HOLLY LYN WALRATH
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Fall Workshops and Events

8/16/2021

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I wanted to make sure you saw these upcoming events I'll be at (in-person events pending black death). Come say hi!
Poetry Barn Self-Paced Course: Journaling for Poets
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced
PRICE: $99
Poets are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for poets, not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer.  In this workshop, you'll cover how to manage large ideas or projects, track submissions, create goals, revising, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you!
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Writing Speculative Fiction
DATE: Starts August 30 
4-Week Online Workshop with Writing Workshops Dallas
​PRICE: $249 
*This class is filling up fast! Sign up before it sells out like last time :) The world of speculative short fiction is a highly competitive but welcoming community where a new writer can make a start in their career. In this workshop, we'll explore the fine art of writing short stories for genre markets, with an exploration of the main tropes of each genre from science fiction to fantasy to horror. Picasso said, "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." This workshop dives into the rules of speculative fiction and how to break them while honing your writing for pro markets. ​
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Writing Resistance Through Erasure, Found Text & Visual Poetry
Format: Independent Study, online

Hybrid poetry forms can be a powerful form of resistance. From Jerrod Schwarz’s erasure of Trump’s inaugural speech to Niina Pollari’s black outs of the N-400 citizenship form, contemporary poets are engaging with the world through text, creating new and challenging works of art. Heralded by the rise of the “Instapoet,” visual works are a way to take poetry one step further by crafting new forms and structures that often transcend the page.
In this four-module self-paced workshop, you’ll study the forms of poetry that draw from outside sources and texts, learning how artists are reshaping the narrative of resistance and how to draw from news, media, canonical works, and other found texts to create our own work in conversation with the current world.
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Fencon
September 17-19, Dallas, TX
Panels TBA
I'll be hosting a table at this con for Interstellar Flight Press! Come say Hi! 

Armadillocon 
October 15-17, 2021, Austin, TX 
Panels TBA 
I'll be hosting a table at this con for Interstellar Flight Press! Come say Hi! ​

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New Poetry Workshop: A Feminist Poetry Reading Primer

2/3/2021

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​Dates: March 1-28
Format: Group Workshop (more info)

From Plath to Sexton to Lorde to Walker, women are the backbone of experimental poetics. In this class, we’ll read the work of popular feminist poets and write our own poems inspired by their work. Audre Lorde said, “The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.” By celebrating the work of the women who came before us, this workshop will explore how to dismantle the patriarchal conventions of poetry by diving into the canon of women poets.

Register at the early-bird price of $275 (regular price: $295) before February 15.

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Fall 2020 Workshops

8/15/2020

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​Poetry Barn Self-Paced Course: Writing Resistance Through Erasure, Found Text & Visual Poetry
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced
PRICE: $99

Hybrid poetry forms can be a powerful form of resistance. From Jerrod Schwarz’s erasure of Trump’s inaugural speech to Niina Pollari’s black outs of the N-400 citizenship form, contemporary poets are engaging with the world through text, creating new and challenging works of art. Heralded by the rise of the “Instapoet,” visual works are a way to take poetry one step further by crafting new forms and structures that often transcend the page. 

In this four-module independent study workshop, you’ll study the forms of poetry that draw from outside sources and texts, learning how artists are reshaping the narrative of resistance and how to draw from news, media, canonical works, and other found texts to create our own work in conversation with the current world.

