDRESS).” Then it’s as simple as checking off a box.CNF’S NO RESIDENCY WRITING PROGRAM
Whether you are a novice writer looking to learn about the art of
creative nonfiction or a seasoned pro looking to polish and publish a
finished manuscript, CNF’s Mentoring Program is flexible and can be
tailored to help you with all of your creative nonfiction needs.Our program teams you with one of our experienced mentors to help
you accomplish your writing goals.Make an investment in your writing career! For more information,
click here.
<http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/mentor/mentor.htm>