Writers' League of Texas Podcast

This episode comes from the April 2023 Third Thursday discussion, “Bringing the Past to Life: Writing Historical Fiction and Nonfiction” featuring Sarah Bird and David Wright Faladé in conversation with WLT program director Sam Babiak. Join us as these three writers guide us through the process of writing historical fiction focusing on the research, details, and dialogue that transport the reader to the past. Find more from Sarah Bird on her website: https://www.sarahbirdbooks.com/ Find more from David Wright Faladé on his website: https://www.davidwrightbooks.com/ Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. You can find more information about WLT and our programming at writersleague.org Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the June 2023 Third Thursday discussion, “the Author/Editor Relationship” featuring Katherine Center and Jennifer Enderlin in conversation with WLT executive director Becka Oliver. Join us as this dynamic duo dives into one of the core relationships of traditional publishing and gives us an in-depth look at how they navigate the journey from acquisition to publication (and beyond). Find more from Katherine at her website: Katherine Center - https://katherinecenter.com/ Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. You can find more information about WLT and our programming at writersleague.org Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the August 2023 Third Thursday discussion, “The Family Saga: Writing the Multigenerational Novel,” featuring Justin Deabler, Rubén Degollado, and Kimberly Garza in conversation with WLT program director Sam Babiak. In this discussion we'll explore the challenges that come with writing the place, legacy, history, and culture of the family saga, and how the ties that bind us to where we've come from also move us forward. Find more from our panelists at their websites: Rubén Degollado - www.rubendegollado.com/ Kimberly Garza - https://www.kimberlygarza.com/ Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. You can find more information about WLT and our programming at www.writersleague.org Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the November 2022 Third Thursday Discussion, “Writing About Mental Health” featuring Meg Eden Kuyatt, Thomas Q Morín, and Latoya Watkins, moderated by WLT Program Director Samantha Babiak. Mental health is a tough topic for many writers, so join us as we host a conversation about researching mental health, using your experiences in your writing, and the care we need to take to get it right. Find more from our panelists at their websites: Meg Eden Kuyatt - www.megedenbooks.com Thomás Q Morín - www.tomasqmorin.com Latoya Watkins - www.latoyawatkins.com Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. You can find more information about WLT and our programming at writersleague.org Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the January 2023 Third Thursday Discussion, “The Writer's Toolbox: Preparing for the Year Ahead” featuring Matt Bell, Beverly Chukwu, and Katie Gutierrez in conversation with WLT program director Sam Babiak. As the Writers' League of Texas releases our calendar for Fall 2023, let's revisit the new year, and the renewed energy and determination it brings to the writing life. You can find more information about WLT programming, including our new Classes and Events Catalog on our website: www.writersleague.org Find more from our panelists at their websites: Matt Bell - www.mattbell.com Beverly Chukwu - @BevChukwu on Twitter Katie Gutierrez - www.katiegutierrez.net Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the June 2022 Third Thursday discussion, “Debut Fiction: The Path to Publication and Beyond” featuring Dalia Azim, Kimberley Garza, and Jenny Tinghui Zhang in discussion with WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver. Join us for a conversation with writers who have published novels as we discuss their journey from submission to publication. Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. You can find more information about WLT and our programming at writersleague.org Our theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This episode comes from the September 2022 Third Thursday discussion, “Writing and Publishing Short Fiction” featuring K-Ming Chang and Thomas McNeely. Let's dive into this form: from the art of writing short stories all the way to publishing in a collection. Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. Theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The path to publication looks different for everyone. In this episode, we take some time to dive into the self-publishing experience. Join us as we hear from Dr. Courtney Davis, Jacob Grovey, and Deanna Roy on why they chose to self-publish, why and how it's worked for them, and more. Edited by Lore Arnold, and J Evan Parks. Theme song is "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

There are stories that have clear cut endings, like the good has triumphed over evil, or the parties involved in a will-they-or-won't they get together, and then there are stories that have more open-ended endings. But no matter what kind of story you're writing, finding the right ending is essential. Ending too soon or too late, or too cleanly, can leave readers feeling unsatisfied. The problem is that the writing and the editing can go on and on, especially if you're the type that isn't easily satisfied with your work. So how do you do it? How do you know when you're done writing? And when you've got the story, how do you know when you're done revising? In this episode, join writers Edward Carey, Trent Hudley, and Alex Temblador as they discuss how they know when to put the pen down. This conversation will be moderated by WLT Program Director Sam Babiak.

