June opportunities for writers
Summer camps, book giveaways, August craft retreats and more!
Did you miss the video of me and a bunch of debut Simon & Schuster authors discussing what publishing is really like? You can watch our talk for free here, it’s filled with helpful tips, uplifting sentiments and lots of positivity. Just what the book doctor ordered!
Hello and TGIF!
Today’s is a quick post to share June opportunities for writers and something new I’m doing at Before and After the Book Deal. Over the last year, I’ve received a lot of emails and DMs asking me to promote people’s classes, workshops, retreats and other offerings. Sometimes these initiatives are of great value to my readers, and I do want to share them, but I’ve been searching for a way to put better boundaries around my time and availability while also helping people out. Here’s where I’ve landed. Going forward, if someone asks me to share a literary-related initiative of theirs that I think is a good match for all of you, I’m asking them to contribute $12 to a “petty cash fund” I’ve set up for the scholarship students attending my writing workshop, Turning Points, to help them cover unanticipated costs like airport meals and such. The funds raised won’t go to me, they’ll go to Sbarro and Dunkin’ Donuts, taxis, checked bag fees, and other costs associated with travel.
I’m super picky regarding what I share on my Substack. That’s why I’ve made the contribution a nominal fee—so I can say “no” easily. If it’s not a quality opportunity, the host doesn’t seem qualified to be teaching what they’re teaching, the deadline is too tight or I’m just not feeling it, I won’t be sharing it.
Because I’m vetting everything and am only sharing opportunities that match my energy and values along with classes, events and findings of my own, you’ll just see a footnote at the end of posts reminding readers that some of the opportunities include sponsored content—I’m not going to flag posts individually to demarcate what is what.
I hope this makes sense and that this approach is understandable. In case you’re wondering whether you can email me about something you’d like to promote, you can, starting in July. I’ll include info in a footnote: here it comes.1
Onward to the awesome writerly things taking place this month!
A Summer Camp for writers?? Yes please! Writing Co-Lab offers excellent programming all year, but this is something really special. From July 12 to August 2, some of the world’s best writers will lead you through an online program of generative classes, panels on writing and building a lifelong relationship with your creative self, accountability write-together groups each weekday, and Saturday open-mic events, designed to inspire and motivate you in midsummer. Everything happens online and is recorded so if you miss a live event, you can join later. I think pretty much everyone reading this longs to put more enthusiasm and pizazz into their writing practice—this camp will help you get there. As with all of Writing Co-Lab’s projects, this three-week camp is competitively priced. Registration information is here.
S&S Summer Fiction giveaway—14 books in total. On Wednesday, I hosted a cohort of debut authors at Simon & Schuster (you can watch the webinar for free here), and the publisher has kindly organized a giveaway of all the writer’s novels— including mine, because I was a debut novelist at S&S eleven years ago! You can enter to win all fourteen books until June 10th here.
My last in-person event before vacation is this Saturday. If you live anywhere near the southern Berkshires, join me and authors Donaldson Brown and Barbara Newman as we talk about the particular challenges of writing about horses. What is it like to have a main character whose only language is body language? What are the ethics around writing about animals, especially horses, and what is it with women and horses anyway? We’ll be getting into some interesting topics at the Sandisfield Arts Center in MA from 4-6pm on June 7th.
A new teaching collective has an August retreat that will transform your relationship to craft. One of my favorite people and authors, Rachel Khong (author of, most recently, “Real Americans”) has formed a teaching collective with three other writers called “The Dream Side.” Focusing on generative classes instead of the standard workshop model, they’ll also offer day-long classes, online courses, retreats in nature, and much more. Their first retreat takes place in August. Called “Rewilding Craft: A Generative Writing Retreat,” your four teachers will guide you through the elements of “desire,” “imagination,” “wilderness,” and “weather” instead of traditional craft topics such as character, plot, structure, and POV. Dream Side’s website has all the deets about this retreat and the other opportunities they’ve created. They also have a Substack!
One month left to submit to The Incubator writer support program. Created by Anna Vodicka and Colleen Kinder, co-founder of the literary magazine Off Assignment, The Incubator is a six-week program of intensive support and accountability for advanced writers looking to make radical headway on a book manuscript. The deadline for their September 3rd program is July 1st. Application information is here.
Got a feminist horror novel to submit? I didn’t know about Creature Publishing until my friend Will Roth told me he was working there and I visited their table at AWP. Now I'm an uber fan, making my way through all the weird and feisty feminist horror novels they publish. Will is actually going to join us next week for a Craft from the Couch episode on indie press publicity, but until then, note that Creature’s open for novel submissions until June 20th! All info here.
Paperback giveaway from a Craft from the Couch author! Author Priyanka Mattoo joined us last September for a Craft from the Couch episode on debut author tips. June 17, her beautiful memoir Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones publishes in paperback and she’s running a giveaway to celebrate the fresh edition. Click here to be entered into the drawing.
I shared my childhood diaries with Kelly McMasters! Not only did I share a bunch of my diaries, I shared my hierarchal organization of who I did and did not want invited to my 6th grade birthday party. Rather incredibly, I’m still friends with everyone on this party list, even Morgan (whom I ultimately invited.) You can read the whole post at
Substack vertical “Show me your diary.”
On that mortifying note, enjoy the weekend! I’m headed to Florida for a vacation followed by a work vacation with my gal pal
where we are going to be part mermaids and part book revisers—more on that soon.Have a great weekend,
Courtney
If you’re interested in me reviewing an opportunity of yours to possibly share on my Substack, you can email me from July 1st onwards to thequerydoula (at) gmail (dot) com (Please don’t write me before then— I’ll be on vacation.) I’ll need a visual square graphic and a very short write-up in the 3rd person to consider it. If I don’t respond to your query, it means I’m unable to promote your initiative. Literary and writerly opportunities only, please. Workshops, classes, giveaways, conferences, retreats, artisanal bookmarks, things of this nature. Please use the subject line “Sponsored opportunity” when/if you email.
I literally cannot wait!!!