Arts News
Writing Workshop with Hallock Author Jeanne Cooney September 14
Register for this writing workshop with Hallock author Jeanne Cooney. The workshop will be held on September 14.
Minnesota Playwrights’ Center Opportunities for Writers, Fellowships, Theater Artists, Artist Statements, Digital Work Samples
Here are some of the resources offered or administered by the the Minnesota Playwrights’ Center. Reach out to Julia Brown (she/her/hers), Artistic Programs Manager, with questions at Playwrights’ Center, www.pwcenter.org | 612-332-7481 x.1115, 2301 E. Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406.
McKnight Fellowship in Playwriting application deadline January 12, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CT
For Minnesota playwrights with some professional experience. Benefits include at $25,000 stipend, $2,500 in development funds, and $1,400 in travel funds.
Core Writer Program application deadline January 19, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CT
Open to playwrights throughout the country. Selected writers receive three years of development and career support.
Working Session: Artist Statements on Zoom, January 23, 2023 6-7:30 p.m. CT
A free online work session about creating effective artist statements. Presented in partnership with Springboard for the Arts and lead by Alison Bergblom Johnson.
Working Session: Digital Work Sampleson Zoom, February 13, 2023 6-7:30 p.m. CT
A free online work session for theater artists about putting together digital work samples. Presented in partnership with Springboard for the Arts and lead by Aaron Fiskradatz and Abbee Warmboe.
McKnight Theater Artist Fellowshipapplication deadline March 30, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CT
For Minnesota theater artists other than playwrights (i.e. actors, directors, designers, stage managers, etc). Selected fellows receive a $25,000 stipend and the opportunity to develop a new project.
Writers, Enter the Minnesota Mystery Flash Fiction Contest
Attention Writers! Tap into your inner Arthur Conan Doyle and submit a short historical mystery in the Minnesota Mystery Flash Fiction Contest!
Inspired by Sherlock Holmes: The Exhibition now on display at the Minnesota History Center, this contest gives you the chance to share your take on a Minnesota historical mystery and become a featured author. The selected winner will have their original story featured in an upcoming issue of Minnesota History magazine. The game is afoot! Visit their website for more info and to submit.
Submission requirements
Here are some clues to what contest judges are looking for and requirements that all submissions must follow to be considered. Check out the Official Contest Rules for full details. For more info and to submit visit their page: https://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/activities/museum/sherlock/contest.
All stories must:
Involve a Minnesota historical figure or event (see their website for ideas)
Be set in a time period before 1985
Involve a mystery in the plot
Your submission also must meet the following criteria to be considered:
No more than 1,500 words in length
Language and themes must be appropriate for all ages
No previously published works allowed (let them know if your story is accepted elsewhere during the contest period)
Be an original work of the author and not violate any intellectual property rights
Be submitted through this contest’s official form, with all requirements and rules accepted
How will your story be judged?
The judges are looking for a mystery story that is original, cleverly plotted, historically accurate, plausible, and has proper style and grammar. In short, they are looking for good, well-written, interesting mysteries that highlight Minnesota history!
Important contest dates
Oct. 21: Submission period opens
Dec. 15: Submission period ends
Jan 9: Three winners contacted
Apr. 1: Winning entries posted on MNHS.org, top winner’s story featured in Minnesota History
Looking for ideas? Check out MNopedia
MNopedia.org is the Minnesota Encyclopedia, compiled by the Minnesota Historical Society. Visit to read a few articles they have created that may inspire or inform the characters, setting, or plot of your mystery. But don’t limit yourself — dig into Minnesota history and see what else you can uncover!
Publishing Basics for Fiction Writers Workshop Nov 15
Springboard for the Arts is offering a
Publishing Basics for Genre Fiction Writers Workshop
Tuesday, November 15 from 6-7:30PM
Sign up for a workshop on Tuesday, November 15 via Zoom with award-winning writer, editor and publisher Catherine Lundoff that will outline the basics of bringing your manuscript through the whole publishing process, from writing and editing to exploring options for publication and marketing.This workshop is best suited to writers interested in or publishing romance, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, westerns, Young Adult or Children's literature.
Catherine Lundoff is the author of Silver Moon, Blood Moon, Out of This World: Queer Speculative Fiction Stories and Unfinished Business: Tales of the Dark Fantastic and editor of the fantastical pirate anthology, Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space). She is also the publisher at Queen of Swords Press, a genre fiction publisher specializing in fiction from out of this world. More info at www.queenofswordspress.com.
Registration: Free. To receive the Zoom meeting details by clicking the link below. If you have any questions, please contact Andy Sturdevant at 651-294-0907 or andy@springboardforthearts.org.
SCENE, the Building Block of Story Workshop
Writing Workshop: Scene: The Building Block of Story with instructor Candace Simar
When: Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 9 AM to 12 Noon
Where: Jack Pines Resort, 53014 State Highway 34, Osage MN 56570
(located 9 miles west of Park Rapids MN [1 mile west of Osage MN])
Cost is $60
*Masks are optional unless the COVID situation worsens
*********************************************************
Instructor: Candace Simar
Candace Simar lives in Pequot Lakes and began her writing career after attending a Jackpine Writers' Bloc workshop in 1999. Candace writes historical fiction. Her work has since received awards from the Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Western Fictioneers, The Will Rogers Medallion, the Laura Awards for Short Fiction, The Writer's Digest, The Midwest Book Awards, Brainerd Writer's Alliance, The League of MN Poets, The Lake Region Writers, and other regional awards. Learn more about her work at www.candacesimar.com.
Course: Scene, the Building Block of Story
Attempting to write a longer writing project is daunting. Did you know that most novels contain 35 to 100 scenes? If you can write one scene, you can write as many as you need to finish your book. This class investigates ways to create vivid scenes that move your story forward to the end and keep your readers reading.
This Writers' Workshop will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at Jack Pines Resort, 53014 State Highway 34, Osage, MN 56570 from 9 A.M. to 12 Noon. The Workshop cost includes lunch at noon. There will be a Book Release Party from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. There is no charge to attend the Book Release Party.
*********************************************************
YOU MUST PREREGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP. Please email Sharon Harris at sharrick1@wcta.net to sign up. Call 218-732-3782 with any questions. Be sure to include your name and mailing address, phone number, and email address. Make your $60 check out to Jackpine Writers' Bloc and mail it to: Sharon Harris, 13320 149th Ave, Menahga MN 56464. The sign-on information will be sent to you before the workshop.
The workshop will be limited to the first 35 participants and then names will be put on a waiting list.