May 14-May 15, 2021
A Virtual Event Free to New Hampshire
Residents*
The North Country Young Writers’ Festival is designed to give 7th-12th students
from New Hampshire a memorable & fun experience with creative writing!
(Select readings & panels are open to all ages with a special event for
teachers.)
Sign up for as many or as few events as you want!
Exciting Events Include:
Ø
7 workshops (poetry,
screenplays, short stories, flash nonfiction). Limited to students: filling up fast!
Ø
Teachers’ workshop taught
by the celebrated Penny Kittle! Limited
to teachers.
Ø
Book group & backstage
access to a New York Times bestselling
novelist! Open to all ages!
Ø
Presentation by New
Hampshire’s Poetry Out Loud champs! Open
to all ages!
Ø
Reading by New Hampshire
Youth Poet Laureates & Ambassadors! Open
to all ages!
Ø
Teen Submit-a-thon! Limited to students.
Ø
Pandemic Poetry Workshop
with opportunity for New Hampshire students to publish in a book! Limited to students and teachers.
Ø
Chance to meet a Hollywood
screenwriter who lives in Berlin, NH! Open
to all ages!
Ø
Loading Dock Show on
festival Friday! Open to all ages!
Ø
For North Country students,
chance to join the editorial board of a new student literary magazine! Limited to students.
Ø Reading by writers published in The Poets' Touchstone! Open to all ages!
Ø
Open Mic! Limited to students.
Registration closes on Wednesday, May 12. Save yourself a
(virtual) seat!
For more information on these events and to register: https://www.wmcc.edu/north-country-young-writers-festival/
Want to become involved with the festival? Have questions? Email NCYWFestival@gmail.com.
*
North Country residents of Oxford County, Maine, and Essex County, Vermont, are
also invited!
*Logo designed by Jocelyn Paradis – Gorham High School.
#1: Pandemic Poetry Workshop:
[Open to NH students only.]
This workshop will help you process your pandemic experiences over the past year for possible publication in a new book, the sequel to last year’s COVID Spring: Granite State Pandemic Poems. Workshop leaders Mae Fraser and Lily Greenberg will walk you through prompts to jumpstart your COVID poems! Meet the publisher, Kirsty Walker, and the book editor, Alexandria Peary, who will offer tips on how to get published in the book. This workshop will be held online, from 4:30-5:30 PM on Friday, May 14. Save yourself a spot: North Country Young Writers Festival
#2 The
Brigid Kemmerer Book Group:
[Open to general public.]
Are you a fan of Young Adult fiction or of Brigid Kemmerer? What better way to get ready for Brigid Kemmerer’s reading at the festival on May 15 than to spend time with fellow YA enthusiasts! This book group meets online from 6-7 PM EST on Friday, May 7. Join your host, Jennifer Puzzo, to discuss A Curse So Dark and Lonely, the first volume in Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker Series, the novel Jodi Picoult says “has everything you’d want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale” and Publishers Weekly calls “Enthralling.” Book group participants will gain special (online) back stage access to this New York Times bestselling author! Save yourself a spot: North Country Young Writers Festival
The North Country Young Writers’ Festival is looking for five inspiring student leaders to serve as workshop facilitators for its May 13, 2021 festival, held at White Mountains Community College in Berlin, New Hampshire. The festival serves 7th-12th grade students from New Hampshire’s northern region.
Facilitators will be responsible for developing and leading the workshops in creative writing offered at the festival under the tutelage of the New Hampshire State Poet Laureate/festival director. The goal is to inspire 7-12th graders and give them a great experience with self-expression. The number of participants in workshop sessions will be kept small to follow state guidelines for social distancing. Facilitators gain invaluable classroom and leadership experience for job and graduate school applications. In addition to leading a writing workshop, facilitators assist the festival director during the event, helping with sign-in, informational booths, lunchtime games and raffles, and the Open Mike.
Stipend:
·
$1,250 for attending online
training sessions and presenting at festival
· Hotel lodging, meals, and transportation costs covered for facilitators from outside the North Country. (Meals will be covered for North Country residing facilitators.)
