Goal: finish script for audio product designed to encourage others as they go through grief.
Completion date: July 31
Find at least one freelance writing assignment this summer.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
More Summer Writing Goals...
From CCWW member Cheryl L.
Completion date: before school goes back in August
Summer writing goals
April 30, 2013
I know it's not summer yet, but I am setting 3 writing goals for the hot, steamy season. Last year, members of our writing group set from 1 to 4 writing goals, and many of us met them!
This year, I'm not only giving myself writing goals, but I'm adding start and end dates for them.
Tomorrow is May 1, and I'll start on my first goal during my early writing time.
Want to join me? What are your summer writing goals?
I know it's not summer yet, but I am setting 3 writing goals for the hot, steamy season. Last year, members of our writing group set from 1 to 4 writing goals, and many of us met them!
This year, I'm not only giving myself writing goals, but I'm adding start and end dates for them.
Tomorrow is May 1, and I'll start on my first goal during my early writing time.
Want to join me? What are your summer writing goals?
Goal Start
date End date_____
Finish YA manuscript May
1, 2013 May 31,
2013
Finish editing women’s fiction manuscript June 1, 2013 June 30, 2013
Tweak screenplay and get ‘coverage’ for it July 1, 2013 July 31, 2013
If you'd like to send your goals to me, please do. With your permission, I'll post them here on the blog to keep us accountable.
Happy writing, everyone!
~Nancy
Friday, April 19, 2013
Publication Party!
April 19, 2013
The Callahan Creative Writing Workshop ended its second year with a publication party April 16 at the Callahan Branch Library.
Several members shared their writing submission news. Hopefully, we'll hear many publishing success stories throughout the summer.
The food was delicious. Thank you for bringing such delectable treats!
I'll post our pictures below.
Have a wonderful summer!
~Nancy
P.S. I'll be in touch soon with potential summer meeting dates.
The Callahan Creative Writing Workshop ended its second year with a publication party April 16 at the Callahan Branch Library.
Several members shared their writing submission news. Hopefully, we'll hear many publishing success stories throughout the summer.
The food was delicious. Thank you for bringing such delectable treats!
I'll post our pictures below.
Have a wonderful summer!
~Nancy
P.S. I'll be in touch soon with potential summer meeting dates.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
A dog in the manger
April 11, 2013
Hello, writers,
Twelve writers met at the Callahan Branch Library Tuesday
evening, April 9. Stephanie G. joined us.
Welcome to the group, Stephanie!
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 at home:
Choose one of the
following prompts and write for ten minutes:
1.
Describe your hands
2.
Best and worst haircuts
3.
Continue the phrase, “Fred
had just added the last ingredient…”
4.
A free-write on anything
Co-moderator, Michele
N., led the group in sharing their warm-ups. She then posted her warm-up on her blog, “Tales
from the Tiara.” If you’d like to read what
she wrote (it’s about hair), please click here:
http://chelenoel.blogspot.com/. After other members read their warm-ups, we
introduced ourselves, shared information and started our critiques.
Good News and
Information Exchange…
Our Publication Party
is next Tuesday, April 16! Many of
us have already submitted a piece (or pieces) of writing to a publication, an
agent, a contest or a publisher. If you
haven’t, please consider doing so before Tuesday.
In other news, I surprised my family with a new dog this
past Saturday. I adopted her from Animal
Care and Protective Services on Forest Street in Jacksonville. She’s a one-year-old Pointer/Labrador mix,
and she’s very sweet. We named her
Harmony. Here’s a picture:
Speaking of dogs, CCWW member, Connie W., still needs to find someone to watch her dog and her
house for two weeks in May. If you know
someone who would be interested, please see her contact information in the
e-mail I sent.
Overview of assignments/critiques...
Lisa C. started the
critiques with “Holiday Havoc,” a poem about being tardy taking down Christmas
decorations. Her rhymes, meter and
visual imagery worked well in the piece.
I (Nancy B.) then continued by
asking CCWW members to read my skit, “Barbecue.” CCWW members said the humor in my piece
worked. Connie W. then read a piece about Mr. Swallow who shoots misshapen
vegetables in his garden. Her
characterization and illustration of the prompt worked well. Robert
O. then read a piece in which a character searches for the light, but he
awakens before he finds it. Several
members said his piece worked, but they wanted more!
Sandra H. continued
by reading “The Disappearing Rabbit.”
She skillfully illustrated ‘dog in a manger’ by showing how one person
ate another person’s chocolate Easter bunny.
Connie K. continued by reading
a short poem in which a girl wants to drive a VW Beetle, but her grandfather
holds the title to it. Members commented on how well Connie’s piece illustrated
‘dog in a manger’. Karen D. then shared “Changes,” a powerful poem we all related
to. After hearing her piece, we commiserated
with her over the loss of her daughter. Thanks
for sharing your writing, Karen.
