Welcome Back Writers!
I hope everyone had a refreshing break. It's important to shake things up every now and then to avoid being stuck in any mundane ruts. This little break of ours from monthly meetings did just that, and now we'll start anew with new prompts, writing challenges, off-site events (poetry readings and slams), volunteering opportunities and much more.
Other Changes:
Meetings will now be the third Friday of every month at 6:30pm and will be listed (fingers crossed) in the Schuler's Book and Cafe monthly flyer.
Workshoping is now open at anytime with rolling deadlines. Whenever you finish a piece and would like feedback, send your piece to penswithoutink@gmail.com and it will be sent out to all member's on our email list! I will then send you back a date of the next meeting where your piece will be discussed. Due to time restraints we're going to be capping in-meeting discussions to 10-15 minutes per piece. However, I will be sending back comments/feedback on pieces via email and can even provide over the phone discussion of your piece if you so desire!
Workshoping Feedback Guidelines: It's been brought to my attention that in previous workshops the comments that were giving back were surprisingly too nice! Now, our goal is not to break people down but fluffing them up is almost just as bad. Instead this year we'll strive for constructive criticism that offers possible solutions, expansion, character analysis, strengths and weaknesses of the overall setting and structure of the piece. When we're workshopping we are essentially playing the role of "the reader" and we need to give an honest critical opinion that will help the author develop their piece further. It is also helpful that the writer include between 3-5 questions that they have about their piece. This will give the workshopers something to focus on as they're reading.
Here's a sneak peak at our 2012 agenda:
January: Speech Writing
February: Writing Technique, The Bear At The Door (Making Shapely Fiction, by Jerome Stern)
March: Fairy Tales & Folklore
April: Essay Writing
May: Writing Technique, Onion (Making Shapely Fiction, by Jerome Stern)
June: Urban American Tall Tales
July: OFF
August: Dystopias
September: Writing Technique, Accuracy (Making Shapely Fiction, by Jerome Stern)
October: Horror
November: Nanowrimo! (National Novel Writing Month)
December: OFF
Monthly blogs will be posted with additional information, along with other creative opportunities!
I can't wait to read your work. Let's get this writing party started!
Happy Writing,
Nicole
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