Writing tends to be a lonely pursuit. Hours spent creating characters and imagining storylines doesn’t exactly count as social interaction. Plus, how is a writer to know if their manuscript is even working? The answer can be found in a strong writerly community. But if you are a writer that cares about liberty, free markets and the founding principles of America, you’ll find that your options for community are quite limited. Last year, I stumbled upon a little saving grace: the Calliope Authors Workshop, a program by Taliesin Nexus for authors interested in liberty-oriented themes.
After two successful years, Taliesin Nexus and Liberty Island Media are teaming up again to bring an awesome group of writers, mentors and editors together to teach workshop attendees how to write and publish their stories effectively. It’s no secret that certain liberal ideologies permeate contemporary American fiction and narrative nonfiction. This workshop intends to help out-of-the-box writers hold fast to their convictions while also transcending identity politics in their artistic storytelling endeavors.
As a writer, I find nothing more beneficial than listening to other writers critically reflect on my work. That (and more) is exactly what I found at Calliope. Between the workshop time and the excellent panel discussions with successful authors, agents and publishers, I received helpful answers to all the questions I couldn’t remedy on my own. I even find ongoing community as I keep in touch with writers I met at last year’s workshop. Calliope writers also have the opportunity to participate in monthly writers groups, publish their work in Taliesin Nexus publications and potentially receive an MFA scholarship.
The workshop is free to attend for accepted applicants and includes a travel voucher to Los Angeles for Sept. 8 to 10, with room and board included. This year, we are accepting applications for fiction, narrative nonfiction, short stories and graphic novels.
More specific details about panelists and speakers are forthcoming, but we are excited about the excellent lineup we are planning. The Calliope Authors Workshop is the only one of its kind, and we hope the all-star, liberty-loving writers out there will apply to join us. You can apply (and find more information) on our website. Apply soon! The application deadline has just been extended to June 30. Contact me at rebecca@talnexus.com with any questions.