We all have stories to tell, but wrangling our lives and figuring out how to get them on the page is no easy feat. From figuring out how to turn our experiences into compelling narratives, to deciding what memories to include and which ones to ignore or even embellish, to thinking about the impact our stories will have on the lives of our loved ones and beyond, the questions are endless. Whether you're writing memoir, personal essays, or auto-fiction, this conversation will help you better understand how writers turn their lives into literature. You can find our speakers' books here: https://www.bookpeople.com/event/virtual-event-writers-league-texas-third-thursday-me-myself-and-i-writing-personal Interested in jumpstarting your own memoir writing? Join us for a class! Get your tickets here: https://writersleague.org/calendar/memoir-essentials-class-package-2022/

For this episode, we wanted to take a moment to talk about Texas. Our vast state has inspired generations of writers and countless stories. But how do writers even begin writing about Texas, with all of its history and complexities, not to mention its larger than life characters? Join us for a conversation with David Bowles, Michael Hall, and Mary Helen Specht as we discuss writing about the Lone Star State. The conversation is moderated by WLT Executive Director, Becka Oliver. Check out the book recommendations here: https://bookshop.org/lists/wlt-august-3rd-thursday-writing-about-texas

For this Third Thursday, we thought we'd take a moment - in the middle of the month, in the middle of the year - to talk about the dreaded middle. As writers, we spend lots of creative energy thinking about the beginning of a project. We agonize over and draft and redraft our endings. But it's the middle, more often than not, where we find ourselves stuck. Join us for a conversation with Charlotte Gullick, Donna Johnson, and ire'ne lara silva as we ponder how best to tackle the highs and lows of a writing project's hump. The conversation was be moderated by WLT ED Becka Oliver. Charlotte Gullick is Chair of the Creative Writing Department at Austin Community College. She holds BA in Literature/Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz and a MA in English/Creative Writing from UC Davis as well as a MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her awards include a Christopher Isherwood Fellowship for Fiction, a Colorado Council on the Arts Fellowship for Poetry, and residencies at MacDowell and Ragdale. She is the author of the novel By Way of Water. Donna M. Johnson is the author of Holy Ghost Girl, a critically acclaimed memoir deemed “enthralling” by the New York Times and “compulsively readable” by Texas Monthly. Oprah named the book to her Memoirs We Love list. Holy Ghost Girl won the Mayborn Creative Nonfiction Prize and took top honors at the Books for a Better Life Awards in Manhattan. Donna has written for Huffington Post, The Rumpus, Shambhala Sun, Psychology Today, and other publications. Donna is a Ragdale Fellow and was recently awarded a fellowship at the Lucas Artist’s Residency. She is currently at work on a memoir that combines investigative reporting with person narrative. ire’ne lara silva is the author of three poetry collections, furia (Mouthfeel Press, 2010) Blood Sugar Canto (Saddle Road Press, 2016), and CUICACALLI/House of Song (Saddle Road Press, 2019), an e-chapbook, Enduring Azucares, (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2015), as well as a short story collection, flesh to bone (Aunt Lute Books, 2013) which won the Premio Aztlán. She and poet Dan Vera are also the co-editors of Imaniman: Poets Writing in the Anzaldúan Borderlands, (Aunt Lute Books, 2017), a collection of poetry and essays. ire’ne is the recipient of a 2017 NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant, the final recipient of the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award, and was the Fiction Finalist for AROHO’s 2013 Gift of Freedom Award. ire'ne is currently working on her first novel, Naci, and a second collection of short stories titled, the light of your body. Website: irenelarasilva.wordpress.com.

