IN THIS ISSUE: 2014 MARYLAND WRITERS' CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Spring 2014v27 n2PEN IN HAND

Meetings and EventsAll meetings are listed on the Meetings pageon the MWA website, at marylandwriters.org.

MWA BoardPublic meetings of the MWA Board are heldquarterly. Details are posted in advance on thewebsite.

ChaptersThe Annapolis Chapter meets the thirdWednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. inRoom 205 of Maryland Hall for the CreativeArts, Constitution & Greenfield Streets,Annapolis. annapolismwa.wordpress.com

The Baltimore Chapter meets on the fourthMonday of every month (except December) at7:00 p.m. at Ukazoo Books in Dulaney Plaza, onDulaney Valley Road, Towson. mwabaltimore.org

The Carroll County Chapter meets on thesecond Saturday of every other month atvarious times and locations. Please seeindividual event listings for details.carrollcountymwa.org

The Charles County Chapter meets on thethird Wednesday of every month (exceptAugust and December) at 7:00 p.m. at theCollege of Southern Maryland’s La Platacampus, 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata.mwacharles.wordpress.com

The Howard County Chapter meets on thethird Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. atthe Owen Brown Community Center, 6800Cradlerock Way, Columbia. mwahocowriters.com

The Montgomery County Chapter meets onalternating first Saturdays and secondWednesdays of every month at various times onthe campus of Montgomery College, 51Mannakee Street, Rockville. Please seeindividual event listings for details.mwamontgomery.com

The St. Mary's County Chapter meets at theLexington Park Library, 21677 FDR Blvd.,Lexington Park. Please see individual eventlistings for details. stmaryscountymwa.wordpress.com

THE ART, BUSINESS, AND CRAFT OF WRITING

The 2014 Maryland Writers' Conference

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Conference Center at the Maritime Institute

692 Maritime Blvd., Linthicum Heights

MWA members: $170

Non-members: $200

Students: $100

Social Media for WritersPolishing Your Manuscript

Media Interview TipsContracts for Writers

Overcoming Writer's Block. . . and many more topics

Baltimore screenwriter and authorRafael Alvarez, staff writer forthe iconic HBO series The Wireand producer of the NBC crimedramas Life and The BlackDonnellys, will be one of morethan 30 distinguished literarypersonalities speaking on theart, business, and craft of writing

Past Maryland Poet LaureateMichael GlaserBaltimore Sun copyeditor andblogger John E. McIntyre

National Endowment for theArts fellow Marion Winik

CityLit Press founder GreggWilhelmMaryland Volunteer Lawyersfor the Arts president CynthiaBlake Sanders. . . and many moredistinguished speakers

One-on-one pitch practicesessions with literary agentsLauren Clark, Jessica Negrón,Shannon O'Neill, and JessicaSinsheimer

#MDWriters2014MarylandWritersConference

HABITFEED YOURWriting

HABIT

FEED YOURWriting

HABITFEED YOURWritingTHE 2014 MARYLAND WRITERS' CONFERENCE

Saturday, April 26, 2014Conference Center at the Maritime Institute692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights

HABIT

FEED YOURWritingTHE 2014

MARYLAND WRITERS' CONFERENCE

Saturday, April 26, 2014Conference Center at the Maritime Institute692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights

vol 27, no 2 • Spring 2014

Maryland Writers' Association3 Church Circle #165Annapolis, MD 21401marylandwriters.org

Editor: Paul Lagasse

Proofreaders: Jill Earl, Beth Rubin

Contributors: Steve Berberich, CaroleeNoury

MWA Officers, 2012-14

Elected Positions

President: Paul LagasseVice President and Acting Treasurer: Carolee

NourySecretary: Eileen McIntyreProgram Chair: Louise HarrisMembership Chair: Bryan EnglandCommunications Chair: Steve BerberichPublications Chair: David JoynerDevelopment Chair: John DenticoMember at Large: Ally E. Peltier

