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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe good folks at Charlotte Lit are not letting the autumnal equinox sneak up on them. They have scheduled a wide range of fall programming for all kinds of writers. I contacted Paul Reali and Kathie Collins, the co-founders of Charlotte Lit, and I asked them for more information about their fall programs. Here is what they sent to me:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mark, fall is an exciting time at Charlotte Lit. We\u2019ve launched our full September-to-May calendar <\/em>and we open entries for the 2024 Lit\/South Awards.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Lit\/South<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 we have to begin with our judges. We\u2019re pinching ourselves, truly. In fiction, our judge is the great NC writer Clyde Edgerton. In creative nonfiction, the amazing Maggie Smith. And in poetry, Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown\u2014who will also be here in person in May to headline our annual Lit Up! event. They\u2019ll help us award $6,000 in total prizes: $1,000 for the winner in each category, plus a shared $3,000 prize pool for the finalists. And, publication in <\/em>Litmosphere: Journal of Charlotte Lit for all those plus selected semi-finalists. It\u2019s open for just a month: October 1 to November 1, here: <\/em>https:\/\/www.charlottelit.org\/litsouth<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing classes<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 we have more than 50 on the calendar, so we\u2019ll just highlight a few of the early ones. Almost all of these are on Zoom, so they\u2019re easy for anyone to attend.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This Tuesday, September 19 \u2014 act now, it\u2019s almost full! \u2014 former Mississippi Poet Laureate Beth Ann Fennelly leads a masterclass with the great title: \u201cBuild Me a Hummingbird of Words: Distilling Your Life Into a Flash.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In fiction we have \u201cWriting the Short Story,\u201d three sessions with Craig Buchner starting September 26. \u201cManipulating Time in Fiction\u201d with Paula Martinac is September 28.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n In memoir, Judy Goldman \u2014 legendary teacher, her classes always fill up \u2014 leads another three-session class, \u201cAll About Me: Lessons on Writing Memoir,\u201d beginning October 12.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In poetry, here are two events. To celebrate National Blank Poetry Day, we\u2019ll host a free in-person conversation on literary citizenship, October 6, with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and two Charlotte poets, Jah Smalls and city poet laurate Jay Ward. Jaki will also teach a master class the next day. Then, on October 24, Pulitzer Prize nominee Morri Creech teaches \u201cThe Expressive Power of Repetition: The Pantoum and the Villanelle.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, for writers trying to publish their work, we cover the wide span from poems to novels. Kathy Izard leads \u201cPaths to Self-publishing\u201d on October 17; and Ashley Memory leads \u201cPublishing Short Pieces: Contests and Open Calls\u201d on November 7.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s so much more, but that\u2019s a good sample of what we\u2019re doing. And for anyone who doesn\u2019t know where to begin, we have a free writing session every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. called Pen to Paper. The best place to begin is: <\/em>https:\/\/www.charlottelit.org\/catalog<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Storied Charlotte readers, we hope to see you or your pixels soon!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n