Join us for an informative and lively discussion with two publishing professionals: a former literary agent and a current publishing sales executive. They'll go over the ABCs (really, the 4Cs) of pitching, including some time for audience participation that will put our two presenters in the hot seat. Lance Fitzgerald heads the Penguin Random House Audio editorial team as Vice President, Content and Business Development. Under his leadership, the team has acquired audio rights for the much anticipated new novel from Elena Ferrante, The Lying Life of Adults, the international sensation How Contagion Works by Paulo Giordano, soccer legend Hristo Stoichkov’s memoir, and more. He was previously Subsidiary Rights Director for over two decades, is a member of the Frankfurt Book Fair Foreign Rights Advisory Board, and has been a featured speaker at the Writer’s League of Texas, Authors and Artists Representatives, the Columbia and NYU Summer Publishing courses, the Young-to-Publishing Group, and at the Slice Writers Conference. Becka Oliver joined the Writers' League in September 2013 as Executive Director after more than sixteen years of experience working in book publishing. She spent much of her publishing career inside two of the “big six” publishing leaders – Macmillan and Hachette Book Group -- licensing domestic and foreign rights on behalf of countless notable authors, including Sandra Brown, Brad Meltzer, Nicholas Sparks, Jon Stewart and the Daily Show, and more. In 2007, she made the leap from Associate Director of Subsidiary Rights at Grand Central Publishing to Literary Agent, first at Endeavor and then at William Morris Endeavor (WME) after the two powerhouse talent agencies merged in 2009. As a literary agent, Becka represented clients working in both fiction and non-fiction, including Brunonia Barry, Sheryl Crow, Kamran Pasha, Joanna Philbin, Susan Rebecca White, and the popular blog Awkward Family Photos.

Join WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver in conversation with a publishing insider (Michelle Howry, Executive Editor at Penguin Random House) and a published author (Carolyn Cohagan, author of the novel The Lost Children as well as the Time Zero trilogy) as they consider this much-debated and often bewildering fork in the publishing road. Follow WLT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on what we're up to! https://www.facebook.com/WritersLeagueOfTexas https://twitter.com/WritersLeague https://www.instagram.com/writersleagueoftexas/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl5WUV7MRD8xgJb1psP_3yQ/

