In support of the North Carolina Writers’ Network “Nobody Writes Alone†campaign, we’ve asked beloved authors to weigh-in on what the North Carolina Writers’ Network means to them.
Fourteen years ago, I declared I was writer.
It was time to finally go for it, but while I knew I couldn’t be anything else, I also knew I had a long learning curve. After all, nobody writes alone. Since I couldn’t fathom failing, I quickly joined the North Carolina Writers’ Network and attended my first-ever Fall Conference in Wilmington without knowing anyone. It was the best decision I had ever made (besides marrying my husband), and it set me on a journey as a published poet/songwriter, book/magazine editor, and writing coach.
Why was it such a great decision? I quickly met fellow writers and learned from authors much more advanced than me. Everyone was so authentic and real. I had finally found my tribe.
Thanks to the Network and its newsletters, conferences, and fellow members, I didn’t feel overwhelmed when it came to publishing, agents, editors, and queries. I quickly found a writers’ group who kept me accountable, and after I completed graduate school, I gave back to the Network by volunteering as a Regional Representative. The Network also gave me teaching and critique opportunities to help me establish my professional reputation. Soon, instead of me asking for help from a fellow member, I connected members who needed each other so they could both become successful.
After a few more years of dedicated service, one of the highest honors I ever received was being nominated to the NC Writers’ Network’s Board of Trustees. Now I could help make decisions for the organization that had given me so much.
My enthusiasm for the Network only grew, and I decided I could give not only my time, but also my money: to help defray costs or to help a member attend the Fall Conference. My donations have a direct impact on the Network’s success, and yours can too!
Please consider giving a financial gift to the Network to help a fellow writer attend a conference where their confidence and opportunities will blossom. An investment in one person will continue to grow our state’s literary legacy so that we can forever be known as “the Writingest State.â€
—Alice Osborn, Raleigh
Alice Osborn’s past educational (MA in English, NCSU, and BS in Finance, VA Tech) and work experience is unusually varied, and it now feeds her work as an editor, writing coach, and poet-musician. In the past decade, Alice has taught writing workshops to thousands of aspiring fiction and memoir authors of nearly all ages, both around the corner and across continents. Heroes without Capes is her most recent collection of poetry. Previous collections are After the Steaming Stops and Unfinished Projects. Alice is also the editor of the anthologies Tattoos and Creatures of Habitat, both from Main Street Rag. A North Carolina Writers’ Network board member and a Pushcart Prize nominee, her work has appeared in The News and Observer in Raleigh, The Broad River Review, Pedestal Magazine, Soundings Review, and in numerous journals and anthologies. When she’s not editing or writing, Alice is an Irish dancer who plays guitar and violin. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, two children, four loud birds, and Mr. Nibbles, the guinea pig. Visit Alice’s website at www.aliceosborn.com.
To read the first testimonial, from NC Literary Hall of Fame inductee Lee Smith, click here. To read the testimonial from NC Literary Hall of Fame inductee Jaki Shelton Green, click here. To read the testimonal from NC Literary Hall of Fame inductee Clyde Edgerton, click here.
You can make your gift online with a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover; over the phone by calling 336-293-8844 or 919-308-3228; or by mailing your check to:
NCWN
P.O. Box 21591
Winston-Salem, NC 27120