Alice's Adventures In Wonderland Trivia
Sunday, September 30th @ 6:00
East Burn @ 1800 E. Burnside
Hosted by ShanRock
Trivia grows curiouser and curiouser! Follow us down into the Tap Room for this very important date. Your lessons will include the book itself, as well as interesting adaptations of Alice's adventures. This is the first of two quizzes we'll host in honor of Wordstock.
Come join Wordstock at the Hawthorne Burgerville on October 4 from 4 to 8pm for delicious food and literary fun! We’ll have children’s book readings and excited chatter about the upcoming festival.
$12–$15
The Independent Publishing Resource Center once again opens the season of Wordstock hosting their much beloved TEXT BALL. Wear it, watch it or both…this year’s theme certain to inspire costume sensations is the graphic details. BackFence PDX hosts live, unscripted storytelling by graphic novelist Nicole Georges, live music, Scrabble, giant crossword puzzles, dirty limerick challenge and silent auction.
Appearances by Carson Ellis, cartoonist Matt Bohrs and others.
100% of the TEXT BALL proceeds benefit the IPRC’s mission to facilitate creative expression, identity, and community by providing access to self-publishing tools and resources.
Costumes encouraged but not required
Costume parade
Literary prizes for best outfits
Let's Quiz About Sex!
Sunday, October 7th @ 6:00
East Burn @ 1800 E. Burnside
Hosted by Margaret
Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it - let's do it! In conjunction with Wordstock's sex theme this year, we are having a quiz about doing it. Getting it on has inspired countless works of literature, songs, films, and works of art, so tonight, we are gonna get down with some of the more well known of these.
Join Wordstock and the Multnomah County Library for a FREE festival "sneak-peek" event at the Central Library.
Evan P. Schneider, Jerry McGill, and Alexis Smith, three Portland-based festival authors, will read climactic scenes from their newest books.
Tin House celebrates its Portland/Brooklyn themed issue with a night of reading, dancing, film, and other assorted pleasures. Featuring author Jon Raymond and musical performances by Cloaks and Golden Retriever.
Slam is the sport of poetry. A game of words, a wide-open field where new ideas and innovative forms collide before the enthralled spectator. Join us for Wordstock's kick-off with two time national poetry slam champ, Anis Mojgani, master slammer, Eirean Bradley and a crew of state poets vying for the crowds winning applause in a six round slam. Two of this year's powerhouse topics at Wordstock, sex and dystopia, equip our word-start opponents with grand slam fodder.
Lust, pessimism, tenacity, rhythm, wit and precision battle it out to see who reigns supreme in the duel of the Wordstock ages.
PARENTAL ADVISORY- Wordstock advises parents to make decisions about the attendance of minors knowing that this evening's show is an unscripted event. Content will likely be sexually explicit.
Doors open at 6:30
Program starts at 7:00
$9.95 general admission
Tickets are available here or at Bagdad box office
The Bagdad Theater
3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd
This workshop will feature resources to help participants discover more about how to research the lives of women, including online databases, bibliographies, archival and historical collections, and local newspapers in both digital and microfilm formats.
Learn what makes kids and teens think something is funny, along with the different humor techniques that you can use to ease tension, convey character, move a story along and make your readers laugh (in a good way).
Wordstock and the Attic Institute team up for an action-packed, fast-paced, improv writing competition. Hosted live from Wordstock's weekend Book Fair at the Oregon Convention Center, Open Write gives brave writers the chance to showcase what they can do with only a writing prompt, a computer, and nine minutes. Their prose is posted to the web, the digital audience and special judge, Lisa Zeidner, each select a champion.
Winners announced daily at 5:30pm from the Open Write podium next to the Drinkery.
Are you ready to get creative? Klutz has published an updated how-to book that gives simple paper a shot of Klutz magic. Twirled Paper allows kids to make adorable creations inspired by the ancient art of quilling. Whimsical charm meets unlimited potential! (Ages 8 and up)
In Bronto & The Pterodactyl Eggs, first-time author and illustrator Charlotte Rodenberg brings us a heartwarming tale of one lone Apatosaurus who must protect a nest of tiny pterodactyls from the dangers of the Jurassic. come for the puppet show, stay to have a book signed by the author!