In this panel discussion, we'll discuss poetry and its many forms. Our panelists will share poems and poets they've been reading of late, as well as sharing some of their own work with us and discussing their approach to writing right now, whether revisiting works in progress or starting something new. Usha Akella has authored four books of poetry, one chapbook, and scripted/produced one musical drama. She recently earned an MSt. in Creative Writing from Cambridge University, UK. Her latest poetry book, The Waiting was published by Sahitya Akademi, India’s highest Literary authority in 2019 followed by the Mantis Editores, Mexico edition in Spanish translated by Elsa Cross. She was selected as a Creative Ambassador for the City of Austin for 2019 & 2015. She read with a group of eminent South Asian Diaspora poets at the House of Lords in June 2016. Her work has been included in the Harper Collins, India Anthology of English Poets. She is the founder of ‘Matwaala’ the first South Asian Diaspora Poets Festival in the US (www.matwaala.com), and co-directs the festival with Pramila Venkateswaran. The festival is seriously dedicated to increasing the visibility of South Asian poets in the mainstream. She is also the founder of the Poetry Caravan in New York and Austin which takes poetry readings to the disadvantaged in women’s shelters, senior homes, and hospitals. Several hundreds of readings have reached these venues via this medium. The City of Austin proclaimed January 7th as Poetry Caravan Day. She has won literary prizes (Nazim Hikmet award, Open Road Review Prize and Egan Memorial Prize and earned finalist status in a few US based contests), and enjoys interviewing artists, scholars and poets for reputed magazines. She has been invited as a keynote speaker to TLAN’s Power of Words conference 2019 and the Turkish Center in Austin. She has written a few quixotic nonfiction prose pieces published in The Statesman and India Currents. Her work ranges from feminist/activist to Spiritual and all things in-between. Carlotta Eike Stankiewicz is a poet, photographer and punster who landed in Austin 25 years ago by way of Michigan, Colorado, Virginia and Washington, D.C. During her tenure as an award-winning creative director at GSD&M Advertising, she led national campaigns for brands such as Zales, John Deere, Texas Tourism and Hallmark. She is now the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Blanton Museum of Art. In 2016, she published Haiku Austin, a book of poetry and photography that pays tribute to the Texas capital through witty, 17-syllable poems and vivid pictures. She's currently working on two new titles in her haiku series, Hill Country Haiku and Haiku 'Hooville, a tribute to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she earned a B.A. in English at UVA. In 2003, Carlotta won the O. Henry Pun Off World Championship, much to the delight or chagrin of her two daughters. She is also a fervent Instagrammer -- follow her at @HaikuAustin and @lottapalooza. Sasha West’s first book, Failure and I Bury the Body (Harper Perennial), was a winner of the National Poetry Series, the Texas Institute of Letters First Book of Poetry Award, and a Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Fellowship. Her poems have appeared in American Poetry Review, Kenyon Review Online, Agni, Georgia Review, Copper Nickel, and elsewhere. She is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at St. Edward’s University, where she received the Distinguished Teaching Award.

The current state of affairs have provided some challenges for everyone's work flow. We're faced with questions like: How do I continue going about the day to day business of being a writer during a crisis? Where can I find inspiration amidst so much uncertainty and fear? Will I ever find the clarity of mind to sit and write again? Join us for a discussion with WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver and four writers about how they are approaching the writing process during this time full of so many distractions. Featuring Edward Carey, Michael Noll, Maya Perez, and Natalia Sylvester. Looking for the books we talked about? Support Indie bookstores! This link supports BookPeople, but if you have a local Indie, think about calling them and ordering from them: https://bookshop.org/lists/writers-league-of-texas-reading-list Follow WLT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on what we're up to! https://www.facebook.com/WritersLeagueOfTexas https://twitter.com/WritersLeague https://www.instagram.com/writersleagueoftexas/ Subscribe to our Youtube for more content! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl5WUV7MRD8xgJb1psP_3yQ/

Writing during a pandemic has proven to be an interesting endeavor - in fact, it may be the perfect time to turn inward and write about ourselves and our relationship to the world around us. Whether you're working on a personal piece about our current times, embarking on something new, or you're returning your focus to a memoir or essay collection that has been in works long before we first heard the word "coronavirus," this conversation is for you. In this panel discussion, authors Charlotte Gullick and Antonio Ruiz-Camacho are in conversation with WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver about writing personal essays and memoir. Books we talked about: https://bookshop.org/lists/writers-le... Follow WLT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on what we're up to! https://www.facebook.com/WritersLeagu... https://twitter.com/WritersLeague https://www.instagram.com/writersleag... Check out our YouTube channel for more free content! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl5WUV7MRD8xgJb1psP_3yQ

For writers, there is an intense focus on query letters and agents: the first part of the process that will eventually lead to a book for sale to the public. But not nearly as much is known by writers--and even experienced, published authors--about how books are marketed and sold by publishers and bookstores. In this panel discussion, booksellers and sales representatives from publishers will discuss how decisions get made and the chain of events that puts a book on a shelf. Books we talked about: https://bookshop.org/lists/writers-le... Follow WLT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on what we're up to! https://www.facebook.com/WritersLeagu... https://twitter.com/WritersLeague https://www.instagram.com/writersleag... Check out our YouTube channel for more free content! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl5WUV7MRD8xgJb1psP_3yQ

For early-career writers, the focus is almost entirely on getting that first book published: finishing the book, finding an agent, selling it, working with editors, doing book events. But what happens after you get everything you want? You'll write a second book, a third, and so on. What will that work look like? How will your career begin to develop? What can new authors be thinking about now so that they're set up for a long, fruitful career? When your career hits a rough patch, how can you respond? This panel features Gabino Iglesias, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Don Tate, all of them talking about what authors need to know to keep doing what they love (and getting paid for it) over the long run.

