Miami, March 31, 2017 – Registration is now open for the 2017 Miami Writers Institute, a program of the acclaimed Miami Book Fair (MBF) at Miami Dade College (MDC). The conference features intensive writing workshops with bestselling authors, craft talks, publishing seminars, manuscript consultations with a literary agent, and happy hour events. The 2017 Writers Institute runs May 3 – 6, at MDC’s Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami.
In addition to workshops, the Miami Writers Institute will host First Draft: A Literary Social, a fusion of writing and happy hour at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 6, at Books & Books at the Arsht Center. Enjoy a change of scenery and wind down with a craft beer while exploring different aspects of writing with the craft talk series Crafts and Craft: Tiphanie Yanique and Brian Turner at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 3 at Gramps. If you have a draft ready, manuscript consultations with literary agent Jill Marr will be available by appointment on Saturday, May 6.
Two of instructors at the Miami Writers Institute, Brit Bennett and Thomas Pierce, will be honored at 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 3.during the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 program, hosted by the MBF, which honors young fiction writers at the beginning of their careers.
ONE-DAY SEMINAR:
The Publishing Process: An Overview with Literary Agent Jill Mar – $50
Thursday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
In this workshop, there will be a discussion of the process to publication, including how to go about getting an agent, doing the research, and writing a winning query letter for a project. The process of submitting to publishers once an agent is acquired, what happens after a contract is offered, the editorial process, and heading toward publication and beyond will also be discussed.
THREE-DAY WORKSHOPS:
Desire in Fiction with Brit Bennett – $450
Wednesday through Friday, May 3 – 5, from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
In its simplest form, a story is just that: a character desires something and faces obstacles to getting it. In this workshop, there will be an examination of the desire in published stories as well as student-submitted work and new ways discovered to create characters whose desires are convincing, specific, and compelling.
Plot Is Not a Four-Letter Word- A Story Workshop with Thomas Pierce – $450
Wednesday through Friday, May 3 – 5, from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Most stories are nothing more than a simple sequence of events, a build-up of distinct moments and it is only in their accumulation that the story assumes meaning and coalesces into something more than the sum of its parts. In this workshop, stories will be examined through the prism of plot, tension, movement, and escalation.
FOUR-DAY WORKSHOPS:
With a Voice Like That… Developing Voice and Persona in Poems with Adrian Matejka– $550
Wednesday through Saturday, May 3 – 6, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this workshop, the work of poets with clear poetic personae or “voices” such as Olds, Komunyakaa, Elizabeth Bishop, and Frank O’Hara will be studied in order to develop a more effective poetic voice for ourselves. A small sampling of persona poems will be examined and the use of persona as a way to explore the mechanics of voice will be discussed. This workshop will be relaxed and supportive and ideal for beginning poets as well as more advanced writers who are interested in experimenting with voice and persona.
Ventriloquy in Fiction with Tiphanie Yanique – $550
Wednesday through Saturday, May 3 – 6, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Writers of novels and short stories have to create entire worlds, peopled with multiple voices. In this workshop, participants will be challenged to write from voices both familiar and unfamiliar to them. Participants will learn how to create character and narrator with more authority and variety.
Memoir as Interior Renovation with Brian Turner – $550
Wednesday through Saturday, May 3 – 6, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this four-day intensive workshop on memoir, critique and feedback will be offered on a memoir that has been created, as well as ways to expand and explore the work. Participants are required to submit 30-60 pages of a memoir-in-progress prior to the course start date.
Registration:
Unless otherwise noted, all workshops are limited to 15 people. Register as soon as possible to secure your space. Payment must be received at time of registration and must have cleared at least five business days prior to the first day of class. To register and for complete details on the 2017 Writers Institute, please visit www.miamibookfair.com.
Miami Book Fair contact: Lisa Palley, 305-642-3132 lpalley@bellsouth.net