Short Story Master Class series!

 

Sign up for The Master Toolbox Series Online!

 

Tools of the writing trade need a sharpen? Need to pick up some new

ones? No worries! Beginning in September, 2022 and monthly through

February, 2023, the New England Horror Writers will present two hour Zoom

webinars (which will include exercises and time for Q&A) that delve deep into the

specifics of craft and business skills!

Open to the general public and NEHW members, each class will focus on a

specific topic. Instructors are Kristi Petersen Schoonover and Trisha Wooldridge

If you’re looking to build some new skills, these micro-focused, affordable classes are the way to go—and yes, we have plans to offer subsequent sessions with different topics every fall-winter going forward!

Class materials will be sent to registrants ahead of time via email and are included in the $25 NEHW Member/$35 NON-NEHW Member fees. You can sign

up for any combination of classes. Want to buy access to ALL SIX webinars?

You can do that too: Member price for all six webinars is $130; Non-member

price is $175.

Here’s the full schedule:

Wednesday, September 28, 2022 – 7—9 pm

Story Openings Blueprint

We’ve only got one sentence to hammer that “you must keep reading me!” message home—and many writers don’t realize that sometimes, a piece getting moved out of slush is dependent on the strength of that one sentence. From do’s and don’ts to mining and can’t-miss criteria, this class gives the blueprint for great openers.

Wednesday, October 12, 2022 – 7—9 pm

Excess Hardware: Wordiness and Filter Phrases

We build stories from words and phrases—but sometimes we use more hardware than necessary to get the job done! This course teaches how to thoroughly inspect the piece to identify extra words and filter phrases and how to remove them for a cleaner reading experience.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 – 7—9 pm

EnTITLEment: Top-Notch Titles

A title isn’t just a label in My Documents. A good one should tell the editor or reader something about the story—right down to its tone. EnTITLEment provides the tools to nail a top-notch title every time, so that it not only stands out in an editor’s inbox—it pops in a ToC!

Wednesday, December 14 – 7—9pm

The Architecture of the Submissions Process

There’s more to the submissions process than just clicking send. We’ll offer plenty of insider tips on everything from formatting, market searching and close reading of guidelines to cover letters and bios to ensure pieces get considered. We’ll also cover other mechanics like tracking and how to develop

structured—but easy—processes that guarantee we don’t inadvertently screwourselves.

Wednesday, January 25 – 7—9pm

Dampproofing Dialogue

At best, dialogue can say a lot about characters, make them leap off the page, and be incredibly memorable; at worst, it can waterlog the pacing, tell instead of show, turn the story into a boring lecture and quite literally, say nothing. We’ll not

only study how to write effective dialogue that makes characters feel organic,we’ll look at formatting, dos and don’ts, and how to make choices about whatcomes out of people’s mouths.

Wednesday, February 22 – 7—9pm

Nailing Theme

When it comes to theme, many of us probably didn’t feel like the sharpest tool inthe shed that was high school English—but as writers, understanding theme iscrucial: it’s the support beam of the story. We’ve got a fool-proof, easy way toidentify theme and thematic statement, and we’ll teach its use in building a storythat will stand the test of time.

Send a query to NEHWNEWS@Gmail.com for more info.

 

Criminal Justice Workshop!

Conventions

Next Week marks our return to the convention scene since Covid hot. Join us next week at Rising Phoenix! https://risingphoenixgamecon.com/

Writing, Submitting, and Marketing Short Stories / Making Anthologies

Writing, Submitting, and Marketing Short Stories / Making Anthologies

 

 

The New England Horror Writers are putting out our ninth anthology,

so we’re having a massive anthology event!

 

Join us for full day of events at Atelier Pro-Kreative in the C.C. Sargent’s & Sons 1877 mill building on 69 Broadway Street, Westford, MA, beginning at 9:30 AM and going until 6:00 PM

 

After some networking time with morning refreshments, instructors Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Scott T. Goudsward, and Trisha J. Wooldridge will lead a three-hour workshop on writing, submitting, and marketing short stories, with the option of additional critiques for submitted writing samples. In the afternoon, authors and editors from NEHW’s Wicked Women and Wicked Creatures anthologies will be signing, selling their own work, and taking part in a giant Q&A. Opportunities to network, purchase anthologies and authors’ publications, and socialize will happen before the workshops, during lunch, and at the end of the event.

