Identified, Dramatized, and Undeniable
Bearing witness
Hi Friends:
Because writer’s block isn’t an abridged form of creativity, this issue includes:
A sip…
The muse contends that Night Devine is elegant regardless of the situation.
Hi, paid Subscribers, I hope the 3-day weekend has been enjoyable!
A shout out…
Although it is believed that faith can move mountains, figurative wounds have the potential to fester without healing. Perhaps this is why writing is a form of catharsis,
and Eliezer ‘Elie’ Wiesel abridged his harrowing experiences when Night was translated into English.
Written after a decade of self-imposed silence, it initially consisted of 900 pages. Published in abridged form in Yiddish as Un di Velt Hot Geshvign, the manuscript was shortened when the French version, La Nuit, was published. Translated into English in 1960, it is the first of a trilogy of autobiographical accounts of being interned at Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
Born in Romania, he was a multilingual political activist, professor, and writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize (1986) for speaking out against racism, repression, and violence. The founder of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, co-founder of Moment Magazine, founding board member of the Human Rights Foundation, and the spearhead responsible for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, he also popularized the slogan, “No human being is illegal.”
The recipient of many awards, including more than 90 honorary degrees, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an Honorary Knighthood, election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a stamp in the US Postal Service Distinguished Americans series.
Outspoken, unafraid, and lauded for being critical of powerful administrations and institutions, he was a strong defender of human rights and a Holocaust survivor.
A chaser…
Elie Wiesel – The Perils of Indifference
A sentence…
Prompts inspired by Night:
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”
“Every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer.”
“Human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere.”
“One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.”
"And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent.”
“In the beginning there was faith - which is childish; trust - which is vain; and illusion - which is dangerous.”
“Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.”
“We were masters of nature, masters of the world. We had forgotten everything--death, fatigue, our natural needs. Stronger than cold or hunger, stronger than the shots and the desire to die, condemned and wandering, mere numbers, we were the only men on earth.”
“Years later, I witnessed a similar spectacle in Aden. Our ship’s passengers amused themselves by throwing coins to the “natives,” who dove to retrieve them. An elegant Parisian lady took great pleasure in this game. When I noticed two children desperately fighting in the water, one trying to strangle the other, I implored the lady: “Please, don’t throw any more coins!” “Why not?” said she. “I like to give charity.”
A book list…
A few more titles with a terrifying record of the collapse of order:
Holes, by Louis Sachar
Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch
Sufferance, by Charles Palliser
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
Maus: A Survivor's Tale, by Art Spiegelman
The Book of Night Women, by Marlon James
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, by Tom Franklin
Barracoon - The Story of the Last Black Cargo, by Zora Neale Hurston
A literary listicle…
Situated in the mountains of Romania, Sighetu Marmatiei is the birthplace of Elie Wiesel. Its inspiration includes:
The architectural beauty and historical significance of the Reformed Church;
The wooden gates and churches, commonly known as The Museum of Maramures;
The memorial to the pre-Holocaust Jewish community, known as the Elie Wiesel Memorial House; and
The former prison known as The Memorial to the Victims of Communism and to the Resistance.
A few useful tips…
On writing autobiographical non-fiction:
Clarify the stakes;
Tell a complete story;
Avoid the overly technical;
Seek outside perspectives;
All characters must be real-world;
Emphasize your individual viewpoint;
Research and verify contextual issues;
Remember this is not a diary or journal;
Write about a unique life-specific period;
The structure of the story must be creative;
Focus, because the story must be all-encompassing;
This is the genre where honest introspection is appreciated;
Brainstorm key life events and organize them into a thematic or chronological structure;
It is essential to consider how you, the writer, will appear to readers once your audience consumes your work; and
Remember, your work and life events aren’t necessarily interesting simply because they happened to you personally.
A few agents/publishers seeking direct submissions…
Ruth Gila Berger of Red Sofa Literary;
Grace Demyan of Harvey Klinger, Inc.;
Dylan Haston of Donald Maass Literary Agency;
Julie Romeis Sanders of SteelWorks Literary;
Geffen Semach of Westwood Creative Artists; and
Michael Taeckens of Massie & McQuilkin.
