Reflections on the New Year By Patricia Lee Lewis When the new year dawned, I was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, watching the tops of snowy mountains glow pink in the rising sun and listening to Alasdair Fraser play his fiddle on the radio. For this turning of the year, he’d chosen a tune from the Read More
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February 1, 2016
Nervous? Breathe and Speak Up Guest blogger: Becky Jones Susan Daniels, in her recent program on Dynamic Presentation, borrowed from her acting career to give the Straw Dog audience useful tools to enhance reading our writings to an audience. Her instruction gave us ways to appear strong and confident, even when we’re afraid. Her suggestions Read More
WORDPEACE by Lori Desrosiers
Guest Blogger: Lori Desrosiers In November, Lori Desrosiers joined a panel of esteemed local editors to discuss publishing in literary journals. During their compelling conversation, Lori mentioned a new venture, Wordpeace (http://wordpeace.co). I invited Lori to tell us more about this important new project, the kind that – in my opinion – we desperately need Read More
December 1, 2015
For Your Consideration: A Panel of Editors Guest Blogger: Samantha Wood This article appeared in The Recorder online edition, Wednesday, November 25, 2015, and in print the following day. Straw Dog Writers Guild is grateful for the author’s permission to republish it here. If you are a writer who aims to get published, then it is likely you know what Read More
November 1, 2015
Join us for 30 Poems in November! Guest Blogger: Jean Blakeman Now in its 7th year, 30 Poems in November! is an important and inspiring fundraiser for Center for New Americans. Center for New Americans, headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts, provides free English classes, citizenship assistance, and other services to the immigrant and refugee population of Read More
October 1, 2015
Mini Craft Lesson Missy Wick, Blog Editor Last month I had the pleasure of attending the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference and working with Bread Loaf Fellow Brando Skyhorse, author of the novel The Madonnas of Echo Park and memoir Take This Man. In his memoir Skyhorse describes his unusual family history: When he was three years old, Brando Read More
September 1, 2015
Inside The Young Writer’s Nest Youth in Creative Writing Workshops – Part 2 Guest Blogger: Lynn Bowmaster It’s 4:10 on a Wednesday and I’m preparing to host Woven Word Young Writers. One by one the writers arrive, drop their backpacks at the door and head into my kitchen. S. takes over the air popper so Read More
Zine Radio: by Margaret Crocker, Smith College
Zine Radio Guest Blogger: Margaret Crocker, Smith College Recently, NPR’s This American Life did a story, called “Freedom Fries,” on women’s voices on the radio — and how This American Life receives correspondence criticizing young female contributors. According to critics, women’s voices suffer from “vocal fry,” a guttural sound that a voice can make when Read More
Changing the World, One Writer at a Time: Community Outreach in Holyoke MA. By Kathy Dunn
Changing the World, One Writer at a Time: Community Outreach in Holyoke MA Guest Blogger: Kathy Dunn For the first half of the twentieth century, Holyoke was one of the wealthiest and most arts-rich cities in the nation. Today, its citizens have the lowest average income and the lowest literacy rates in the state. Since Read More
May 15, 2015
Take Your Poet To Work Day Coloring Book Guest Blogger: Missy Wick . Looking for the perfect birthday present for your poetic partner? Check out tweatspeak’s “Take Your Poet to Work Day” Coloring Book. The annual celebration of poetic genius has passed, but the fun continues. Just download the free book (below), cut out your poet Read More