Category Archives: Writing

Editing, grammar, Journal, Writing

Journal News 2015 – Step 7 – Editor’s Check List

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It’s time to send the journal out to our willing cohort of editors. But first I’ll post the editor’s checklist, so you can see what they’ll be looking for. (In many cases, they’re looking for things that I failed to fix in earlier passes, and I will send them my apologies.)

Things to check for while editing: Don’t panic about checking them all. Just get a feel for what you’re looking for, then read and enjoy, leaving comments as you go. If you’re unsure about something, just leave a comment and I’ll read it when you return the file. Continue reading Journal News 2015 – Step 7 – Editor’s Check List →

exercise, Guest Speakers, inspiration, Journal, Minutes, Writing

Minutes 201508

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Writers’ Mill Minutes, 16th August 2015

Twenty people attended August’s Writers’ Mill Meeting and enjoyed a wonderful presentation from former Oregon poet laureate, Paulann Petersen.  Paulann, who has written many books and run many workshops, promised to coax, cajole and nudge us into writing, using a Springboard writing activity, as detailed below. She certainly kept that promise and we had a fantastic meeting.

In other events… after wonderful gluten free foods, drinks and home-grown tomatoes from Jean… Continue reading Minutes 201508 →

Editing, exercise, Journal, Writing

What to do when the deadline looms

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What to do if the deadline looms and you haven’t finished your writing… (This could apply to contest entries of any kind, submission deadlines, query letters for conference critiques, etc.)

  1. If you’ve already started, but the piece isn’t ready to submit (to Writers’ Mill, or to any other contest):
    1. Turn short into long: Pick your favorite scene. Expand on it. Polish it. Make sure it has a beginning, middle and end (as all scenes should) and then submit it.
    2. Turn long into short:
      1. Pick a suitable chapter break and submit a single chapter. Leave your readers begging for more, or
      2. Cut, cut, cut, until your start and your finish, both beautifully polished, matched up in the middle perfectly.
    3. Edit the life into it: Take your perfect beginning – perhaps it’s the only bit you’ve written – and expand on it, edit it, polish it, until it’s so perfect everyone will demand to know what happens next.
  2. If you haven’t started yet but had an idea:
    1. Write the beginning and submit that
    2. Write the synopsis and submit that
    3. Just get one scene written – anything’s better than nothing.
  3. If you haven’t started yet and didn’t have an idea: Let’s assume you have a prompt, say, a message in a bottle…
    1. Find a bottle lying around your abode
    2. Think of a message you’d like to receive
    3. Write short – a poem, a one-line zinger, a two-paragraph essay, whatever….

Just write, and enjoy!

Critiquing, Writing

Do you want to join a small critique group?

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We have small critique groups meeting at Java Lounge and at Village Baptist. Others could meet in other locations.

Best size for a critique group? 4 members works well. Start your group with 3. Grow to 5 as new people join. Split when you reach 6.

Best makeup of a critique group? Find 2 other people who have some interest (besides writing) in common with you. They don’t have to write the same things you do, but it helps if they like reading the sort of thing you write.

Best format for a critique group? Try to be disciplined. Some groups meet once a week and critique every member every week. Some meet once every two weeks and schedule one member for critique at each meeting. Some spend half their time critiquing and half their time writing. Do what works for you.

How long should a critique meeting be? Decide how long the piece you will critique can be. Schedule an hour, or half an hour, or whatever works. Once you’ve completed the critique, members are free to leave or stay for more coffee and conversation.

Do you want to join a group? Leave a comment below. Say when you can (or can’t) meet. Suggest what genres might work well for you. Come back and see who else has left a comment. Good luck.