Unfinished business from last month's Mayborn Conference: The conference awards $15,000 in prizes to aspiring writers; the winner in the book manuscript category is offered a book contract with the University of North Texas Press. This year's winners are listed...
I reluctantly had to miss the final morning of the Mayborn, but I'll note the analysis of regular Dallas Morning News contributor Edward Nawotka, who covers the industry at Publishing Perspectives. He asks: "Could this be America's best writing conference?"...
The last day of the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference on Sunday brought great sessions, as usual, and a few totally unexpected surprises. I overslept a little, but made it in time for the fascinating 9:40 a.m. talk by Michael...
From Staff Writer Lindsay Kalter, whose interview with public radio's Ira Glass can be read here: For Ira Glass, the dryness of the term "literary nonfiction" conjures up images of schoolroom boredom. But his Saturday presentation on the subject was...
We'll be posting more later about Mayborn keynote speaker Ira Glass -- who delivered what was by all accounts a knockout presentation on Saturday, then stuck around to sign books and CDs until after midnight -- later. But I want...
I last saw Roy Blount Jr. at the Texas Book Festival, where he was amusing in discussing Alphabet Juice. Frankly, he was better Saturday afternoon in Grapevine. The master of digression -- a title I suspect he wears proudly --...
Earlier Saturday, Stephanie Elizondo Griest turned in one of my favorite performances of the Mayborn. Not because she was the most polished speaker -- she speaks so rapidly, she sounds a bit like a 33 record playing on 45, or...
Julia Reed, author of The House on First Street and Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena among other books, was a big hit Saturday afternoon at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference in Grapevine. By the time Reed...
Interesting mashup unfolding here as long-form journalism meets new-era technology: Follow the #mayborn feed on Twitter. (Yes, I'm tweeting in between access to WiFi points.) (Update: Here's the direct link to those tweets. What do you think -- is there...
The fifth annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference got off to an inspirational start earlier tonight, as Paul Theroux presented a keynote address that was both thoughtful and thought-provoking. Mayborn director Mitch Land introduced Theroux as "the nation's foremost travel...
Several of us are on our way to the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. Check back later for updates involving Paul Theroux, Larry McMurtry, Ira Glass, Roy Blount Jr. and anyone else we happen to run into....
The folks at the Mayborn Conference have reminded me that today is the last day to qualify for the conference rate at the Hilton DFW Lakes Executive Conference Center. Read the list of speakers, and understand why attendees tend to...
The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is offering $15,000 in prizes to narrative writers who take part in the annual gathering. Personal essays, reporting-and-research-based narratives and book manuscripts are eligible. The best work will be published in the journal Ten Spurs,...
Word comes today from the University of North Texas that Mayborn Graduate School of Journalism alum Michael Mooney will appear in not one but two "Best American" anthologies this year. Mooney, a onetime Morning News contributor who works at Village...
As always when writing about the Mayborn, I really wanted to spin this note as a narrative: "Feeling fatigued yet doggedly determined to serve the readers of Texas, the editor cracked his knuckles, sipped his coffee and faced his computer."...
The University of North Texas today announced it would offer a new certificate in narrative journalism (details here). Of more general interest is how the press release noted that this year's Mayborn Literary Conference of the Southwest, to be held...
For those who worship at the temple of words, Saturday night's Mayborn Literary Conference keynote speech by N. Scott Momaday was a religious experience. Mr. Momaday held the crowd of 450 transfixed as he talked about writing and the...
This year's Mayborn Literary Conference is off and running, as nonfiction writers, editors and agents are converging in Grapevine for celebration and conversation about the craft of nonfiction writing. Bob Shacochis was the evening's literary light. The National Book Award...
The folks at the University of North Texas' Mayborn Institute have just launched their own magazine. In the online version, you'll find an essay on the unromance of the writerly life by Bob Shacochis, and an interview with N. Scott...
If you write nonfiction, you have one week to get your material in to the contest at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writing Conference. At stake: $12,000 in prizes and the envy of your literate friends. Yours truly will be helping...
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