Shortly after you register, you’ll receive an email containing an invitation to create an account and begin learning. (Please note: This class does not include feedback or interaction with the instructor or other learners.)
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Writespace: Poetry Critique (Synchronous  1-Day Workshop)
DATE: Saturday, October 10th 1-4pm CST
TIME: Online, Synchronous 
​In this workshop, we'll focus on four fundamentals that editors look for in poetry. It's one thing to write poems, it's another to start sending out your work to publishers. How do you know if the poem "works"? How can you revise a poem so it stands out in a slush pile? We'll focus on reading poetry like an editor, with an eye towards structure, word choice, content, and first and last lines. This is a critique workshop, so participants will be asked to submit up to two poems (max 4 pages) in advance. ​
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Writespace: Introduction to Found Poetry (Online 4-Week Workshop)
DATE: Sunday, October 4th - Sunday, November 1st
TIME: Online, Asynchronous
​Found poetry is an umbrella term encompassing any poem that uses an outside source text to create a new original poem. Found texts may include but are not limited to: Newspapers, books, periodicals, graffiti, other poems, street signs, advertisements, propaganda, online media, Twitter posts, or anything with words that can be rearranged, erased, cut-out, or reformulated to create a new and wholly original piece of poetry. In this workshop, we'll learn the history of erasure and create our own found poems using methods of erasure or blackout, headline poetry, collage, remixing, cutting, cento poems, acrostic or golden shovel poems, and/or found title poems. 

This is a four-week workshop that takes place completely online. Participants will get the chance to write one poem a week and will be required to critique at least 2 other student's work each week. You may want to have a camera or phone with a camera (a scanner works great too) to upload photos of your poems, but this is not a requirement. ​
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Writespace: Journaling Your Way to a Better Writing Life (Online 4-Week Workshop)
DATE: Sunday, November 8th - December 6th
TIME: Online, Asynchronous
​Writers are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for writers. Not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer. We'll cover tracking your writing, how to manage large ideas or projects, tracking submissions, creating goals, revising in a journal, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you!

This is a four-week workshop that takes place completely online. You may want to purchase a simple notebook to try out the techniques on your own. You'll be asked to share one journaling exercise a week and give feedback on each other's work.
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My Readercon 2019 Schedule!

6/4/2019

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I'm stoked to once again be paneling at Readercon in Boston July 11-14! Here is a list of the panels I'll be on and where you can find me. Oh, and this year, I managed to convince my spousal unit to come along. If you see us around at the con, please come say Hi! I love meeting new writer friends. 

Writing Craft and Mentoring Programs
Friday, 12pm - Salon 4
Panelists: Jack Dann, Theodora Goss (mod), Kate Maruyama, Kenneth Schneyer, Holly Walrath
Those who want to learn the craft of writing popular genre fiction have more options then ever. MFA programs and workshops of excellent repute are popping up all over the U.S., from Stonecoast in Maine to Clarion in California, as well as in other parts of the world. With so many options, how does one choose? Panelists who have participated in these programs as mentors or mentees will discuss their experiences.

Amazon, Goodreads, NetGalley, and Edelweiss, Oh My!
Friday, 7pm - Salon B
Presentation
There are a variety of valuable resources for independent authors out there, but how does one choose among them, and how can an indie book stand out among the crowd? Holly Lyn Walrath will explain how to navigate the available options for self-publishing and explore how books can reach more readers via the growing field of reviewer markets.

Rainbow Open Mic
Saturday, 6pm - Sylvanus Thayer Room
Celebrate the voices of LGBTQIA2P writers! Read your work out loud among a group of welcoming peers. Hear new work by established authors and meet new writers! If your identity is anywhere on or under the rainbow, you're welcome to read your work; allies are invited to attend and listen. Sign up at the information desk.

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Resistance through Erasure, Found Text, and Visual Poetry

6/3/2019

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Niina Pollari's erasure of the N-400 citizenship form from Tyrant Press
Hybrid poetry forms can be a powerful form of resistance. From Jerrod Schwarz’s erasure of Trump’s inaugural speech to Niina Pollari’s black outs of the N-400 citizenship form, contemporary poets are engaging with the world through text, creating new and challenging works of art. Heralded by the rise of the “Instapoet,” visual works are a way to take poetry one step further by crafting new forms and structures that often transcend the page. 

In July, I'll be teaching a 4-week course online at the Poetry Barn on this very topic! We’ll study the forms of poetry that draw from outside sources and texts, learning how artists are reshaping the narrative of resistance and how to draw from news, media, canonical works, and other found texts to create our own work in conversation with the current world.

Click here to sign up for online workshop . . . 

