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River of Dust: The Gritty Truth About Editing

The Writing Show

Thursday, May 30, 2013
6:30-8:30pm
Children’s Museum of Richmond
2626 W Broad St, ample lot parking

Description

Have you reached the point when you can’t look at your manuscript a moment longer? It may be time for a fresh pair of eyes—and not just anyone’s. But what does working with a professional editor entail, and how will you feel about the result?

The latest in James River Writer’s Writing Show series delves deep into the editing process that resulted in the publication of Virginia Pye’s debut novel. River of Dust, selected as an Indie Next Pick and to be released on May 14, has been hailed by Annie Dillard as “terrific, tremendous, wonderful…a strong, beautiful, deep book.”

Pye, local to Richmond, and her editor, visiting award-winning author Nancy Zafris, a manuscript consultant and series editor for the Flannery O’Connor award for short fiction, will share the details of their successful collaboration. Patty Smith, a short fiction and nonfiction writer and teacher, will moderate the discussion about what had to change and Pye’s 20-year writing journey.


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Road to Publication: Meet Debut Novelist Rhonda Riley

Wednesday, May 1, 2013
11:00-12:00 p.m.
Free admission, please register
The University of Richmond Downtown

James River Writers is proud to partner with The Junior League of Richmond to present debut novelist Rhonda Riley to discuss her work, The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope: A Novel, to be published by Harper Collins on April 23, 2013. Author and JRW Chair Bill Blume will moderate a discussion about how Riley sold the novel, the process of finding an agent, and her work with her editor.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch calls The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope an “unforgettable novel… filled with memorable characters and passages of startling beauty” (see review). (more…)

Some “Goodreads” from JRW

GoodreadsLogo02One sure way to improve your writing is to read–a lot. You also need to read outside your comfort zone. If you plan to write fantasy, and fantasy is all you ever read, then your writing will never be more than a mirror.

Starting today, James River Writers will help you broaden your reading options with our first ever reading group on Goodreads.com. Each month we plan to select two books. One will be intended for adult readers with a second book focused on younger audiences. The books will feature some of our past and upcoming speakers from our annual Writers Conference and monthly Writing Show. Whenever possible, we plan to invite the writers and editors to join us in the discussion on the message boards. (more…)

Welcome to Our New Website!

James River Writers would like to welcome you to our new website. This is your place — 100 percent operated by people like you who are willing to invest their time and talents to build community in the real world. Our mission is to connect and inspire writers and readers in central Virginia, and the website will use the interactivity and rich multimedia offered by the Internet to support that mission. (more…)