Student Writing Program
To encourage, recognize, and reward good writing – we’ve been doing it for 100 years! – the Charlotte Writers Club sponsors a variety of programs for specifically for students: virtual office hours during the school year, an annual Ask an Author event, student-oriented workshops, and a writing contest.
Services in the Charlotte Writers Club’s (CWC) Student Writing Program are open to all students in the Charlotte Metro area (public, private, homeschooled, etc.).
All components included in our Student Writing Program are FREE to local students. The Program is part of our mission to support local writers of all ages and genres, and promote their development through education, recognition, and community.
If you have any questions, please contact our Student Coordinator: [email protected]
Monthly Virtual Office Hours
Office hours are held twice a month during the school year and take place virtually (via Zoom) to accommodate as many students as possible. Office hours allow students to engage with CWC members and other authors willing to assist with writing projects (school papers, fiction, non-fiction, poetry—really anything!). Students can share their work, discuss the craft of writing and its challenges, whatever proves beneficial.
Two CWC volunteers are available during each office hour session. Please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Student Story Contests
Get ready to bring your creativity to life enter our student writing contest for a chance to win cash prizes and membership benefits.
NO ENTRY FEE
TWO CATEGORIES FOR TWO GRADE LEVELS: FICTION FOR GRADES 5-8 AND FICTION FOR GRADES 9-12
Calling all young writers! It’s time to show off your storytelling skills and let your imagination run wild in our student writing contest! Submit your best fiction story of 500 -1,000 words for a chance to win cash prizes and a one-year membership to the Charlotte Writers Club. Remember, no entry fee is required, and you can embrace any genre you love as long as it fits in the fiction category.
This contest begins on November 28, 2024, and all submissions must be in by January 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM, so don’t miss this incredible chance to share your voice and transport readers into your imaginative world!
We’re really excited to see where your journey will take us!
5th Grade – 8th Grade Division
9th Grade – 12th Grade Division
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About Charlotte Lit
Charlotte Center for Literary Arts, Inc. – “Charlotte Lit” – is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts center formed in August 2015 by writers Kathie Collins and Paul Reali. Our first program, Light the Night with Lit, featuring the poet Linda Pastan, was held in February 2016. Today, we have more than 250 members and hold more than 100 events annually.
Charlotte Lit’s mission is to celebrate the literary arts by educating and engaging writers and readers through classes, conversations, and community.
Our vision is to be a valued and vital part of the Charlotte arts community and become a premier creative writing center for the region.
Charlotte Lit is a community, open to all. Through our programming and practices, we consciously reach out to non-majority and under-represented groups and individuals. — Charlotte Lit’s Statement of Inclusivity, adopted by our Board of Directors
Craft Classes
Do you have a story to tell? Whatever your level of writing experience or preferred format, we have writing classes to help you practice and improve your craft, taught by the area’s best teachers.
Community Conversations
Do you long for a community of people with whom you can talk about that awesome best-seller, have a deep, soul-stirring conversation about the heart of a poem, or engage in truly civil discourse about society’s greatest challenges? Whether you’re looking for a book chat, a theme-based author reading and group discussion, or a deep-dive into poem, you can find your people at Charlotte Lit.
Explorations in Creativity and Culture
You don’t have to be a published writer, or even a budding writer, to engage with words. We have classes and offerings that engage other methods of storytelling—from visual journaling to film studies, from the soul of the poem to the archetypes of the collective unconscious—that can help you sharpen your creative edge. Whether you’re a published writer or someone just discovering the joys of reading, Charlotte Lit has tools and programming that will expand and deepen your relationship with the written word and bring you into a circle of community members seeking the kind of respectful, literature-based conversations that can help us to “write a stronger Charlotte.”
Our Co-Founders
Kathie Collins Charlotte Lit Co-Founder & Creative Director Poet & Mythologist
Kathie Collins, Ph.D., cofounded Charlotte Lit with Paul Reali in 2015 and has supported the organization in a variety of roles ever since. While it’s difficult to pinpoint job descriptions in an office where everyone does a little of everything, she’s recently taken to calling herself creative director. The rest of the team just calls her “Boss.” As the oldest of three and mother of five, the trait is ingrained. Kathie is also a poet, mythologist, and lifelong student of Jungian psychology. She is the author of Jubilee (Main Street Rag). Recent work has also appeared or is forthcoming in Flying South , Kakalak , Pedestal Magazine , and Santa Fe Literary Review . Her chapbook manuscript, Grass Widow , was named a finalist in Iron Horse Lit Review’s 2023 Chapbook contest. Contact: [email protected] .
Paul Reali Charlotte Lit Co-Founder & Executive Director Writer, Editor, Coach, Instructor
Paul Reali co-founded Charlotte Lit with Kathie Collins in 2015. He won the 2023 Doris Betts Fiction Award and is a past winner of the Elizabeth Simpson Smith Short Story and Ruth Moose Flash Fiction awards. His writing on creativity and business has been widely published, and his fiction is forthcoming in the North Carolina Literary Review. He was awarded a Wildacres residency in 2022, and received a Regional Artist Project Grant from Charlotte’s Arts & Science Council in 2018. He has an M.S. in Creativity from Buffalo State University, and an M.B.A. from Syracuse University. Contact: [email protected] .
Contact Us • Find Us
Mailing Address: Charlotte Lit or Charlotte Center for Literary Arts, Inc. P.O. Box 18607 Charlotte, NC 28218
Physical Address: Hygge Coworking Belmont 933 Louise Ave Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28204 (No mail to this address, please)
General e-mail: [email protected] (the best way to reach us) Phone: 704-315-2131 (voicemail)
Twitter: @CLTLitArts Facebook: CLTLit Instagram: charlottelit
Charlotte Center for Literary Arts, Inc.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 18607 Charlotte, NC 28218
Physical Address: hygge coworking Belmont 933 Louise Ave Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28204 (No mail to this address, please)
(704) 315-2131 (voicemail)
Press / Litmosphere Matters: [email protected]
All Other Matters: [email protected]
Charlotte Lit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, EIN 47-4988291. Contributions and memberships are tax deductible.
Social Media Handles: • Twitter/X: CLTLitArts • Facebook: CLTLit • Instagram: charlottelit
Continuing Education
School of Professional Studies
EDG432 - Creative Writing Value Suite
Course overview.
Spark your creativity and get writing with this group of courses. Youll cover everything from creative writing techniques to editing your work.
To register or learn more about this online course (including pricing, dates, syllabus, instructor bio, and a free course demo) visit our ed2go partner portal .
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- About WriteByNight
- Ghostwriting
- Writers’ Resources
North Carolina Resources for Writers
Here you’ll find a collection of resources for writers in North Carolina, from conferences to local critique groups to literary magazines. If you’re looking for writing groups near you, writing workshops near you, creative writing classes near you, or simply a place to hang out with writers or submit your work, these are some North Carolina writing organizations you might want to check out:
WriteByNight
For more than a decade, WriteByNight has helped writers in North Carolina and beyond achieve their literary goals. And we want you to be next! Claim your free consultation to learn about WBN’s customizable one-on-one writers’ services , including:
Book Coaching : If you’re writing a book and want some help along the way.