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Comicpalooza 2019 Schedule

5/1/2019

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I'm stoked to once again be a panelist at Comicpalooza this year in Houston, Texas. Comicpalooza has grown to be a massive comic con with cosplay, celebrities, and of course literature panels! This year we host the mother of dragons, Emilia Clarke, and I for one will be waiting in line for her panel. 

If you see me around at the con, come say Hi! 

Panels for Comicpalooza 2019: 
​Art & Writing Crossovers, from Comics to Artist Collaborations
Room 370D
Friday May 10, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Art and literature have always inspired each other. How do visual art and writing inspire and reveal a creative process? What can emerge when one form is refracted through another? Has there been a different emergence of the combination in a reality that seems more visualized and surreal? Join us for a lively discussion of the mediums' crossover and influences.

Speculative Poetry Deathmatch!
Room 370D
Saturday May 11, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Join us for an entertaining and interactive panel on science fiction, fantasy and horror poetry. Learn a little about speculative poetry, hear poets read some of their works, and then participate in a lyrical death-match in which you, the audience, decide which poet walks away with a tinfoil crown and bragging rights.

No Right Way to Write: Techniques for New Writers
Room 370D
Sunday May 12, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm

There is no one correct way to write. One of the challenges of new writers is to find the way that works best for them. Some people require strict outlines. Others require just bullet points. And still others require nothing more than an idea and a few notes on a napkin. This panel is on writing techniques, from outline usage to writing organically, allowing your information to come out in a smooth fashion. Learn the way to write that is right for you!


 Beyond Earthsea: Ursula K. Le Guin's Writing Legacy
 Room 370E
Sunday May 12, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm
As one of the greatest science fiction writers, Ursula K. Le Guin explored politics, the environment, myth, gender, and their intersection with our reality. She was an advocate for social justice and women writers. Join us for a discussion celebrating and paying tribute to Le Guin's work and influence.


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Fall Events Around Texas

10/4/2018

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This fall I'm hitting up a few book events in Texas. Here's where you can find me, pick up a copy of Glimmerglass Girl, and say hi!
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​Join Writespace and Spider Road Press as we celebrate the release of Glimmerglass Girl, the debut poetry chapbook written by dedicated Writespace volunteer Holly Lyn Walrath. The collection’s publisher, Finishing Line Press, describes the work as a “unique visual collection of speculative poetry [that] addresses femininity, feminism, and the intersection of womanhood and nature."

To celebrate Glimmerglass Girl, we are inviting women-identifying writers to share their own work alongside Holly at our Women’s Voices Reading and Open Mic. We are excited to hear work that examines all aspects of womanhood, and we especially welcome historically marginalized voices.

DATE: Friday, October 19th, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Writespace (2000 Edwards, Studio #208, Houston, TX 77007)
PRICE: Free to all! If you are interested in reading, please send an email to cassandra@writespacehouston.org.
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Texas Book Festival - Tabling with Bountiful Balcony Books
DATE: Saturday & Sunday, October 27-28
LOCATION: Texas State Capitol
PRICE: Free!

I'll be tabling with Bountiful Balcony Books at this year's Texas Book Festival! Come say hi and pick up a signed copy of Glimmerglass Girl or one of the other awesome offerings from the Bountiful table!
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Zine Fest Houston - Tabling 
DATE: Saturday, November 17, 2018 
LOCATION: Lawndale Art Center
PRICE: Free to all!

I'll be tabling at Zine Fest Houston this year with some new story zines! Come say hi and pick up a signed copy of Glimmerglass Girl!

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Save the Date: GlimmerGlass Girl Launch party!

8/9/2018

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Save the date! I'm celebrating the launch of my book Glimmerglass Girl in Houston at Writespace on October 19! And, because I love this community of writers, it's also an open mic for other women who want to come read their work. I can't wait to hear all the amazing writers who I know will be in attendance. This is not an event you'll want to miss!

RSVP or Share on Facebook!


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Readercon 2018 Schedule

6/29/2018

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I'm delighted that this year I'll be paneling at Readercon in Boston July 12-15!

