Louisiana Writing Resources

Posted by David Duhr in Writing Resources      1 comment

Oct
4

Louisiana is next in our series of State Writing Resources. Known as the Creole State, the Pelican State and Sportsman’s Paradise (!), Louisiana was admitted to the Union in 1812, and in 1815 was the site of the closing battle of the War of 1812.

There, don’t say I never taught you any history on this here readin’ ‘n’ writin’ blog.

Louisiana writing boasts luminaries like Anne Rice, Arnaud Wendell Bontemps, Walker Percy (The Moviegoer) and Tyler Perry. John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces is surely one of the more well-known books to come out of the state. And it’s funny as hell. For a fascinating look at this book’s path to publication–after Toole committed suicide at age 31, his mother got the book into the hands of the aforementioned Percy–check out this piece.

Presented in no particular order, here are ten Louisiana writing resources, from conferences to local critique groups to literary magazines. If you live in that Sportsman’s/Sportswoman’s Paradise or are planning a move there, these are some organizations you might want to take a peek at.

1) Fantasy on the Bayou

Conference registration includes all workshops/sessions, a sit-down luncheon featuring the keynote speaker, access to book signings, and a sit-down dinner.

2) Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association

A nonprofit professional improvement organization for those with an interest in nature-based communications and outdoor activities.

3) Pen to Press Writers’ Retreat

Pen to Press Retreats are five intense, hands-on, inspiring days that teach participants how to shape and present a saleable manuscript.

4) Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society

This nationally recognized nonprofit arts organization’s two most ambitious annual projects are Words and Music, a literary feast in New Orleans, and The William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition.

5) Writers’ Guild of Acadiana

WGA is an organization made up of local writers, published and unpublished, who meet the last Tuesday of each month to share and gain knowledge in the craft of writing.

6) The Louisiana Sports Writers Association

Aims to foster and promote the dissemination of information on athletics and sports activities, to encourage the highest standards of sports journalism in the communications media, and to promote better working conditions for state sports writers and sportscasters.

7) Louisiana Book News

Books column by journalist Chere Dastugue Coen, published on Sundays in The Daily Advertiser of Lafayette and Monroe News Star of Monroe.

8) Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival

The Festival’s mission is threefold: to serve the community through educational, theatrical, literary and musical programs; to nurture, support and showcase regional, national and international writers, actors, musicians and other artists; and to honor the creative genius of Tennessee Williams, who considered New Orleans his spiritual home.

9) The Southern Review

One of the nation’s premiere literary journals, and hailed by Time as “superior to any other journal in the English language.” The Southern Review publishes a diverse array of fiction, nonfiction and poetry by the country’s—and the world’s—most respected contemporary writers.

10) The Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective

This literary arts organization strives to promote the literary arts–and other arts as well–through open mics, writing groups and an annual festival.

Help us add to this list, Louisianans! Do you run a local writing group or a lit journal we should be aware of? Feel free to share info and links in the comments section below.