Writers are often told that the first page and first chapter of a novel must be gripping, un-put-downable. But what does that mean? Given all the different genres and types of stories out there, are there any general rules or suggestions for what will keep readers, agents, and editors turning past page one? In this panel, Salima Alikhan, Robert Ashcroft, Bridget Farr, and Stacey Swann discuss what they strive for in their own work and first pages from others' novels they have admired.

For writers, television usually gets lumped in with social media in the list of wastes of time. But probably every writer you know watches television, in part because we’re living in a golden age of programming and because so many shows are based on novels (Game of Thrones, Handmaid’s Tale, Pretty Little Liars, Outlander, Big Little Lies, Orange Is the New Black). And, it’s always been the case that some writers move back and forth between working on books and scripts. Join Samantha M. Clark, Eugene Fischer, and Scott Von Doviak as they talk about the inspiration and mechanics that can be borrowed from TV for use on the page.

How does identity shape the way people's citizenship is viewed by both the general and reading public? What are the different groups one can be a citizen of? How does one tell a story about moving between different groups? What issues are posed by translation and the ways that stories and poems include multiple languages? How do artists approach stories that disrupt a group's sanctioned or "official" narratives? Join Dr. Kathleen Brown, Christen Smith, Irwin Tang, and Liliana Valenzuela as they discuss these questions and more to really discover what citizenship means, and how it can affect the craft of writing.

Short stories sometimes get short shrift in the literary world. Collections of them are harder to sell than novels. Their form is often treated as a training ground for the longer work of a novel. Yet the short story market is thriving, and the story form continues to develop in innovative ways that are particular to the genre. In this panel, David Afsharirad, Oscar Casares, Jack Kaulfus, and Rebecca Markovits talk about the art and business of this essential literary form.

Perhaps the defining literary work of the past decade has been the personal essay. An explosion of online literary venues has created more possibilities than ever for individuals to write and publish their real-life stories. Listen as M. M. Adjarian, Charlotte Gullick, and Chaitali Sen explore the shape that personal essays can take, the perspectives and mechanics of successful essays, and suggestions for where to find models for your own.

Romance is the bestselling literary genre in the world, but the appeal of love stories isn't only confined to books with covers featuring beautiful people showing a bit of skin. Join authors Clara Bensen, Liana LeFey, Benjamin Reed, and Paige Schilt as they discuss what makes a love story successful today--in any genre, including memoir. What makes love-lost characters compelling, what obstacles can stand in their way, and what is needed for a satisfying ending?

It's common for readers--and writers, too--to describe novels as "poetic." Usually this means that the language is lyrical, but the lyric is only one type of poetry and only one style available to poets (and prose writers as well). In this panel, Charlie Clark, Zoë Fay-Stindt, Tomás Q. Morín, and Allyson Whipple discuss what "poetic" actually means and all of the style possible within modern poetry by reading and talking about some of their favorite poems. We also talk about what prose writers can learn from poetry. If you're looking for your next favorite poet, this is a must listen.

Memoirist Casey Gerald, the grandson of a famous preacher, said that preachers have the hardest job: telling a 2,000-year-old story (that everybody already knows) in such a way that it seems like they've never heard it before. But that is not the only way the religion and faith appear in literature. The idea of utopia (and dystopia) goes back to a book by Thomas More, considered a saint by the Catholic church. In this panel, Donna M. Johnson, Greg Garrett, Carolyn Cohagen, and Rev. Meg Barnhouse talk about how they find fresh angles on old stories, adapt them to the changing expectations and needs of different audiences, and consider the political implications of certain religious ideologies.