[Facilitators will need to provide their own transportation to the festival; gas and mileage will be covered for them.]
Skills and Qualifications:
1. Applicants must be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at Salem State University, the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, or White Mountains Community College, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. We seek applicants who are majoring in English or creative writing (Salem State University, the University of New Hampshire, or Plymouth State University) or in the Liberal Arts program (White Mountains Community College). Students from other majors from these four colleges/universities who are significantly involved in creative writing may also apply.
2. Preference given to applicants with demonstrated leadership or teaching experience. (“Teaching experience” is broadly defined: tutoring in a writing center, coaching sports, serving on the editorial board of a school’s literary magazine, or volunteering qualify.)
3. Flexibility: facilitators need to be able to move their workshop online (with support) in case the pandemic prevents an in-person event.
Job Duties:
·
Participate in 2-3 online
training sessions during December 2020-February 2021
·
Develop, refine, and practice
a 60-minute creative writing workshop for online or in-person delivery
·
Be on-site in Berlin, NH, on
May 12 and May 13, 2021
·
Present workshop session at
festival
· Provide event support during festival
Application:
1. Provide the name, job title, phone number, and email of 2-3 individuals who are familiar with your work ethic and other strengths.
2. List the genres of creative writing you most identify with: poetry, short stories, longer fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, screenwriting, playwriting, etc.
3. List the courses you have taken in creative writing.
4. Mention your publications (not required).
5. Discuss prior job and/or mentoring experiences that demonstrate your reliability and abilities as a peer leader.
6. A substantial paragraph in which you describe what it takes to lead a dynamic writing class, using details from actual classes you’ve taken or ones that you wish you had a chance to take. What do you see as the best way to teach creative writing? What are the best practices to keep students’ attention and build students’ enthusiasm, self-confidence, and creativity?
Process:
Applications will be reviewed by a board of faculty from Salem State University, White Mountains Community College, University of New Hampshire, and Plymouth State University. For full consideration, applications should be sent as a Word document to apeary@salemstate.edu by December 5, 2020.
·
Notification of Round 2 by
December 15, 2020
·
Interviews will be conducted
online between December 15-December 30, 2020.
·
Applicants notified of final
results by email by January 5, 2021.
Logo Design Contest: Students from New Hampshire's North Country middle and high schools are invited to enter a logo design competition for the 2021 North Country Young Writers' Festival, happening on May 13, 2021 at White Mountains Community College, Berlin campus. Design submissions will be judged by a panel of North Country students, the New Hampshire Poet Laureate, and possibly one outside judge. Submissions should be sent as a PDF or JPEG to apeary@salemstate.edu by Tuesday, December 15, 2020. When students submit, they should provide their full name, their school's name, and the name of their English or Language Arts teacher. Logos will be evaluated on the basis of their creativity and how they suit the themes. Those themes are as follows: creative writing, young people, Coos County/North Country, writers, community, and the White Mountains Community College. The artist of the winning logo will receive a $75 prize.
I'm looking forward to visiting (in person or virtually) schools in the North Country this month to offer a workshop on poetry writing and publishing for youth writers!
I'll also be sharing the exciting news about the April 2021 North Country Young Writers' Festival, to be held at White Mountains Community College. The festival offers matchless leadership opportunities for middle and high school students from the region, including serving on the editorial board of an online literary magazine.
If you're a middle school or high school teacher in the North Country interested in a workshop or additional information about the North Country Young Writers' Festival, please email me at Balconyofwords@gmail.com or apeary@salemstate.edu
Poetry Workshop. Gorham High School. Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (online). White Mountains Regional High School. Wednesday, October 28, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (online). Lisbon Regional High School. Thursday, October 29, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (online). Profile School. Friday, November 6, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (online). Groveton Middle School. 7th Grade Class. Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (online). Groveton Middle School. 8th Grade Class. Wednesday, November 23, 2020.
Poetry Workshop II (online). Profile School. Friday, November 20, 2020.
Poetry Workshop (in-person). Kennett High School. Friday, December 18, 2020.
