Thoughts on the AWP Conference
And an excellent selection of cohort publishing news
Dear Readers,
Well, it’s February, and we at Paper Dragon sincerely hope your year is off to a promising start. We hope you’ve found some excellent things to read (ahem, such as Volume 6) and if you’re a writer, we hope you’ve felt inspired to shake off the holiday powdered sugar dust and send us your submissions for Volume 7. We’ll be accepting your short stories, creative nonfiction, poetry, and artwork until April 15.
As always, please check out guidelines before submitting. You can find all the information about how to submit here.
An experience at the AWP Conference in Kansas
Earlier this month, The Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) held their annual conference in Kansas City. The Drexel MFA program casts a pretty wide net, and we have students, faculty, and alumni in various parts of the country – and world – but a few lucky members of our program were in the right place, and able to attend.
Skylar Fountain, fantasy writer, (’24) writes:
I had the privilege of attending the AWP conference. I wasn't planning on going, but when I heard that it was in Kansas City (my hometown) AND that I would get a student discount, it was hard to refuse. I will say that I had an enjoyable experience overall, but it reminded me how grateful I am to the Drexel MFA. The workshops were insightful, but our MFA teaches us the same skills and knowledge and it made me thankful to have that access so closely. I will say my favorite part of the conference was learning more about marketing on #Booktok and how AI is challenging the industry. I also made time to traverse through the Bookfair. I wasn't actively querying, but I wanted to get to know what options are out there and get my toes wet. There were defintely a favorite or two that have stuck with me that I will keep in mind when it does come time. Overall, I think the conference was great, but there is something special about our MFA and not having hundreds of people trying to ask question.
Cohort Publishing News!
Dan DeNoon, Paper Dragon Art Director (’24), will have his short story, THE RUNAWAYS, published in May in The Blue Lake Review. For more information, you can follow him on X (Twitter) @ddenoon, on Mastodon as TheRealDeNoon, and on Facebook.
One of our Managing Editors, Tori Chase (’24), publishes episodic romance and mystery on her Substack TALES BY TORI. Her compelling characters, vivid descriptions of place and time, and gripping storylines make the reading fly by, and it’s a test of patience to wait for each new installment.
Lee Ann Walling, Paper Dragon Website Director, has recently started a new Substack newsletter called MFA AND BEYOND. She publishes regular, honest content about her experiences in the Drexel MFA program and her life as a retiree writer and novelist. You can also find her on Instagram and Threads @leeannreaderwriter, on LinkTree @leeannwalling, as well as on X (Twitter) @pinkpaddler.
Monique Danielle, a former Drexel MFA graduate, had her story THE LOVE published in Cleaver Magazine in December. You can find her on Instagram @mo_danielle8.
Finally, I’m honored to announce that on March 11, MINE, my short horror/crime story will be published in Tough Crime, an online crime blogazine. You can follow me for more information on my Instagram page @e_keisman or subscribe on YouTube @yoursfromthewoods for more original storytelling, narration, and videography.
That’s all the news for this month! Once again, please don’t forget that we’re open for submissions until April 15.
A few guideline basics:
Fiction: 2000 words max
Nonfiction: 1000 words max
Poetry: 250 words max
Art: 7mg max size
If you’re submitting multiple pieces, we ask that you please submit each one separately.
From my keyboard to yours, I wish you the best of luck and many happy hours of writing.
Best regards,
Eleanor Keisman
Newsletter Director