Oregon Literary Fellowships up for grabs

Applications for the Oregon Literary Fellowships are being accepted through 5 p.m., June 26th. Independent Oregon publishers and presses are eligible for awards along with writers.

According to the Literary-Arts.org web site “Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers initiate, develop or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama and young readers literature. Writers in the early stages of their career are encouraged to apply."

Winners are selected by judges, the identity of whom are kept secret until after the awards are distributed. The selection is merit-based, as decided by the judges who are out-of-state residents and established in the field they are judging. According to the Literary Arts application, judges often teach creative writing at the university level or are librarians (especially in the young readers’ literature category).

Susan Denning, Director of Programs and Events at Literary Arts, describes what the intent of the prizes are:

“Literary Arts hopes that fellowship recipients will use the money to support their development as writers. In the past, recipients have used it to buy computers or other writing tools, to pay for child care or travel, or to help finance time off from their paying jobs, so that they can have more time for their writing.”

Although merit-based judging is subjective and changes each year with each different judging panel, Denning was able to offer advice as to what would not be considered for a Fellowship award.

“Since our judges vary every year, it's hard to say with certainty what type of fellowship applications will not be awarded a fellowship. However, the term "literary nonfiction" does not generally include how-to manuals or technical writing, which we sometimes see submitted in the "literary nonfiction" category,” she said.

To apply for a Oregon Literary Fellowship, visit their website at www.literary-arts.org for an application.

Editor to expound on tips for writers

Eugene editor Elizabeth Lyon has twenty years as a freelance book editor and in that time has cultivated a collection of revision techniques meant to improve fiction and creative non-fiction manuscripts, like so many that she has perused during her career.

The Salem chapter of Willamette Writers welcomes Lyon as she presents her "eights techniques that aid 80 improvements." The event is held upstairs at the West Salem Roth's on June 11 beginning at 6:30 p.m., with Lyon set to begin speaking at 7 p.m.

"I've been wanting to get her to come for a year and a half. When we first started this chapter, I had no idea she lives in Eugene" Heather Culbertson, representative for the Salem chapter, said. "I've used a lot of her books."

An author herself, Lyon has scripted numerous books aimed at helping writers improve their craft. These books include "Manuscript Makeover," "A Writer's Guide to Fiction," "Nonfiction Book Proposals," "Anybody Can Write," and more.

Culbertson believes in Lyon's expertise, stating that the editor writes in a way that is "very conversational."

Lyon's eight teaching techniques are based in helping authors strengthen style, structure, characterization, and their marketing effectiveness.

This presentation is meant especially for those writers working on non-fiction and fiction proposals.

"Non-fiction has changed a lot," Culbertson said. "It's hard to write them so that they aren't stale."