Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Council for Wisconsin Writers contests open



Work published by Wisconsin writers in 2017 is eligible in seven categories, including book-length fictionnonfiction and poetryshort fiction and nonfiction; a set of five poems two of which must have been published in the contest year, and children’s literature.

First-place winners receive $500 and a one-week writer’s residency at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI. Honorable mention recipients receive $50 and a one-week writer’s residency at the Painted Forest Study Center in Valton, WI.

Entries for this year’s Wisconsin Writers Awards must be postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2018. Authors who enter must be current Wisconsin residents.

The entry fee is $25. Membership in CWW is not required, but members are entitled to one free entry. Out-of-state judges will make the selections. Awards will be presented at a banquet in May 2018. The Christopher Latham Sholes Award for 2017 will also be presented at the May banquet. That award, which includes a prize of $500, is named for Christopher Latham Sholes (1819–1890), a Wisconsinite who is credited with inventing the first practical typewriter, and honors an individual or organization for outstanding encouragement of Wisconsin writers.

CWW also sponsors an Essay Award for Young Writers (1,500 word maximum) for Wisconsin high school students; there is no entry fee. The award is $250 for the winning student. Members of the board will judge. Entries for the student essay contest must be postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2018.

Specific guidelines, entry forms, and important additional information for each award category are available in the 2017 Entry Forms section of the  CWW website, wiswriters.org.


Saturday, October 7, 2017

Wisconsin Book Festivals Fall 2017

Wisconsin Fall Book Festival season is underway.

Central Wisconsin Book Festival 2017Wausau was home to an inaugural festival event, the Central Wisconsin Book Festival, held at UW-Marathon on September 29-30, sponsored in part by the two local bookstores and the UW extension's fine arts series. The website is a page hosted on the library's website, found here. We'll watch for the festival to come around again, but add it to the list.






The Driftless Writing Center in Viroqua has been reactivated after a four-year absence. The first gathering/reading was held at the Kickapoo Valley reserve on September 29, with a very good turnout. See the website for upcoming events and more information.

Wisconsin Writers Association annual fall conference is held October 6-7 this year at the Riverwalk Hotel in Neenah. Kathleen Ernst is the keynote speaker. Visit the website for the pdf schedule.


Fox Cities Book Festival Sticky LogoThe week-long Fox Cities Book Festival runs from October 9-15th this year in the Appleton area. Now in its tenth year, the list of authors/presenters continues to grow. Visit the website for the complete schedule, venues, parking, etc.

Company LogoSheboygan Children's Book Festival runs October 13-15. See the website for the schedule and more information.






Dueling book festivals continue to challenge the Reader and Writer for time with Madison Public Library's annual

Wisconsin Book Festival, November 2-5 in Madison, several venues. The website has information.








Southeast Wisconsin Festival of BooksThe Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books runs November 3-4 on the UW-Waukesha campus. See the website for the schedule. Nicholas Butler keynotes.