Appointed Positions

Editor, Pen in Hand: Paul LagasseCritique Group Coordinator: Barbara DiehlMWA Books: Ally E. Peltier, Gary LesterWebmaster: Glen Spangler

Chapter PresidentsAnnapolis: Kat SpitzerBaltimore: LaDonna M. SmithCarroll County: Jack DownsCharles County: Edna TroianoHoward County: Glen SpanglerMontgomery County: Alix MooreSt. Mary's County: Nancy Smay

SubmissionsPen in Hand accepts submissions fromMWA members. Feature stories and fiction:300-400 words. Poetry: up to 100 words.Authors retain all rights except firstpublication. Query for guidelines andeditorial calendar: Paul Lagasse,peninhand@marylandwriters.org.

PEN IN HANDFacing Down Trauma With Writing:an Interview with Tom Glenn

Writing can be used to do morethan entertain, inform, and educate;it can also help authors cope withtraumatic events they haveexperienced. Author Tom Glennwrites stories from a perspective ofhis post-traumatic stress injury fromthe Vietnam War and his personaltrauma from working with AIDSpatients in the early days of theHIV/AIDS epidemic.Tom will be one of over 30distinguished speakers participatingin the 2014 Maryland Writers'Conference. His session, co-presented withShirley J.Brewer, is titled"Healing ThroughWriting: Survivaland Craft." Here'sa sneak previewof some of thethemes andtopics that Tomwill be discussingin hispresentation.Many of Tom'sprize-winningshort storiescame from thebetter part of thethirteen years heshuttled between the United Statesand Vietnam on covert intelligenceassignments before beingevacuated under fire when Saigonfell. His writing is haunted by hisfive years of work with AIDSpatients, two years of helping thehomeless, and seven years ofcaring for the dying in the hospice

system. These days he is areviewer for The WashingtonIndependent Review of Bookswhere he specializes in books onwar and Vietnam. His Vietnamnovel-in-stories, FriendlyCasualties, is now available onAmazon.com. His article describingthe fall of Saigon and his role in itwas published in the BaltimorePost-Examiner this summer, andApprentice House has justpublished his novel, No-Accounts.His websites are tom-tells-tales.org,vietnam-tragedy.org, and friendly-casuatlties.org.

Steve Berberich:How does writinghelp?Tom Glenn:Writing downwhat happenedforces you to facetrauma. Soldiersand Marines Iknew whosuffered frompost-traumaticstress injury(PTSI) wanted toignore it andpretend it wasn't

there. They didn't want to talk aboutit or think about it. But until you facethe trauma and come to terms withit, it continues to haunt you.SB:What do you do about that?TG: The only way to overcomePTSI is to bring the crucialexperience to the conscious leveland think it through. Writing down

2Pen in Hand • Spring 2014

CRAFTTHE ART, BUSINESS, ANDCRAFT OF WRITING

marylandwriters.org

by Steve Berberich

Healing Through Writing: Survivaland Craft

Shirley Brewer, Tom Glenn

9:15-10:00 in the Craft of Writing Track

In this presentation, novelist Tom Glennand poet Shirley J. Brewer explore the

dark world of trauma: PTSI (PostTraumatic Stress Injury), accidentaldeath, murder, and violence. Healingtakes place when the writer faces thetrauma, and begins to order chaosthrough writing. Survival is possible.Transformation is within reach. Hope

may once again light the path.Participants will learn techniques to

address personal traumaticexperiences through their own writing.

