Next Meeting: November 12!

As National Novel Writing Month begins, it's time for our lovely reminder regarding our monthly meeting.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 12 in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library starting at 7:00 PM.

Bring copies of a page or two (three at most) of your latest writing, and we'll read together and offer verbal and written feedback.

We always have a terrific time together, so we hope to see a full room on November 12th!

And don't forget NaNoWriMo!!  Even if you don't reach 50,000 words in November, you will write more than you would have otherwise...and that's a great thing. :)

See you all on the 12th!!

November Means NaNoWriMo!!

 

November is coming quickly upon us, and November means National Novel Writing Month, or affectionately known as NaNoWriMo.

Here's the link for the website: NaNoWriMo

Basically, several hundred thousand writers join together to each write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November.

Yes, that averages to writing 1,667 words per day in order to finish all 50,000 words by 11:59 PM on November 30.

I will be trying (and I emphasize "trying") to participate since I offer NaNoWriMo as extra credit for my Expository Essay students. If anyone would like to add me as a Writing "Buddy," my user name is SusanneB and my profile is available at http://nanowrimo.org/participants/susanneb.    

So let's keep on writing as November comes!! We'll be getting together for our regular meeting on Tuesday, November 12th at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library. I'll send a reminder a day or two before the meeting as usual.

See you then...and happy writing!! :)

 

 

November's NaNoWriMo Is Just Around the Corner....

Dear Burgeoning Novelist,

I'm writing to tell you I need you. That's right, I've been swirling around in the breathtaking labyrinths of your unconscious mind for a while now, and I'm itching to leap into the world. The only way I can come out, though, is if you commit to writing me in November.

So, if you haven't already, please sign in for 2013 NaNoWriMo and create me. For inspiration, just read Abby's story in our 2012 Annual Report. Abby's novel was such a powerful force that she faced down naysayers, found a way to write while juggling a busy life, and then crossed the finish line on the shoulders of NaNo's amazing community.

I know we'll write a gobsmacking, mind-bending story as well, so please commit to writing me in the following ways.

Donate $10 for the love of me. NaNo research shows that people who donate are more likely to write 50,000 words. But your donation means more than that. Your support will help approximately 500,000 people realize their writing dreams this year. You can spark a creative revolution!

Start prepping with a NaNo notebook—just released! We have so much to decide. Who is our protagonist? What sorts of wicked plans are our tales' rapscallions hatching? Sure, I've been swimming among the stories in your unconscious depths, but we have to start working to get 'em all out onto the page.

So let's get in the noveling mood. Check out these NaNo Prep resources to get primed:

• 10 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo
• Inside the Mind of a Planner
• Pantser? Planner? Percolator?

Above all, please just write me. November is a grand celebration of everyone's amazing creative powers, so let's plunge into NaNo's rollicking mayhem and give light to a riveting story.

With rip-roaring wishes,

Your 2013 NaNo Novel
Word count: Ready to go...

***********

So, are we ready to write our novels, dear writers???

Think about it...and perhaps we can meet at the Pine Valley Library or at Pine Valley Java to write together a few times during November. :)

Writing with you,

Next Meeting October 8!!

The next meeting of the Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council (MECAC) Writers' Workshop is Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

 

Come join the writers of the Mountain Empire Area as we share our writings! Anyone remotely interested in writing is welcome to attend either to just listen or to join in the sharing!

 

If desired, bring 1-2 pages of writing to share with the group, and please make 6-8 copies so that other writers may offer written feedback as well as oral commentary.

 

Come check out our group and learn more about the art and craft of writing!

 

"How vain is it to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live."

~Henry David Thoreau

 

Next Meeting: September 10!!

The next meeting of the Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council (MECAC) Writers' Workshop is Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

 

Come join the writers of the Mountain Empire Area as we share our writings! Anyone remotely interested in writing is welcome to attend either to just listen or to join in the sharing!

 

If desired, bring 1-2 pages of writing to share with the group, and please make 6-8 copies so that other writers may offer written feedback as well as oral commentary.

 

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Next Meeting: August 13!!