Manuscript Critique : If you’ve written a book and want a beta read, critique, or writing workshop.
Editing/Proofreading : If you’ve written a book and want someone to polish it for you.
Publication Assistance : If you’ve written a book and want help finding an agent or publisher.
Burlington Writers’ Club
Now in its 55th year, the Burlington Writers’ Club is a monthly writing group offering critiquing, contests and more.
Carolina Quarterly
Publishes a variety of poetry, fiction, essays, reviews and artwork three times a year.
Cave Wall Press
Published twice a year, offers poetry and black-and-white artwork.
Charlotte Writers Club
Supports the work of writers and promotes their development through education, recognition and community in celebration of the written word.
Greensboro Review
Founded in 1965, publishes poetry and fiction.
Jargon Society
Publishes books, sponsors programs in literature and the arts, and occasionally provides support for a poet or photographer who is deserving but unrecognized.
NC Writers’ Network
Sponsors three conferences each year—a spring conference in April, a writing residency in July, and a fall conference in late October or November. These conferences bring together hundreds of writers for writing workshops, readings, networking and lively discussion.
North Carolina Haiku Society
Founded in 1979 to promote the writing and appreciation of haiku in English. Offers readings and other events.
North Carolina Literary Review
Published annually by East Carolina University and the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, it offers poetry, fiction and nonfiction by North Carolina writers, interviews with North Carolina writers, and articles and essays about North Carolina writers, literature, and literary history and culture.
North Carolina Poetry Society
Founded in 1932, this is an organization for poets and friends of poetry. Holds annual meetings and a poetry festival for its 400 members.
Pamlico Writers’ Group
Providing a forum for area writers to practice and hone their craft since 1978.
Redbud Writing Project
Offers six-week writing workshops and classes at community spaces in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and elsewhere in and around the Research Triangle. Writing workshops cover topics from fiction and memoir writing to revision and all aspects of the submission/publication process.
UNC Wilmington Writers Week
Annual event bringing together visiting writers of local and national interest, UNCW students, and members of the general public with an interest in literature and writing. Activities throughout the week include writing workshops, panels and readings.
WCU Spring Literary Festival
Brings local and distinguished national writers together for an annual event.
Winston-Salem Writers
A group of writers who write fiction, nonfiction, plays and poetry. Offers programs, writing workshops, critique groups, open mic nights, web-based writing, contests and writers’ nights out.
Help us add to this list, North Carolinians! Do you know of writing groups near you, writing workshops near you, creative writing classes near you, or a North Carolina literary journal we should be aware of? Let us know here
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WriteByNight, LLC Brooklyn, New York
646.374.8174 [email protected]
Queens University Open House | Oct. 5 | Explore campus & experience life as a Royal. | Register now!
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Helpful links, master of fine arts in creative writing.
- The Graduate School
“I continue to be grateful for everything I learned at Queens–I find I appreciate it and value it more and more. The faculty is wonderful–I’m still processing all that they taught me, four very different perspectives on my work and on fiction-writing in general–but I really think the size of the small groups is the program’s biggest strength. I feel that I really got to know every person I was in small group with, and several of those friendships continue to flourish, so many years out of the program.” – Susan Woodring ’03, Author of the novel Goliath, St. Martins, 2012
Meet Our Program: Workshops and Tutorials, Acclaimed Faculty, Post-Graduation Support
The Queens University Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a low-residency studio arts program that provides an immersion in the discipline of writing. We designed it to help you write what you most want to write, to bring your work to its highest artistic levels, and to hone your craft without uprooting your life.
Workshops & Tutorials . Our program operates in two distinct ways: Our workshop model allows you to receive feedback from your fellow writers, to advance your critical skills, and to build a writing community that extends well beyond your degree. In addition to the workshop aspect of our program, our students always get access to an individual, personalized tutorial. Each term, our students choose between the workshop model or the 1-on-1 tutorial model. You decide what’s best for you.
Acclaimed Faculty . In our program, you will benefit from an experienced and accomplished faculty that includes more than 30 highly acclaimed writers, including Ada Limón, the Poet Laureate of the United States. Get personalized attention with our 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Networking & Post-Graduation Support . You can continue to benefit from the Queens community long after you graduate as we host annual professional development opportunities. Meet with agents and editors from New York and California at the Annual Professional Development Weekend for Writers. Our staff will also help you access jobs in teaching and writing if that’s something you’re interested in exploring.
Flexible Program . The program is built to fit your schedule, with two weeks of in-person residency each year and distance learning across all terms, and our students have the option to accelerate or extend their programs to suit their unique needs.
Strengthen Your Skills . You’ll have plenty of ways to expand your writing and editorial skills including with our literary magazine, Qu , or with the Southern Review of Books . You can also take advantage of our Book Development Program and work one-on-one with a top New York editor.
Program Highlights
- Duration : 2 years, with options to accelerate or lengthen
- Credit hours : 52
- Cost per credit : $815
- Total tuition : $42,380
- Modalities : Low residency, with distance learning throughout the year
- Concentrations : Fiction, including Young Adult; Creative Nonfiction; Poetry; Writing for Stage & Screen
- Flexible program : Low residency with two week-long residences in Charlotte each year (or one two-week residency in Latin America).
- Immersive travel experiences , including annual trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Post-Master’s Certificate is available
Your Degree in Action
The Queens MFA in Creative Writing sets you up for success in a variety of different fields:
- Our alumni have published 125 books in the last five years.
- 70% of alumni have been published in magazines or journals.
- 64% of alumni have gone on to teach.
- 48% of alumni have gone on to hold MFA-relevant professional positions.
Notable works by recent alumni include:
- Maria, Maria (W.W. Norton 2022), by Marytza Rubio ’16 . Long-listed for the 2022 National Book Award.
- Perpetual West (Algonquin 2022), by Mesha Maren ’14 . Made the 2022 “most anticipated book” lists of at least 6 publications including Oprah Daily, LitHub, and The Millions. Her debut novel, Sugar Run , was a New York Times Editor’s Choice. She joined the Creative Writing faculty at Duke in 2019.
- Ghost in a Black Girl’s Throat (Red Hen Press 2021) by Khalisa Rae ’16 , featured in Publisher’s Weekly, Book Riot, and The Root.
In 2022, Ada Limón joined the select list of 24 distinguished poets who have been named the Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress. Limón has taught in the Queens MFA program since 2014.
Selected Courses
- Gateway I, Reading as a Writer
- Gateway II, Literary Reviewing
- Gateway III, Shaping the Whole Work
- Gateway IV, Teaching Creative Writing
- Craft Seminars in Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction and Writing for Stage and Screen
- Critical Theory for Creative Writers
- Questioning the Literary Canon
Program Contact
Samantha Willingham Program Coordinator, MFA [email protected] 704-337-2499
Meet Your Professors
Our program has more than 30 highly acclaimed writers as instructors, including Ada Limón, the Poet Laureate of the United States.
