Writing Popular Fiction that Sells!

Register Today for this Workshop!

Local author Merry Simmons will be teaching an exciting six week writing workshop titled "Writing Popular Fiction That Sells!" for the Arts Council on Tuesday evenings from 6 - 8 p.m. from February 21 - March 27. Merry (Meredith Simmons) has sold over a dozen short stories, primarily science fiction and fantasy, to major genre magazines like Asimov’s and Realms of Fantasy. She’s now attempting to embark on a career as a romance novelist, and currently has a requested submission under consideration at Berkley with her fingers crossed! To hone her craft, she's attended innumerable residential workshops and wants to share this information with the Wilson public.

"No one has to buy a book for this class," says Merry. She has developed a workshop outline that will address all of the needed basics – plot, character, voice, point of view, dialogue, etc. as well as some basic grammar reviews.  Merry figures if she starts with 15 - 20 minutes of grammar each class, everything that comes after it will seem much more interesting!  Merry says, "I’ve read enough 'slush' for a friend who edited an e-magazine to know it would be criminal to ignore grammar." Barry's favorite humorous quote from his e-mail correspondence with Merry is, "People are funny.  They think they can write the great American novel with no preparation!"

To learn more about Merry, you may visit http://meredithsimmons.com/. Please call the Arts Council at 291-4329 to register for this class that promises to be both fun and informative. The cost is only $50 for contributors and $65 for non-contributors! Seats are limited, so please call today.

Arts Council of Wilson Scholarship

It is the mission of the Arts Council of Wilson to provide opportunities in the arts for the people of Wilson County. The Arts Council of Wilson youth scholarship program provides the opportunity for individuals who require financial assistance to participate in our programs. Scholarships are funded through concessions sales during ACT! for Youth performances, Boykin Series performances and other specified donations.

Eligibility Guidelines

To receive an Arts Council of Wilson Scholarship: Applicant MUST be a resident of Wilson County.The parent/guardian must complete the scholarship application on behalf of participant. The scholarship will fund only Arts Council of Wilson programs, for example: ACT! for Youth participation fees, summer camp workshops, etc.Applicant must prove financial need. Applicant may apply for one class per session three times per year; spring, summer or fall. Attendance is required. Three absences may result in loss of scholarship. Parent/guardian must make a commitment to bring participant to program and insure involvement in program. Disruptive or inappropriate behavior is unacceptable and is subject to immediate dismissal from the program and loss of scholarship eligibility.

Awarding

Based on the availability of funds and number of applicants, the Scholarship Committee will determine the award. Awards will not exceed 75% of the total cost to participate in the program. Participant must pay a minimum of 25% of the cost.