 

 

The next meeting of the Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council (MECAC) Writers' Workshop is Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

 

Come join the writers of the Mountain Empire Area as we share our writings! Anyone remotely interested in writing is welcome to attend either to just listen or to join in the sharing!

 

If desired, bring 1-2 pages of writing to share with the group, and please make 6-8 copies so that other writers may offer written feedback as well as oral commentary.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Susanne at 619.417.6215.

 

We look forward to enjoying your work!!

 

 

"I romp with joy in the bookish dark."

~Mark Strand, from the poem "Eating Poetry"

Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 14

The Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council's monthly Writers' Workshop will be meeting on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library. 

Everyone interested in the art and craft of writing or who like to learn more about the writing process is welcome to attend. 

Writers usually bring 1-3 pages of their work to read aloud to the group and be discussed, offering ideas for improvement. Writers are encouraged to bring 6-8 copies of their work for written responses by the group. 

We hope to see you there!!

And here's a quotation on writing to inspire you as you write this month:

"The role of the writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." 

~Anais Nin

Writing with you,

Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 9th

Yes, the next meeting of the MECAC (Mountain Empire Creative Arts Council) Writers' Workshop will be this Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

Bring along a page or two (three at the most) to share with the group, preferably with 6-8 copies so that the group can jot down any salient points for you. 

Also feel free to bring along a friend; anyone interested in the craft of writing is welcome to attend. 

Plus, please keep in mind that April is National Poetry Month!! The excellent site for the Academy of American Poets has a wonderful page with all kinds of poetry-related activities. The theme this year is epistolary poems (poems as letters and vice-versa), and you may find more information here: National Poetry Month.

And in honor of National Poetry Month, Robert Lee Brewer, editor of The Poets Market, is again hosting the annual April PAD (Poem-a-Day) Month in which prompts are provided for writing a poem each day throughout the month of April. You may read more about it here: April PAD 2013. 

As April 9th is our daughter's 21st birthday, I won't be attending the Writers' Workshop meeting for April, but I wish you all the best--have a lovely meeting!! 

Poetically yours,

"Being a poet is a condition, not a profession." ~Robert Frost

March Writers' Workshop Meeting 3/12!

Okay, so none of us are cool enough to have a bullet-proof vest labeled "WRITER" like Rick Castle does in the television show Castle (Mondays 10:00PM ABC). 

But the good news is that we have a Writers' Workshop Meeting this Tuesday, March 12!! 

As always, we'll be meeting in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library at 7:00 to share a page or two of our writing with the group and receive feedback. 

Writers of all genres, as well as those who are interested in learning more about writing, are very welcome to attend!! 

In addition, Judith and I'll report back on the Writer's Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University two weeks ago. Both Cathleen Falsani and Billy Collins were amazing and inspirational speakers on the art and craft of writing. 

So we hope to see you all this Tuesday evening!! 

Writers Workshop Meeting This Tuesday, February 12!

We'll be meeting this Tuesday, February 12 at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

Maureen cannot be with us this month, but I've invited a writer I keep seeing at the Alpine Starbucks; his name is Keith. I hope to see many of you tomorrow evening!!

Also, the Writer's Symposium by the Sea is coming up at the end of the month. Cathleen Falsani is speaking on Monday, February 25 at 7:00 PM, and Poet Laureate Billy Collins is speaking ay 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 26. In addition, Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz among other works, will be presenting a two-day writing event at PLNU on February 23-24. More info and tickets can be obtained at www.pointloma.edu/writers.

So bring along some snippets of your work to share, and we'll see you tomorrow night!!

Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 8!!

Happy New Year, fellow writers!!

We will be meeting tomorrow evening, Tuesday January 8, at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Pine Valley Library.

As usual, being along a snippet to share and be ready to offer feedback to others. And, as always, feel free to bring along a friend (or two) interested in writing!!

We also will share any of the "I am from" poems that we started last meeting. For those of you who weren't there for the December meeting, here's a link to what we started last time, and I'm hoping that many of us will bring along a finished product to share: http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html

See you Tuesday night!!