Category Archives: Minutes

exercise, goals, inspiration, Minutes, plot

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201801

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Writers’ Mill Minutes Jan 21st 2018

Our first meeting of 2018 was fairly sparsely attended with only 12 people present. We blamed the weather, and invite anyone who wasn’t there to weigh in on the questions below:

  1. What do you want to achieve this year? (Feel free to add your goals to the box at February’s meeting.)
  2. What do you want from the Writers’ Mill this year? (Feel free to email admin@portlandwritersmill.org with your requests.)
  3. How important are speaker engagements to you?
  4. How important is it to have regular critiques?
  5. How important is it to have regular writing exercises at our meetings?

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inspiration, Minutes, poetry, Writing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201711 Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through with Carolyn Martin

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Writers’ Mill Minutes 11/19/2017

Wow! What a meeting. Twenty-four of us were there to listen to, work with, and be inspired by Portland poet, Carolyn Martin, whose return visit was so popular we’re already asking when she can join us again, again. Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 201711 Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through with Carolyn Martin →

blogging, Journal, marketing, Minutes, networking, plan to market, self-publishing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201710 Book Marketing with Walt

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Writers Mill Minutes October 15th

On October 15th 2017 the Writers’ Mill celebrated its 10th birthday! There was cake! Two delicious gluten-free chocolate cakes, with candles – Thank you Jean! And there was a great speaker, Walt Socha sharing his expertise in creating, publishing and marketing books. Around 25 members were there to enjoy the experience. For the rest of you, Walt’s notes can be found in two downloadable files at http://www.waltsocha.com/WM./ – a private page that you won’t find just by going to his website. Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 201710 Book Marketing with Walt →

contracts, images, Minutes, publishing, Research

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201708

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Writers’ Mill Minutes  August 20th 2017

Despite the approaching eclipse, August’s Writers’ Mill meeting was well attended with 16 people present to learn about research, photographs, permissions and publishing specs from Zita Podany, author of VanPort in the Images of America series. Notes from Zita’s talk can be below. And our thanks to Zita and the library staff for the excellent use of technology. (One day I’ll have to learn how it’s all done!)

Walt, who will be speaking and using technology in October and December, handed around a “reading assignment” for us all. In case you weren’t there, Walt very highly recommends “To Sell is Human” by Daniel H. Pink; also “How to Publish your Book” by Jane Friedman. We should all try to read Pink’s book, or at least to look at it, before October’s meeting (which gives us lots of time).

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anthologies, book reading, events, genre, Minutes, novel, poetry, publishing, Writing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201707

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Writers’ Mill Minutes, 16th July 2017

  1. Are you reading this on the website? Did you receive the email? If you did not receive the email, please check your spam, deleted, update and other random folders. Try using “search” on your emails for admin@portlandwritersmill.org, then set is as a “safe sender.” And if none of the that helps, contact admin@portlandwritersmill.org
  2. Send journal entries to journal2017@portlandwritersmill.org before the end of the month! Read on to learn more details
  3. Send 100th contest suggestions to admin@portlandwritersmill.org before the 1st of August!
  4. Send What If…? Contest entries to contest@portlandwritersmill.org before the end of August 6th. Read on to learn more details.

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agents, contracts, Journal, marketing, Minutes, networking, plan to market, publishing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201706

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Writers’ Mill Minutes June 18th Fathers’ Day 2017

Around 20 members attended Sarah Hall’s Fathers’ Day presentation of the DIY book launch and learned not only how to create a good book “product,” but also how to reach an audience, prepare that audience to receive and read the book, and how to use technology! Notes from Sarah’s talk will be included below.

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Critiquing, exercise, Minutes, Writing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 201704

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Writers’ Mill Minutes April 23rd 2017

Guest speaker Zita Podany was unable to attend due to illness, but has been rescheduled for August 20th – mark your calendars. With the off-schedule timing for the meeting (due to Easter) causing a lower attendance this month, let’s hope for more people to be here when Zita joins us in August. Meanwhile around twelve of us enjoyed a BYOS meeting (Bring your own snacks, and bring your own speaker), with an impromptu writing exercise taken from the Creative Writer’s Notebook ($8.98 from Barnes and Noble) inspired by our next contest. We also enjoyed receiving contest awards filled with wonder for the Wonder contest, pondering contest entries for the next few months, and critiquing the third enticing chapter of Matthew’s novel. Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 201704 →

inspiration, memoir, Minutes, plot, story structure, Writing

Writers Mill Minutes 201703

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Writers’ Mill Minutes March 19 2017

Twenty people enjoyed a fantastic workshop from Nancy Linnon (http://www.themovingpen.net/) on March 19th at the library. A gifted speaker, teacher, editor, writer, writing coach and more, Nancy came armed with excellent handouts including a great list of resources, and she invited us, right from her very first question, to look more deeply for stories in our own lives and those of our characters. Lots of members left energized and excited to realize they just might have a story worth telling in their past. Continue reading Writers Mill Minutes 201703 →