It's football season and before you tell me writers don't care about football, spare me. I've heard. It's why all the conferences happen in the fall (Storyfest, Conroyfest, sigh). It's why writers take their books to sell at festivals (Fall for Greenville, Oktoberfest, the Walhalla Apple Festival? Sigh).
Except some writers care a LOT about football. Buzz Bissinger wrote Friday Night Lights about the church of the high school gridiron. Richard Ford followed Frank Bascombe, The Sportswriter, through to his 60s. Michael Lewis taught us all what The Blind Side was.
My own unpublished short story collection, The Season, has a story about a missed field goal so beautiful I broke down crying while reading it in my critique group. True story.
Football is all about storytelling. Stadiums and fandoms have traditions and history (exposition). Every game begins with a kickoff but really gets going on that first offensive possession (inciting incident). The players all have something they're playing for (stakes) and the outcome of the game determines the fate of the season (denouement). Sometimes it comes down to one specific play (climax) or one special player.
On Nov. 4 while 2023 Storyfest is in full swing, my Clemson Tigers will be playing Notre Dame at Death Valley. The last time we did that, it poured rain, Nikki Haley shut down the interstates, and the storm of the century hovered over Columbia like some kind of temper tantrum. The Tigers won that one on their way to a National Championship game. See? Drama!
It's football season and there are stadiums and screens showing hundreds of stories of strife and triumph. True story: I once sat through a slushfest in all my game day gear before escaping back to the bar to watch Clemson beat Maryland. Football season is storyfest!
Where will you be on Nov. 4? I hope to see you all at our celebration of Storyfest in Columbia. I'll be the one in the orange hat checking the screens for scores.
Kasie Whitener
President, SCWA Board of Directors
Events and Education
2023 STORYFEST IS A MONTH AWAY!
On Nov. 3-5, more than 120 writers will converge on downtown Columbia for SCWA's biggest writing conference in years.
The deadline to register for 2023 Storyfest is Oct. 18, so act fast to join us for three days of inspiration, learning and fellowship.
We've finalized the schedule and faculty lineup to deliver a memorable event.
Best of all, the lineup reflects the interests of our members. According to a new SCWA survey, most members write literary and commercial fiction.
Storyfest boasts Jason Mott, a National Book Award-winning keynote author. Most of our speakers have won major writing awards.
Several are New York Times bestselling authors, including genre-jumping authors such as Ashley Poston and Charlie Lovett.
Are you working on a mystery, thriller or suspense novel? Four popular mystery and thriller writers will speak at Storyfest.
Our members prize feedback. You'll get that at Storyfest through a slushfest and queryfest, an open mic night, a fast-paced book pitch (think speed dating with your peers), and meetings with editors, authors and agents.
There's still time, too, to sign up for one of our three Friday master classes on marketing, agent queries and screenwriting.
Need more convincing? Here's what you'll find at SCWA's annual conference this fall:
23 panels, talks and craft sessions.
Three pre-conference master classes.
Three keynote speakers.
Writers from 10 different genres.
Want to jumpstart your passion for writing, learn from the experts and connect with award-winning authors, editors and publishers?
SpringHill Suites Columbia Downtown/The Vista 511 Lady St, Columbia, SC 29201
The rate is $219/night. Rates are available for Friday, Nov. 3, until Sunday, Nov. 5.
Reservations must be booked by Friday, Oct. 30, to receive the conference rate.
If you love movies – most writers do – stop by The Nick at 1607 Main St. in Columbia. Started in 1979 by two University of South Carolina media arts students, it's the state's only nonprofit art house theatre – and the coolest downtown theater in South Carolina.
There's a lot to love about The Nick. Where else can you pair your Raisinets with a beer? The staff is friendly, and the seats are comfy. Trip Advisor calls the venue "fabulous" and "awesome."
Even better, the SCWA shares The Nick's values: To build a stronger, more inclusive, and more equitable community through film presentations that both entertain and provoke critical dialogue.
If you become a member, you’ll get free popcorn and discounts on tickets, wine and beer!
Take it from The Nick's managers: "Serving the best popcorn in Columbia and some of your favorite local craft beers, The Nick is the perfect place to escape the heat and catch a film!"
POET LAUREATE ALA BERECKA TO SPEAK AT USC AIKEN
Every year, the University of South Carolina Aiken hosts the Fall Oswald Writers Series. Next month, the college will honor poet Alan Berecka.
Born and raised in central New York, Berecka attended the University of Dallas and served as the first poet laureate of Corpus Christi.
His poetry has appeared in American Literary Review, Texas Review, Ardent, Slow Trains, San Antonio Express and Red River. Reviewers say his poems – often full of irony and humor--mix the sacred and the mundane in works "that will break your heart while making you laugh out loud."
The public is invited to a 7:30 p.m. reading by Berecka on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Etherredge Center at 471 University Parkway in Aiken.
As we gear up for 2024, the dedicated SCWA Board remains committed to serving your needs and ensuring that SCWA continues to be the leading organization you've come to know and love. But, our vision for the future goes beyond our current efforts, and for that vision to fully blossom, we need you!!