Here are the panels where you can come see me (Please say Hi if you do! I love meeting other writers and making new friends!): 

Anti-Worldbuilding Workshop
Friday, July 13, 12:00pm - C

Holly Walrath will present an alternative worldbuilding method called worldconjuring. Drawing on inspiration from fairy tales and ancient myths, worldconjuring creates liminal space or gaps in the world that the reader may fill in with their own imagination. Participants will explore contemporary authors who are using this method in short fiction and novels to create immersive worlds without the use of complex worldbuilding such as language creation or magic mechanics, and will get started worldconjuring with some creative prompts.

In Memoriam: Ursula K. Le Guin
Friday, July 13, 1:00pm - 6

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018) was a powerhouse in American literature for over 50 years. She won countless awards, including the SFWA Grand Master Award and World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Her Hainish sequence, Earthsea novels, and Orsinia stories remain benchmarks of speculative fiction. Her feminist and utopian visions influenced generations, as did her essays, criticism, and educational writing. We were thrilled to make her a guest of honor at Readercon 7. Join us in celebrating her life and work.

Speculative Poetry Deathmatch! 
Friday, July 13, 4:00pm - A

​This entertaining and interactive panel on science fiction, fantasy, and horror poetry will teach attendees a little about speculative poetry. Poets will read some of their works and then participate in a lyrical death match in which audience members decide which poet walks away with a tin foil crown and bragging rights.

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Comicpalooza 2018 Schedule

5/20/2018

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Here's my schedule for Comicpalooza 2018! 

The Uncanny Valley in Fiction: Writing the Nearly Human
Friday, May 25
3:30-4:30pm - 370D
Evoking the uncanny, as understood by Housman and Freud, is one of the most evocative ways to add a skin-crawling sense of horror to your fiction. This panel will focus on how the uncanny works, what its roots and motifs are, and how to use it. Examples will include works by Neil Gaiman, Salvador Dali, Susan Cooper and David Lynch.

Poetry of the Imagination: Offsite Reading
Friday, May 25
7:00-9:00pm - Kaboom Books
3116 Houston Avenue
Houston, TX 77009

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA). Join SFPA President Bryan Thao Worra, along with Houston residents Holly Walrath (author of Glimmerglass Girl), Saba Razvi (author of Of the Divining and the Dead), T. Haven Morse (Flooded By, Beam Me Up Yoda), Kate Pentecost (Elysium Girls), and Deborah L. Davitt (Ave, Caesarion), along with Dallas-area poets Michelle Muenzler (The Hills of Meat, the Forest of Bone) and Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (Strange Monsters), and Iowa poet Karen Bovenmeyer (Swift for the Sun) for an evening of speculative poetry. 

This event is FREE and open to the public! 

Character Springboard Workshop
Saturday, May 26
1:30-3:00pm - 370E
Drawing from popular television, movies, and books, this workshop explores how to create in-depth characters in your novels and short fiction. Feel free to bring a piece you are working on, or start something new using exercises from the workshop.​

Writing Violence in Speculative Fiction
Saturday, May 26
3:30-4:00pm - 370F
Good writing involves conflict, and conflict can involve violence. How do writers create violent scenes effectively without sacrificing world building and characterization? When is the hint of violence scarier, and more effective, than a fully realized attack or battle? Should violence be handled differently for different audiences (such as YA and senior citizens)? Does the current international political and military climate affect the way that writers shape violent scenes? Our panel will discuss these crucial questions for the genre writer.

Speculative Poetry Deathmatch! 
Saturday, May 26
4:30-5:30pm - 370E
Join us for an entertaining and interactive panel on science fiction, fantasy and horror poetry. Learn a little about speculative poetry, hear poets read some of their works, and then participate in a lyrical death-match in which you, the audience, decide which poet walks away with a tinfoil crown and bragging rights.
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2018 Events (Updated!)

5/11/2018

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Below is a list of events I'll be participating in this year! Hope to see you around. Please come say hi - I love meeting other writers. 

