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SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: Surviving the Slush Pile
DESCRIPTION:Agents read hundreds of submissions each week\, and small mistakes often bury a promising manuscript. \nIn this Lunch and Learn\, join us as we hear from Michelle Barker and David G. Brown\, senior editors of The Darling Axe\, who will discuss what makes for a strong query letter to literary agents. Participants will examine an intentionally flawed (and fake) query letter and synopsis for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter\, as well as the (real) opening of the book\, and diagnose the problems that weaken them. We will then look at improved versions of the query and synopsis and discuss some important components of an opening. A Q&A will follow the presentation. \nLearn more about The Darling Axe. \nRegister to get the Zoom link\nAbout the Presenters\nMichelle Barker is an award-winning author and poet. She is the co-author of Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling\, Story Skeleton: The Classics\, and Fake Query Letters by Dead Authors. Her fiction\, non-fiction\, and poetry have appeared in literary reviews worldwide. She has published three YA novels (one fantasy and two historical fiction)\, a historical picture book\, and a chapbook of poetry. Her latest project is a poetry collection called Chef (Caitlin Press\, 2027). Michelle holds a BA in English literature (UBC) and an MFA in creative writing (UBC). Many of the writers she’s worked with have gone on to win publishing contracts and honours for their work. Michelle lives and writes in Vancouver\, Canada. \n\n \n\nDavid Griffin Brown is an award-winning short fiction writer and co-author of Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytelling\, Story Skeleton: The Classics\, and Fake Query Letters by Dead Authors. He holds a BA in anthropology from UVic and an MFA in creative writing from UBC\, and his work has appeared in literary magazines such as the Malahat Review\, White Wall Review\, and Grain. He has published three novels: When the Sky Breaks\, We’ve Come for Your Eggs\, and No Country for Old Dragons. David founded Darling Axe Editing in 2018\, and\, as part of his Book Broker interview series\, he has compiled querying advice from over 100 literary agents. As an editor\, he pays special attention to structure\, relationship arcs\, and voice. David lives in Victoria\, Canada\, on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Kosapsum Nations. \n\n \n\nNote: The session will not be recorded.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/lunch-and-learn-surviving-the-slush-pile/
LOCATION:Online via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Lunch & Learn
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261002T123000
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SUMMARY:Shut Up & Write! with QWF (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:Free\, open to QWF members \nRegister for the session by filling out the RSVP form below. \n\n\n\nLooking for some dedicated\, quiet writing space? \n\n\n\nJoin us for an in-person Shut Up & Write session at the QWF office! \n\n\n\nDo all that writing you’ve been meaning to do\, and meet a few of your fellow QWF members. Using the Pomodoro technique\, participants write in 25-minute bursts\, with 5-minute breaks in between. \n\n\n\nThis event is for QWF members only. Not a member? Learn about becoming a member.  \n\n\n\nPlease note that these sessions are designed for silent writing\, rather than discussing or getting feedback on work. \n\n\n\n12:30–12:55: Writing 112:55–1:00: Break1:00–1:25: Writing 21:25–1:30: Break1:30–1:55: Writing 31:55–2:00: Break2:00–2:25: Writing 42:25–2:30: Break2:30–2:55: Writing 5 \n\n\n\nTo register\, RSVP below. \n\n\n\n\n\nGetting to the QWF Office\n\n\n\nOur office is located on the top floor of the Atwater Library and Computer Centre\, in Room 3. \n\n\n\nAddress: 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3Westmount\, QC H3Z 1X4 \n\n\n\nClosest Metro: Atwater Station \n\n\n\nClosest Bus lines: 24\, 63\, 90\, 104\, 138\, 144\, 150 \n\n\n\nAccessibility:\n\n\n\nThe QWF Office is fully accessible by wheelchair from the side entrance on Tupper Street. Once inside\, there is an elevator to the second floor\, where the QWF office is. \n\n\n\nLearn more about the office location and accessibility. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you registered for the session but can no longer attend\, please email john@qwf.org.
URL:https://qwf.org/event/shut-up-write-with-qwf-in-person-69/
LOCATION:QWF Office\, 1200 Atwater Avenue\, Room 3\, Westmount\, QC\, H3Z 1X4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Shut Up & Write!
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