Okay, I know I’m publishing this blog at least a week late. Why? I’m a busy person with Great-Grandchildren graduating from different school levels. I don’t want to miss them growing up. Enough said.
The meeting on the fifteenth, with nine writers in attendance, allowed us to hear from a couple of writers before they take off for the summer or at least a few weeks of vacation. Have fun on vacation. Be productive on your summer hiatus and bring back a trunk load of new work. See you in the fall.
To start the meeting, Ernie Ovitz led a short discussion on how we edit our work. ? We’re talking about self-editing, not paying a professional to edit for you. Do you edit as you go, or do you get it written and then edit it. Ernie has been a judge with FWA’s RPLA in the past and shared the Categories and Criteria the judges rank and comment on during the judging phase.
1. Genre – Be true to the genre, whatever it may be.
2. Hook – Have intense opening scenes and the first chapter. Define your conflict or setup.
3. Language and Point of View – Are you consistent throughout the narrative, sustaining or enhancing the story’s voice apart from using dialogue.
4. Creativity – Is the story creative in concept, theme, and premise.
5. Description – How effectively do you illustrate a point, character, or mood. Have you created sensory elements vividly, effectively, and appropriately.
6. Characters – Are your characters well drawn? Can your readers identify with them? It doesn’t matter if they are likable or hated. Is the character strong?
7. Dialogue – Is the dialogue balanced with the narration? Is it effective within the story arc? Is there dialogue at all–should there be?
8. Plot – How well does the plot sustain the story. Is it paced appropriately? How effective is the story conflict?
9. Mechanics – Assess the use of grammar, spelling, and syntax. Does it enhance or hinder the work?
1 Overall Impression – How well does the work come off as a whole?
Are you a ‘Pantser’ or a ‘Planner’? Pantsers write by the seat of their pants. Words flow from the brain to fingers to text as we stroke the pen or computer keys without a formal plan. “I’ll fix it later after I get in written,” thinks the Pantser. However, the Planner builds an outline, makes notes, and directs their words onto the page with precise placement. But no matter which method you use, editing is still needed. Without editing, we would be reading a lot of typos, disjointed thoughts, and GIGO, as if there’s not enough of that even with editing.
Those fortunate enough to belong to a writer’s group dedicated to helping our fellow writers have an advantage. We get to hear valuable critiques of what we’ve written before it reaches the public ear. Many of us can take advantage of basic editing skills within the group at affordable rates. Work within those resources available to make your writing better with each sentence.
Moving on, Peter McNally brought us an updated chapter of his memoir, Rewired. Three months after a debilitating second stroke, Peter drove into his driveway and collapsed in a writhing ball of pain and confusion. As he endured the cold of a New Jersey November, he found himself alone on the concrete driveway, suffering from a Gran Maul seizure. Will he survive? He doesn’t know what is happening.
Don Westerfield is a poet who sometimes turns story-teller by bringing us tales in prose. This week’s offering is one such story. War and Infidelity showcase the instability of relationships during the hectic and uncertainty of worldwide conflict. A couple are separated by the war as World War Two begins. Stationed in England, a young doctor is reunited with a former lover. Both are now married to others. Each couple suffered tragic circumstances as they meet at a social club purely by chance. Stay tuned for an update.
Jupiter, the Lord-Star, is what Bruce Haedrich calls his latest work. Ancient astronomers tracked the universe with primitive equipment and ideas oft influenced by religion. It often surprises modern man in their accuracy when plotting the path and existence of heavenly bodies. Bruce points out the similarities of different religions as they describe the creation of the celestial universes. Using information gleaned from the study of ancient writers and modern scientists, Bruce tells us a story universal planets relay to him in the form of a letter. How does the existence of each planet, moon, or star affect celestial neighbors? Look for Bruce’s publication soon.
Do you like Spy Novels? I can recommend a good read for you. Look for Novels written by Ursula Wong. Her latest work is under construction and has the title Strategic Deception. This week, Ursula allowed us a glimpse of Chapter 3. Arkady Mass, a software opportunist who procured the services of a programmer/hacker in Minsk to modify a program he believes will make him billions by allowing the user to change video and audio through Artificial Intelligence. With this program, someone can make anybody appear to be saying or doing anything they want them to say or do. But has he made a mistake? Is his confidence misplaced? Can he trust the programmer? Is the criminal he borrowed money from ready to bargain?
Gary Conkol is making his first foray into fiction writing. Gary is a talented technical writer who uses his skillset from the technical field to write a science fiction story. An old acquaintance, Al, has invited Ken to a weeklong excursion into the unknown. There, Ken meets Molly, a brilliant engineer/scientist, and they fall in love almost overnight. But the thing is, they are on Mars, transported there by a hyperspeed spacecraft. Where do we go from here? Stay tuned.
Poetry is Scott Anderson’s forte. Listening to Water Wings, we see a three-year-old construct a sandcastle, competing with the world’s most elegant structures. Even as his body grows weary and eyes heavy, the structure towers above the sand in unrivaled grandeur.
I’m glad you are here. We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting on June 5th at the Nokomis Firehouse. Read as much as you can, and KEEP ON WRITING. We’ll be back soon.
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