3 Pen in Hand • Spring 2014

CRAFT

marylandwriters.org

what happened and owning your own role is one ofthe best ways to do that. Once it's on paper orscreen, it exists outside of you. You've begun thejob of bringing order and dispelling chaos. Then youcan start coping with it.SB: You refer to the condition as Post-TraumaticStress Injury (PTSI), and not Post-Traumatic StressDisorder (PTSD). Why?TG: The term "disorder,"according to Webster, is aderangement of function, anabnormal physical or mentalcondition. "Injury" is much moreprecise. It connotes thatexternal forces have actedupon the victim and inflicteddamage. PTSI is a wound inthe same way that a bayonetlaceration or bullet wound is.Two writers I quote in thepresentation, Karl Marlantesand Grady Smith, both refer toPTSI damage to the soul.SB: Do you recommendspecific writing techniques toheal that wound?TG: Shirley and I offer theseguidelines: Be specific; don't write immediately afterthe traumatic event; be honest; avoid excessivesentiment; make use of the unexpected and surprise(meaning describe what the normal situation wasbefore the wound was inflicted); listen to your owninner voice; and don't be afraid, write it.SB: Your own inner voice?TG: Very important and very hard to do. Sometimesthe inner voice is buried deep in the unconscious.The psyche tries to suppress horrific experiences toprevent suffering. But our inner voice often speaksthe truth when the conscious mind is trying to deny.Sometimes you have to put yourself into a sort ofhypnotic state and let the suppressed memories flowout.SB: How can this approach help someone to be abetter writer?TG: I believe that the best fiction comes from theunconscious. In my case, I get an idea in my mind,

much of the time from my Vietnam experiencewhere really god-awful things happened. That imagewon't go away until I confront it.At the conscious level I piece together an answer tothe question, "How could this have happened?" Thatbecomes the germ that finally turns into a story. Myvery best work flows out of me in an almostsemiconscious state in which my mind sees the

images of what happened and Iwrite it all down as if translatinga movie to the page.SB: For five years in the '80s,you volunteered to care for mendying of AIDS. How does thatrelate to writing about traumaticexperience?TG: That effect on my psychewas very similar to PTSI. I dideverything I could to help them,and, in the end, I couldn't stoptheir deaths. And that really hitme. I was having nightmaresand flashbacks. I said to myselfI've got to work this out. Soagain, I began to write about it.The result was my novel, No-Accounts.

SB: In that book, you created fictional characters totell the story. How does a fictional character in thesesituations help you deal with trauma and perhapshelp you be a better writer?TG: First of all, this was a story I had to tell. Mymemories wouldn't leave me alone. So I put myselfin a dream-like state and watched as the charactersappeared and spoke to me. They became more realto me than the people I see in my daily life. I askedthem questions, watched them, listened to them.They told me their story and commanded me towrite it down.Once the book was done, I experienced apeacefulness I hadn't known before. Did it make mea better writer? I don't know. The best I can say isthat I must write about things that are important tome. The other way to express that is to say that Iwrite what my psyche tells me to write. If I violatethat dictum, the result is trivial.

Tom Glenn

Tom Glenn (cont'd.)

Pen in Hand • Spring 2014 4 marylandwriters.org

Session Descriptions

TheArt of Writing(A302)

9:15-10:00Ethics of MemoirMarion WinikMost people think the biggest dilemma in memoir is nailing downthe facts, a la James Frey in A Million Little Pieces. This informativeand hilarious talk delves into a much more serious issue, withexamples from the speaker’s long career in the genre.

10:15-11:00Personal Perspective: Fiction and NonfictionPatricia Daly-LipeAny attempt to identify the essence of creativity raises questionsabout the nature of human thought and its relationship to language.This presentation is meant not to provide answers and conclusions,but to raise awareness that the issue exists. “What we observe isnot nature itself, but nature exposed to our method ofquestioning.” (Werner Heisenberg). Since all writing, no matter whatgenre, is personal, I hope to inspire my audience to take thejourney, to explore the process, to learn to listen to their heart, andto let the words take over.

1:15-2:00A Place For The Genuine: The Poet In The PoemMichael GlaserA highly eclectic audience-engaged talk/workshop that focuses onthe empowering aspects of claiming your own voice and using it towrite your own amazing poems.

