Dallas Woodburn's Blog, page 38

Lorrie Moore's New Book

On Thursday I got to meet one of my very favorite authors, Lorrie Moore. I only discovered her work last spring, when we were assigned to read her first story collection, Self Help, in my Creative Writing class. For me, it was love at first sentence. I read the entirety of Self Help in one sitting, and promptly went to Amazon and ordered all the other titles by Lorrie Moore I could find.

When you find an author who really "knocks you out" -- as Holden Caulfield says in another one of my favor...

Have You Tried Flash Fiction?

Flash fiction -- sometimes also called "sudden fiction" or "short-short fiction" -- is a fun new genre to try your hand at. Some flash fiction is more like a prose poem, under 300 words, while other flash fiction stories are closer to 1,000 words or so. Most flash fiction focuses on a moment in time rather than a series of episodes -- like a snapshot rather than a short film. With such a brief space to work in, you really have to make every word and sentence count!

A neat thing about flash fic...

Guest Post by Adrienne Carlson

My Secrets to Good Writing

Some of us are born rich; some strive hard to achieve affluence; others stumble on wealth through sheer luck; and yet others struggle all their lives looking for prosperity and financial comfort without really being able to go past the boundaries of this elite status. The art of writing is similar – you are either born with the ability to weave magic with words or you aspire to learn the craft. The latter is not as easy as it sounds.

Just so I'm not mistaken, I'm not...

Wanna Make a Career as a Writer? Or Not? Read on!

I don't want to make a career as a writer. How can writing help me?
I always tell students I work with that writing is something that will benefit you no matter what your dream career is. Writing, at is essence, is communicating. Job interviewers, no matter what career, are looking for someone with good communication skills. It makes you a better person! For example, my mother works in an engineering firm, and they are always looking for engineers who can also write well. Writing also encompasses

The 12th Annual Method Fest is Looking for Submissions

This is one of my favorite independent film festivals -- a true treasure for creative artists and movie-lovers. The 12th annual Method Fest is scheduled for March 25 - April 1, 2010 in Calabasas, California. They are looking for character and story-driven films featuring strong acting performances. The Method Fest features American and foreign feature films and short films and is named after "The Method" school of acting, which revolutionized the approach in acting, particularly in film.

The Meth

"Smart Girls Know" About This Great Site!

I have been writing friends with Debbie Reber for about four years now. She was the amazing editor of "The Real Deal" Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which I wrote a couple stories for. Debbie has also written two other fantastic books for girls, CHILL and IN THEIR SHOES. Her website Smart Girls Know is packed with insights and advice about friendships, school, health, emotions, love, and everything in between. She is an incredible person and a great advocate and mentor for teens and tweens. D

Contest for Young Writers and Artists!

Here is a great announcement about a writing and art contest for young writers from one of my favorite children's authors, Debbie Glade!

I Love Costa Rica's Rain Forest!
Free Young Travel Writers and Artists Contest
No Purchase Necessary and No Entry Fee!Contest Deadline Extended to November 30, 2009!New Prizes Just Added!$100 Will Be Awarded by Smart Poodle Publishingto the First Place Winners in Each CategoryAll Other Prizes donated by Rand McNally's online store at www.RandMcNally.comYou can

Boost Your Creativity! New Online Column

I am thrilled to be a new columnist for Women's Online Magazine Los Angeles! I will be writing bi-weekly articles about boosting creativity in your daily life. Whether you are a writer, artist, businessperson, teacher, doctor, mother, husband, pet-owner, restauranteer -- whatever your career and life roles may be, you can find release and reduce stress through expressing yourself creatively! My column will feature short activities you can squeeze into even the busiest of weeks to nurture your in

My Trip to Dallas, Texas

I just got home from a wonderful week-long trip to Texas. One of my best friends is from Houston, and she wrote a play that was produced as part of a "Fringe Theater Festival" last Friday, so I used that as an excuse to go visit. (It was a great show -- I'm so proud of her!)

While in Texas, I also visited the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, one of the premier graduate writing programs in the United States. They could not have been more welcoming or helpful. Actually, I was blown away by

Today's Teen Writer: A Fabulous Resource

Today's Teen Writer is a wonderful online magazine for young writers, chock-full of information about writing queries, finding inspiration, editing drafts, dealing with rejection, and getting published.

Here is their goal, in their own words from their website:

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Our goal is to provide you with the tools to put foundations under your dreams. Whether