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<p>Two professional-development opportunities for writers will be offered Nov. 17-18 at the main campus by the University of Tennessee at Martin Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages. The two events are open to high school and middle school teachers and students, UT Martin students and the surrounding community.</p>
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<p>Author T.J. Martinson will speak at 4 p.m., Nov. 17, in the Campbell Auditorium located on the first floor of the Andy Holt Humanities Building. The free event is open to the public and will include a meet-and-greet opportunity. Martinson is an assistant professor of English at Murray State University, teaching courses in creative writing and literature. His debut novel, The Reign of the Kingfisher, was published in 2019 by Flatiron Books.</p>
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<p>On Nov. 18, the 2022 Young Writers Conference will be held from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in the Boling University Center. This one-day conference offers a series of writing workshops taught by UT Martin faculty members and visiting writer T.J. Martinson. The conference is open to all middle and high school students and teachers. The Young Writers Conference is sponsored by the UT Martin Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages and the West Tennessee Writing Project.</p>
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<p>Students can attend hands-on writing workshops in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, songwriting, literary analysis and professional story of self. There will also be an open-mike reading opportunity for students. Throughout the day, students will create pieces of writing, connect with other young writers from the region, and learn from outstanding writers and teachers of writing.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;The conference fee is $12 for students and includes all workshops, readings and lunch. Teachers may attend for free. To register, visit <a href="https://secure.touchnet.com/C21608_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=865&amp;SINGLESTORE=true">https://secure.touchnet.com</a>.</p>
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<p>For more information about these events, contact Heather McGehee, assistant to the dean of the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, at <a href="mailto:hmcgehe1@utm.edu">hmcgehe1@utm.edu</a>.</p>
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