2:15-3:00Putting It All TogetherDean SmithDean Smith will explore how poetry influenced his book about theRavens’ Super Bowl season and how it has shaped his career as awriter of fiction and nonfiction. Poems can serve as the launchingpad for longer works of fiction and nonfiction. Memoir can also leadto new poems.

3:15-4:00It’s Showtime! Giving a Successful ReadingBarbara MorrisonGiving a reading is perhaps the most stressful and most rewardingpart of being a writer. The connection with the audience and therush from their reaction to your work buoys the spirit of the mostjaded writer. Yet many, if not most, writers lack the performanceskills to present a compelling reading. We will look at howto choose and order the selections for a reading, go over basic oralinterpretation techniques, and practice by reading pieces provided.Participants are also encouraged to bring their own work to practicereading.

4:15-5:00Getting Unstuck: Why Writer’s Block is Your Best Friend, andHow to Start Writing AgainAlix MooreWriter’s block is one of the most misunderstood parts of thecreative process. Creative blocks are necessary and valuablemoments of pause that ask us to slow down, open to our intuition,and, sometimes, to rethink our path. In this experiential workshop,participants will learn to recognize the signs and types of writer’sblock and use practical exercises to release self-judgment, activateintuition, and get back to inspired writing.

TheBusiness of Writing(A303)

9:15-10:00Prepare Your Book for PublicationChristine StewartIn this session, participants will learn how to prepare to query agentsby creating their book's pitch, synopsis, chapter outline, and thequery letter itself. In preparing these documents, writers gain newinsight about the strengths and weaknesses, themes, and goals, oftheir book and where correction might be needed prior to submission.

10:15-11:00A Light-Hearted Look at Social Media for WritersJohn E. McIntyreJohn E. McIntyre leads a double life. By night a mild-mannerededitor for a great metropolitan newspaper, he conducts a separateexistence on Facebook and Twitter. On social media he promoteshis employer, The Baltimore Sun; the craft of editing; his book, TheOld Editor Says; and, you should excuse the expression, his"brand." In "A Light-Hearted Look at Social Media for Writers," hewill look at the pluses and minuses of this double life, hoping thatthose in attendance will share their experiences and expectations.

1:15-2:00Breaking Into the Maryland Magazine MarketRon CassieIn the wake of the recession, the magazine scene in Maryland hascontracted somewhat, but there are still plenty of periodicals outthere looking for writers to cover the arts, business, and culture ofMaryland. Find out how to get an editor's attention while avoidingthe mistakes beginners often make when pitching to magazines.

2:15-3:00Contracts for WritersCynthia Blake Sanders, Ruth Thaler-CarterContracts can be scary things, but are often vital to protecting thewriter's interests in an assignment. Sometimes we are faced withdraconian language that is enough to make us want to turn downthe project. Sometimes the client doesn't have a contract and weworry about being ripped off, or losing the project by suggesting ourown contract language. An experienced freelance writer and anattorney will walk participants through the basics of what to includein a contract for a writing assignment—whether article, report orbook—and what you may be able to delete or revise.

3:15-4:00The Publishing MatrixGregg WilhelmFind out how to navigate successfully through the bewildering mazeof publishing options—ranging from DIY and indie presses to e-books and everything in between—to find the best fit for your book.

4:15-5:00Technologies for Knowledge WorkersGabe GoldbergTechnology advances faster than the eye or mind can follow, butwhat tools and practices do 21st century professionals (from technovices to experts) really require to survive and prosper in theircareers? This presentation provides important but easy-to-forgettips and resources for online, mobile, and computing productivityand safety, aiming at essentially everyone: employees, freelanceworkers, work-at-homers, and retirees. It covers procedures,opportunities, and suggestions from session participants.

5 Pen in Hand • Spring 2014marylandwriters.org

Session Descriptions

TheCraft of Writing(A306)

9:15-10:00Healing Through Writing: Survival and CraftShirley Brewer, Tom GlennIn this presentation, novelist Tom Glenn and poet Shirley J. Brewerexplore the dark world of trauma: PTSI (Post Traumatic StressInjury), accidental death, murder, and violence. Healing takes placewhen the writer faces the trauma, and begins to order chaosthrough writing. Survival is possible. Transformation is within reach.Hope may once again light the path. Participants will learntechniques to address personal traumatic experiences through theirown writing.