 

Included in the price of the full-day event will be light morning refreshments and lunch options. Those who want to just attend the afternoon signing, Q&A, and networking will have access to lunch offerings.

 

Attending authors and editors from Wicked Women and Wicked Creatures may bring their own books to display, sign, and sell. Individual sellers are responsible for reporting and handling their own sales tax and paying 15% of their total sales to the venue. NEHW will also have available their other anthologies and pre-sale information for brand new NEHW swag with the new logo!

 

Costs for the event are tiered and a la carte:

 

Full day of 3-hour workshop, breakfast, lunch, networking, signing, author Q & A: 

            NEHW members:        $50                              Non-NEHW members:           $60

 

Afternoon only, including lunch:

            NEHW members:        $25                              Non-NEHW members:           $30

 

Critique by all 3 instructors (only with Full-day admission):

            NEHW members:        $15                              Non-NEHW members:           $20

            Critique is for 1500 words or up to 5 pages in Standard Manuscript Format.

 

 

For those purchasing full day or afternoon admission:

            Wicked Women and Wicked Creatures (regularly $15 each),

signed by all attending authors and editors:                                                   $25

 

Pre-purchase the 2022 anthology Wicked Sick,

signed by editors and available authors,

including postage anywhere in the continental U.S.:                                                 $17

or pick-up at an NEHW table event in October:                                            $13

           

 

 

 

Meet your Instructors

 

Kristi Petersen Schoonover is editing NEHW’s ninth anthology, Wicked Sick. Her fiction has appeared in many magazines and anthologies. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College, serves as co-host of the Dark Discussions podcast, and is founding editor of the dark literary journal 34 Orchard. Follow her adventures at kristipetersenschoonover.com.

 

Trisha J. Wooldridge, editor of NEHW’s Wicked Women, writes stuff that occasionally wins awards—child-friendly ones as T.J. Wooldridge. Find her in the Shirley Jackson Award-winning The Twisted Book of Shadows; some HWA Poetry Showcase volumes; and in multiple anthologies (as writer or editor). She also lovingly tortures consenting authors with her editing talents. www.anovelfriend.com.

 

Scott T. Goudsward, editor on nearly all of the NEHW anthologies, from Wicked Tales to Wicked Sick was also published in the first two anthologies, Epitaphs and Wicked Seasons. He’s also the author of dozens of other short stories, the novels Trailer Trash and Fountain of the Dead, and half the team behind the popular non-fiction Horror Guide series, documenting the geographic locations referenced and used in movies, television, and literature. Wicked Sick will be his 12th edited / co-edited anthology. http://www.goudsward.com/scott/

 

Meet the Event Moderator

 

CIBA-award winner and author of the best-selling series Recollections of a Rune Knight, Jack Cullen lives in New England where he can be found traveling around in a 1956 Willys Wagon named The Professor. His many professions include veteran, attorney, and police captain. Check out his website at www.jackcullenwrites.com

 

Jack will be keeping the day on track, announcing each event, moderating, and hosting the afternoon Q&A of authors and editors.

 

About the Venue:

 

Atelier Pro-Kreative is a multi-functional artist's loft to create the latest visions within videography, photography, podcasts/multimedia and more. It’s a beautiful space on the second floor in a historical mill location. Unfortunately, there is no elevator for members with special needs. But there will be a video of the workshop available for members to purchase and future opportunities for critiques from NEHW editors. Members wishing to purchase signed copies of Wicked Women and Wicked Creatures, or to pre-purchase Wicked Sick, can send an email to NEHWnews@gmail.com.

 

Atelier Pro-Creative has a small parking lot and on-street parking. Attendants will be on site to assist attendees.

 

The full-day workshop is limited to 25 attendees; afternoon tickets will be capped based on the venue’s limits. We will send notices as we reach capacity and if same-day sales of the workshop (without critique) and afternoon signing and Q&A will be available. To secure your place, email Scott at NEHWnews@gmail.com or Trisha at trish@anovelfriend.com stating what you want to sign up for, and you will receive a detailed invoice to complete the purchase. Those purchasing the additional critique will receive further instructions upon their completed purchase; critique material MUST BE SUBMITTED by 11:59 pm, Monday, April 4th or the critique slot will be forfeited without refund.

