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Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance (EMAA) held their Writing Workshop in Eagle Mountain on September 9, 2017. The event was held at Black Ridge Elementary School. The event hosted 70 writers from around Utah and several out of state attendees (Arizona, and Idaho). The event had 21 different classes the attendees could participate in. Those classes were taught by 18 different instructors from authors just starting out, to authors who have sold best selling novels. The classes were designed to help writers improve on their writing skills as well as ways get their works published. The writing skills classes included tips on writing romance, comedy, and historical fiction, as well as how to use technology, magic, character names, and unwritten words to increase a readers engagement. There were also classes on how to get your work published, what editors are looking for, how to use some of the software tools designed for writers, how to market your works, and general advise.
As an aspiring journalist, I attended the event. I did learn some valuable insights into the writing world. I learned that there are a lot of very talented writers out there, but there are a lot of variables that can influence how those writers works are accepted by readers. You can have a very well written novel, but if it is not published, marketed, and edited correctly it may not be presented to the readers who would enjoy reading it. Writers are a close knit group of people, they have a passion for what they do, and they enjoy writing. They like to talk about what they are working on. I also found that it is very important for a writer to be a member of a peer group that can review their works during the writing process. It is also important that that writing group consists of writers that are writing in the same category that you are writing in.
The event also included a writing and illustration contest. The contest was broken out into age groups, and winners were selected in each of the age groups.
Writing Contest Winners
Overall – Tiffany Chandler
1st – Sara Cluff
2nd – Sarah Heller
3rd – Chris Jones
11/12
1st – Alayna C Lopez
2nd – Alexis Fulkerson
9/10
1st – Hannah Anderson
2nd – Becca Scanlon
3rd – Matthew Draper
7/8
1st – Evelyn Lopez
2nd – Emily Cannon
3rd – Katie Ottesen
Illustration Contest Winners
1st – Rachelle Hardy
11/12
1st – Zoe Clair
9/10
1st – Emily Clair
2nd – Sabrina Heller
1/2
1st – Jason Hearn
pre-K
1st – Riley Hardy
Additional Resources
EMAA Facebook Page
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.