Message from the Director
At Queens, you will find dedicated professionals committed to helping you take your work to the next level. This is a program designed to help you to pursue your passion, write what you most want to write, and bring your work to its highest artistic achievement.
A benefit of the Queens workshop model is you have more writers looking at your work during your time with us, you have more opportunity to advance your own critical skills, and you have every chance to build a writing community for yourself that extends well beyond your degree.
But Queens is not only a workshop program; it’s also full of individual, personalized mentoring. Students choose between the workshop model or a one-to-one tutorial model each and every term. All students, regardless of their choice, will have time to discuss with their instructor (a different one each semester) their literary development and aspirations. Join us on campus or travel with us internationally. Or both! Get real editorial experience working on our literary magazine and contributing to the Southern Review of Books.
Beyond graduation, we bring editors and agents from New York and California to meet with our alumni in five-person groups. Our staff will help you access jobs in teaching and writing, should that be something you’re interested in exploring.
Consider what makes Queens so distinctive: our low student-to-faculty ratio, our pioneering model that utilizes mentoring and workshop approaches, our alumni curriculum, and more than fifty wonderful and illustrious instructors who teach in our program.
We look forward to hearing from you!
All the best,
Fred Leebron MFA Program Director
Want More Information?
2024 Online Carolina Writing Workshop
Get your writing published: september 13-14, 2024, the 2024 online carolina writing workshop: september 13-14, 2024.
This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of two days, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited online “seats” at the event (200 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Online Carolina Writing Workshop!
ONLINE : Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. This 2024 CWW is an Online Conference , September 13-14, 2024. Online events are easy and awesome, and the virtual events we’ve done thus far have received wonderful feedback . You do not have to be tech-savvy to do this, and understand we are keeping all aspects of a traditional in-person event, including one-on-one agent & editor pitching, which will now be done by Zoom or phone. Learn all details about what it means to have a writers conference online .)
WHAT IS IT?
This is a special two-day “How to Get Published” writing workshop, September 13-14, 2024. In other words, it’s two days full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome. And even though this is the “Carolina” Writing Workshop, make no mistake — writers from everywhere are welcome to attend virtually. Our WDW writers conferences have helped dozens of writers find literary agent representation — see our growing list of success stories here .
This event is designed to squeeze as much into two days of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the online classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents online to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well . This year’s 2024 CWW agent & editor faculty so far includes:
- literary agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary)
- literary agent Brandy Vallance (Barbara Bova Literary Agency)
- literary agent Brenna English-Loeb (Transatlantic Agency)
- literary agent Megan Frayser (Creative Media Agency)
- literary agent Elisa Moles (Painted Fire Literary)
- literary agent Hannah Andrade (Bradford Literary)
- literary agent Leah Moss (Steven Literary)
- literary agent Bethany Jett (CYLE Literary)
- literary agent Cathie Hedrick Armstrong (Marsal Lyon Literary)
- literary agent Jane Chun (Transatlantic Literary)
- literary agent Amaryah Orenstein (Go Literary)
- literary agent Jynastie Wilson (LCS Literary Services)
- literary agent Elizabeth Kracht (Kimberley Cameron & Associates)
- literary agent Shannon Lechon (Azantian Literary Agency)
- literary agent Lauren Albury (Holloway Literary)
- literary agent Trinica Sampson-Vera (New Leaf Literary + Media)
- literary agent Mindi St. Peter (BAM Management)
- literary agent Mara Cobb (Martin Literary & Media Management)
- literary agent Josh Foreman (LCS Literary Services)
- literary agent Thais Afonso (Azantian Literary)
- literary agent Michael Carr (Veritas Literary)
- literary agent Syrone Harvey (Belcastro Agency)
- literary agent Annalise Errico (Ladderbird Literary)
- literary agent Najla Mamou (Savvy Literary Services)
- and more agents to come.
By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Brian Klems of Writing Day Workshops . Contact Brian at [email protected] to register. Tell him you’re interested in the Carolina event.
EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS:
This year’s sessions & workshops (sept. 13-14, 2024):.
What you see below is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule Page here .
Agent pitches and critique consultations overlap with Saturday sessions. The schedule of presentation topics below is subject to change and updates:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 13, 2024
9:30 – 10:30: Make Writing Fun Again — How to Get Unstuck and Overcome Writer’s Block . Why do we make writing so difficult? How can we make it fun again, the way it was when we were kids? In this class, we’ll explore ways to “play” as we write, developing strategies to reignite our love for writing, complete our manuscripts, and eliminate writer’s block for good.
10:45 – 11:45: The Quintessential Query: Writing a Stand-Out Query Letter to a Literary Agent (or Publisher) . Finishing your manuscript is only the first step in getting published. If your publishing goals include finding a literary agent to represent your work to the Big 5 publishers and other larger publishers, you’ll need a query letter that grabs their attention.
11:45 – 1:15: Break
1:15 – 2:30: 10 Things Novelists Can Learn from Screenwriters and the Movie-Writing World . Revise or start your novel by borrowing tested tips and tricks from the script world. Pitch your idea like you would a movie, map your story using screenplay structure, and learn how to lean into the visual strengths of your tale.
2:45 – 3:45: Common Mistakes in Opening Chapters . In this session, you’ll learn what typical mistakes writers make in the beginning of a manuscript that keep agents from reading the rest of the story (and how to fix them).
4:00 – 5:00: How to Pitch Yourself and Your Nonfiction Book . This class will break down the proposal by section and discuss not only what should go into it and where to find good resources, but how to present the best version of yourself and your book.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 14, 2024
9:30 – 10:30: Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between. Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate.
10:45 – 11:45: Self-Editing for Fiction and Memoir Writers. This workshop will cover more than 50 points for consideration before submitting to an agent, editor, or indie publisher, such as how to sharpen dialogue and prose, improving characterization, complicating plot, and much more.
1:15 – 2:30: “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest , with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission.
2:45 – 3:45: Open Agent Q&A Panel. Several attending literary agents will open themselves up to open Q&A from CWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
4:00 – 5:00: Sparks Fly! The Top 10 Ways to Create Realistic Romance . Learn how to elevate your romance manuscript by diving into the top ten ways to create realistic romance. We’ll chat about how to create attraction with more than just physical appearance, balancing tension, conflicts, and arguments without losing your reader, and the importance of character flaws.
(What you see here is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule Page here .)
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day. Online conference pitch appointments, such as the ones offered during this virtual event, are typically scheduled during Saturday daytime hours of the event.
