NextGen Writer's Conference and a Poetry Contest

Couple opportunities to pass onto you this morning.

One is everyone ages 20 and under should register for NextGen Writer's Conference. Here's why:

1. It's free.

2. It's on-line. You can do it in your jammies.

3. Cool people will be there. Like Jill Williamson, Roseanna White, MaryLu Tyndall, Nicole O'Dell. (For a fullish list, click here.)

4. There will be an "elevator pitch" contest, so you can get feedback from pubbed writers on your one-line. And we all need feedback on our one-lines. If I wasn't 27 (and if I wasn't running the contest) I'd totally enter.

So, yeah. Make Shellie's life easier and register today.

Also, for you poets. Starsongs magazine, a publication of Written World Communications, has extended its tritina contest deadline to August 01, 2011.

Starsongs is a magazine "for kids by kids" ages 9-19. All entrants must be younger than age 20 as of December 31, 2011.

Contest rules are:

Contest: Write a Tritina!

What is a Tritina?

A tritina is a special kind of non-rhyming poem that has ten lines. The lines are grouped into three three-line stanzas called “tercets,” and a concluding line.

The thing that makes a tritina unique is repetition. The last word of each line in the first stanza is repeated as the last word in each line of the next two stanzas, only in a different order. The last line of the poem has those three words in it, in their original order.

The Order of a Tritina

First Stanza 1

2

3

Second Stanza 3

1

2

Third Stanza 2

3

1

Final Line 1-2-3

All of our entries will appear on our web site and the winning poem will also appear in an upcoming issue of Starsongs, along with a prize of $15.00 for the author! The deadline date for this contest is August 1, 2011. Winner will be notified no later than August 31, 2011. Please send entries to Patti Shene at starsongs.mag(at)gmail.com with Tritina Contest in the subject line.