California Writers Club Mt. Diablo Branch Young Writers Contest

The judging continues. On April 1, we collected the stacks of entries from 6,7, and 8th graders from Contra Costa County. At first, I thought there would be less than last year. Two days AFTER April 1, I visited the post office box and discovered a huge overflowing bin from our club treasurer.
“Surprise!” She smiled at me, placing it in my car.
Yahoo! I did a dance, right then and there in the parking lot. Kids WERE writing after all!

The count is in: nearly 450 manuscripts this year. We set a record! Congratulations all of you fabulous middle schools and students who participated! Keep on writing.

I spent the weekend sorting, typing and dispersing them to the judges. I’m one of the judges in a couple of grades in short stories. This year, the short stories are of higher quality than ever before. Wow! What talent we have in our young people today! Bravo!

The diversity in the stories are amazing too. Who says kids don’t read? These kids HAVE to be readers to be able to write this way.

Of course, this makes our judging more pleasurable but also very difficult. In one grade, we are having difficulty in choosing between two third place possibilities. The essay judges are discovering the same exact situation.

And then if we allow two categories tie places, ALL the judges will demand equal opportunities. I think we need a government bail-out for our contest. . .

And this WOULD be the year we are the most in need of funds. Hmm. Should I stand on Contra Costa Blvd. with a tin cup and my Yorkshire Terrier? Somehow, I don’t think the board would approve. But then, I’m a writer. We writers ARE pretty quirky people . . .

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Great Blog for Children’s Lit – School Library Journal

Interested in reading, writing and/or illustrating books for children? Check out this blog:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379.html

In one of the posts, Elizabeth Bird mentions that Pippi Longstocking was the first feminist superheroine in children’s lit. Yeah Pippi! I was a Pippi-addict. Who was YOUR superhero or superheroine? (or is?)

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Great blog for interested children’s writers!

http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/

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Jackson and Bud’s Bumpy Ride Book Trailer

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Young Writers Contest Entries

Lisa Park! Where are you? Send me an e-mail if you sent in a short story and this is your name. Tell me the title of the short story please. You forgot to enclose a form. You’ll never hear from us otherwise and you’ll think we are ignoring you . . .

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Support California Arts Education!

Oppose Assembly Bill 554

The California Alliance for Arts Education monitors all proposed state legislation related to arts education in the public schools. Each year several bills merit either a letter of support or opposition based on the implications for arts education.

On special occasions we ask you to weigh in when we feel legislators need to hear your voice directly. Today we ask you to express your opposition to Assembly Bill 554 (Furatani).

AB 554 would allow students to waive the existing graduation requirements and substitute career technical education classes for visual and performing arts. foreign language, and physical education classes.

While we support creating pathways to the 21st century workforce, we believe this legislation unfairly target arts education and prevents students from gaining equitable access to the unique skills and qualities encouraged by learning in the arts.

Please contact the members of the State Assembly Education Committee, where the bill is scheduled to be heard on April 1 to send a strong message of support for arts education and opposition to AB 554.

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5155/t/1741/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=494

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Newspapers from all over the world

Newspapers from all over the world

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/

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Social Networking for Writers Class

ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR THE BUSY WRITER
How to Blog, Tweet, and Friend (and Still Have Time to Write)
Need help navigating all the online promotion possibilities on the web?
Want to increase your web presence but unsure what to do next?
Reluctant to add one more item to your to-do list?
Do you have the Twitter Jitters?
Then this 4-day ONLINE introductory class to Social Media is for you.

This class is conducted entirely online.

We’ll cover an overview of many of the current online social media platforms such as Blogs, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Amazon Connect, JacketFlap, Linkedin (and more) and how authors are using them. You’ll learn why “friend” has become a verb, how to “tweet” for research experts, and what you can do about managing your time with all this new online activity. You will set up new social media platforms and learn how to enrich the ones you do have.

More details and how to register can be found here:
http://www.susantaylorbrown.com/classes.html

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From a reader . . . bad brothers with Barbie . . .

My brother could sometimes be coerced into playing Barbies with me, but he wasn’t much fun. He would always have Ken strip her naked, then beat her up with the Barbie Sports Car, or hang her from the curtain rod. He now confesses that he found Barbie a huge turn-on. Lyttie Poe

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Contra Costa Middle School Writing Contest Reminder

Please share with any middle school student, teacher, parent, or librarian that may be interested. Thank you! Liz Koehler-Pentacoff Writer suggestions and questions? See our website http://mtdiablowriters.org/

California Writers Club
Mt. Diablo Branch, Contra Costa County

YOUNG WRITERS CONTEST

A search for Young Voices who want to be heard in print.

PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

Name_________________________________________________________________________________

Home Address__________________________________________________________________________

Number and Street City Zip

Home Phone_______________________________E-mail Address ______________________

School_____________________________________________________________Grade______________

First and Last Name of your English Teacher________________________________________________________________

Manuscript Title__________________________________________________________________________________

Manuscript category – please check one:

¨ Short Story (up to 5 pages typed, double-spaced) ¨Poem (up to 30 lines, need not be double-spaced)

¨ Personal Narrative/Essay (up to 3 pages, typed, double-spaced)

Mail submissions to: Young Writers Contest, California Writers Club, PO Box 606 Alamo, CA 94507

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

CONTEST GUIDELINES

1. Contest open to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who live in or attend school in Contra Costa County.

2. Submit 2 copies of your manuscript. Do not include artwork or a cover. Your manuscript must be typed or computer generated at 12 point, double-spaced. No staples. Paper clips only.

3. Put your name in the upper left-hand corner of each page. Number each page.

4. Multiple entries are welcome. Each entry must be accompanied by a separate application form (above) or 3×5 card noting Name, Home Address, Home Phone, School, Grade, E-mail Address, Teacher, Title, Category. 5. Deadline for submission is 4/01/09. Winners will be announced when judging is complete.

6. INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS BY STUDENTS PREFERRED. TEACHERS: PLEASE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO SUBMIT THEIR STORIES AND POEMS THEMSELVES.

PRIZES: Winning short stories and poems from each grade level will receive $100 for first prize, $50 for second prize and $25 for third prize. The Betty Tenney Essay Award of $100 will be given to the best personal narrative/essay in each of grade. Second and third place prizes may be awarded in this category at the judges’ discretion. Prizes will be presented to winners on May 9, 2009, at a lunch banquet. A published author will speak. Parents are welcome.

TEACHERS: We are striving to encourage individual creativity and expression. Do not to send entire class assignments. Teachers of winning students will be invited to attend the May 9 banquet.

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