Have a great idea for a book but you aren't sure how to get started? Or maybe you need to a return to a project that has lain dormant for a while -- for whatever reason. Sometimes the trickiest part of writing is simply beginning. Join Katherine Catmull, Lindsey Lane, Rene S Perez II, and Melanie Westerberg as they discuss how they address the blank page problem.

Episode 30: WLT's on the Business of Writing: Literary Agent Kirby Kim by Writers' League of Texas

Enjoy an informative and lively discussion with two publishing professionals: a former literary agent and a current publishing sales executive. They'll go over the ABCs (really, the 4Cs) of pitching, including valuable tips for how to talk about your book in a compelling way. If you're attending a writers conference or tackling a query letter - or just want to start formulating your own talking points for your book - this episode's not to be missed!

David Treuer, author of THE HEARTBEAT OF WOUNDED KNEE and REZ LIFE, discusses with WLT Program Director Michael Noll the process of combining different genres to create a hybrid nonfiction account, an increasingly popular form that uses memoir as just one tool available to the nonfiction writer.

Mental health can still be a tricky thing to write about, especially as everyone's experiences with it differs. In this panel from February 2019, WLT Program Director Michael Noll spoke with authors Laura Creedle, Sandra Goldman, and Jessica Lamb-Shapiro about how their experiences with and around mental illness affected and improved their writing, as well as how they were able to successfully integrate their experiences into their work.

As an narrative artform, memoir has grown and transformed from its early days in slice-of-life ruminations from writers such as Montaigne to tell-all shockers from the latest hot celebrity to the current state of the genre. In this panel, author Katherine Catmull, author Rachel Starnes, and Telling Project found Jonathan Wei discussed how the narrative forms and arcs of memoir differ from those of novels, the purpose and appeal of the genre, and what makes one person's story stand out from all the rest.

With the recent passing of Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold (who was also a very fine music critic), we're reminded of how important a role cultural criticism plays in our understanding of not just a particular aspect of culture (like food or music) but also in our understanding of a place and the people living there. In this panel, Michael Noll spoke to three music critics/scholars about their own approaches to writing about music and the culture, place, and people at the heart of it: Joe Gross, Kayleigh Hughes, and Omise'eke Tinsley.

Of the three essential participants in a book's life (author, agent, editor), the editor's job is often the least understood. What do editors look for in the acquisition process? How do they work on a manuscript with the author? What should authors expect from their editors and how should they communicate with them? When should a writer seek out a professional editor before submitting a book for publication? What about magazine editors? What is the best way to get and keep their attention? In February 2018, WLT Program Director Michael Noll talked with three different types of editors and one author/editor about what makes an author/editor relationship a success. Listen to his conversation with panelists Carolyn Cohagan, Casey Kittrell, Sara Kocek, and Kate Rodemann.

In the age of Instagram, it can seem as if almost everyone you know is photographing & writing about food. But what does it take to convey the wonders of a delicious meal in full sensory detail, and how does that differ from writing (and testing) a recipe that others can replicate accurately? How do cultural issues impact the way we think -- and write -- about what we eat? Beyond food journalism and recipe writing, how can fiction writers use descriptions of preparing or eating a meal as a way to understand characters or move a narrative forward? WLT Member Services Manager Jordan Smith talked with Megan Myers (of the blog Stetted), Eric Silverstein (of The Peached Tortilla), and Mary Helen Specht (of the novel Migratory Animals) at our March 2018 Third Thursday about these questions and more.

Writers have long been powerful voices in writing about and confronting injustice. In the past few years, however, we have seen examples of writers misunderstanding their social justice subjects and characters in important ways. In this panel, three writers discussed the many approaches such writing takes (novels, stories, essays, and op-eds), how not to ruin a story with didactic prose, and to how to write to urge readers to action. Panelists Nan Cuba, Vivé Griffith, & Alejandro Puyana spoke with WLT Program Director Michael Noll.