PITCH AN AGENT OR EDITOR:
Elisa Moles is a literary agent with Painted Fire Literary Agency. She is seeking: Especially interested in upmarket fiction. “In one word, what defines fantastic fiction narrative? Consequences. Consequences give structure. And stories with cohesive and creative structures, true to each writer’s background and voice, stand the test of time beyond the trendy topics and gimmicks of the day. I especially love psychologically complex characters. I’m looking for distinctive and compassionate voices who are telling organically unexpected stories in a wide variety of styles and genres. Surprise me.” Please do not pitch: nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, middle grade, YA, graphic novels, screenplays, westerns, horror, nihilist, or erotic work. No previously self-published works please. Learn more about Elisa here.
Josh Foreman is a literary agent with LCS Literary. He loves fantasy of all kinds and is especially excited about stories featuring a diverse cast of characters. Josh is seeking voice-driven stories with amazing characters. He wants fantasy of all kinds with vibrant world building and unique magic systems. He is looking for horror with all the creepy vibes and romantasy that makes you feel all the feels. Send him forbidden magic, ballroom brawls, cursed families, and everything in between. In adult fantasy, subgenres he enjoys include: Dark Academia, Epic Fantasy, Fairytale Retellings, Horror, Romantasy, Political Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy. In young adult fantasy, subgenres he enjoys include: Dark Academia, Epic Fantasy, Horror. Learn more about Josh here .
Megan Frayser is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency. In adult books, she is seeking: contemporary romance, women’s fiction, book club fiction, mystery, thriller, horror, mythological retellings, dark academia, fantasy, and some nonfiction (true crime, sociology). In young adult books, she is seeking: contemporary, romance, fantasy, mystery, and horror. “Pitch me anything with found families, stories about a close group of friends, or a quirky cast of characters. I’m also always looking for stories that focus on minority voices, including neurodivergent, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disability, and mental health.” Learn about Megan here .
More 2024 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.
These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.
(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)
$189 — EARLY BIRD base price for registration to the 2024 Online CWW and access to all workshops, all days. (You also get 10+ additional free pre-recorded webinars on writing and publishing.) As of spring 2024, registration for 2024 is now OPEN .
Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents or editors in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals. There is no limit. Here are quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. Our bigger, growing list of success stories can be seen here .
Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Brian Klems, one of the workshop’s former instructors. (This rate is a special event value for Carolina Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?
Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees get a phone/Zoom critique meeting with the faculty member. Options:
- Young adult (contemporary, thriller, romance only), romance/romcoms, mysteries/thrillers, general/literary fiction, book club fiction, women’s fiction (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Jilly Gagnon , a published author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you in person at the event for 15 minutes sometime during the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Literary fiction, general fiction, women’s fiction, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, mystery, thriller, historical fiction, memoir, young adult, middle grade, and children’s picture books (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Laura Biagi , a published author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you in person at the event for 15 minutes sometime during the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. Picture books should be 1,000 words or fewer; they can or cannot include illustrations.
- Children’s picture books (virtual critiques ): Faculty member Rosie Pova , a published author, will get your work in advance, critique your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you submit a picture book, it must be 1,000 words or fewer (can have illustrations or not).
- Children’s picture books and middle grade (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Brittany Thurman , a published author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you submit a picture book, it must be 1,000 words or fewer (can have illustrations or not).
- Commercial women’s fiction, thriller/suspense, thriller with romantic elements, cozy mystery, YA thriller, young adult in general, middle-grade, literary fiction, and fantasy (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Amberly Finarelli , a former literary agent and current writing coach, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, young adult SFF, urban fantasy (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Wesley Chu , a published novelist, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- More critique options possibly forthcoming.
How to pay/register — Registration is now open. Reach out to workshop organizer Brian Klems via email: [email protected] , and he will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event. Payment is by PayPal or check or credit card. Because Brian plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Carolina workshop specifically.
REGISTRATION:
Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.
How to Register : The easy first step is simply to reach out to workshop organizer Brian Klems via email: [email protected] . He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by PayPal or check or credit card. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The CWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Brian plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Carolina workshop specifically.
Refunds : If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason at any time, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal or CC refund]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments and manuscript editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already started edited your work.)
Thank you for your interest in the Online 2024 Carolina Writing Workshop.
2024 Carolina Writing Workshops: March 8 (Charlotte) and March 9 (Raleigh)
These writing events are a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day , pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the events. All questions about the events regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Carolina Writing Workshops! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here .
(Please note that these are in-person events. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next CWW events are in-person event happening in Charlotte on Friday, March 8, 2024; and Raleigh on Saturday, March 9, 2024. See you there.)
WHAT ARE THE EVENTS?
These are a pair of special one-day “How to Get Published” writing workshops on Friday, March 8, 2024 (Charlotte) at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark; and Saturday, March 9, 2024 (Raleigh), at the The McKimmon Conference and Training Center at NC State. In other words, the workshops are both one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.
This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:
- literary agent Tracey Adams (Adams Literary) – CHARLOTTE
- literary agent Carey Blankenship Kramer (Belcastro Agency) – CHARLOTTE
- literary scout Grace Morrison (Booker Albert Literary Agency) – CHARLOTTE
- literary agent Brandy Vallance (Barbara Bova Literary Agency) – CHARLOTTE
- literary agent Kaylee Zou (Williamson Literary) – BOTH CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH
- literary agent Gary Heidt (Signature Literary) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Jess Regel (Helm Literary) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Andrea Hurst (Andrea Hurst Literary Management) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Nikki Terpolowski (Holloway Literary) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Melissa Jeglinski (Knight Agency) – RALEIGH
- editor Georgia McBride (Swoon Romance, Month9, Tantrum Books) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Zoe Howard (Howland Literary) – RALEIGH
- literary agent Lauren Albury (Holloway Literary) – RALEIGH
- and more to come.
By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Chuck Sambuchino of Writing Day Workshops . E-mail him to register for the event at [email protected].
EVENT LOCATIONS & DETAILS:
FRIDAY. MARCH 8 : Charlotte Marriott SouthPark , 2200 Rexford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28211.
SATURDAY. MARCH 9: The McKimmon Conference and Training Center at NC State , 1101 Gorman St, Raleigh, NC 27606.
CHARLOTTE CLASSES (FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2024):
What you see below is a quick layout of the days’ events (Charlotte first, then Raleigh). The topics below are mostly set, but subject to change. You can see a more detailed layout of the day’s classes on the Schedule Page here. There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. Everything You Need to Know About Agents and Query Letters 2. Practical Tips on The Emotional Writing Journey.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between 2. Taking Cues from Shakespeare.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest 2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel 2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media, Blogging, and Platform
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00
1. Act One of Your Novel: How to Build a Story World 2. 10 Evergreen Keys to Writing Success
SESSIONS END: 5:00
(What you see here is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule Page here .)
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.
———————————–
RALEIGH CLASSES (SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024):
The topics below are mostly set, but subject to change. You can see a more detailed layout of the day’s classes on the Schedule Page here . There will be 1-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
1. How to Prepare Your Query Package 2. Writing In The Flow State: How Mindfulness Can Make You A More Productive Writer
1. Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between 2. Beginning with Power: Tips on How to Start Your Novel
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel 2. Editing Your Novel From an Agent’s POV
1. Social Media for Authors 2. Ten Evergreen Keys to Writing Success
———————————————–
ADDED ONLINE PITCHING : To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2024 Carolina Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at the Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2024 CWWs on our calendar.