10:15-11:00Novel 101: Tips on Writing Your MasterpieceJen MichalskiSo you started a novel—what now? Novelist Jen Michalski (TheTide King) provides tips on plot, characterization, organization, andpacing—and the pages in-between.

1:15-2:00How to Be Interviewed for Radio and TelevisionLarry MatthewsYou’ve written the book, found a publisher, and you’re ready topromote it. You’ve been invited to talk about your book on theradio. Or better yet, a television program! Now what? There’s moreto a radio or TV interview than talking about the finer points of yourmasterpiece. Here's a chance to build your brand, and to promoteyourself as an author. What can you expect from this kind ofexposure, and will it sell books? Larry Matthews is an author and aveteran of thirty-five years in radio and television. In this session hewill walk you through the process of talking to millions of people youcan’t even see.

2:15-3:00Crafting the Family PoemVirginia Crawford and Sam SchmidtDiscover how to write a successful poem about family throughreading and analyzing some of our favorites by Galway Kinnell,Sharon Olds, Linda Pastan, Lucille Clifton, Li Young Lee, andothers.

3:15-4:00Maryland’s Writing ProgramsKendra Kopelke, David Everett, Geoff Becker (invited), GerryLaFemina, and Stewart Moss, moderated by Paul LagasseThis panel session will explore the wide range of educationalopportunities that are available for writers of all kinds throughoutMaryland. The directors of several of the state’s most prestigiousliterary programs will discuss their programs and answer yourquestions about finding a program that’s right for you.

4:15-5:00Revisions: Polishing Your Work for PublicationAlly MachateEach year, more than a million new titles are published by traditionaland self-publishers. Every writer knows, or soon learns‚ that it takesmultiple revisions to create a piece ready to compete for theattention of book buyers. This talk will introduce you to the mostcommon problems that plague written works and offer simple waysto identify and resolve them in your own novel, short story, ormemoir. You’ll receive tips on improving your work to keep readers'attention, polishing your manuscript at the technical level, andgetting objective feedback before you submit or go to press.

Special Sessions(A300)

9:15-10:00Agent PanelLauren Clark, Jessica Negrón, Shannon O'Neill, and JessicaSinsheimer, moderated by Carolee Noury

10:15-11:00Editor PanelLalita Noronha, Laura Shovan, and Kim Roberts, moderated byCarolee Noury

1:15-2:00Keynote Speaker Book Signing

2:15-3:00Master ClassRafael AlvarezTheme: "I Don't Know How the Story Ends, and That's the GoodNews"

Pen in Hand • Spring 2014 6 marylandwriters.org

Seven Questions for Agent Jessica Sinsheimerby Carolee Noury

Writers know it's a good idea to get to knowan agent before pitching to and/or queryingher. In that spirit, here's an opportunity tomeet Jessica Sinsheimer of the SarahJane Freymann Literary Agency. She will beone of four agents participating in thepractice pitch sessions at the 2014Maryland Writers'Conference.Jessica Sinsheimer, a favoriteof Maryland Writers'Conference attendees, is agreat agent to select for yourfirst-ever pitch. Her warmthand positivity shine throughthe feedbacks she gives.Carolee Noury: You're anagent for Pitch Wars, awonderful (free) contest foraspiring writers. What's thebest thing about doing PW?Jessica Sinsheimer: Thebest part is that I come incontact with writers I'd nevermeet otherwise. A lot of thetime, I get responses like,"Oh, I would have queriedyou, but I thought you didn't do mygenre." (I'm officially open to all genres, andthere's a lot of misinformation out there.)It's hard to know what an agent will likewithout asking. This way, I get to choose formyself rather than have writers choose whatI get.I love being able to say yes. It's a nicechange from the query pile.