 

 

Health & Safety Precautions:

NEHW and Atelier Pro-Creative will work in compliance with local mandates. Currently, masking in Westford, MA is optional. We have capped attendance and included breaks with respect to safe distancing for an indoor event. We will not require proof of vaccination and cannot provide on-site testing. Attendees are welcome to wear masks and take additional breaks outside as they feel necessary. We ask anyone feeling sick or showing any symptoms the day of the event not attend. Admission sales are not refundable, but all paid attendees who cannot attend will have free access to the recorded workshop and Q&A, will receive submission critiques via email, and will receive any pre-purchased and signed books via mail; NEHW will pay for media mail postage.

 

 

Agenda for April 9:

 

9:30-10:00:                  Light morning snacks, coffee, tea, water

10:00 -10:50:               Workshop Part 1: Crafting Short Stories

11:00-11:50:                Workshop Part 2: Submitting and Selling Short Storie

12:00-12:50:                Workshop Part 3: “I sold a story! Now what?” Marketing & Promo

1:00-2:15:                    Lunch and Networking, Shopping Time

2:30-2:50:                    Author Signing (& Shopping Time)

3:00-4:30:                    Wicked Q&A

4:45-6:00:                    Individual Critique feedback in private, Social & Networking Time

                       

Wicked Sick!

 

WICKED SICK

Wicked Sick will be the 9th anthology from the New England Horror Writers! We’re planning for a release at 2022 Necronomicon-Providence in August or at either the Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Fest or Salem Outdoor Market in October, depending on when it’s ready and the state of events and travel Most likely look for the book Spring 2023. 

The subject of the anthology is sickness, be it physical or mental. What new diseases or contagions strike fear into your heart? What are some horrific existing sicknesses that no one is talking about? What horrific symptoms have not been explored? What effects are there to explore on a person’s psyche? To what extent will one go to protect sick loved ones—from the illness itself, from an abusive system of care, or from consequences of their diseased actions? What happens when society uses illness as a means of control? How does one cope when sickness changes who a person is entirely? What happens when the world calls you sick, but you aren’t suffering? What happens when you’re suffering, but no one believes you’re sick? What are some historical horrors of medicine that haven’t been explored: human test subjects, cruel surgery training, battlefield triage? 

We will be having a special guest editor - Kristi Petersen Schoonover!

What don’t we want? An anthology filled with plague doctor and pandemic stories. This is also not the place for personal and biographical recounting of the Covid-19 experiences.  We also don’t need rehashes of The Stand, Swann Song, The Hot Zone, I Am Legend or V-Wars, and we’ve all seen and read countless disease-that-creates-zombies apocalypse stories, so avoid those. They’ll be a hard sell.

All submissions should be original work. We do not want previously published stories. Also, no multiple submissions—one at a time, and wait until you hear from us before pressing that submit button again. Do not send us chapbooks, novellas or parts of novels.

And though we shouldn’t have to say it, nothing inappropriate with animals or children. No extreme violence. Violence and sex should be for the purpose of moving the plot, and not too graphic. This is not the anthology for extreme horror or gore. Aim for R rated.

Reading period: 2/1/22 to 6/30/22 And 11:59 PM

 

Currently we're set up for BLIND SUBMISSIONS

Please make sure your story is submitted in standard manuscript format. Not familiar with standard manuscript format? Here’s a link: https://www.shunn.net/format/story/1/

Now you know. No excuses.

Word count should be 3K to 6K. Query for longer or shorter works. Payment is a flat rate $70 for short stories, $50 for long form poems, $25 for short form poems, one physical copy of the anthology and an e-book. We’ll be looking for fifteen stories and likely 3 - 5 poems. Payment to be made within 90 days of publication.

Send submissions to our Submittable account! Send QUERIES ONLY to NEHWNEWS@Gmail.com

 

We’re looking for FNASR, first E-book/Audio rights and non-exclusive electronic reprint rights. Yes, we’ll notify you if we intend on reprinting your story in the future and it will ONLY be for promotional purposes.

This anthology is ONLY open to paying members of the NEHW.