That event is the 2024 Online Writing Workshop of San Francisco , April 5-6, 2024, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.
This means that 2024 CWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online San Francisco agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online April 2024 WWSF. (That said, if you want to formally register for the April 5-6 WWSF and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Carolina attendees.)
If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Carolina. Following the CWW conferences on March 8-9, 2024, we will be in touch with all Carolina attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2024 WWSF (April 5-6) . At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.
More 2024 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.
$189 — EARLY BIRD base price for registration to either 2024 CWW event and access to all workshops, all day. Pricing is the same for both workshops. As of fall 2023, registration is now OPEN. The $18 9 price is the same for both separate events: Charlotte (March 8, 2024) and Raleigh (March 9, 2024).
Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents or editors in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are four quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories an be seen here . )
Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Chuck Sambuchino, one of the day’s instructors. (This rate is a special event value for Carolina Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?
Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 10-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:
- Literary fiction, short stories, and poetry (in-person for Raleigh only): Faculty member Maureen Sherbondy , an author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book or story collection, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes sometime around workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes. Poetry stipulations: You may send up to 10 pages of poetry, maximum 40 lines per page, using 12-pt font.
- Romance, women’s fiction, science fiction, young adult, or memoir (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Jenny Bardsley , an author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes sometime around workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes.
- Middle grade, young adult; adult fiction in the areas of low fantasy, literary fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and mainstream fiction (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Joel Brigham , a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Women’s, mainstream, science fiction, fantasy, romance, crime, thriller, mystery (virtual critiques): Faculty member Michelle McGill-Vargas , a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Swati Hegde , an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
- Children’s picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoir, historical fiction, general fiction of almost any kind (virtual critiques) : Faculty member Eve Porinchak , a former agent turned publishing coach, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. Children’s picture books should be 1,000 words maximum, and can or cannot have illustrations.
How to pay/register — Registration is now open. Reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: [email protected] , and he will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event. Payment is by credit card, PayPal, or check. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Carolina workshops specifically.
Because of limited space at the venues (Friday at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark; Saturday at the The McKimmon Conference and Training Center at NC State, in Raleigh ) , each one-day workshop can only allow 150 registrants. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.
Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.
How to Register : The easy first step is simply to reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: [email protected] . Brian will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The CWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Carolina workshops specifically.
Refunds : If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason at any time, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments and manuscript editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your work.)
Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Carolina Writing Workshop.
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Amaryah Orenstein of Go Literary
Amaryah, founder and president of GO Literary, is thrilled to help writers bring their ideas to life. Aiming to give voice to a broad range of perspectives, Amaryah represents a wide array of literary and commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. She is actively seeking works that wed beautiful writing with a strong narrative and tackle big issues in engaging, accessible, and even surprising ways. Thematic interests include but are not limited to: contemporary + historical fiction; family relationship + coming-of-age stories; history + current affairs; social + cultural issues; memoir; food.
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
A prolific reader of many genres, Cathie represents Romance in all categories; Commercial, Book Club, and Women’s Fiction; Domestic and Psychological Suspense; “light” Horror; and Mystery. She deliberately keeps her client list small to give her authors the attention each deserves.
Cathie looks for manuscripts that catch her attention within the first few pages. If you can evoke an emotional response in the opening pages—make her laugh out loud, cause her pulse to race, make her cry, make her curious—you’ve got a winner. Cathie is never interested in Science Fiction or High Fantasy in any genre; however, “accessible” fantasy with paranormal or supernatural elements, and without excessive world building or difficult magic systems, are often a good fit.
Cathie is an Oklahoma native transplanted in Minnesota for nearly 30 years. A proud alumnus of The University of Oklahoma, she holds a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in History and is a rabid fan of OU Sooners Football.
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Lauren Albury of Holloway Literary
After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s in English from The College at Southeastern, Lauren interned with FinePrint Literary Agency in New York City. Prior to becoming a literary agent, Lauren was with Holloway Literary for two years as an intern and literary assistant.
She is seeking:
- Literary fiction
- Historical fiction
- Book club/Women’s
- Upmarket fiction
Wishlist specifics:
- Caribbean stories and voices
- Southern settings
- Romantic themes
- Rich immersive settings like Where the Crawdads Sing and lyrical prose like All the Light We Cannot See
Not a good fit for:
- Political or pandemic themes
- Sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian/magical realism
- Please no ghosts or aliens or torture
“I enjoy all kinds of literary and upmarket fiction. Show me how beautiful and lyrical the English language can be. Give me compelling characters with unexpected story arcs. Immerse me in another culture so I feel like I grew up there. Make me laugh with sharp wit and cry at poignant subtleties. Teach me something new about the human experience and what it means to be alive. I love when art parallels life, so I’m a sucker for gritty, raw, and realistic writing with an achingly bittersweet/unhappy ending a la Gone with the Wind or La La Land (non-sappy happy endings are OK too though). My favorite kinds of stories happen when romance exists as a compliment to a killer plot. Religious themes are ok as long as they aren’t cheesy and self-righteous or over the top.
“I’m looking for well-researched historical novels from all time periods and settings. As a multi-generational citizen of The Bahamas, I am particularly keen to find stories set in the Caribbean and/or by Caribbean authors.”
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Michael Carr of Veritas Literary Agency
With a strong background in editing and writing, Michael enjoys teaching at workshops and conferences to help develop emerging writers. He is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational French. Before joining Veritas, Michael had professions as diverse as programming simulators for nuclear submarines and owning an inn in Vermont.
He is seeking : Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy. He also enjoys Nonfiction of all stripes.
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Thais Afonso of Azantian Literary
Thais has eight years of experience in publishing between Brazil, China, and the United States. More recently, she interned at Writers House, where she honed her skills while supporting the desks of Amy Berkower and Johanna Castillo, and she was mentored by Jennifer Azantian before stepping up to the Associate Agent role at ALA. She intends to represent marginalized authors, and she’s especially seeking to uplift BIPOC born and raised in the Global South.
An Afro-Brazlian lesbian, Thais currently lives and works out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She helps care for her grandmother when she’s not editing books and she’s one of those terrible people who calls the gym her hobby (even though she currently doesn’t go).
In Adult Fiction, Thais is looking to represent Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Contemporary Romance, and Suspense/Thrillers. She still loves an element of speculative or the utter unsettling in this age category, and would love to find an unsettling story that defies genre, like Our Wives Under the Sea, Catherine House, Helen Phillips’ The Need or TV show Yellowjackets. She’s also seeking stories with a strong anti-colonial, anti-imperialist bent, be it an epic in the vein of The Ending Fire trilogy or space opera A Memory Called Empire, something more intimate like indie horror The Wicked and the Willing, or even a contemporary take—she’d love to sign a political thriller that explored the same themes as American Spy.