Also, I tend to give priority to reading worksfrom contests. I know that other agents arelooking, too, so I'd better get to it quickly.CN:When people find out what you do for aliving, what's the first thing they usually ask?JS: Depends who you ask. I get a lot ofquestions about Amazon/the Kindle (and,

for the record, whatever theformat, humans have beentelling stories since thebeginning of language; I don'tthink Amazon will turn us intocreatures who simply gruntand throw rocks at eachother). Most commonly,though, the response is, "Oh,I know someone who's writinga book ..."CN:What are somequestions people should askyou (or any agent) after youoffer representation?

JS:Well, I usually go overthis when I make the call. Butit's always important to knowthe agent's editorial vision for

your work, what the agent likes about yourbook, what similar books the agent hasrepresented, and his/her submission planand timeline.CN: Pitching is a scary thing for mostwriters. What is the most intimidating part ofyour work?JS: I admit I don't love cold calling. I'm soglad we live in an age of email.

Jessica Sinsheimer

BUSINESS

7 Pen in Hand • Spring 2014marylandwriters.org

BUSINESS

CN:What's an average workday like?JS: First thing when I get into the office, Imade a big mug of tea or coffee (I'm largelycaffeine powered). Then I'll check mycorrespondence email (to make sure myclients are okay). This usually takes aboutan hour. Then I'll look at queries andsubmissions. I'll probably have lunch with aneditor, get back to check in on clients again,read and edit something, go to an event,and read and/or edit on the subway andwhen I get home.CN: How do you deal with your toughestdays (and most difficult query rejections)?JS: I did start something for people inpublishing called the Emergency DrinksGroup. It's a big Google group so that

friends of friends in the industry are there tolisten if you're having a rough day. Oftenpeople in other lines of work don'tunderstand, but we do. And everyone in thegroup is nice.CN:What are the personal qualities of adream author when it comes to working withyou?JS: I love writers who are smart,hardworking, talented, and able to take myeditorial suggestions and run with them. It'simportant to me that I have a goodrelationship with my clients. Sometimes youjust click with someone, and that feelingmakes for a great relationship where,hopefully, we'll be calling each other up foryears to come.

Agent Jessica Sinsheimer (cont'd.)

HABITFEED YOURWritingTHE 2014 MARYLAND WRITERS' CONFERENCE

Saturday, April 26, 2014Conference Center at the Maritime Institute692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights

THE BACK PAGEThe Ten-Step Guide to

Acing the Conferenceby Carolee Noury

Wisely, you’ve registered for the Maryland Writers’ Conference. Now what? Here are some tips for getting the most fromyour investment.

Before the Conference:

1. Get a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast. This is a chance to network with writers and industry professionals;you want to be at your best.

2. Choose business casual clothes. It’s the weekend, but resist the urge to opt for jeans. Wear comfortable shoes.

3. Know your elevator pitch and practice it until you’re reciting it in your sleep.

4. Read the program and select your sessions in advance. Tip: When stuck between sessions, make your choicebased on the lecturer with more to offer—it’s a great way to expand your network.

Bring to the Conference:

5. A sturdy bag, two pens, and a notebook

6. Business cards

7. Your synopsis/proposal and your first chapter, if polished and ready

8. Networking questions (see below)

During the Conference

9. Stay hydrated.

10. Talk to people, resist any urge to hide behind a book or your smartphone.

Not sure what to say to someone you just met? Here are some handy conversation starters:

What are you writing now?

What genres do you write?

What’s been your favorite part of the conference so far?

What’s the next session you’re going to?

Is this your first conference?

Why did you pick this conference?

What do you enjoy reading?

What inspired you to become a writer?

Do you have a writing ritual? (Word count, place, longhand, etc.)

Do you outline? (Ask this question with caution.)

Who edits your work?

# # #Carolee Noury is Vice President of the MWA. Find out more about her at www.caroleenoury.com.