Writing Workshop at Civic Center in Blairsville

Carol Crawford

Saturday, June 7, from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, writers of poetry and prose will gather at the Harelson Memorial Civic Center, 185 Wellborn Street, Blairsville, Georgia for Writers Talking all Day About Writing, a two part workshop sponsored by NCWN West for writers of both poetry and prose.

Nancy Simpson earned her MFAin poetry, and she will teach Advance Your Poetry. Carol Crawford will lead the fiction, non-fiction workshop, Finish the Story Only You Can Write.

Simpson, from Hayesville, NC., is the author of Night Student and Across Water. She is also the Resident Writer at John C. Campbell Folk School.

Nancy says, "This workshop is for anyone who practices writing free verse poetry or wants to learn how. The focus will be on your poetry process. You will get direction on how to leap from the shuffling of half-finished pages to one folder marked with these bold words: MY POETRY CHAPBOOK COLLECTION. Emerge from writing poems to sharing your poems with others. Understand the big picture of your own writing process. Where did it start? What next? Where will it end? Advance your poetry from ten published poems, and learn to assemble your poetry chapbook manuscript for publication."

Nancy Simpson

Registrants for the poetry workshop may bring two poems, 15 copies each.

Carol Crawford heads up the Blue Ridge Writers Conference each year She will teach the fiction and non-fiction workshop. Crawford holds a journalism degree from Baylor University and is widely published in literary journals, and magazines. Her work has also been published in the Atlanta Constitution.

Carol says, "This workshop will help you learn how to use transparency, tone and detail to give your work authority and make your words linger in the minds of readers. Start a new story or work toward completing an old one. Students may send ten pages for critique by May 10, 2008.

Registration fee for this event is $35.00 for members of Netwest and $40.00 for non-members. To register, send your check made to NCWN West, and mail to Glenda Beall, 581 Chatuge Lane, Hayesville, NC 28904. Call 828-389-4441 or contact Carole Thompson, Netwest Representative, at carole4@windstream. net. Be sure to include your phone number and email address with your registration and indicate your preference of workshop - poetry or prose.

Netwest members who bring books to sign should also bring a large envelope with your name on it, and mark your sale price in even dollars.

This event is brought to the community with assistance from the United Community Bank and Lamar Paris. NCWN West is a non-profit literary group serving the mountain areas of North Georgia and Western Carolina. For more information about Netwest, go to www.netwestwriters. blogspot.com.