Sometimes the trickiest part of writing is simply beginning. You can't finish what you don't start, but there is something overwhelming about the blank page or empty screen. And revisiting a manuscript you abandoned a while ago dredges up all kinds of fears and worries. So how do writers cope? How does one motivate his/herself to sit down every day and keep going? In this episode, WLT Program director talks with panelists Doug Dorst, Jardine Libaire, ire’ne lara silva about how to take a project from the idea stage to the writing stage.

First drafts of novels and memoirs can begin with a spark of an idea and a rush of enthusiasm. But after 70-100 pages, that initial clarity often vanishes, along with any sense of the way forward into the book. Or perhaps you're researching for a nonfiction project, but you feel lost at the thought of organizing your notes into a coherent narrative. The panelists -- Dalia Azim, James Crowley, Alison Macor, and Cory Putman Oakes, moderated by WLT Program Director Michael Noll -- discuss strategies for shaping early drafts of book-length projects and giving them direction—a must-attend event for anyone who has recently thrown themselves into a new project or wants to return to a memoir or nonfiction draft that they've put aside.

In August 2017 at the Blanton Musuem of Art, this panel brought together writers and scholars who have explored and been inspired by myths and legendary tales from many traditions. What can we learn from the ways these myths were developed and revised for their audiences, and what appeal do they continue to have for modern readers and writers? Sheila Black, Dr. Richard R. Flores, P.J. Hoover, and Dr. Helena Woodard spoke on this panel, moderated by WLT Program Director by Michael Noll.

Some of the bestselling books in recent years have been historical fiction or nonfiction that examines events from the recent or distant past. The appeal of such books is, in part, the joy of immersing ourselves in these long-gone worlds. Yet anyone who tries to write such a story quickly realizes that research and worldbuilding can overwhelm the actual narrative. Novelists Jame L. Haley, Natalia Sylvester, and Sherry Thomas and nonfiction writer Dan Oppenheimer discuss the ways that writers can both bring a historical world to life and also tell a riveting story in this conversation moderated by WLT Program Director Michael Noll.

Novels and memoirs are often described as cinematic, but the truth is that writing for film and television is quite different than writing prose. This panel discussion will focus on how screenplays and scripts are written: How they begin, what makes them work, how to know when they're finished, and how they become stories you watch on the screen, big or small. For this topic, WLT Program Director Michael Noll spoke with experts Jill Chamberlain (founding director of the Screenplay Workshop), Matt Dy (Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition Director, Joe Gross (culture writer for the Austin-American Statesman), & Maya Perez (screenwriter & producer for the Emmy-winning On Story).

Every writer who is a parent or who once read picture books (which means pretty much everyone) has contemplated writing one at some point--and inevitably learned that it's not easy. This panel will deconstruct the parts and structure of picture books, answer commonly-asked questions, and discuss the business of getting books published. WLT Program Director Michael Noll speaks with children's book authors Chris Barton, Jason Gallaher, and Liz Garton Scanlon and author/illustrator Emma Virjan for this conversation.

Texas has a thriving literary scene – are you taking full advantage of the opportunities in your own state, especially in your own backyard? Whether you’re a Texas writer looking for publication, or a book lover who wants to support Texas-owned and operated businesses, you should know about your local bookstores, literary journals, and publishers. In this podcast, WLT Member Services Manager Jordan Smith talks with experts on being independent in Texas. Colleen Devine Ellis of University of Texas Press, Will Evans of Cinestate, Abby Fennewald of BookPeople, and Sunny Leal of fields magazine and Feminine Inquiry.

