Victorian

February 6, 2013

Hello, writers,

Fourteen writers met at the Callahan library on Tuesday evening to share their words.    

One visitor attended.  Please welcome Tom B. to the group!

Please note CCWW will not meet on Tuesday, February 26 and Tuesday, March 5.  Our second six-week session will run from Tuesday, March 12 through Tuesday, April 16.

Here’s what happened…

We started the workshop with a choice of warm-up exercises.  I’ll list them here in case you want to do them this week:

                Choose one of the following prompts and write for ten minutes:

1.                  Describe your favorite car of all time.  Why is it your favorite?

2.                  Write about your childhood.  Was it too long?  Too short?  Sheltered?  Structured?

3.                  “Cherie looked at Delores with disgust....” Continue the story.

4.                  Complete a free-write on anything

After a few members read their warm-ups, we introduced ourselves, shared information and began the critiques.  

Good News and Information Exchange…

CCWW has started a blog.  It’s pretty simple right now, but we have plans to grow it as our group evolves.  Please consider following the blog.  Here’s the link:  http://callahanwriters.blogspot.com/

I (Nancy) started a blog about creativity.  I’ve challenged myself to complete at least one creative action each day for a year.  Please consider following my creativity blog.  Here’s the link:   http://thecallahancreative.blogspot.com/

Overview of critiques...

Connie W. started by reading “The Memory Box.”  Her piece chronicled the life of a debutante.  Her details and historical setting worked!  Matt Y. then shared a piece rich with Victorian setting featuring a character named Tristan.  Matt’s descriptions of the interior of the house worked.    

Connie K. shared a piece about her great-grandparents.  Her piece was full of historical facts as her characters faced the frontier of the West.  I (Nancy B.) then read a continuation of “The Party,” which I started last week using the hardware store prompt.  Members said my piece would work better if I added more internal thoughts of the characters.  

Shirley A. then read a humorous piece about Charles and Victoria.  Members said her use of clever phrases throughout the piece worked.  Lori L. shared a realization piece dealing with divorce.  Her use of metaphors (flea, cat, white fluff, etc.) worked well.      

Lisa L. read “The Dreamer,” a poem about women and their corsets on one level and about the freedom to be yourself on another level.  Everyone thought her piece and her British accent worked!  Michele N. then continued her romance novel.  Her syntax and her imagery worked well.  Betty C. read an informational piece on the Victorian era.  She skillfully combined the historical setting with people’s yearning for more independence.  

Oliver M. shared a piece written in a newscast style.  Members commented on the truth imbedded in his work.  Cameron S. then read “What Would I Do?”  Her piece answered questions about time stopping, a zombie apocalypse and other profundities.

Tom B. then read a piece featuring cultural contrasts.  His writing offered a perspective on our society.  Chad A. then read a historical piece on Queen Victoria.  Members found his writing to be informative.  Robert O. finished the critiques by reading “The Sleeping King.”  His poem had powerful rhymes and a literary quality.    

Links of interest…

Anybody interested in grammar?  This article offers a new take on nouns, verbs and prepositions!  More info here:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Most-of-What-You-Think-You-Know-About-Grammar-is-Wrong-187940351.html

“I’ll take a book with my coffee.”  Read about a new book machine.  Pretty cool! http://www.thomasnelsoncorporate.com/2013/01/harpercollins-christian-publishing-to-join-the-espresso-book-machine-network/

Entangled Publishing has loads of opportunities for writers.  Read their editors’ wish lists: http://www.entangledinromance.com/2013/02/04/wish-list-february-2013-edition/

New Writer’s Magazine targets new writers and seeks submissions.  Contact:  newwriters@aol.com, www.newwriters.com.  Looking for non-fiction, cartoons, fiction, fillers and poetry.  Submission guidelines here:  http://newwriters.com/submit.html

Mudlark: An Electronic Journal of Poetry and Poetics, a publication of the UNF Department of English, is taking submissions.  Submission guidelines on the web here:  http://www.unf.edu/mudlark/

Prompt for next week…

Prompt for next week is…stamps.  You’re free to write in any genre you like (poetry, non-fiction, fiction or drama).  If you’d rather bring a WIP (work-in-progress), please do.  

Please bring something to share with the group.

Until Tuesday, February 12, happy writing!

~Nancy