If you are an aspiring author, or just enjoy hearing perspectives of those who have become well known for their creativity, the national writers series may be for you.
Thursday marks the first in a series of events giving you the opportunity to see some of the country's foremost writers in person.
The event kicks off with nationally syndicated advice columnist Amy Alkon. Alkon's advice columns appear in more than 100 newspapers around the country, including the Northern Express in Traverse City.
"I love the sort of spontaneous thing that goes on with a live audience, so I encourage people to ask questions, ask me for love advice, participate tell me I'm a jerk if you think I'm a jerk, it will really be fun and I want it to be that kind of event as opposed to one of those state events where someone just talks at you which is really boring," said Alkon
The 2010 National Writers Series kicks off at the Traverse City Opera House. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the event starting at 7:00.
Each month a new author will appear for an evening of discussion about literature and storytelling and there is a special surprise for an area student!
In May organizers will announce an inaugural writing contest for a college scholarship.
Students who will be seniors in the fall of 2010, and whose permanent address is in one of the five counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau are eligible to submit.
Once all details are in place, students will fill out an online application through the Grand Traverse Community Regional Foundation website. Submissions will be accepted in the genres of poetry, creative non-fiction, and fiction, with a maximum length of five thousand words for fiction, and 32 lines per page of poetry, maximum ten pages.
The award (to be named) will be given in October and the winning entry will be published in the Winter issue of Michigan Writers' literary journal, Dunes Review.
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