Last year, I had the pleasure of reading poetry applications for the Edith Wharton Residency. Reading applications affected how I now think about putting together a writing sample, and it even helped me reorder the opening pages of my own manuscript. Here’s what I took away, as a writer, from my experience as an application Read More
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PREDATORY AI IS COMING FOR WRITERS by D M Gordon
You receive a message from a reader in your inbox. He or she is reading your just-published book or has gotten their hands on your manuscript query. They love it. The tone is warm, intelligent, specific, respectful. It’s the personal response you’ve been waiting years to receive. In depth. Themes you’ve been developing. Passages you Read More
Writing in the 49th State – Diverse Landscapes, Distinctive Outlooks by Terry S. Johnson
Uprooting to a new environment can certainly unsettle one’s usual writing perspectives and relocating to one of the newest states in our nation has been an eye opener. I left the Pioneer Valley, my home for over 40 years, and recently moved to Anchorage, Alaska, to help raise my only grandchild. It’s been a challenge Read More
Meet Our Members: Stevie Billow interviews Jason Prokowiew
Welcome to member Stevie Billow’s continued interview series with Straw Dog Writers Guild members. This month Stevie interviewed author and member Jason Prokowiew. Stevie: I’m delighted to interview you on behalf of the Straw Dog Writers Guild! Can you tell us a bit how you got involved with the SDWG? Jason: I was fortunate to Read More
Meet Our Members: Stevie Billow interviews Joy Deva Baglio
Welcome to member Stevie Billow’s continued interview series with Straw Dog Writers Guild members. This month Stevie interviewed author and member Joy Deva Baglio. Stevie: It’s an absolute pleasure to be interviewing you on behalf of the Straw Dog Writers Guild! To kick us off, I’d love to talk about fairy tales. As a speculative Read More
Meet Connie Senior – An Author Interview Series by Stevie Billows
In the first Meet Our Members Interview, Stevie Billow interviews Connie Senior Stevie: To start, I’d love to hear about one of the first stories you ever wrote! Can you tell us a bit about “The Haunted Space Station”? Connie: I wish I remembered the details! I remember the title and that’s about it. Read More
Straw Dog Writers Guild Welcomes The Writing Sisters! by Q Keough-Huff
The Writing Sisters are a community of women who identify as BIPOC and LGBTQ. Several years ago two of its founding members, Gri Saex Martinez and Darlene Elias, realized that a writing community that is culturally competent and caters to marginalized communities was needed in Western Mass. It became clear to us that not all Read More
The Algorithm Ate My Poem – Visibility and the Writer in a Platform World By Fungai Tichawangana
The Internet was supposed to be the playing field that equalized everything. It didn’t. Back in 2004, when I was building my first website for writers, the promise was that if you got online it would open up countless opportunities for you. Two decades later, the promise is basically the same; grind it out on Read More
WriteAngles: a status update
Planning a conference is a gargantuan task. So many details to figure out – finding the perfect venue, picking dates that don’t conflict with major holidays or events, selecting food and arranging the tech details, raising funds, choosing speakers with innovative ideas that match topics on the mind of attendees, deciding on swag, coordinating publicity. Read More
Nine Writers Selected for 2025 Emerging Writers Residency
The Mount and Western Massachusetts’ Straw Dog Writers Guild are thrilled to announce the nine writers selected for the 2025 Residency for Emerging Writers. The 2025 residents will be working on developing their respective works at The Mount for one week each, between March 3 and March 21. Submissions were reviewed anonymously and ranked based Read More