Are you passionate about our annual writing conference's structure? Do you have fresh ideas about our chapters/critique groups, or the unique benefits we offer our members? Or perhaps you envision a direction for SCWA that we haven't yet explored. If so, we need your voice.
Whether your forte is event planning, marketing, fundraising, financial management or organizational development, there's a place for you on our leadership team. Even if you're just starting out in these fields, your enthusiasm to learn and contribute is equally invaluable.
We invite you to consider a position on the SCWA Board of Directors. Whether you're keen on actively guiding our organization as a director or lending your expertise as an advisor, we believe your input can help shape the future of SCWA.
Interested? Reach out to Laura Corbin, SCWA administrator, at administrator@myscwa.org for a board application. We're eager to welcome new perspectives and continue our journey together.
Sharon Thomas Secretary
Membership
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: 'REVEREND' MARV WARD
Each month we recognize an SCWA member, selected at random. In October, we spotlight Blues and Americana singer, songwriter, guitarist and poet "Reverend" Marv Ward. He has performed throughout the United States and shared the stage with some of the most well-known artist in music today. The Rev has played his original and visionary blues stylings in venues all over the country and has shared stages with music legends such as Aerosmith, Joan Baez, The Vanilla Fudge, Dave Van Ronk, Paul Geremia, Maria Muldaur, Nappy Brown, John Hammond, Steve Goodman, Bob Margolin, Big Bill Morganfield, Mac Arnold, Mooky Brill and many more. He is listed in An Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz and Blues Musicians.
Ward writes poetry with the same passion with which he composes his songs. He has three collections of poetry now published: One Lone Minstrel; Healing Time; and his latest, Bar Stool Poet, to go along with his six published solo CDs. A native of Lorton, Virginia, Ward lives in Columbia, South Carolina. He previously served in the United States Naval Reserve and has worked in broadcast and educational television throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. At age 76, The Rev is still going strong performing with local ensembles "Wallstreet and The Blues Brokers," "Jelly Roll and Delicious Dish" and occasionally with the "Shrimp City Allstars" — and still writing. A holiday CD and perhaps a fourth book are in the works. For more information on Marv and his writing, visit https://marvward.com/.
CHARLESTON CHAPTER NOW OPEN AGAIN
After a temporary pause, the Charleston Chapter is now open. We sincerely appreciate Rebecca Davis and Dale Grove for accepting the role of co-leaders and for continuing this vibrant chapter.
The chapter will meet on the second Saturday and fourth Sunday of the month. Contact Davis and Grove at charlestonone@myscwa.org for times and locations; a virtual option will be offered.
Thanks to all of you who participated in the recent chapter survey. We are in the process of analyzing the valuable insights you provided and will share more information on the results later.
At least 12 of our members expressed an interest in leading or co-leading a chapter. Since we have numerous requests for additional chapters — some of them genre specific — we need your valuable assistance to fulfill at least some of these requests. For those of you who are interested in a chapter leadership role, please contact us at membership@myscwa.org (NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!). We will be happy to talk to you and give you additional information to help you decide whether this is something you'd like to do — no obligation or pressure, just info.
ARE YOU READY TO NaNoWriMo WITH SCWA?
We're less than a month away from kicking off National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) on Nov. 1. This is the first year SCWA is officially participating with its own group. There are several benefits to joining in. You'll add lots of words to your work-in-progress or a new project, which could be a novel, a novella, a collection of short stories or whatever you want to work on. The goal is to write 50,000 words in a month, but don't worry if you fall short. You'll still get lots of writing done and discipline yourself to write without slowing down to self-edit. You just write! Perhaps more importantly, it's a networking event to connect you with other writers, not just in SCWA but across the state and beyond.
If you're interested in joining the NaNoWriMo group, just email Ash Smith at nanowrimo@myscwa.org. They'll welcome you and give you the tips and support you need to get started and stay engaged. Smith also has planned several virtual write-in sessions to help you on your journey. Don't forget, the SCWA group is open to non-members also.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
For questions on any of this information or if you just to share your comments with us, email us at our NEW EMAIL ADDRESS, membership@myscwa.org. We'd love to hear from you.
Raegan Teller
VP/Membership
Publications
SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITY
Bluewater Publications in Florence, Alabama, is seeking submissions for its upcoming Gritty South anthologies, one centering on fatherhood and one on motherhood. You don't have to be a parent to submit, and you may submit to either anthology or both. Stories should represent the gritty, Southern parenthood experience – stories that aren't afraid to tell it like it is and display the less attractive, less discussed side of fatherhood and motherhood, but that also have a redeeming quality. Submissions can be any fiction or non-fiction work (prose preferred, but poetry considered) and should be within 3,000 to 6,000 words. Deadline for submissions is Oct. 31. Email submissions to grittysouthpress@gmail.com as a .doc or .docx file, along with a brief biography and links to all social media platforms. For more information go to Gritty South and Bluewater Publications.
The South Carolina Writers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary organization, receives support from the South Carolina Arts Commission and our members, furthering our mission to offer a supportive environment for people to become better writers. SCWA is grateful for this support. DONATE
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