Category Archives: Minutes

Writers’ Mill Minutes Dec 17 2023

Fourteen people joined us for December’s Writers’ Mill meeting – a smaller number than usual, but perhaps everyone’s busy this time of year. Seven attended in person at the library and seven online. I promise I’ve tried to take good minutes for those members who were absent and the ones who couldn’t hear the speaker online. Unfortunately, sound and room setup are complicated for hybrid meetings, but we’re glad you’re all persevering!

Mollie Hunt was a wonderful speaker, and we all had a great time. In person, we were able to share in the Book Exchange and to buy some of Mollie’s books. Online members exchanged book recommendations which will be included in these minutes.

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Writers’ Mill Minutes, Nov 19th 2023

9 in-person and 11 online attendees were present to see the upload of this year’s anthology to Amazon. We were delighted to welcome new NaNoWriMo participants, and very much hope they might join us at future meetings too. If you’ve not already signed up for our newsletters, please go to the SignUp page on the portlandwritersmill.org website and follow the instructions there. (You’ll get the instructions in an email from admin @ portlandwritersmill . org, so make sure you flag those emails as “not spam” when they arrive.)

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Writers’ Mill Minutes, Oct 15, 2023

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?

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Writers’ 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.

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Writers’ 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!

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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.

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Writers’ 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.

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Writers’ 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/

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Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 04 16

Writers’ Mill Minutes April 16 2023

We 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!

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Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 03 19

Writers’ Mill March Minutes, March 19th 2023

March’s meeting was well-attended, with some new in person members, and lots of members online. Sheila had intended to be present in person, but COVID intervened, so her “Publish or Perish, or just Put your words out there” presentation was given via zoom instead. Afterward, members were invited to introduce themselves, both online and in person, and there was lots of lively discussion, leading to various unresolved questions. Please contact admin with your thoughts on:

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