Thursday, January 8, 2015

Writer's Institute March 27-29

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/6/2015
WRITERS’ INSTITUTE FEATURES NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK AND SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS

MADISON, Wis. – The 2015 University of Wisconsin-Madison Writers’ Institute will break down the traditional barriers between presenters and attendees.

The 26th annual event, which takes place March 27-29 at the Madison Concourse Hotel, adds a Writing Mixer this year. Those attending the conference will have a chance to mingle with literary agents, publishers, and acclaimed writers. They can also get to know authors in their chosen genre at special luncheon events.

The Writers’ Institute offers attendees new opportunities for improving their craft. Instructors will conduct advanced critiques for fiction, young adult fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and memoir. They will also challenge authors to explore their skills in prose and poetry with a program called Writing Prompts.

The Writers’ Institute is the Midwest’s premier writers’ conference, allowing new, emerging, and established authors in all genres to take their careers to the next level. It offers writers practical tips for improving and selling their work, as well as a unique opportunity to make pitches to literary agents and publishers. The three-day event features lectures, workshops, book signings, and practice pitch sessions, along with the new social events.

This year’s instructors include John Dufresne, whose novels Louisiana Power & Light and Love Warps the Mind a Little were New York Times Notable Books of the Year; Marilyn L. Taylor, former poet laureate of Wisconsin; and agents from Fuse Literary, Red Sofa Literary, and the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, among others.

New this year is a chance for publication in the 2016 edition of the Midwest Prairie Review. The journal will print winning entries from the conference’s Poem or Page contest, which seeks entries in fiction, nonfiction, young adult fiction, and flash fiction.

“Among this year’s new networking opportunities, we will offer informal discussions of trending topics in publishing, and will also provide space for writing groups to form,” says Writers’ Institute director Laurie Scheer. “Writers should walk away from the event not only inspired and enlightened, but also with at least three new contacts.”
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Contact:               Laurie Scheer, 608-265-3972, lscheer@dcs.wisc.edu
Laura Kahl, 608-262-3982, lkahl@dcs.wisc.edu

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