By Sally Fuller
January 2023
Did you know there are writers, illustrators, and screenplay writers, meeting and hiding among us? Some have been meeting monthly since the late 1980s. In 2004 they became the San Angelo Writers Club. It’s now 2023 and what are these writers and others doing? They are banning together asking for novice and published writers, illustrators, screenplay writers, photographers, and others that work on books to come to their monthly meetings.
The February and March meetings are easy to remember Tuesday, February 7, and March, 14 at 6:30 pm in the Tom Green Library Lobby on Beauregard. Working groups are being established to read over each other’s materials, and check out illustrations, photographs, and screenplays. These meetings will be happening at the Adult Literacy Center on E. 6th St. Dates and times to be determined.
What else can they do to promote up-and-coming writers and illustrators? They are hosting the 1st Annual San Angelo Writers Festival on Saturday, March 4, 2003, at the Chicken Farm Art Center from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Festival will be right after ASU’s 26th Annual Writer’s Conference held March 2-3, 2023, in honor of Elmer Kelton. These events are free to the public.
What will the Writers Festival involve? First, there is a writer’s competition for different age groups. The 1st Annual Event has a theme of I Write When I Am…. This should allow any writer to get their juices flowing and write a great composition for the contest. There will be ten different age groups: 3-5 years (1-page picture or writing); 6-8 years and 9-12 years (1 page with a min of 250 words); 13-15 years and 16-18 years in school and adults are broken out by 19-29, 30-39 40-49, 50-59 and 60+ (2-3 pages min of 750 words).
Submissions are due no later than midnight, Friday, February 17, 2023. Please email San Angelo Writers Club at sanangelowritersclub@gmail.com or mail to San Angelo Writers Club, PO Box 76906, San Angelo, TX 76904.
1st place winners will receive prizes from Chicken Farm Art Center Artists sponsors at 10:30 am on Saturday, March 4, 2023. All participants will receive a participant gift bag.
Is that all? Of course not, these are writers and they have so much more planned within those few hours. How about published authors reading from their books and answering any questions that you might have about how they became a writer, what was the hardest part of publishing their books, and where did they get their ideas? The genres are (subject to change): Children/Young Adults; Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, and Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Still not enough? How about a Workshop called “Kickstart Your Writing” by Dr. Linda Bond? Last but not least, what would 1st Saturdays be without vendors selling their great creations? Our local authors will be on-site to sell their books from 10:00 am-5:00 pm.
Submit your writer’s entry! Come out and be rewarded for your work! Ask questions to authors, learn some writer’s skills, and buy a great book!
