Snow didn’t quite cancel February’s meeting, but it did cause many people to stay away. Sadly our speaker was unable to stay for the meeting too, as weather and roads deteriorated and she faced a long drive home. So Sheila learned how to use a laptop attached to the audiovisual system, and those people who did make it to the meeting had the opportunity to see each other’s websites, blogs and internet pages. Our website includes a (rather outdated) list of links at: http://portlandwritersmill.org/links/member-links/ (just click on Links above). Meanwhile, here are the ones we visited or talked about during the meeting. Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 201802
Category Archives: Writing
Writers’ Mill Minutes 201801
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:
- What do you want to achieve this year? (Feel free to add your goals to the box at February’s meeting.)
- What do you want from the Writers’ Mill this year? (Feel free to email admin@portlandwritersmill.org with your requests.)
- How important are speaker engagements to you?
- How important is it to have regular critiques?
- How important is it to have regular writing exercises at our meetings?
Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through – notes on a talk given by Carolyn Martin
Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through – notes on a talk given by Carolyn Martin
How do you start a poem (or a story)?
- Put pen to paper?
- Put finger to keyboard?
- Write and/or change the first line of something you remember, then see where it goes.
Continue reading Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through – notes on a talk given by Carolyn Martin
Writers’ Mill Minutes 201711 Where Inspiration Comes Sliding Through with Carolyn Martin
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
Book Marketing for the Bewildered, with Walt Socha
Book Marketing for the Bewildered, with Walt Socha
Walt will continue his presentation in December. Meanwhile here are notes from his talk on October 15th Continue reading Book Marketing for the Bewildered, with Walt Socha
Writers’ Mill Minutes 201710 Book Marketing with Walt
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
Writers’ Mill Minutes 201707
Writers’ Mill Minutes, 16th July 2017
- 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
- Send journal entries to journal2017@portlandwritersmill.org before the end of the month! Read on to learn more details
- Send 100th contest suggestions to admin@portlandwritersmill.org before the 1st of August!
- Send What If…? Contest entries to contest@portlandwritersmill.org before the end of August 6th. Read on to learn more details.
Writers’ Mill Minutes 201704
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
Mining Your Life Story, Notes from Nancy Linnon’s Talk, March 2017
Notes from Nancy Linnon’s Writing Your Life Story Workshop
Opening question: If you were to write a memoir or personal essay, what would it be about? Continue reading Mining Your Life Story, Notes from Nancy Linnon’s Talk, March 2017
Writers Mill Minutes 201703
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