With the runaway success of 50 Shades of Grey, publishers are clamoring for modern stories of sex and love. Writers will learn how erotic and romance novels have changed, what publishers are looking for today, and how to plan, write and propose their novels.
Joëlle Anthony teaches you how to create quick characters to get you writing, examines the character clichés that permeate books, and explains how to avoid them. Learn to make even the smallest character in your fiction well- rounded and memorable.
The rules of publishing are being rewritten every day. Learn about the different ways innovative E-pub experts are using digital technologies to redraw the landscape.
The intersection of religion and literature is as old as the Bible. What are the joys and dangers of putting religious figures—real and imagined—on the page?
From The Moth to Back Fence PDX, oral storytelling hasn't been this popular since Homer's time. Hearing stories is not only immensely pleasurable but might be essential to increasing literacy and fostering a love of the written word.
The monsters of dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature—from environmental disasters to big-brother technology—are all too real today. What can we do to survive the end?
Four authors discuss the process of writing their first novels and getting them out into the world.
Kambri Crews's reading will be ASL interpreted.
Create collages based on Eric Carle's techniques or make your own unique board book in which to write your next story! Picture book author/illustrator Addie Boswell will lead children through the process while showcasing the natural connection between art and the written word.
In this interactive workshop, we'll critique the first pages of novels by unpublished writers to learn what works and what doesn't. Students with novels in progress are invited to email their first chapter to the presenter-- ray@rayrhamey.com --for inclusion in the critique part of the workshop.
In this workshop we will utilize myth, fairy tales, parables, legends from world spiritual traditions to discover how Indra’s web or a gnome may belong in our poems. Handouts of poems will serve as prompts for our journey through the forest. There will be time to attempt a first draft, and to share work.
Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll ... so to speak. Three YA authors discuss how they handle adult subject matter in their teen novels.
Two families with more than one author discuss the best and worst about writing families.
Great nonfiction writing is more than just facts. Nonfiction, like fiction, needs extraordinary first sentences and first paragraphs to draw the reader in. It also needs a voice and a story that keeps the reader reading to the end.
What’s the difference between a successful and unsuccessful writer? Not connections or talent. Usually it’s how well the writer revises, and most people use the wrong approach.
From classic dystopian tales by Orwell and Bradbury, to wildly popular contemporary young adult bestsellers like The Hunger Games, fantasy writing says as much about our cultural present as it does our future.
What goes into writing a picture book? Three children's authors/illustrators discuss striking the perfect balance between words and images.
The Art of the Book
Michael Heald, Michael D’Alessandro, Rhonda Hughes
(moderated by Justin Hocking) Work for Art Stage, Sat, 3pm
In a world of mass publishing and e-books, micro-presses are ignoring the “book is dead” chant and returning to artisan publishing techniques to create books that double as works of art.
In today's publishing world, authors are expected to contribute to the marketing of their books. What are current and future trends in author self-marketing?
A truly great memoir from a celebrity bares all. These three noteworthy celebrity memoirs relate stories of getting ahead in spite of adversities, of unusual paths to the "happily ever after" and of the family bonds that persevere -- famous or not.
Is straight America ready for queer characters? Two authors and a journalist discuss representations of queer topics in literature and media.
With decades of experience as a journalist, magazine editor, nonfiction writer and publisher, I know how to write, how to supervise other writers, and how to motivate and prevent “satisfaction” that dulls writing. Learn how to be interesting and confident and get your story!
We all know how important first impressions are, so why do we let our stories meander? In this workshop, we'll consider published models of gripping openings, then turn a critical eye to your own story's start to help you truly capture your reader.
Erin Morgenstern in conversation with Stephanie Snyder
Erin Morgenstern, painter and author, casts a visual spell in her bestselling debut novel The Night Circus. Her fabulist’s heart gives us a world where art, love, and illusion intersect.
Portland native Stephanie Snyder is the acclaimed curator and director of the Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery at Reed College. Snyder has elevated Portland’s art scene with exhibitions featuring an extraordinary roster of international work.
Wordstock brings razor sharp aesthetes, Erin Morgenstern and Stephanie Snyder together for a very special Book Fair program. It will be magical, smart, and something to remember. We can't wait!
Four fiction and nonfiction authors discuss writing about known people. How is tension created when the reader knows the ending? Are there rules for bending facts?