May: 
Comicpalooza (Panelist and hosting the SFPA Poetry reading May 25th)

June: 
I'm the 2018 SFPA Contest chair. Submissions open June 1! 
June 26, 6:30pm: Reading Fix Coffee Bar hosted by Mike Alexander

July: 
Readercon (Panelist) 

August: 
Flash Fiction Retreat Breckenridge
​August 22nd-September 12: Writespace Writing Life 101 Workshop
August 25: Writespace Poetry of the Fantastic Workshop

September: 
September 29: Reading, Art & Words Show hosted by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam



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Writefest 2018 Schedule

5/2/2018

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I'll be paneling at Writefest this year. Here's my schedule if you want to come say hi! I'm also volunteering so you'll probably see me around putting out fires. Check out the full schedule of events here and don't miss the Saturday night social!
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I'll Be At Illogicon! Come Say Hi!

12/30/2017

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I'll be attending Illogicon January 12-14th in Raleigh this year. I'd love to meet you if you'll be there!

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Upcoming Events

8/10/2017

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I have a few events I'll be participating in coming up, so here's where you can find me in the next couple of months. (I'll update this as new dates arise.) 

  • I'll be volunteering at Writespace's Writer's Family Reunion, Saturday, September 9th. 
  • One of my poems will be showcased at the Art & Words Show in Fort Worth, Saturday, October 7th. 
  • I'm attending World Fantasy Con, November 2-5. 
  • I'm a guest at Illogicon, January 12-14, 2018 in Raleigh, N.C. 

​See you soon friends!
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Armadillocon 39 Schedule

7/29/2017

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Friday, August 4th
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They wrote YA before YA was Cool
8-9 pm, Ballroom D

Saturday, August 5th 
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Poetry Thunderdome
1-2 pm, Southpark A
ST/TNG: A Generation Later
4-5 pm,  Southpark B
Reading, Yours Truly
9:30-10 pm, Room 102

Sunday, August 6th
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What Shorter SF&F works should you have read this year?
2-3 pm, Ballroom F

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Come Say Hi at Comicpalooza!

4/19/2017

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I'll be attending Comicpalooza this year as a guest of the literary track. Here's a list of the panels, workshops, and Q + A's on which I'll be presenting. I'm particularly excited to get to chat with Lev Grossman, author of the Magicians trilogy. 

Also, a little plug for my world-building workshop: There are still seats! If you attend Comicpalooza you can attend this workshop for free. I've been cooking up some fun anti-worldbuilding ideas to help you think about this from a new angle in your writing. See you there!

​Friday, May 12th


​2:30 - 4:00pm – Creative Community – Finding Your Tribe

They say it’s lonely at the top – but it’s pretty solitary down at the bottom too. Wherever you are in your creative career, the war against isolation, anxiety and self-doubt is never-ending. The good news is, you don’t have to go it alone. Let’s talk about joining, creating and/or maintaining a creative support system that will help you go the distance.
 
4:00 – 5:00pm – Speculative Poetry Death Match
Join us for an entertaining and interactive panel on science fiction, fantasy, and horror poetry. Learn a little about speculative poetry, hear poets read some of their works, and then participate in a lyrical death-match, in which you, the audience, decide which poet walks away with a tinfoil crown and bragging rights.

Saturday, May 13th


​11:30 - 1:00pm – Worldbuilding Workshop
Drawing from popular television, movies and books, this workshop explores how to create in-depth worlds in your novels and short fiction. Feel free to bring a piece you are working on, or start something new using exercises from the workshop (Saturday, 11:30 am).  Sign up and submit your work by emailing literature@comicpalooza.com
 
1:00 – 2:00pm – Boredom-Proofing Your Story
If too little is happening, your readers get bored. If too much is going on, they'll be confused. The art of crafting an irresistible page-turner lies in skillfully walking that narrow line - and we're going to talk about how to do exactly that.
 
