June 11, 2009: Noble Pen Meeting

Noble Pen Meeting

June 11, 2009
Happy Chef, 1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts.
–Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching Verse 63

Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless; when you find something at which you are talented, you do it (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head. Even when no one is listening (or reading, or watching), every outing is a bravura performance, because you as the creator are happy. Perhaps even ecstatic.
Stephen KingOn Writing

Victories

George claimed he was alive–again.

Sherry’s granddaughter won an award for reading 99 books during the school year–and writing a report on each one. I once got an incomplete in a college course because I couldn’t watch 12 movies in a month and write reports about them.

Sherry has also been turning out a good deal of posts on the WordPress blog.

News

Lifehacker suggests stopping midsentence to ward off writer’s block. They have another half-dozen or so hints if you search their site.

A blog entry lists Mark Twain’s 10 tips for writing–wait, Mark Twain? Can that really be classified a “News?” I’m pretty sure he died in the eighties… or was that Liberace?

Here’s a nice piece of advice: Sometimes your character has to be a jerk.

Upcoming Critiques

Thursday, June 11. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm Critique

Call of the Beast, Chapter 1–refresher with alternate beginning paragraphs, by Shannon Ryan. One more time, we’re going back to the start to think about the piece as a whole. A set up sheet with the new hooks will be available by the 4th on my site, shannonryan.net –log into “Writing in Progress” (noblepen/nblpn) or email me a for this section.

Writing Exercise — It’s not too late, the deadline has been extended to Saturday at noon. We will rate an critique the writing excercise. Winner will get a choice of a book or pie. I will have the pieces on my site by tomorrow night (being as how I was so kind to extend the deadline.)

Thursday, June 18. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm Critique

Exodus Chapter 5, by Nick.

Revelation, Chapters 32?, by Scott Clark. Visit his website at saclark.com, navigate to the “Publishers” tab, and click on the “NP” button to download copies of this section. If you cannot access his website, email him

Thursday, June 25. Happy Chef, 7pm Welcome and Victories, 7:30pm Critique

I’m asuming Nick is out. Scott, can you go? This will leave at least one free slot is anyone is interested. Otherwise I will offer to restart Solomon’s Heist so everyone can get to the end.

Keep Writing

Shannon