Ruth loves writing prompts. She facilitates and attends several writing groups that use them, and she is a member of our group. As she pointed out, we use monthly writing prompts for our ezines. For herself, Ruth writes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.
Continue reading The World Abounds in Prompts: Using Prompts to Stimulate and Deepen Your Writing by Ruth Leibowitz20 questions – writing and publishing tips
Twenty Questions
We didn’t get to all the questions in our list of twenty questions in our March 2023 meeting, so please email admin if there are more questions you really want to see covered in more depth. I’ve tried to include the conversation from the chat, as well as what went on aloud. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything important:
Continue reading 20 questions – writing and publishing tipsPublish or Perish, or just Put your words out there?
Publish or Perish is a common phrase in British academia. If you don’t publish papers you’ll never advance your career. Guessing that we’re more interested in just putting our words out there, even if we never achieve that great writing career, Sheila offered a few ways we might use to let others see our words. You can find her presentation online at https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20230319-publishing-presentation.pdf (pdf file) or https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20230319-publishing-presentation.pptx (powerpoint presentation file).
Continue reading Publish or Perish, or just Put your words out there?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:
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 03 19Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 02 19
With eleven in-person and twelve online attendees, plus an excellent speaker, February’s Writers’ Mill meeting was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative occasion. We opened with contest results from Michael while waiting for stragglers to arrive, and Februarys Winter Days contest produced lots of great entries—if you’ve not read them yet, go to https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/contests/february-2023-contest-page/feb-2023-entries-voting-page/ and catch up on your free monthly magazine. March’s magazine will arrive on March 6th, at which point you’ll be invited to read, comment, and vote—and be writers helping writers!
Continue reading Writers’ Mill Minutes 2023 02 19What Novelists can Learn from the Movies—presentation by Cindy Brown, 2023 02 19
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!
Continue reading What Novelists can Learn from the Movies—presentation by Cindy Brown, 2023 02 19Minutes 2023 01 15
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!).
Continue reading Minutes 2023 01 15Detail and Dialogue, from talk by Maryka Biaggio, Jan 2023
Maryka Biaggio
If you missed Maryka’s talk from three years ago, I strongly suggest you look it up on our website (just type “Maryka” into the search on the left hand side of your screen).
Continue reading Detail and Dialogue, from talk by Maryka Biaggio, Jan 2023Minutes 2022 12 18 Goals and Achievements
December’s Writers’ Mill meeting was well attended, with 12 members online and 5 in person at the library. Those who’d been with us a while knew what to expect, as December or January is when we review the year that’s passed and make plans for the year to come.
Continue reading Minutes 2022 12 18 Goals and AchievementsMillworks–Framing Life
Our 10th anthology is now available for purchase on Amazon. Just click on the links below to find it (and for FREE previews!):