4:00 - 5:00pm – Lev Grossman Q & A
Lev Grossman is the author of five novels including the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy, which has been published in 25 countries and is now an hour-long drama on the Syfy channel. The Magicians books have been praised by, among others, George R.R. Martin, Audrey Niffenegger, William Gibson, Kelly Link, John Green and Joe Hill. Grossman spent 15 years as a staff writer at Time magazine, where he served as the book critic and lead technology writer and wrote more than 20 cover stories. He has also written essays on culture and technology for Salon, Slate, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Wired, Lingua Franca, the Week, the Village Voice and the Believer, among many others. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and three children.

Sunday, May 14th


4:00-5:00pm – Wordsmith for Hire: All About Freelance Writing
Tired of writing as a hobby? Ready to turn your keyboard into a moneymaker? You can – but it’s not as easy as hanging out a “for hire” sign. In this panel, we’ll examine the different types of freelance writing, where and how to find work, and what you need to know to make yourself attractive to potential clients.

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Collaborating with Eastext

9/21/2016

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​I'm very excited to share with you a new project I'm a part of in October, Eastext, a collaboration with artist Pablo Gimenez-Zapiola. 

I met Pablo when one of our Writespace volunteers shared his call for poets for an upcoming art project. I've always felt pulled toward ekphrastic work - that which responds or interprets artwork in some way. In fact, this is one of the more effective prompts I use in workshops and in my own writing experience. I love to visit museums and galleries and see what poetry comes from viewing artwork. Through Arts & Culture Texas and ARTHouston, I've even had the pleasure of writing about art. So Pablo's project seemed like a great fit. 

After our conversation it became clear to me that my involvement needed to be more than just ekphrasis. Pablo reached out to me with an idea - to use my current fascination with erasure poetry as a response to some of the news coming out of Houston's east end. In this way, the poetry I will be presenting is part of not just my own love of ekphrasis, but also a blending of worlds - my own with that of the artist's. For this, I am very grateful to be involved. I'm also thrilled to be reading alongside local poets Eloísa Pérez-Lozano (who I've had the pleasure of publishing in Writespace's In Medias Res anthology), John Pluecker, Vanessa Torres, and Gwendolyn Zepeda. 

I'll be reading my poetry October 13, 20, & 27, at 6:30pm. Event locations are to be found at the link below. 

For more information click here. 

Read the article in Arts&Culture Texas
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Upcoming Writespace Workshop

9/1/2016

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I'll be teaching a Writespace jumpstarter workshop on September 10th! Register here. This is a great workshop for new writers, or established writers looking for a little boost and new ideas!

Workshop Description: ​
Feeling stuck? Have you not written in a while? Does the work you have accomplished seem stagnant? Join your fellow writers in a friendly, open atmosphere in which creative freedom is celebrated. Using writing prompts, visual inspiration in the form of images and props, and fun freewriting exercises, we will unleash your creativity so that you can get back on track and feel inspired again. The exercises we will share are intended to help spark new ideas, but they are also adaptable to works-in-progress, so feel free to come without a particular project in mind or with a current project you’d like to be excited by again.
TIME: Saturday, September 10th, 2-4 p.m.  
PRICE:  Early-Bird Price Until Monday, September 5th: $15 Members, $25 Non-Members. After September 5th: $25 Members, $35 Non-Members – Become a member here.
LOCATION: Writespace - PLEASE NOTE:  There is also a Silver Street event at this time, so please allow extra time to find parking.  Please see the map at this link for alternative parking information, if needed.
LEVEL: All Levels
CAP: Limited to 15 Writers


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INSPIRATION With Poets & Writers Live

1/15/2016

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As writers, how do we get inspired?
Poet David Biespiel advises that the entry to an idea starts with an irritation – something triggering our minds as writers and making us approach, even with caution. It could be a news story about a lost child, the opening of a flower to the sun, or the way the light looks in the afternoon. The fact that we keep returning to the same irritations means that while we become more successful, more accomplished, oft-published writers, within our dark hearts the artist-as-creature still resides.  

