Calling All Writers! Writers of all genres and skill levels are invited to the 2008 Tennessee Writers Alliance (TWA) Writers’ Conference, June 6-7, at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee.“Last year’s conference was a huge success,” said TWA President Cindy Phiffer. “This year we are offering an even broader range of workshop sessions for writers of a wide variety of genres and skill levels. Anyone interested in the written word is bound to find something of interest.”Kicking off the conference on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, will be sessions on fiction writing, agents, travel writing, writing for young adults, and online marketing. The first day will close with a reception at Landmark Booksellers in downtown Franklin for participants and presenters. Saturday’s events include sessions on book packaging, editors, fiction writing, poetry, romance writing, creative nonfiction, agents, book promotion, and self-publishing. Saturday’s luncheon will feature keynote speaker Estelle Condra. Her presentation will be followed by the announcement of the 2008 Tennessee Writer of the Year Award and the 2008 Tennessee Literary Legend Award. For more details on sessions and presenters, click here.

Williamson County Council for the Written Word (CWW) will host its Fifteenth Annual Fall Workshop Saturday, September 13, 2008, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Lee Gutkind, the Godfather behind the genre of Creative Nonfiction, will present “The 5 R’s of Creative Nonfiction.” The workshop will be held at the Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Avenue in Franklin. The cost is $55 for those who register on or before June 15, and $62 for those who register after June 15. Space is limited. For more information and a registration form, go to www.asouthernjournal.com, or e-mail kathyrhodes@pinkbutterbeans.com. For more information on Lee Gutkind: www.creativenonfiction.org or www.leegutkind.com. The Council for the Written Word is a nonprofit organization with a primary focus of promoting the art of writing in Williamson County and beyond.

Memphis Writers Ensemble isa growing community of creative writersin the Memphis area. Weekly workshops, monthly readings, andoccasional writer's retreats. Facilitated by Valentine Leonard, Ph.D.,and an affiliate of Amherst Writers and Artists. Check outwww.valentineleonard.com for more info.

Mid-South Writers' Association meets in Memphis on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the main branch of the public library in the 3000 block of Poplar Ave.

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