A-Town Poetics

A MESSAGE FROM TIM OCHOA:

Poetry friends, I am working with fellow suburban teachers to create a Teaching Artist Contact List. This will allow schools to be able to have names, contact info and artist bios about teaching artists in Illinois.
The purpose is two fold:
1. Schools will have a diverse list of teaching artists to bring into their classrooms.
2. Teaching artists can make new connections with more students/teachers, while getting paid to share their craft.
If you are a writer and would like to run writing workshops in conjunction with schools, please private message me your name, phone number, email and writing site (if you have one), and I will add you to our initial list. All artists will have a chance to preview and approve the list before it goes live to schools.
If you are running weekly or monthly open mics or workshops, please let me know that as well.
Thanks in advance.

If you're interested, send a message to Tim Ochoa on Facebook.

You only have a few more days to submit to be a featured writer at our inaugural event! Send us your best at [email protected].

https://www.illinoispoets.org/

Illinois State Poetry Society Home page for the Illinois State Poetry Society, founded in 1991 to encourage the crafting and enjoyment of poetry in the State of Illinois

Saturday, April 1st begins National Poetry Month.
Join A-Town Poetics for three readings in honor of this important celebration:
April 7th, 6:00 p.m. at the Santori Library, 101 S. River Street
April 25th, 6:30 p.m. at the West Branch Library, 233 S. Constitution
May 5th, 6:00 p.m. at the David L. Pierce Art and HIstory Center, 20 E. Downer Place (in conjunction with the Aurora Art League art exhibit).
Dust off those old poetry books - or visit https://poets.org/ for inspiration.
If you don't have any books on hand, the Aurora Public Library has a great poetry selection at each of its three branches.
Be sure to check out "Poetry in Public Places" - an Aurora Downtown project, featuring poems in storefront windows.
Read aloud with your family and friends. You'll be glad you did!
Forgive the following verse; writing rhymes is a challenge for me:
A poem each day can fill your cup,
Relax your mind, shake you up,
Open new windows, doors, and portals,
Give you a glimpse of gods and immortals!

poets.org | Academy of American Poets Home - The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and...

Aurora Downtown Celebrates National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month (April), Aurora Downtown is hosting a call for poems. This call is open to any writer currently residing in the Fox Valley region.

Submission details:
• Each poet may submit one original poem. The poem’s theme should be “Mentors.”
• Your submission may have been previously published, so long as you retain the copyright.
• Your poem should be no more than 20 lines in length, including the space between stanzas.
• If you submit a poem in a language other than English, include an English translation.
• Deadline for submissions: Wednesday, March 1, 2023, 5:00 p.m. No exceptions!
• Format for submissions: Submit your poem as a Microsoft Word document, attached in an email to [email protected]. Do not put your name on the Microsoft Word document. Include your name, current USPS mailing address, phone number and email address in the email.

Selection/display/miscellaneous details:
• Poems will be reviewed by a jury for display at a variety of locations in downtown Aurora.
• Authors will be acknowledged in publicity and media releases.
• Authors retain the rights to their works.
• Authors will receive no financial compensation.

Questions?

Call Karen Fullett-Christensen at 630-421-2528

https://www.illinoispoets.org/contest.htm

Please share with teachers and students whom you know.

Poetry Competitions How to submit poems to the Illinois State Poetry Society's 2000 Poetry Competition

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...hoping to see you at 2:00 p.m. at Garfield Park/Banana Split!

Banana Split Inc. · 820 Church Road · Aurora · IL · 60505 · 630-896-86 Banana Split, Inc. 820 Church Rd, Aurora, Il. 60505. Soft Serve Ice Cream. 95% Fat Free. Only 37 calories per ounce. Gift Certificates Available.

We have chatted about the idea of finding a writing partner. Here's advice from one of our members who worked with a writer partner for many years.

"Find someone who won’t criticize, but rather pull out the best of you. My friend and I would be together about an hour or two once a week. We began with a five minute write, (maybe one word), then a ten minute write with either something pulled from the first write, or something new. We would take turns bringing ideas. Keep them short to allow for more diverse thought. And finally a 15 minute one. Sometimes we would take ideas home to elaborate.
We would read back to each other, but when you start you may not want to. Just write!"

At our last A-Town meet-up, several members brought up the names of authors and books who have inspired them in their writing. Here's a short list. Please add your own thoughts on who has inspired you.

"Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg
"A Writer's Book of Days" by Julie Reeves
"The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron
"The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron
"Swanee Writers on Writing" by Wyatt Prunty
"Starting with Little Things" by Ingrid Wendt

What is Exquisite Co**se? Here you go...

https://poets.org/glossary/exquisite-corpse

Exquisite Co**se | Academy of American Poets Exquisite Co**se - Exquisite Co**se is a collaborative poetry game that traces its roots to the Parisian Surrealist Movement. Exquisite Co**se is...

Thanks to the City of Aurora for such wonderful support of poetry...and of trees; a magical combination!

For Immediate Release:

Applications for the 2022 Great River Writers Retreat are being accepted through May 31
What: Great River Writers Retreat
When: Applications Due before June 1, 2022; Residency takes place August 29 – September 4, 2022
Where: Bent House Retreat Center, Sisters of St. Benedict (2200 88th Ave. W, Rock Island, IL)
Submission Fee: $15.00

The Midwest Writing Center is now accepting applications for the Great River Writers’ Retreat. The retreat will be held August 29 - September 4 at the Benet House Retreat Center in Rock Island, Illinois. Applications will be accepted through May 31.

The Great River Writers Retreat winner is selected from an applicant pool of writers from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin across multiple genres, and allows the winner to spend a week working on a specific writing project they have underway.