I spent last weekend in my home town, Austin, Texas, at Poets & Writers Live. The event, hosted by Poets & Writers Magazine, carried the theme of “Inspiration.” I returned to my new city of Houston refreshed and reminded of how significant connecting with other writers is to my life as a writer. We are not solitary monsters, burrowed in our holes with our pincers clenched. We are vessels, waiting to be filled, waiting to overflow. ​
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Elizabeth McCracken, self-proclaimed "crabby" author, and keynote speaker at Poets & Writer's Live, Austin, Texas January 2016

​I was impressed by the variety of writers participating as speakers. I found several new names that I plan to follow down a rabbit hole (probably adding to my TBR pile, which is so high it threatens to smother me in my sleep, but hey, it’s not a bad way to go.) Among those names I include Elizabeth McCracken, the self-proclaimed “crabby” keynote speaker, whose words made me remember that not every writer is cut out of the same cloth. We are different, and that is magical. As McCracken proclaimed, “Cultivate your own universe.” This should be our theme for 2016 writers! As Chuck Wendig often says, “You do you.” I find this advice particularly vital for speculative writers. Many new spec lit writers I meet are daunted by the task of world-building. I say – build your own writing life alongside new worlds. 

Other treats of discovery included Ben Percy, who sounds like a mix of Darth Vader and the guy who voices movie trailers, and read an essay about creating suspense that as my friend noted, did what it suggested (it managed to be suspenseful and also fulfilling). And oh yeah, he used a picture book as an example. 

Naomi Shihab Nye, guardian of the daily poem, believes that as writers, we need to use what we have given our time. I’ll be posting more on this topic soon, as I am fascinated by the range of “techniques” and “practices” different writers employ. 

Further writers I discovered include Saeed Jones of Buzzfeed, whose personal experience of finding the self in memoir gave me hope for the genre, and David Searcy, a CNF writer that I surprised myself by loving.  

The event culminated in a reading by Texas Slam Poet, Ebony Stewart. I had the pleasure to share the stage with Stewart at Write About Now's recent ladies mic, where she hosted with grace and hilarity. The experience of seeing her read her work in front of a crowd of people who may have never heard spoken word performed live felt exhilarating. Electricity filled the room as a group of writers responded to her work with a standing ovation. It was a moment I will not forget. (Video of her reading at Write About Now below for your viewing pleasure.) 

​I was reminded that quotations are not just for Tumblr and cloud-background memes. The wellspring of quotes at this event, not just by the speakers, but also by their mentors and the writers that inspired them, dazzled me. Here are a few that stuck with me: 
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“I am really two poets: The writing poet, and the editing poet.”
​–William Carlos Williams
​“I am afraid I must insist upon desperation.”
​–Dean Young
​“Each thing gives us something else.”
–Naomi Shihab Nye
​The more I visit writer’s conferences, the more ornaments of motivation I find within them. I think it’s an amalgamation of absorption within “the craft,” giving one’s self space to address writing as a career and a “thing I do,” but also the importance of relationship with the writing community. This idea of absorption brings me back to Biespiel’s thoughts on the approach to the creative process of writing. As a life practice, I’m trying to come closer to my imagination and inspiration. The closer you come to letting yourself live writing, the more clamorous the creative process will be. Listening to prosperous writers talk about their work reminded me that the process itself doesn’t get easier, but I believe that developing a writing identity can.
​

I develop customs for writing events: I take copious notes. I save whatever folder I’m given, and I keep any notes and mementos all in the same folder so I can return to them later. I make note of people that interest me. I try to be less of a wallflower, sometimes without success, bringing home new business cards and handing out a few of my own. My latest habit is live tweeting (you can find my live tweets in the previous blog post.) If all else fails, I have a beer at lunch to clear my mind. It works best if it’s a local tap. 

Lastly, I try to approach the irritation with less caution. I tell myself that not every writer is the same. If my curiosity is peaked, I let myself plummet down the rabbit hole, with any luck dragging a few friends with me. 
​
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Poets & Writers Live austin inspiration live tweet round-up

1/10/2016

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This weekend I attended Poets & Writers Live in Austin. The theme was "Inspiration". Below are my live tweets from the event in a handy-dandy list for your viewing pleasure. I will be posting a follow-up of my impressions of the event soon. 

