2012 Yoknapatawpha Summer
Writers’ Workshop

Friday, June 8th - Sunday, June 10th

Aspiring writers are invited to hone their skills June 8th-10th as part of the University of Mississippi's Yoknapatawpha Summer Writers' Workshop, a three-day creative writing workshop in fiction, non-fiction, and screenwriting. The workshop is especially well suited for those who are interested in writing but can't take a semester-long writing class.

Featured faculty includes best selling and award winning writers from all genres. The fiction faculty for this year's conference includes Tom Franklin (Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter), Scott Morris (Waiting for April), and M. O. Walsh (The Prospect of Magic). The non-fiction author is Sonja Livingston (Ghostbread), and the screenwriter is Golden Globe nominated actress and director Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy, Dazed and Confused)*.

Workshop Objectives

The Yoknapatawpha Summer Writers' Workshop is designed to provide instruction to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. Participants will receive advice and personal manuscript critiques from published authors as well as other group participants. They also have the opportunity to attend readings, socialize, and hear successful authors talk about their craft. Participants should emerge with improved writing skills, new contacts, and a greater appreciation for the journey a work makes from the initial thought process to printed page or big screen.

*Although the workshop sessions will primarily focus on fiction and non-fiction, Joey Lauren Adams has agreed to read and comment upon a small number of screenplay samples separate from the workshop (in other words, you can turn in both a story and a script sample, if you like). If you are interested in this, please email Conference Director M.O. Walsh (mowalsh@uno.edu) for further details. This will be done on a first registered first served basis.

Program Details

Date: Friday, June 8, through Sunday, June 10, 2012

Time: Registration will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 8. The workshop will begin at approximately 10:00 a.m. each morning and end at approximately 10:00 p.m. each night except for Sunday, June 10, when the workshop will end at 2:00 p.m. to accommodate travel home.

Location: The Yoknapatawpha Writers’ Workshop will be at The Depot on the beautiful campus of The University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS, and other locations as needed. Click here to see the location of The Depot.

Enrollment: If you would like to register for the Yoknapatawpha Summer Writers Workshop, please call Barbara H. Thompson at 662-915-5811 or email at bthompso@olemiss.edu. If you have any general questions about the conference, please email Director M.O. Walsh at mowalsh@uno.edu.

Fees: Tuition for the workshop is $350 per person. The fee includes workshops, lectures, panel discussions, readings, and an evening reception at the world-famous Taylor Grocery Catfish in Taylor, Mississippi (transportation provided). The fee does not include lodging or meals. Full–time students who seek financial assistance should contact Barbara Thompson at bthompso@olemiss.edu for information on reduced fees.

Note: Dress is casual and comfortable for all events.

Schedule

All events are held in The Depot, unless otherwise indicated *.

Friday, June 10
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.	Registration
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.	Welcome and Workshop Introduction M. O.  “Neal” Walsh
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.	Lunch on your own. Also time to read, write, and prepare for workshops.
12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.	Writing Workshop Scott Morris
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.	Readings by Sonja Livingston and M.O. Walsh
5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.	Cocktail Hour, upstairs at City Grocery Bar on the Square
6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.	Dinner on your own
7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.	Craft Talk by Scott Morris
9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.	Open Mic Readings at The Depot, hosted by M. O. Walsh All attendees welcome to read their own work (A BYOB event)
Saturday, June 11
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.	Craft Talk by Sonja Livingston
11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.	Craft Talk by Joey Lauren Adams
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.	Lunch on your own
2:00 to 4:30 p.m.	Writing Workshop Scott Morris
4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.	Catfish Dinner Taylor Grocery (Meet vans at the Depot, behind the Ford Center)
7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.	*Featured Faculty Reading by Tom Franklin Event to be held at Off Square Books
9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.	Open Mic Readings at The Depot All attendees welcome to read. (A BYOB event)
Sunday, June 12
10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.	Craft Talk by Tom Franklin
11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.	Writing Workshop Scott Morris
1:30 p.m.	Conference Evaluations and Fond Farewells!

Lodging

A block of rooms at The Inn @ Ole Miss have been reserved for the Writers Conference, you may contact The Inn at 662-234-2331 and mention that you are attending the YSW conference and they can assist you. If you have any further questions concerning lodging, please do not hesitate to contact Barbara H. Thompson at 662-915-5811.

Transportation

The Memphis International Airport is approximately 80 miles (1 hour and 15 minutes’ drive) from The University of Mississippi. If shuttle service is desired, please contact Barbara Thompson at 662-915-5811 or noncred@olemiss.edu. The cost for a one–way shuttle is $85.00; for round trip, fare is $130.00.

Writing Sample

Please submit by e-mail a writing sample by Thursday, May 31st. Material received by then will be reviewed and discussed during the fiction workshop sessions. Materials received after this date will not get the same guarantee. If you must use regular mail, please send copies, not your originals. To insure that all participants are given the opportunity to have their writing reviewed during the workshop, we may accept only up to 15 double–spaced pages of fiction per participant. Please attach the files as Microsoft Word documents and send to BOTH Barbara Thompson (bthompso@olemiss.edu) and M.O. Walsh (mowalsh@uno.edu). Please title your email and file YOK WRITING SAMPLE by YOUR NAME

To send your writing sample in the mail, please use the address listed below.

For more information, please contact:

Yoknapatawpha Summer Writer's Workshop
ATTN: Barbara Thompson
P.O. Box 879
The University of Mississippi
University, MS 38677-0879

Phone: 662-915-5811
Fax: 662-915-5138
Email: bthompso@olemiss.edu