Every year, thousands of books are published by major publishing imprints, not to mention books from independent publishers and self-published authors. What makes some books stand out while others seem to vanish as soon as they're released? How do publishing houses decide which books will receive their biggest marketing pushes? In September 2017, WLT Executive Director Becka Oliver spoke with Brian Contine (Sales Manager for Penguin Adult), Gillian Redfearn (National Accounts Manager for Macmillan Publishing ), Deanna Roy (six-time USA Today bestselling author) and Julie Wernersbach (Literary Director at the Texas Book Festival) for an inside look at the book-selling process.

Writing and reading may be solitary acts, but their survival depends upon a thriving, supportive literary community. Now more than ever, we need vibrant conversations about great, challenging books and stories. In January 2017, WLT Program Director Michael Noll spoke with panelists Joe Brundidge, Rebecca Markovits, and Richard Santos about the importance of book reviews, journals, and literary events, and practical ways to support them.

First drafts of novels begin with a spark of an idea and a rush of enthusiasm. But after 70-100 pages, that initial clarity often vanishes, along with any sense of the way forward into the book. In November 2016, WLT Program Director Michael Noll and panelists Carolyn Cohagen, Evelyn Palfrey, Rene S. Perez II, and Stacey Swann discussed strategies for shaping early drafts and giving them direction. This is a must-listen for anyone who has thrown themselves into NaNoWriMo or wants to return to a novel draft that they've put aside.

Horror writers like Stephen King and thriller writers like Gillian Flynn make us fear for their characters and look over our own shoulders. But it’s not as easy as writing, “Suddenly someone jumped out of the dark!” How do novels create that spooky, white-knuckle effect? In October, WLT Program Director Michael Noll spoke about these topics and more with writers Amanda Downum, Meg Gardiner, Amy Gentry, and Scott Johnson.

We've all heard the statement, "It's like something out of science fiction." Changes in politics and technology often seem to resemble the invented worlds of writers like Philip K. Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin. But those novelists' most famous books were written more than 40 years ago. What stories is this prescient genre creating today? What worlds do writers invent when reality seems so fantastic? At our September 15 Third Thursday, WLT Program Director Michael Noll discussed these issues and more with panelists P.J. (Tricia) Hoover, Marshall Ryan Maresca, Adam Soto, and Rebecca Schwarz.

Writing can feel like a solitary pursuit, but in reality, a strong community can be key to writing success. If you’re seeking motivation to put pen to paper or looking for feedback on your work, finding a writing/critique partner or group can take you and your work to the next level. But how do you go about finding your writing soul mate(s)? And once you’ve found them, how do you deliver effective feedback on others’ work, and how do you keep your group or partnership going? Writing can feel like a solitary pursuit, but in reality, a strong community can be key to writing success. If you’re seeking motivation to put pen to paper or looking for feedback on your work, finding a writing/critique partner or group can take you and your work to the next level. But how do you go about finding your writing soul mate(s)? And once you’ve found them, how do you deliver effective feedback on others’ work, and how do you keep your group or partnership going? At our July 21 Third Thursday, Jordan Smith discussed these issues and more with panelists Nikki Loftin, Karen MacInerney, Ron Seybold.

The poet Lucille Clifton wrote, "The literature of America should reflect the children of America." We couldn't agree more. In this panel conversation, four accomplished writers (Michael Hurd, Varian Johnson, Doyin Oyeniyi, and Jennifer M. Wilks) will discuss why it’s important for readers to seek out diverse books; what can be done to support writers of color (published and just starting out); the ways that writers, publishers, and literary organizations can support diversity in our literature, our programs, and our communities; and the crucial role that black literature plays in shaping the important conversation on race in our country today. For this August 18 Third Thursday program, the Writers' League partnered with literary organizations and entities across Austin (including ACC's Creative Writing Department, Austin Bat Cave, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, Austin SCBWI, Free Minds, Huston Tillotson University, Kirkus Reviews, the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies, and the Texas Book Festival) to bring this panel discussion to as a wide an audience as possible and to give away books to those in attendance.