Lets do this. #pwlive starts with Elizabeth McCracken. pic.twitter.com/8BoUolFo3w

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

Think a/b every bad price of writing advice and disagree so loudly you write a poem or fiction about it. --Elizabeth McCracken #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

.@theferocity on memoir writing: Can I make an object of my past self? #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

On daily writing: "To get started with something tiny can be a gift to ourselves." --Naomi Shihab Nye #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

"When you're writing a novel you want to keep it to yourself until the creature is done." @EdwardCarey70 #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

Without a hyper sensitivity to the relationship that happens at the beginning of one's poems one cannot get to the end. -Alex Lemon #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

"Dig into the mistakes...everything in there will give you the keynote for what you've written." - Susan Schorn #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

"Which brings us to the second rule: You can't just look away." -David Searcy #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

"I'm a Sunday writer but I insist on every day being a Sunday." --David Searcy. #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

"Nonfiction is meaningless. It's the only genre defined by what it is not." --Matthew Gavin Frank #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

With or without God this moment continues to end and end. @CarrieLFountain #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

Ben Percy's use of a Grover picture book to explain narrative is the best thing ever. Things could not be more desperate. #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016

@EbPoetry taking the stage ya'll. #PWLive

— Holly Walrath (@HollyLynWalrath) January 9, 2016
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Upcoming Events

11/24/2015

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Here's a list of events I'm involved in or will be involved in for 2016. Come hang out with me and learn some writing stuff. 

February 9th: Attendee, Poets & Writers Live, Austin, TX. 

February 13th: Workshop Leader, Idea Generator Writing Workshop, Writespace. Houston, TX.

February 22nd – 28th: Coordinator, Writefest. Houston, TX.
 
March 30th – April 2nd: Attendee, AWP, L.A., CA.
 
June 3rd – 10th: Attendee, Lighthouse Litfest. 

June 17th-19th: Panelist, Comicpalooza (More info TBA). 
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Texas Book Fest? You Mean Amazing-McAwesome-Magical Fest Right?

10/27/2015

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Picture
I just got back from the Texas Book Fest last weekend, where I was promoting Writefest, a new literary journal fair and writer’s workshop in Houston, Texas, hosted by Writespace, the local grassroots literary center I work with. I spent the weekend on a whirlwind meet and greet with a fellow writer friend, and I think we may never recover. We hung out with other writers, met remarkable authors, and got some serious Writefest inspiration.
 
Here’s a few highlights from the trip, as if you needed more proof that Austin is a city of magical unicorns. 
​
1. We met Margaret Atwood. She was overwhelming, forcefully devoted to the craft, and it was like standing next to the literary equivalent of some kind of really sweet, tolerant norse god. Or something. 
​
​2. We met a slew of other new writers I hadn’t heard of but now am obsessed with, including Amelia Gray and Edward Carey, who both write wonderfully weird things that I now must go read. (And Edward Carey doodled in his signature. Who doesn’t love that?) By the way, Carey is reading at Brazos Bookstore Nov. 16th, so make sure you check him out. 
​
​3. We met Kelly Link, and took an uber with her, and saved her wallet. How does this even happen? Oh yeah, and her panel with Edward Carey was delightful. 
​
5. We met Daniel Handler, a.k.a. Lemony Snicket, and told him we skipped a second beer at the bar (Did I mention Shiner Cheer is back out again? It’s enchanted, and I think it may have contributed to the magic of the weekend) just to come to his panel, which I think he was slightly bemused by, however, he is hilarious. 
​
6. We met several people interested in Writefest, and got to share the good word about our mission to embolden new writers to submit submit submit! Austin – you are one rad city and I miss you always. 
​

​Now my TBR pile is a massive highland crag and I have to go read for a while to assure my husband I am not a crazy book hoarder. Oh let’s admit it, I am a crazy book hoarder. 
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    About the Author

    Holly Lyn Walrath is a freelance editor and author of poetry, flash fiction, and short fiction. Find her on Twitter @HollyLynWalrath

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