Callahan Creative Writing Workshop [CCWW]: August 2015

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Wacky Family Traditions and Parades

August 27, 2015

Hello, writers,

Our second workshop of the first fall session was held Tuesday, August 25, at the Callahan Branch Library.

Danielle C., a new member, joined us. Welcome, Danielle!

Below you’ll find a listing of community events, a recap of our first session and some links of interest to writers.

Community Happenings

Plant Clinic at Hagan Ace Hardware in Hilliard – On Saturday, August 29, Becky Jordi, County Extension Coordinator, will hold a plant clinic from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Family Game Night – at the Callahan Branch Library on Tuesday, September 1, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Bring your own games or use the library’s games. More here: http://nassaureads.com/events/

Genealogy After Hours – Research your family history at the Callahan Branch Library on Tuesdays from August 18 until October 27 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. West Nassau Genealogy Society experts will be available to help you. http://nassaureads.com/events/

Critique overview from August 25 CCWW

We started with warm-ups. I’ll list them here in case you want to do them at home:

1. A favorite or not-so-favorite pet

2. Cooking disasters

3. The international space station

4. A free-write about anything

Ashley T.(cooking disasters), Connie W. (the international space station) and Irina R.(a favorite or not-so-favorite pet) shared warm-ups. Good job!

Ashley T. brought homemade cake pops with messages for writers attached. Thanks, Ashley!

Richard N. plans to submit a piece of flash fiction to Splickety. Way to go, Richard!

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Ashley T. started the session with “Blameless,” a fictional flashback from Julie’s perspective. Members said the relationship and dialogue she created between the doctor and Julie worked well. Matt Y. then shared a fictional piece featuring Frank, Catfish, Toby and Theodore. Members said Matt’s use of sensory details (sights, smells, and sounds) worked well. Irina R. then read a fictional piece with a futuristic setting. Members said her piece had a good balance of dialogue and narration.

Ines R. then read the second chapter of “Cotton,” her WIP. Members said her descriptions (i.e. tongue felt parched and foreign) and her characterization worked. Elaine H. then read another section of her WIP featuring White Dove and Magnolia. Members complimented her lyrical writing quality as well as the coming-of-age feel of her work. Richard N. then read “Patrol Duty,” a flash fiction piece. Members complimented his quick-moving style and his characterization.

I, Nancy B., then read “Polka Plaid,” a children’s story. Members said my story reminded them of a Junie B. Jones book. Danielle C. then read an ode to her possessed parrot. Members said her humor worked as did her phrasing (i.e. cage was a fortress). Michele N. then read a continuation of Courtney Davenport’s story. Members said her characterization and her pacing worked well.

Connie W. then read “Buttery Birthday,” a prompt-based (wacky family traditions) piece about nose-buttering. Members complimented her details and her descriptions. Lisa C. then asked several members to read her script, “Communication Gap,” a prompt-based (wacky family traditions) piece. Members complimented her humor and the pacing of her piece.

Excellent work, everyone!

Links of Interest

Real Simple’s Life Lessons Essay Contest (I’m keeping this up one more week).

This contest seeks essays on a single decision that changed your life. First prize is $3,000. Deadline is September 21.

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Here’s a link to dictionary.com’s daily crossword puzzle.

Enjoy puzzles here: http://dictionary.reference.com/fun/crossword

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Here’s a link to Merriam-Webster’s visual dictionary. This is a great way to see the definitions of words.

More here: http://www.visualdictionaryonline.com/

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Quote of the week:

“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”

~ Elbert Hubbard

Prompts for Tuesday, September 1

The first prompt is…the nail salon. The second prompt is…the furniture store. You’re free to write in any genre you like (fiction, drama, non-fiction, poetry, etc.). If you’d like to bring a WIP (work-in-progress), please do. Please keep pieces to 1500 words or less and bring copies if you can.

Have a great week!

~Nancy B.

First Workshop a Success!

August 24, 2015

Hello, writers,

What a wonderful first meeting we had on Tuesday, August 18. Fourteen writers met at the Callahan Branch Library to share their words and thoughts.