In contemporary suspense and thrillers, she would most like to see stories that are not related to solving murders, but she welcomes uber fast-paced, tightly woven-mysteries like The Puzzle Master or a BIPOC take on a Dan Brown thriller. Mostly, though, she’s looking for Sapphic authors in this space. Give her a lesbian obsession story or a thriller about an older woman taking her younger lover to meet her rich toxic family, only for terrible things to happen. Give her lesbian stories comped to Michele Campbell’s The Intern, Catherine Steadman’s The Family Game, or Stone Cold Fox.
In Horror, she’s also looking for lesbians, lesbians, lesbians. Plus, the unsettling, the Gothic, folkloric horror, horror mixed with fantasy or romance, and all the social horror. Recent favorites include Plain Bad Heroines and House of Hunger. She also would love to see horror in space, like S.A. Barnes.
She also tends to gravitate to critiques of capitalism in Sci-Fi. Fun and snappy romps like Murderbot will always attract her, but she would also love to see stories that tackle Global North interventionism in the Global South, and subversions of Global North competency being the norm—think Monarch from the perspective of a civilian in the Global South instead of an agent of an uber secretive and authoritarian GN agency, or anything you’d comp to Nnedi Okorafor. She also enjoys cyberpunk, solarpunk, and silkpunk.
She’s looking for almost all sub-genres of Fantasy, except Grimdark and Military. She’s keen on anti-colonial Epics, High-Fantasy set in the Global South, retellings of Global Majority Myths, Sci-Fi Fantasies in the vein of Arcane, and historicals that feels almost Second World, like Siren Queen. She also loves cozy, whimsical stories, like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches or the Emily Wilde series. In Romantasy, she’s also looking for an epic, several-book-long love story like The Jasmine Throne, but anything Queer will probably have her interest.
In Contemporary Romance, she’s extra keen on signing lesbians of color, especially ones writing at intersectionalities that remain under-represented in traditionally published romance. She’s mostly seeking single-title romance dramas and rom-coms with character arcs that have a lot of depth. Books that feel like a blend of romance and women’s fiction/contemporary commercial, like Funny Story, Seven Days in June, and Honey Girl (though the last one falls on more on contemporary side, and for her list, she’d like a more central love story).
She’d also love to see a BIPOC take on something like The Lost City, where the protagonists are perhaps keener on protecting a sacred site/indigenous cultural heritage. And she welcomes darker takes on this concept that straddle thriller and horror instead of comedy.
In YA, she’s currently open to Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, and Supernatural Mysteries/Thrillers. She’s predominantly interested in anything with a speculative bent. She’s also especially keen on championing Queer voices in this space, especially BIPOC Queer voices.
In Horror, she loves stories about monstrous girls, like I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me and House of Hollow. In Fantasy, she would love to find stories about angry, vengeful girls who never back down, in the vein of Iron Widow and Dread Nation. She would also love to see richly original BIPOC takes on beloved tropes, like A Magic Steeped in Poison did with competitions and A Tempest of Tea did with heists. And if you have a coming-of-age book about a Queer person finding and exploring the Queer spaces/community in a new magical world/new planet, something that could be described as Last Night at the Telegraph Club but speculative, she would love to see it.
She does love Romantasy in YA and she welcomes all of it, but she’s also looking to find fantasy manuscripts without romance—and stories with a focus on mentorship relationships, like Rust in the Root, are her favorites.
While she’s not a good fit for stories that put a positive spin on colonization—even space colonization—, space immigration without a settler angle would interest her. She’s also interested in space romps in this age category and sci-fi tinged with horror via cosmic threats.
In Mystery/Thrillers, give her anything that would crossover into horror because of supernatural elements. Anything you’d comp to Invocations, for example. She’d also love to see a speculative take on a story similar to The Reappearance of Rachel Price.
Across all genres, Thais is especially interested in intersectionality. She wants to sign working class, Queer, BIPOC, disabled authors, and is keen on supporting authors whose marginalization intersect with other marginalizations, as she knows the paths to success in this industry get more limited if you have an intersectional identity.
She’s very keen on indigenous stories across age categories and in all genres—To Shape a Dragon’s Breath, Elatsoe, and Firekeeper’s Daughter are recent favorites, but she wants stories that don’t match any comps too. Thais especially wants to represent Global South authors. As someone born and raised and based in Brazil, Thais seeks to put Global South stories front and center, as she believes those voices are more needed than ever. She’s also, in both age categories and across all genres, committed to supporting Palestinian authors, whenever they are ready and able to share their stories—she’s always open to queries for Palestinian authors.
She is NOT seeking:
Thais is not the best fit for Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Contemporary YA. She’s not seeking to represent Military SFF, Literary Fiction, and non-speculative Historical Fiction in any age category. In all genres, she’s not a good fit for any sort of positive spin on war, Monarchy, colonization, or genocide. She will not represent books with Zionist and imperialist propaganda, copaganda, or racist, queerphobic, Islamophobic, and anti-semitic tropes.
In romance, she’s specially not a fit for enemies to lovers where the enmity comes with major power imbalance and/or any form of systemic oppression, and relationships that involve indenture and debts that need to be repaid. She’s also a terrible fit for dark romance (she’s okay with toxic relationships in all other genres, though). She’ll not represent romance with heroes that are in the military, the mafia, or law enforcement.
Please don’t send her books about Indigenous people if you’re not a culturally connected member of those Indigenous communities. That specially applies to Indigenous Brazilians, as she’s proud to see her country shifting away from appropriated Indigenous stories being repacked as folklore and ‘good savage’ narratives that have only caused harm.
Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Annalise Errico of Ladderbird Literary
Annalise is a graduate of Lesley University where she earned a B.A. in Creative Writing with a double minor in Literature and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is excited about uplifting stories by authors with marginalized voices and intersectional identities, ultimately making room for the diverse voices that have long since been ignored and suppressed in the literary world and beyond. When she isn’t agenting, Annalise spends an excessive amount of time snuggling with her cat, Mittens, and writing romance novels that are more swoony than strictly necessary.
Annalise is looking for more queer, BIPOC representation across the board, especially in romances that give happily ever afters to complex and palpable characters. She represents Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult books.
Annalise has a specific focus on representing queer and BIPOC voices in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult books. She loves books with academic settings, books with a warm and cozy feeling, books about books, and books with a prominent romantic plot.
Adult Romance:
Annalise wants to see queer/BIPOC historical romances like a queer League of Extraordinary Women or Cat Sebastian.
Annalise would love to see queer/BIPOC baking rom-coms in the vein of Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake and Battle Royal.
Annalise wants romances that tackle the intersection of romance and mental health a la The Charm Offensive.
Some of Annalise’s favorite tropes that she’d love to see are: enemies-to-lovers, serious-and-sunshine, and second-chance-romance.
She would love to see sweet, diverse holiday rom-coms like Amor Actually and The Matzah Ball.
Annalise does not accept erotica or romances feature unhealthy/abusive relationships to any degree.
