Different people, different ways to write:
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:
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 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 MertzCedar 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, 2023Summary of Jan Underwood’s presentation: Jan began writing at age six, when she wrote a story about Winnie the Pooh characters, and her father told her she could actually make up her own characters. For Jan that idea was the spark that enlightened her creative energy, and she has been writing ever since. Jan is also a Spanish teacher and loves to use flavors of foreign languages in her writing.
Continue reading Jan Underwood and Magical RealismTen 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 21Joshua Williamson is the author of 150 graphic novels! He works for DC Comics and Marvel, and is paid to write monthly short books (like magazines) which, when the story’s done, get compiled together into complete graphic novels. Mostly these are YA, but he’s written other non-DC books (e.g. Nailbiter) which might be aimed at a somewhat older audience.
Continue reading You too can write a novel, graphic novel, comic, memoir, mini-book, … talk with Joshua WilliamsonWe had around 7 in-person members and 7 online for Ruth Leibowitz’ inspiring and surprising talk on writing prompts, where to find them, and how, when and why to use them, including advice on how to critique, how to encourage other writers, and how to help yourself know more about your characters. Ruth gave her presentation over zoom, and we’re so pleased that she was able and willing to do that despite having COVID. Since Sheila’s presentation last month also took place over zoom due to COVID, we’re wondering if the virus has it in for the Writers’ Mill. Writers take care!
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 04 16Ruth loves writing prompts. She facilitates and attends several writing groups that use them, and she is a member of our group. As she pointed out, we use monthly writing prompts for our ezines. For herself, Ruth writes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.
Continue reading The World Abounds in Prompts: Using Prompts to Stimulate and Deepen Your Writing by Ruth Leibowitz