Three new members joined us - Irina R. Isabelle R. and Elaine H. We are so happy you have joined us!

Below you’ll find a listing of community events, a recap of our first session and some links of interest to writers.

Community Happenings

Family Game Night – at the Callahan Branch Library on Tuesday, September 1, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Bring your own games or use the library’s games. More here: http://nassaureads.com/events/

Critique overview from August 18 CCWW

We started with warm-ups. I’ll list them here in case you want to do them at home:

1. Impulsive

2. Paranoia

3. Mob

4. A free-write about anything

Matt Y., Connie W. and Danielle T. shared warm-ups.

Richard N. recommended two books. The first was “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies” by Roy Peter Clark. The second was “The Irresistible Novel” by Jeff Gerke (who is an editor).

Connie W. recommended using the web site, grammarly.com, for commentary and suggestions on writing.

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Irina R. began the session by reading the prologue of her book. Members said the contrast she created between Fernandina and Clearwater worked well as did her balance of dialogue and narration. Matt Y. then read “The Artist Inside of Me,” a piece with a strong emotional crescendo. Members said his vivid descriptions (such as the bowler hat and tails) worked well. Lisa C. then read “Drop the Mic,” a prompt-based (karaoke love story) poem. Members complimented Lisa’s rhymes (such as throat/note and applaud/awed) and her poem’s narrative structure.

Ines R. then read chapter one of “Cotton,” a piece based on a visual forest prompt. Members complimented her use of flashback as well as the lyrical quality to her writing. Danielle T. then shared a fictional piece featuring a woman named Mary Lou who decides to leave her husband, Michael. Members said her characterization and her descriptions worked well. Connie W. then read a continuation of her hemp rope story. Members mentioned her masterful showing of empathy between Caleb and Joshua as well as a Biblical quality (similar to Abraham sacrificing Isaac) to her piece.

Michele continued the session by reading a new suspense piece. The way Michele presented Courtney Davenport’s choice worked well, according to members. Cameron S. then shared a poem beginning with the famous “Roses are red, violets are blue” line. Members said her rhymes worked well. Ashley T. then shared a piece about Travis, a ninth grade boy. Members said her piece offered good characterization and descriptions.

Isabelle R. then read a piece about Pansy Cunningham, a teenage girl who appears perfect on the outside but may not be. Members said her piece featured excellent pacing and a good balance of dialogue and narration. Elaine H. then read part of her WIP (work-in-progress), a young adult novel set in 1800s Florida. Members said she included beautiful imagery (i.e. pushing sand away like brushing sand from a foot) and excellent description. I, Nancy B., ended the session by reading “Walking Her Walk,” a piece I wrote about one of my teachers. Members said they enjoyed the descriptions I wrote of my teacher and of myself at age 13.

Excellent work, everyone!

Links of Interest

Real Simple’s Life Lessons Essay Contest

This contest seeks essays on a single decision that changed your life. First prize is $3,000. Deadline is in the middle of September.

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Looking for a good book? Here’s a list of the best 100 novels of all time voted on by regular people. Which ones have you read? Which ones do you want do read?

Link here: http://www.thebest100lists.com/best100novels/

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Here are links to the two books Richard mentioned at the August 18 meeting.

Link to Clark book - Writing Tools: 50 Strategies for Every Writer

Link to Gerke book - The Irresistable Novel

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Here’s the link to the site Connie W. mentioned: https://www.grammarly.com/1

Quote of the week:

“To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music the words make.”

~Truman Capote

Prompts for Tuesday, August 25

The first prompt is…wacky family traditions. The second prompt is…parade. You’re free to write in any genre you like (fiction, drama, non-fiction, poetry, etc.). If you’d like to bring a WIP (work-in-progress), please do. Please keep pieces to 1500 words or less and bring copies if you can.

Have a great week!

~Nancy B.

Callahan Creative Writing Workshop [CCWW]

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Wacky Family Traditions and Parades

First Workshop a Success!

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