Adult Mysteries/Thrillers:
Annalise is looking for queer/BIPOC thrillers that function as social commentary such as Alyssa Cole’s When No One is Watching.
Annalise would like to see mysteries that rework classics like The Wife Upstairs or One by One.
She loves dark academia with a historical mystery.
She loves novels with interesting formats such as compilations of files and articles like Night Film.
She is not a good fit for supernatural, ungrounded thrillers, thrillers that border too close to horror, thrillers with violence against women, gore-heavy thrillers, or thrillers that use the “bury your gays” and/or “fridging” trope.
She is not looking for medical or apocalyptic thrillers.
Adult Commercial/Women’s/Contemporary Fiction:
Annalise wants character-driven contemporary fiction that has enough plot movement to keep the reader invested (no character studies, please!).
She likes books that use alternative formats, like Daisy Jones & the Six, and question the boundaries of typical contemporary fiction.
Books with social commentary about queer/BIPOC characters finding their way in life — think Luster and Such a Fun Age—are a good fit for Annalise.
She loves books that focus in on fictional celebrities or reflect upon fame such as The Comeback by Ella Berman or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
Annalise also wants fiction featuring change as a thematic focal point with unabashed self-love and romance, like Claire Christian’s It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake.
New Adult Fiction:
Annalise wants New Adult romance and contemporary fiction that focuses on found family and a during- or post-college bildungsroman plot with a romance. This is her ideal age space.
She would especially like to see fiction set immediately post-college that follows the queer/BIPOC protagonist’s trials and tribulations in the “real world” or warm and nerdy new adult like Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.
Annalise loves New Adult fiction that is set at college or grad school. The more academic, the better!
Any of the genres that Annalise has mentioned on this page (in both Adult and YA), Annalise would love to see in the New Adult space, especially college-aged mysteries and romances.
Young Adult Historical:
Annalise wants YA historical fiction that focuses in on a lost perspective such as Stacey Lee’s The Downstairs Girl.
Annalise loves historical works that focus in on plucky characters in prestigious academic environments.
Young Adult Fantasy:
Annalise wants upper YA/new adult low-key fantasies that don’t break the mental bank, like The House in the Cerulean Sea.
She is also looking for fantasies that are firmly historical and grounded like The Last Magician or These Violent Delights.
Annalise would love witchy fantasies that focus in on queer women of color like When We Were Magic.
She is not a good fit for dragon/creature, fae, or epic/high fantasy of any kind.
Young Adult Mystery/ Thriller:
Annalise is looking for mysteries and thrillers that have elements of YA contemporary such as bildungsroman plots and romance (especially LGBTQIA+) but don’t stray too far into high-school drama.
Annalise would love to see academic-driven mysteries like Truly Devious and mixed-format mysteries like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
Young Adult Contemporary:
Annalise is looking for quirky and offbeat books that focus in on ride-or-die women-centric friendships.
She wants queer, BIPOC rom-coms hat have found family elements that are shamelessly romantic like I Wish You All the Best.
An ideal contemporary for Annalise would be set during the MC’s senior year of high school/first year of college.
FAVORITE BOOKS:
- Daisy Jones & The Six
- It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake
- The Brown Sisters series
- The League of Extraordinary Women series
DREAM PROJECTS
Queer/BIPOC Agatha Christie like Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia or Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian.
A dark academia fantasy like Vicious, but if Eli and Victor fell in love.
A sapphic, cottage-core light-fantasy, like The Tea Dragon Society for YA/NA.
DEFINITE PASS
Annalise does not want any book that could be qualified as “trauma porn”. She is not interested in grotesque or gratuitous abuse/harassment or violence of any type. She does not want any pandemic or apocalyptic works, fiction or nonfiction.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Annalise would appreciate if you included content warnings for topics such as: heavy discussions of grief, self-harm/suicidal ideation/suicide, or harassment/abuse of any kind.
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M.A. in English: Creative Writing
The diverse field of Creative Writing studies involves the writing of prose, poetry, and drama for the page, screen, and stage. At UNC Charlotte, the Creative Writing Concentration offers studies in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Faculty seek to familiarize aspiring writers with the techniques and theories of poetics and prose while helping them delve more deeply into their chosen genre. Integral to a creative writer’s experience at UNC Charlotte is the studio workshop, where students draft and share work and critique their peers’ writing. Also important are issues of craft, the literary history of a writer’s genre, the culture of publishing (book, magazine, and online), and sustained independent work toward a long-form capstone project.
Creative Writing faculty at UNC Charlotte have achieved national distinction with award-winning books and work published in The Southern Review , Kenyon Review , Missouri Review , Esquire, Denver Quarterly, McSweeney’s, Glimmer Train, Colorado Review, Gettysburg Review, New Stories from the South , and many others. They have won awards such as the Editor’s Choice at New Issues Poetry & Prose; the Poets & Writers Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award in Fiction; the Raz/Shumaker Prairie Schooner Book Prize; a variety of artist residences; and fellowships from the North Carolina Arts Council and elsewhere. Faculty hold MFAs or PhDs from Purdue University, the University of Denver, and Vanderbilt University.
Students completing the MA Concentration in Creative Writing will be well-prepared for MFA and Ph.D. programs in the field. Undergraduate and MA students from Charlotte have been accepted with funding to a number of graduate programs, including at Columbia University, the North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Colorado at Boulder, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, NC State, and New Mexico State University.
- Bryn Chancellor
- R. Mark Hall
- Allison Hutchcraft
Click here for information about 1. guidance regarding MFA programs; and 2. the capstone experience in creative writing, including descriptions of the project and thesis options, as well as samples of prospectuses, help with critical introductions to creative work, and other helpful materials.
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Young and Teen Writers Workshops
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The Young and Teen Writers Workshops have served the community for over 38 years. Take a journey into the world of creative writing.
About the Workshops
Our program is one of the oldest workshops for young writers in the nation and remains one of the most affordable options for academic programs. We offer generous need-based financial aid packages.
Students will work on their craft and meet and learn from professional authors and artists. We offer two programs:
- The Young Writers Workshop accepts applications from creative writers entering 5th through 8th grades. The 2025 YWW will meet on weekday afternoons, July 7-18.
- The Teen Writers Workshop accepts applications from creative writers entering 9th grade through rising college freshmen. The 2025 TWW will meet on weekday afternoons, July 21-August 1.
Past Guest Authors
The very first Young Writers Workshop guest author was the great Clyde Edgerton in 1986!
Our 2025 guest artists include NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, comic book writer Jeremy Whitley, fiction writer David Carter, and returning guest Frances O’Roark Dowell, among others.
Our 2024 guest artists included returning authors Frances O’Roark Dowell and Daun Damon, and new guests Elizabeth Pridgen and James Aura.
In recent years, YWW has featured NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, award-winning songwriter JR Richards; novelists Miriam Polli, Nahid Rachlin, Ben Shaberman, David Carter, Sean DeLauder, Kyle Winkler; poets Dorianne Laux and Al Maginnes; nonfiction author Cat Warren, and voice-over artist Graham Mack.