Currently, our plan is to host the winning writer for a residency at the Benet House Retreat Center in Rock Island, IL (including a travel stipend and an invitation to read at an event in the Quad Cities) from August 29 – September 4, 2022. If COVID restrictions at The Benet House will not allow for this time frame, MWC will work with the winner to reschedule another time in the coming year.

The application fee is $15.00, and applications may be submitted online or via USPS. Applications sent via email should be sent to: [email protected]. Applications must include the following:

1. Cover page

2. Proof of residence in IL, IA, MN, or WI (valid photocopy of driver’s license, current utility bill, etc.). Sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers and Driver’s License numbers, can be redacted.

3. Short bio, listing publications and any relevant work experience (100 words max)

4. Statement describing the project you intend to work on and what goals to your project are you hoping to achieve while at Great River Writer’s Retreat (500 words max)

5. 10-page sample of your work (poets: 10 pages of poetry, one poem per page; fiction and nonfiction writers: 10 pages of a short story, essay, novel excerpt or other work, accompanied by a brief synopsis if necessary) Work sample should be in 12 pt. font, Times New Roman). The work sample should be taken from writing done within the last 3 years.

Applications should be sent [email protected] More information on the Retreat and the application process is available on www.mwcqc.org/contests/writers-retreat/ or by contacting Ryan Collins at [email protected] or 309-732-7330.

The Great River Writer’s Retreat is generously sponsored by Dr. Nicolas Shammas in collaboration with the Midwest Writing Center

Great River Writers Retreat – Midwest Writing Center Great River Writers Retreat **The Great River Writers Retreat accepts applications from writers currently residing in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin** The Great River Writers Retreat winner is selected from an applicant pool of writers from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin across m...

https://auroradowntown.org/rebirth-poetry/

April offers a walking poetry tour in downtown Aurora To celebrate National Poetry Month, Aurora Downtown fills a dozen storefronts with poems featuring the theme "rebirth."

Named for the late Pulitzer Prize winner and Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition – Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award, provides a unique opportunity and outlet for recognizing new literary talent in the state. The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and over.

Awards
Cash prizes are awarded for first ($500), second ($300) and third place ($100), and winning poems are submitted for possible publication in Illinois literary magazines, including:
• Ninth Letter
• Quiddity
• RHINO Poetry

Judging
There are three rounds of judging. Winners will be announced in the winter of 2022.

Entry Feedback
After the winners of the Illinois Emerging Writers Competition are announced, judges’ feedback will be shared with entrants. Judges’ comments are kept on file for one year and will be shared upon request.

Entry Form, Guidelines and Flier
Below you will find the links to the competition entry form and guidelines to distribute along with a flier to post. Many competition entrants find information about the competition at their local libraries. It is our hope that you will share this information with your patrons and those in local writing groups in your community.

• Competition Entry Form and Guidelines to distribute:https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/lda96.pdf
• Competition Flier to post:https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/lda97.pdf

For additional information about the competition, you can visit the website at: https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/library/center_for_the_book/emerging-writers.html or contact me directly.

Bonnie Matheis| Coordinator, Illinois Center for the Book
Illinois State Library| Gwendolyn Brooks Building
300 South Second Street| Springfield, Illinois 62701
P 217-558-2065| F 217-782-1877
[email protected]

Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian

https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/library/center_for_the_book/

Illinois Center for the Book The Illinois Center for the Book is a programming arm of the Illinois State Library that promotes reading, writing and author programs

Aurora Downtown Celebrates National Poetry Month

In honor of National Poetry Month (April), Aurora Downtown is hosting a call for poems. This call is open to any writer currently residing in the Fox Valley region.

Submission details:
• Each poet may submit one original poem. The poem’s theme should be “Rebirth.”
• Your submission may have been previously published, so long as you retain the copyright.
• Your poem should be no more than 20 lines in length, including the space between stanzas.
• If you submit a poem in a language other than English, include an English translation.
• Deadline for submissions: Tuesday, March 1, 2022, 5:00 p.m. No exceptions!
• Format for submissions: Submit your poem as a Microsoft Word document, attached in an email to [email protected]. Do not put your name on the Microsoft Word document. Include your name, current USPS mailing address, phone number and email address in the email.

Selection/display/miscellaneous details:
• Poems will be reviewed by a jury for display at a variety of locations in downtown Aurora.
• Authors will be acknowledged in publicity and media releases.
• Authors retain the rights to their works.
• Authors will receive no financial compensation.

Questions?

Call Karen Fullett-Christensen at 630-421-2528

Dear Writers Groups,

Please share this opportunity with your members & alumni to submit to The Moderate Review, a newly established online journal showcasing some of the hottest emerging literary talents. We invite your words and voices to the ongoing creative discussion.

The Moderate accepts creative text (fiction, poetry, screenplays), zeitgeisty essays, reviews, and interviews as well as visual art such as painting, sculpture, and photography. We especially seek work that interfaces with the current moment.

We are currently accepting submissions on a rolling basis.

Submissions should be sent as a word attachment to [email protected] with “A Moderate Submission” in the subject line. There are no word limits, guidelines, or restrictions. However, all submissions must be original work and not previously published.

The Moderate
www.themoderatereview.org
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The Moderate | Online Literary Journal For Artists The Moderate is a lynx eye dedicated to discovering and promoting new voices in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art in all its forms. We aim to generate conversation within a broad and diverse coalition of readers, writers, and creators.

https://www.arts.gov/grants/creative-writing-fellowships

CREATIVE WRITING FELLOWSHIPS The National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships program offers $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable the recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. * Deadline: March 1...