Congratulations to AKaiser for winning first place in poetry for the 2020 WNBA Writing Contest! You can read the winning entry, “Where/There,” below. Where/There Where her body ceases to be the pinto bean-sized version of her being swallowed up in an easy chair. She unhinges her hip […]
2020 WNBA Writing Contest Flash Prose Winner: “Woman in the Covid Bubble” by Tess Kelly
Congratulations to Tess Kelly for winning first place in flash prose for the 2020 WNBA Writing Contest! You can read the winning entry, “Woman in the Covid Bubble,” below. Woman in the Covid Bubble Meals You eat leftovers, lots of leftovers, in microwaved containers. On second thought, don’t bother with the microwave, straight out of […]
2020–2021 WNBA Authentic Voices Fellows
We are thrilled to announce our 2020–2021 WNBA Authentic Voices Fellows! This inaugural class of fellows participated in a four-month-long program that introduced them to publishing. Fellows attended courses with industry professionals and were taught about writing, editing, marketing, and publication. Fellows were paid a stipend and had their work published in our inaugural edition […]
2020 WNBA Writing Contest Finalists Announced
Ra Avis Dorothy Odonnell Carol Fischbach Jessica Smith Naomi Weiss Tiffany Promise Teresa Janssen Anndee Hochman Isabel Walsh Lauren Parvizi Celine Aenelle-Roacha Bonnie Olsen Louise Harland Lisa Leyenda Lucy Dixon Sunshine Barbito Tess Kelly Samantha Thomas Claire Fullerton Gretchen Ayoub Amy Wright Kate MacGuire Mary McLaughlin María Ochoa Sheila Riley Judy Goldman Andrea Young Tiffany […]
Shonda Buchanan Joins as a Writing Contest Judge
A Bit about Shonda Buchanan Shonda Buchanan is a calm force in the writing world. Raised as a Black woman “who grew up hearing cherished stories of her multi-racial heritage, while simultaneously suffering from everything she (and the rest of her family) didn’t know,” her work culls forth dynamic voices. The author of five books, […]
Kara Vernor Announced as Contest Flash Prose Judge
Introducing Kara Vernor Kara Vernor writes flash. Her wit and keen observation find a voice in dynamic, edgy stories. How she describes the process of flash writing illuminates volumes in small spaces. She’s had a long relationship with this genre and gives homage to a high school instructor. Balanced sentences layered with stated and inferred […]
Francesca Lia Block to Serve as Contest Fiction Judge
Introducing Francesca Lia Block We are thrilled to announce this year’s fiction judge, Francesca Lia Block. Francesca writes fiction, nonfiction, short stories, and poetry. A prolific storyteller, Francesca has authored over 25 books and has had stories, poems, essays, and interviews published in the Los Angeles Times, the L.A. Review of Books, Spin, Nylon, Black Clock, The Fairy Tale Review, and Rattle, among others. She has also adapted her […]
Meet Our Creative Nonfiction Judge Mireya S. Vela
Mireya S. Vela will serve as the 2020 WNBA Writing Contest’s creative nonfiction judge. Introducing Mireya S. Vela Mireya S. Vela is a Mexican American creative nonfiction writer, storyteller, and artist in Los Angeles. Both serious and gregarious, she tells great tales, using stark, pointed language, mythic themes, and deep examination. Much like her artwork, Mireya layers meaning between the […]
Celebrate National Poetry Month with WNBA Poets
By Tina Ollenburg (Network) April is National Poetry Month! Within the WNBA, we have a number of amazing poets, and we wanted to shine a light on their work, as well as their experiences with writing and reading poetry. Linda Vigen Phillips (Charlotte) Linda is passionate about poetry and realistic fiction. She is the […]
The Miracle of the Book Outline
When you sit down to write, do you ever feel lost and like you don’t know what you want to say or where you want things to go? Have you ever gotten halfway through a chapter or a book, you stop and you read what you’ve written, and it doesn’t make sense? A book outline can help you. And Melissa Kirk, WNBA-San Francisco, is here to help you create one!