Our librarian Christine set up the zoom and room, and we had 19 members in total at October’s meeting – 6 in person and 13 online. Sheila started the meeting by reminding in-person attendees to face the microphone when speaking and avoid talking among themselves. Online attendees were reminded to switch on captions and use speaker view, especially to watch our speaker, David Porter, during his talk. David asked if the talk was being recorded, but we can’t record without setting it up before the meeting, and letting everyone know. Maybe it’s something we should think about doing more often—what do you think?
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes, Oct 15, 2023Fulfilling That Writing Commitment: David Porter, Oct 15, 2023
David Porter started writing bad poetry at age 12 and soon progressed to good. In 1968 he was at PSU and was already being published. In the ’70s and ’80s he wrote freelance articles, poems, and short stories, getting published in the Oregon magazine and NW magazine (inside the Oregonian). Meanwhile he wrote grant proposals, newsletters, presentations, etc for nonprofits for 40 years. He’s even written Beaver Board Historical Markers! Plus many book reviews.
Continue reading Fulfilling That Writing Commitment: David Porter, Oct 15, 2023Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday September 17th 2023
Twelve participants attended online, and three were present in the library meeting room, for a total of fifteen. Zita Podany led the meeting in Sheila Deeth’s absence. Christine Wong managed the technology from the library, with assistance from Matthew McAyeal who coordinated the Zoom chat with library attendees. Jean Harkin took Minutes. We welcomed new attendees, Julia Hardy and Andrew Kim.
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday September 17th 2023Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday August 20th 2023
With two people at the library and fourteen online, there were sixteen people at August’s Writers’ Mill meeting, where we bemoaned the trials and tribulations of technology, considered the starts and stops of writing and editing, and made plans for this year’s anthology. We’re very grateful to Christine for getting a working setup at the library, despite their technical difficulties, and also to Ron who is continuing to work on fixing the website and newsletter issues. And we hope those attending for the first time will return, despite the technological complications with most of us online. We were delighted to meet you!
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday August 20th 2023Write, Edit, and Stop: presentation by Sheila Deeth, August 2023
WRITE
Different people, different ways to write:
- Writing as a race: Go from start to finish without rereading, editing, critiquing, complaining, or stopping – e.g. NaNoWriMo in November
- Writing as mountain-climbing: Plan your route. Write/climb your route. Set up waypoints. Then climb a better route in your next draft.
- Writing as sewing: Write some, reread and edit what you wrote, then write some more… backstitching over your text to make a solid seam.
- Do what works for you!
Newsletter Issues. Find Latest Newsletter Info Below
We are having problems with the newsletter portion of our website. If you have not received the latest newsletters, don’t panic. The information you missed is included below in four parts:
- EZINE/CONTEST REMINDER
- ANTHOLOGY REMINDER
- SUBMISSION REMINDER
- MEETING REMINDER
Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday July 16th 2023
14 members attended July’s Writers’ Mill meeting, and if you missed it, you missed a fantastic presentation from Erick Mertz. His topic—Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn’t, & What I Would Do Differently—was particularly timely as we approach the release of our next anthology, and included excellent advice and inspiration for all of us. Notes from his presentation will be posted online shortly, with the current password—which you will find in your emails.
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes Sunday July 16th 2023Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn’t, & What I Would Do Differently, with Erick Mertz
Self-publishing used to be somewhat frowned on and considered less legitimate than “really” getting published, but that is changing, as Erick showed us in his presentation.
Continue reading Self-Publishing Success: What Worked, What Didn’t, & What I Would Do Differently, with Erick MertzWriters’ Mill Minutes, June 18, 2023
Cedar Mill Library, Beaverton and online Zoom
Six participants attended online, and seven were present in the library meeting room, for a total of thirteen. Zita Podany led the meeting in Sheila Deeth’s absence. Christine Wong managed the technology from the library, with assistance from Matthew McAyeal who coordinated the Zoom chat with library attendees. Jean Harkin took Minutes. We welcomed a new member, Ren.
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes, June 18, 2023Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 05 21
Ten people joined us online this month and eight in-person (including two new members!) for Joshua Williamson’s excellent talk on writing, getting published, beginnings middles and ends, graphic novels (of course), and so much more. You’ll find notes at https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/22/you-too-can-write-a-novel-graphic-novel-comic-memoir-mini-book-talk-with-joshua-williamson/
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 05 21