A journalist, essayist, and social and political memoirist explore the question of whether "lies" are ever acceptable—or even necessary—for telling the "truth."
To draw in readers, writers use fancy literary devices and complicated story twists, but often nothing is more revealing than a simple, well-written sex scene. Three authors discuss why.
Agents and publishers don't just want a good book, they want a book that will sell. Creating a publicity plan before approaching publishers improves the strength of the pitch. In this class, participants are led through the 3 phases of book publicity from six months before the date of release to a month after the release. Come away with a self-created outline, which can be used as a guide for external pitches or for your own campaign.
Great dialogue brings writing alive; lame dialogue drains its power. We’ll look at three types of dialogue and what makes each work, with many examples from contemporary fiction. Bring your favoriteor least favorite lines and we’ll start seeing the patterns behind great dialogue.
Two middle grade authors discuss writing history and historical fiction for young readers.
Light and fluffy, dark and gritty, and striking a balance in between. Three contemporary YA authors discuss their different approaches to writing contemporary YA.
Everyone loves the hero. What about the side-kick? Listen to three authors discuss developing memorable secondary characters, and their necessity to a story.
Three performers confess their true stories of sex and sexuality, creating a unique and intimate bond between storyteller and audience.
The Wordstock show wil be produced by Eric Scheur.
The moment we've all been waiting for: the 2012 Wordstock edition of Live Wire! Radio. Come be a part of the studio audience for "The Radio Variety Show for the A.D.D. Generation," recorded right in front of you and broadcast by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and stations around the country. Witness trademark Live Wire! brilliance, mixed with Wordstock literary stars and for high comedy conversation and music.
We all know Freytag’s triangle, the satisfying story shape (inciting incident, rising action, crisis and denouement) that follows the pattern of jokes and sex. How do we expand our well-behaved, satisfying stories to fully burst into the mystery and unpredictability of human experience.
Are Submission Critiques enough to push your publishing dream into reality? Learn how to distill that 80K-word novel into an effective 1-page query and 1- to 2-page synopsis--what to include and exclude to gain an agent's /editor's interest.
Wordstock and the Attic Institute team up for an action-packed, fast-paced, improv writing competition. Hosted live from Wordstock's weekend Book Fair at the Oregon Convention Center, Open Write gives brave writers the chance to showcase what they can do with only a writing prompt, a computer, and nine minutes. Their prose is posted to the web, the digital audience and the judges each select a champion.
Winners announced daily at 5:30pm from the Open Write podium next to the Drinkery.
Are you ready to get creative? Klutz has published an updated how-to book that gives simple paper a shot of Klutz magic. Twirled Paper allows kids to make adorable creations inspired by the ancient art of quilling. Whimsical charm meets unlimited potential! (Ages 8 and up)
In Bronto & The Pterodactyl Eggs, first-time author and illustrator Charlotte Rodenberg brings us a heartwarming tale of one lone Apatosaurus who must protect a nest of tiny pterodactyls from the dangers of the Jurassic. come for the puppet show, stay to have a book signed by the author!
Find out how to break your favorite topics into consistent writing projects and reinforce your professional status with every published clip in this fun, interactive session.
You know who you are. You're a writer, and you'd like to start performing your work. 2nd Story can help arm you with tools for your body, your voice, and your nerves, in a safe and fun environment. Think you can't learn basic performance skills that make a difference in an hour? Give us a try.
How does a character’s misfortune compel us to flip to the next page, and why does it make for a more interesting story? Three writers who saddle their fictional subjects with twisted fates explain.
This workshop will discuss two qualities that can help a writer when creating just about anything: an obsession with a particular subject, and a unique voice to tell about that particular subject. This is applicable to fiction, essays, blogs, etc. Come to class prepared to talk about a project that you want to analyze with this lens.
Theater artists discuss the importance of live theater in the ever evolving internet age and the changing ways we receive performance.
Portland’s journalists have won an amazing amount of Pulitzer prizes. Come meet three and the news editor who worked on many of these articles, and learn first hand how an award-winning story is crafted.
What makes a page turner? What keeps you on the edge of your seat? Three YA authors discuss the art of writing thrillers for teen readers.
How does a book make it to the screen? Listen to three authors with various experiences in this process discuss the excitement and disappointment involved.
