What better way to wrap up the New Year Festivities than with a visit or two to Austin’s Local Literary Events? From listening to Writing Barn regular Natalia Sylvester speak at St. Edward’s University, to attending the I Scream Social at Malvern Books, (real ice cream included) there is a full range of fun and educational Literary Events to enjoy this January of 2016. Here is what’s happening this week in the Austin book world.
Lit City:
What’s Going on in the Austin Book World Jan. 21st – Jan. 27th
Thursday, Jan. 21 (7 PM) @ BookPeople, listen to debut author Clara Bensen speak about her book, No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering, a true story of two strangers who embark on a literal journey around the world, falling in love.
Friday, Jan. 22 (7-8 PM) @ Malvern Books, what is better than Amy’s Ice Cream, a photo booth, and a free reading series? Come listen to Austin’s local women poets and fiction writers at the I Scream Social, and bring your own work to share!
Saturday, Jan. 23 (9 AM-12 PM) @ St. Edward’s University, sign up to hear Natalia Sylvester, a regular at The Writing Barn, speak on “Finding Your Way Into Your Story.”
Saturday, Jan. 23 (3 PM-5 PM) @ Malvern Books, listen to Kate Baray, M.G. Herron, and Jackie Dana read from their own works, respectively. This event, Indie Authors, has been organized by Write It Already: an Austin meet-up focused on inspiring, instructing, and motivating all types of writers in Austin.
Saturday, Jan. 23 (2 PM) @ BookPeople, come and visit with Children Book Author and Writing Barn Regular Varian Johnson, speaking and signing To Catch a Cheat.
Wednesday, Jan. 27 (7 PM) @ BookPeople, get hyped to hear New York Times Bestselling Author Kevin Hearne speak on his book, Staked, and Edgar Award Winning Author Robert Jackson Bennett speak on his book, City of Blades. If action and fantasy is up your alley, do not miss out on this event!
Upcoming Events and Classes at The Writing Barn
We all dream of writing the next bestselling novel, and what’s wrong with that? After all, novels are built out of dreams and imagination. But what makes a commercial novel great? A bestseller? 
In Six Weeks to Success, we’ll break down and analyze the books of some of America’s great commercial novelists— from writers of legal thrillers to romance novelists to mystery writers and more—to learn how they made their books addictingly readable.
We all have touchstone memories, those moments in childhood or young adulthood that changed us and our understanding of the world. Beneath those big moments, though, lies so much more—the sensory minutiae of growing up, smaller moments that were just as important but more easily forgotten. Accessing that deeper layer of material will add vibrancy and resonance to your writing, but how do you get to it? And once you’ve rediscovered it, how do you convert “what really happened” into a compelling piece of fiction?
If you are a middle-grade or young adult novelist, this workshop is a unique opportunity to hone your craft. Over four days, faculty will lecture, lead group workshops, and provide individual consultations, all designed to inspire new stories and reinvigorate existing ones.