Cameron S. then
shared a story about a group of wolves led by Htead. Her piece showed good characterization and
conflict. We hope you’ll share more,
Cameron. Suzanna then read a piece about a throne room. Her vivid descriptions worked as did her
set-up of the conflict between the knight and the man sitting on the
throne. Stephanie G. then shared “Un Chien dans la crèche or A Doggie in
the Manger,” a poem based on the prompt.
CCWW members commented on the skillful way her piece brought the reader
into the present-day and its hopeful tone.
Wonderful work, everyone!
Links of interest…
Poets & Writers
Database of Literary Magazines Seeking Writing
You might want to spend some time researching this
database. Many publications are seeking fresh
writing. More here:
Highlights Magazine
submission guidelines
Write for children? Highlights accepts several genres of
writing. See more here:
Here’s a newsletter full of markets for young writers
You have to subscribe to the newsletter, but it’s full of
great information. More here:
The Amelia Island Book Festival is almost here
This festival is held in Fernandina every year, and it’s
coming up on April 27. Debbie Macomber
is the keynote speaker. More here:
Prompt for April 16…
There is no prompt for next week, just a party and a chance
to celebrate writing. I do think we’ll
have time to share where we have submitted our work, and we may take time to
write down our summer writing goals.
I’ll look at the calendar soon and plan our fall
sessions. We will most likely start our
third year of workshops in late August or early September.
Blessings,
~Nancy
P.S. CCWW is on
Facebook! Please join our Callahan
Creative Writing Workshop page.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Flappers
April 4, 2013
Hello, writers,
Eleven writers met at the Callahan Branch Library Tuesday
evening, April 2.
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 at home:
Choose one of the
following prompts and write for ten minutes:
1.
The story of your name
2.
Hymns
3.
Which plant symbolizes your
life? Why?
4.
A free-write on anything
After a few members read their warm-ups, we introduced ourselves,
shared information and started our critiques.
Several CCWW members have already submitted pieces to contests,
magazines, publishers, etc.
Good News and
Information Exchange…
CCWW is planning a
Publication Party for Tuesday, April
16. In addition to eating yummy food, we’re preparing at least one publication-ready
piece for submission to a magazine, a newspaper, a contest, an agent or a
publisher. Of course, it’s up to CCWW members to figure out the submission
guidelines for the chosen publication. Members
are encouraged to submit more than one piece!
I’ll share the sign-up sheet in a separate blog post.
In other news, CCWW member, Connie W., requested help finding someone to house-sit and dog-sit
for two weeks in May. If you know
someone who would be interested, please see her contact information in the e-mail
I just sent.
Overview of assignments/critiques...
Richard N. started
the critiques by reading a continuation of his novel. His characterization of Hamed and his
building of suspense throughout the chapter worked. Lisa C.
then read “Flap but don’t Flop,” a piece set in the 1920s complete with
authentic dialogue. In her piece, Hattie
cuts her hair and goes out with a wild bunch of girls. I
(Nancy B.) then shared a poem entitled “The Flapper.” Members said my both my long and short rhymes
worked well. Robert O. continued the session by reading a continuation of the
story of Hiro and Toby. Members
commented on how well he created tension between the brothers.
Connie K. then read
a continuation of her memoir. In it, Sam
tells Perna what ‘flappers’ are after he returns from a trip to the general
store. Members commented on Connie’s excellent
use of detail. Connie W. then shared a piece in which a boy named Lenny is able to
become one with a pinball machine. She
based her piece on the song, “Pinball Wizard.”
Suzanna then read a
descriptive piece based on the ‘flappers’ prompt. Members commented on her use of second person
point of view as well as her masculine voice.
Both worked well. Sandra H. then read Matt Y.’s piece. In few
words, his piece painted a picture of musicians in the 1920s. Members enjoyed his descriptions and
dialogue.
Wonderful work, everyone!
Links of interest…
Real Simple
Essay Contest
Do you write essays? This
contest for possible publication in Real Simple
may be for you. It has a May
deadline and a $3000 prize. More here:
The Threepenny
Review is currently accepting submissions
Threepenny Review publishes
articles, poems, stories and reviews.
They also pay well. More here:
Writing Markets for Inspirational Poetry
This database is full of places to publish inspirational
poetry. More here:
Prompt for April 9…
Our prompt is the idiom…’dog
in a manger’. You’re free to write
in any genre you like (drama, non-fiction, poetry or fiction). While there is no length requirement, you’ll
want to share a piece that takes no longer than ten minutes to read aloud.
As always, you’re free to bring a WIP (work-in-progress) if
you’d rather. Please do bring something
to share with the group.
Blessings,
~Nancy
P.S. CCWW is on
Facebook! Please join our Callahan
Creative Writing Workshop page.
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