Create collages based on Eric Carle's techniques or make your own unique board book in which to write your next story! Picture book author/illustrator Addie Boswell will lead children through the process while showcasing the natural connection between art and the written word.
Through the use of workshop-generated examples, this workshop will provide writers of every level with a few simple techniques on how to "go vertical" and develop a sentence into a dynamite scene that adds dramatic depth and thematic resonance to their fiction and/or nonfiction narratives.
Many authors are following the growing trend of book blogging. Three authors discuss the different ways they approach blogging, and how it ties in with their writing careers.
Today it seems we’re always on the verge of great environmental, political or health-related catastrophe; how does the media help us prepare for, prevent or ignore current world crises?
Help your child gain skills and confidence by reading to a relaxed, non-judgmental furry friend! Animal Therapy Teams, sponsored by Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society), will be available for your child to experience the joy of reading in a supportive environment.
Thinking about story structure is about as glamorous and sexy as well, thinking about story structure. But here's the thing, an architect would never embark on a building without a blueprint, and a writer must have some sort of armature on which to hang story. This workshop will offer practical solutions to narrative structure. As an added bonus, working outhow you will tell your story can often be the perfect antidote for writers' block. As Flaubert wrote to his mistress, Louise Colet, "one must not always think that feeling is everything. Art is nothing without form."
How can you (of all people!) write about a family member you never met, from a time before you were born or a place you never visited? What are the rules? Says who? This seminar will explore the art of speculation.
Three children's authors/illustrators explore how they approach picture books and writing for kids: what sparks their ideas, how do they begin and what it’s like working with an illustrator vs. illustrating themselves.
Some of the most compelling characters and stories are born from painful emotions and events in the author's life. What can authors gain by going to those raw places, and how can they get out without going mad?
With Kindle, computer or iPad in hand, our ability to peek inside the real and imaginary bedrooms of others has never been easier...but what is it that readers really want to know?
What makes songwriting unique? Three songwriters discuss the synergy of melody and words.
Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page of Farewell to Arms 39 times. Raymond Carver said that an ending requires a “sense of drama.” How can writers achieve that elusive, successful close?
New York Times-bestselling novelist April Henry has written three series, and is starting a fourth. Learn the secrets for setting up a series. Includes tips from series writers about what they did right - and what they wish they had done differently.
Just because your characters are unusual doesn’t mean your story should ramble. This basic story structure course will explore the traditional hero’s journey story arc, and how to apply it to offbeat characters and settings.
Tin House is a nationally-recognized book and quarterly magazine publisher of fiction, nonfiction and poetry from known and emerging authors.
How do you incorporate sperm donors, opposite-sex exes, or your just-out elder parent into your family? Three authors discuss the lovely, messy shape of today's families.
"Once upon a time" and "Happily ever after" ... two authors discuss how classic fairy tales have influenced their novels, and explore the different ways to approach a modernized fairy tale.
As the power shifts from publishers to authors, it’s Author Spring. After publishing 17 books traditionally, Brenda Peterson brought out her first indie novel, The Drowning World. Join her for a workshop on the skills, strategies, and marketing ideas for your own successful indie publication.
Sage Cohen, author of The Productive Writer, will share the top 10 ways to exponentially increase the results and rewards of your writing life—for any genre or level of experience. Includes a large packet of planning and dreaming tools.
In this session we’ll discuss the pitfalls and strengths of any kind of formalized study of creative writing. Why do so we seek instruction? What are we looking for? What gets in the way of learning, what helps? When it works, what does that look like? How can I become a better learner?
Three authors discuss the similarities and differences in writing their novels for middle grade readers when their approach is through fantasy or a contemporary story.
The paranormal is perennially popular among YA readers, but the creature du jour is always changing. Four YA authors discuss their take on what’s hot now in teen paranormal.
Sara Levine
Diana Thewlis
Micheal Heald
S. Brian Willson
Kimberly Derting
Jerry McGill
Dean Adams
Megan Stielstra
Process Media
Propeller Books
Minuteman Press Team
Wood Springs Insitute
Late Night Library - The All-Hours Home of Debut Books
Oregon State University Press
Wave Books
The Attic Institute
PEMCO Insurance
Multnomah County Public Library
KinderCare
Comcast Internet Essentials
Oregon Arts Commission
McMenamins
IPRC