Previous guests through the years have included Jhon Sanchez (fiction), Eric Roe (fiction writer), Stephanie Van Hassel (poet), Chris Tonelli (poet), Bianca Diaz (poet), Ravi Tewari (poet), Alice Osborn (poet), Ian Finley, (drama), Ed Mooney, Jr. (fiction), Eric Gregory (fiction), Kayla Rutledge (fiction), Sarah Grunder Ruiz (fiction), David Tully (YA novelist), Cari Corbett (comics), Jeremy Whitley (comics), Megan Roberts (fiction), among so many others.
Dr. William K. Lawrence [email protected]
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Charlotte Lit offers craft classes for writers — in-person in Charlotte and online — and a variety of free literary arts events for everyone. X; ... Charlotte's Creative Writing & Literary Arts Center. ... 933 Louise Ave Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28204 (No mail to this address, please) (704) 315-2131 (voicemail) ...
Workshops. To help area writers hone their skills, the Charlotte Writers Club sponsors a variety workshops each year. Some sessions focus on developing writerly skills; others are informational sessions on publishing and marketing. Our workshops are open to both members and non-members - and always with discounted fees for members.
Writing Groups. Anyone can join one of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's many active writing groups. We offer a variety of days, times, topics, and locations. Whether you are interested in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, getting published, joining a critique group or just meeting other Charlotte writers, we have a group for you to join. Writing Groups
Physical Address: hygge coworking Belmont. 933 Louise Ave Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28204. (No mail to this address, please) (704) 315-2131 (voicemail) Press / Litmosphere Matters: [email protected]. All Other Matters: [email protected]. Charlotte Lit is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation, EIN 47-4988291.
Business Writing 1 Day Workshop in Concord, NC. Mon, Sep 9, 9:00 AM + 3 more. For venue details reach us at [email protected], PH: +1 469 666 9332. View 5 similar results.
See more reviews for this business. Top 10 Best Writing Classes in Charlotte, NC - November 2023 - Yelp - Queens University of Charlotte, Ballantyne Reading Academy for the Very Young, College Transitions, Charlotte Chinese Academy, SkilStak Coding Arts, Central Piedmont Community College, Winthrop University, Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte ...
Classes Ages. Any. Oct 29 Tue PM. 06:00 ... Presenter: Bryn Chancellor. Charlotte Lit @ hygge Belmont 933 LOUISE AVE CHARLOTTE, NC 28204-2299. Description Borrow details from the natural, urban, rural, or suburban environments around us to enrich our creative writing. Four Weeks, Four Flash. View Details. $255 Available (7 left) All Regions ...
Services in the Charlotte Writers Club's (CWC) Student Writing Program are open to all students in the Charlotte Metro area (public, private, homeschooled, etc.). All components included in our Student Writing Program are FREE to local students. The Program is part of our mission to support local writers of all ages and genres, and promote ...
Whatever your level of writing experience or preferred format, we have writing classes to help you practice and improve your craft, taught by the area's best teachers. ... Charlotte Lit Co-Founder & Creative Director Poet & Mythologist. Kathie Collins, Ph.D., cofounded Charlotte Lit with Paul Reali in 2015 and has supported the organization ...
Charlotte Writers Club, Charlotte, North Carolina. 1,216 likes · 19 talking about this. Since 1922 CWC supports the work of writers and promotes their development through education, recogni
Visit our partner site to register and view full course details and dates. Register. Contact. 704-687-8900. [email protected]. Directions. Center City Parking. Resources. FAQs.
If you have any questions about membership, send us a message through our contact form or call us at 919-308-3228. Each year, the NC Writers' Network offers programs on the craft and business of writing, including 3 conferences, a variety of competitions and online classes.
5.0. (4) 2 hires on Thumbtack. Serves Charlotte, NC. Victoria F. says, "I wanted to choose all options, Mrs. Marissa is Very professional extremely responsive and always punctual. Her dedication and love for education is heart warming to see. Marissa has been tutoring my son since he was 5 he is now 11.
Where: Online or in-person; Tyvola Senior Center 2225 Tyvola Road Charlotte, NC 28210 Recurrence: Third Tuesday of the month; ... EIGHT WEEK PROMPT WRITING CLASS - COED When: Tuesdays (10:30 am - 1:00 pm) Where ... Persons interested in creative writing or theatre are invited to attend. WRITERS HOUSE WINTER CLASSES When: Various dates in ...
North Carolina Poetry Society. Founded in 1932, this is an organization for poets and friends of poetry. Holds annual meetings and a poetry festival for its 400 members. Pamlico Writers' Group. Providing a forum for area writers to practice and hone their craft since 1978. Redbud Writing Project.
Students in the Creative Writing concentration will study and practice the art and craft of writing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction as part of a broader humanistic inquiry. ... As students progress through introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses, they will sharpen skills in crafting poetry and prose while refining aesthetics ...
Cost per credit: $815. Total tuition: $42,380. Modalities: Low residency, with distance learning throughout the year. Concentrations: Fiction, including Young Adult; Creative Nonfiction; Poetry; Writing for Stage & Screen. Flexible program: Low residency with two week-long residences in Charlotte each year (or one two-week residency in Latin ...
Thank you for your interest in the 2024 Online Carolina Writing Workshop! ONLINE: Writing Day Workshops plans both in-person and virtual/online conferences. This 2024 CWW is an Online Conference, September 13-14, 2024. Online events are easy and awesome, and the virtual events we've done thus far have received wonderful feedback.
M.A. in English: Creative Writing. The diverse field of Creative Writing studies involves the writing of prose, poetry, and drama for the page, screen, and stage. At UNC Charlotte, the Creative Writing Concentration offers studies in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Faculty seek to familiarize aspiring writers with the techniques and ...
Writing%20workshops events near Charlotte, NC. Events. Groups
Students will work on their craft and meet and learn from professional authors and artists. We offer two programs: The Young Writers Workshop accepts applications from creative writers entering 5th through 8th grades. The 2025 YWW will meet on weekday afternoons, July 7-18. The Teen Writers Workshop accepts applications from creative writers ...
To register, e-mail Lisa at [email protected]. The cost is $25. Also in the Charlotte area, the Young Writers Academy hosts several summer camps in Charlotte and Fort Mill, including "Campfire Stories" (ages 5-7); "Writing in Nature" (ages 7-11); and "Comic Book Writing" (ages 7-11); along with workshops on essays for ...
Students with an English major (all concentrations) are required to demonstrate foreign language competency at the intermediate level. Intermediate proficiency requires completion of a 2000-level or above course in a foreign language that uses the Latin alphabet (e.g., French, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish) or a 1202-level course in a language that does not use the Latin alphabet ...
The Queen City will become the Emerald City this month with Charlotte's inaugural "Wizard of Oz" literary arts festival for all ages.. Venues citywide will host well-known land of Oz authors ...