Seeking memoir submissions only:
Tina Bennet of Creative Artist Agency;
Caro Clarke of Portobello Literary Agency;
Kate Garrick of Salky Literary Agency;
Lucy Carson of The Friedrich Agency; and
William Clark of Wm Clark Agency.
A few contests…
Anthology Flash Fiction Contest
Margarita Donnelly Prize for Prose
Dzanc Prizes for Fiction, Short Story, Non-Fiction
The Ghost Story Supernatural Fiction Award
Richard-Gabriel Rummonds Poetry Contest
Women’s Flash Fiction Competition
A few creative resets…
September 2nd
September 3rd
September 4th
September 6th
September 7th
September 8th
Ongoing
A few fee-based accountability/retreat/workshop opportunities…
Single Session
September 6th
Pacing in Short Fiction (£20)
Write Before You Write: Outlining, Planning, and Plotting ($59 - $119)
September 14th
Courage and Questions: Writing Toward the Unknown ($50 - $325)
September 27th
Prose Poetry (£20)
Writing Drama (£20)
Series
September 3rd – 24th
September 4th – 25th
Fix Your Novel’s Plot: Four Sessions on Character and Structure ($300)
September 10th – October 15th
Writing About Place, Travel, Food, and Migration to Home: a 6-Week Writing Workshop ($350)
October 4th – 18th
Supernatural Fiction (£50)
October 4th – 25th
A few fellowship/grant/scholarship opportunities…
Arizona Artist Opportunity Grants
Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship
Central Coast Writers’ Conference Memorial Scholarships
Rhode Island General Operating Support Grants for Artists
Stockton Winter Poetry & Prose Gateway Scholarships
A retreat/residency opportunity…
Aminah Robinson Writer/Scholar/Researcher Residency
A few freelance opportunities…
Aftermath is accepting pitches for stories that highlight essential, under-explored facets of gaming and technology, as well as stories that hold influential figures accountable.
Houzz is seeking Freelance Writers to create compelling stories about home professionals and their projects.
IMPULSE Magazine seeks freelance writers/art critics.
Minority Africa seeks writers, journalists, and filmmakers who are interested in reporting stories about minorities within the African continent.
Off Assignment is looking for writers, poets, essayists, reporters, and gourmands.
A few submission opportunities…
Bolts seeks freelancers to report on stories related to voting rights and criminal justice across the US.
ELA Literary Magazine seeks submissions on the theme of ‘Twisted Kingdom’.
Embark Literary Journal welcomes submissions from writers of every genre.
Gordon Square Review seeks submissions of poetry, short fiction, and short nonfiction.
Guideposts seeks inspiring stories of God's intervention in people's lives.
A few sessions & workshops…
September 2nd
Fellowship of the Griots presents Griot Talk with Addie E. Citchen
September 3rd
Inner Light Journaling Workshop
September 5th
September 6th
September 7th
September 8th
September 9th
First Draft: A Virtual Creative Writing Social With Von Wise
Multi-Date Options
Culture Yard Workshop for Creative Writers
Expressive Writing for Breast Cancer Thrivers: Reflect & Recharge
Fashion & Lifestyle Blogging Training
Friday Evening Shut Up & Write! Session
Lay It Down: Black Men Writing about Sex
Next Chapters Creative Writing Group
Pencilhouse Evening Writing Sprints
Snack, Scribe, Scribble Mid-Day/Mid-Week Shut Up & Write!
A virtual critique group…
September 3rd
A couple of virtual artist/author/creative events…
September 3rd
September 6th
Straight Talk Event with Jen & Lee: Getting You to A Successful Outcome with Your Scripts & Career!
A few virtual book/script clubs and discussions…
Online Book Club: The Lives of Women Without Children
Purposeful Retirement Book Club
Virtual Read Watch Talk Book & Movie Club: Women Talking
Virtual Nature Book Club: Soil
And a final thought…
Hi there,
It is argued that Labor Day was founded by one of the Irish workers, but in truth, its origins are deeply intertwined with the struggles of Black workers and the fight for fair labor practices following slavery.
That said, hopefully your toil today will be limited to lifting a rack of ribs off a plate.
As usual, this posting is filled with embedded links, and I earn a commission on each book purchase if you are inclined to make one.
Take it easy,
