Category Archives: Writing

character, Guest Speakers, plot, story structure, Writing

What Novelists can Learn from the Movies—presentation by Cindy Brown, 2023 02 19

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Cindy’s presentation can be found on our website at https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/What-Novelists-Can-Learn-from-the-Movies-4.pdf : Please don’t share the link.

She gave us a very clear explanation (with examples) of the 3-act plot structure, which, apparently, dates from the time of Aristotle. If it’s lasted this long, as a way of telling stories, there’s got to be something to it!

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dialog, Minutes, Research, Writing

Minutes 2023 01 15

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Nearly twenty people, evenly split between online and inperson, joined us for Maryka Biaggio’s presentation on description and dialog today. Unfortunately, several had to leave after the talk, but we still enjoyed a lively and helpful discussion during the critique, plus a rapid writing exercise where we looked at the difference between 3-sentence and 4-sentence structure (lacking the time for a full three or four acts!).

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medicine, Minutes, Research, resources, Writing

Writers’ Mill Minutes 20220918

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Writers’ Mill Minutes, September 18, 2022

Cedar Mill Library, Beaverton and online Zoom—First Hybrid Meeting!

Eleven participants attended online, and seven were present in the library meeting room, for a total of 18. Jim Elstad led the meeting in Sheila Deeth’s absence. Angela Mollet  managed the technology from the library, with assistance from Matthew McAyeal and Robin Layne.

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history, words, Writing

Bridging the Language Heritage, with Lyndsay Docherty

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BRIDGING THE LANGUAGE HERITAGE OF
THE OLD WORLD WITH THE NEW WORLD

As the theme of this discussion was mostly historical & decidedly Shakespearian later on, our gentlemen were elevated to the NOBLE LORDS team and the Ladies (surely already “fair” in every way) became the FAIR LADIES team! At stake was the prestigious ‘PORTLAND CUP’ which Sheila awarded to one team at the end of our session!

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history, Minutes, words, Writing

Writers’ Mill Minutes June 19 2022

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Writers’ Mill Minutes June 19 2022

Around 20 members joined us for June’s Fathers’ Day meeting, and enjoyed a fun, interactive session on the history and evolution of the English Language, led by Lyndsay. Sheila opened the meeting with the contest results, and forgot to point out that the variation in voting—in the past we’ve asked for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, but his time we just asked for your three favorites. We’re delighted to announce the outcome was identical between total votes cast per entry AND weighing them as if cast for 1st/2nd/3rd… So perhaps that’s a good way to go, with places used as tie-breaks if needed. And thank you to the 15 people who supported these writers by voting:

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