July 22nd Meeting Report

We enjoyed a motivating speaker last night. Vital Germaine came to address the group on overcoming challenges to reach our dreams. His advice to dream, commit, and achieve was inspirational. Thank you Vital!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

If there is something you would like to see in our group, email Gregory. He is also the person to contact if you would like to read at one of our Monday meetings. You can reach him at gregory [at] kompes [dot] com.

Pay your dues before August 12th, and you can be entered into a drawing to win one of four 30 minute workshop slots! At our August 26th meeting the four winners will each read 8 to 10 pages, and then can have up to a 20 minute critique. I find workshop discussions include great information about writing and story building.


UPCOMING MEETINGS:

Tomorrow (Wednesday August 24th) is the West Side Meeting at Skinny Dugans. Email Karlo if you'd like to read. Our next TWO monday meetings will be at the coffee shop (because July has a 5th Monday).


BRAGS:

Congratulations to Audrey Balzart on seeing her short films on the big screne at the Las Vegas Film Festival!

Congratulations to Kathleen Mosko on her successful seminar with her neurosurgeon, an upcoming TV interview, and an invitation to sing a duet with a tenor from the Southern Nevada Musical Society.

Congratulations to Vital Germaine on a publishing contract for his memoir "Landing on both feet." It should be out in September.


DID YOU KNOW?

When you read for the group it's a great idea to bring copies. They should be 12 point font, double spaced, one inch margins, and if you insert line numbering along the side that's also helpful to receiving good feedback during the critique.

The Independent Publishing Magazine has a good article about the cost of self publishing called "The Hefty Cost of Self Publishing and How To Get Other People To Pay For It." Click on the link and check it out!

If you are looking for a good (and well priced) editor or proofreader, check out Joyce Mochrie, who attended our meeting last night. You can reach her at proofpro7 (at) mail (dot) com. And, no I didn't forget a "g" in that email address. It's just mail dot com.

Ever wondered what the deal is with people giving a dollar to brag at our Monday meetings? The money collected from brags goes to our education fund. Giving a dollar is optional, you don't need to forgo bragging if you find you're short on change when you arrive at a meeting with exciting news to share. But you may receive some teasing if you brag without giving a dollar.


QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

"It's not where you start, it's that you start."

WRITING TIP from Jo Wilkins:

What constitutes a scene? A scene is the building block of your story where the character(s) perform something key to the storyline that propels the plot forward. Each scene should be complex, with underlying subplot interaction, and should propel the story toward its intended conclusion. There is no restriction on length, they can be short (a paragraph) or as long as a 20 pages. They must be long enough to accomplish the goal. Move any scene that does not take the story forward to your tidbits file—save it for something else. No matter how much you like it. 

CALENDAR:

July 2013 Sun       Mon      Tues      Wed           Thur           Fri                 Sat
	1 THE COFFEE HOUSE  in Henderson  6:30-8:30	2	3	4	5	6
7	8 Lutheran Community Church 6:30-8:30	9	10 Writer's Pen and Grill	11	12	13
14	15 THE COFFEE HOUSE  in Henderson  6:30-8:30	16	17	18	19	20
21	22 Lutheran Community Church Vital Speaking 6:30-8:30	23	24 West Side Meeting at Skinny Dugans 6:30	25	26	27
28	29  THE COFFEE HOUSE  in Henderson  6:30-8:30	30	31	August 1	2	3
4	5 The Coffee House in Henderson 6:30-8:30	6	7	8	9	10

Have a good week.
-Jenny Ballif, newsletter editor.