Sharon Forks Writers' Group

Submitted by Alicia Cavitt, Information Specialist

I’m certain that anyone who thinks it’s easy to write a book has never attempted to write a book. 

Since 2018, Forsyth County writers have been sharing early drafts of original stories and articles at the Sharon Forks Writers’ Group. We’ve reviewed drafts for all ages and from all genres, scouring manuscripts for run-on sentences, clichés, awkward dialog, abrupt transitions, and typos of all natures. Our diverse group includes talented writers from all around the globe and is made up of recent graduates, working adults, parents, grandparents, and retirees. 

Forsyth County Public Library is proud to be able to help launch the writing careers of so many authors and journalists in our community. Recently, three of the writers in our group have shared inspiring achievements we’d like to recognize. 

Jessica Wozinsky Fleming’s opinion piece, Countless Kids are Colorblind and Don’t Know What To Do About It – Here’s How to Help was published November 7, 2023, on WashingtonPost.com. Jessica’s articles have appeared in Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, and Today.com. 

Author and former FCPL volunteer Diane Head attended Keowee Key’s Author Book Signing Event in South Carolina on November 8 to promote her book, Opal and the Great Steeplechase Race, published by BookLogix in 2021. Opal and the Great Steeplechase Race is about a determined young stable boy who dreams of competing in the steeplechase horse race on his mule Opal.  

Emily Matheis’ picture book Opal’s Springtime Birdhouse was published earlier this year by Yeehoo Press. The full-color, 32-page picture book about a young carpenter has received numerous positive reviews. 

New authors often face hurdles in finding literary agents to submit their work to publishers, so we’re thrilled to learn Emily will now be represented by The Book Group literary agency. TBG represents many popular writers including Ann Napolitano, Jenny Jackson, and Luis Alberto Urrea. 

On January 24 Emily will speak at the Atlanta Writers Club Meeting at GSU Perimeter College’s Dunwoody Campus. Emily will share her expertise in crafting believable bad guys in a presentation titled, Villains — Defining Their Goals, Discovering Their Vulnerabilities, and Unleashing Their Humanity. 

Congratulations to Jessica, Diane, and Emily! It’s so exciting to see the writers in our group succeeding in their writing goals and reaching wider audiences. We can’t wait to see what the members of the Sharon Forks Writers’ Group will achieve in 2024!