Monthly Archives: July 2011

The Noble Pen for Aug 4, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

Aug 4th, 2011  7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

This company has a different approach to the author-reader relationship: you help fund a book project you want to see done and get credit in the book, as well getting a copy and maybe lunch with the author.  It’s sort of like commissioning a work, but you only need to put up a small part of the cost.
http://unbound.co.uk/

Victories

Dylan finished the redrafting of Flight.

Rachel has written the back history for the book she is working on.

Education

Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn’t wait to get to work in the morning:  I wanted to know what I was going to say.  ~Sharon O’Brien

Can you answer all the questions in this list about your novel?  That site says if not, you don’t have it fully planned and won’t have a winner.

Upcoming Schedule

August 4 th

Kris
Nick
Dylan

August 11 th

Kris (the final chapter of Oblivion?)
Ghish ?
Dylan?

August 18 th

Nick
Shanna
Open slot

August 25 th

Tony
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

 

The Noble Pen for July 28, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 28th, 2011  7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

We had fun with the paragraph contest.  Eight entrants read their paragraph and we discussed after each one.  Voting was close, but Dylan edged out Kris to win a book about writing short stories (to be delivered next week).

Victories

Dylan redrafted 15 chapters of Flight in one week.

Tony finished another chapter of St. Lucy.

Education

When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing. ~Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Shannon recommended this short bit of advice on the benefit of varying your sentence lengths:
http://www.robmacdougall.org/blog/2010/09/this-sentence-has-five-words/

Upcoming Schedule

July 28 th

Shanna
Kris
Tony

August 4 th

Tony
Nick
Dylan

August 11 th

Kris
Ghish
Dylan?

August 18 th

Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

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Noble Pen Newsletter for July 21, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 21st, 2011  7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Writing contest is this week:  Let’s each write one paragraph which could be the beginning of a story. We’ll read them to the group, and vote on which one is best, with discussion of why.

Victories

Ciuin wrote a script about the Villisca axe murders that will be used for the Usher’s Ferry event “Usher’s Scary”.

Dylan’s submission to a humorous almanac was used as a good example for others to imitate.

Kris passed certification in CPR and First Aid.  Is she expecting our critiques to lead to injuries or heart attacks?

Education

-Do not put statements in the negative form.
-And don’t start sentences with a conjunction.
-If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a
great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
-Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
-Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.
-De-accession euphemisms.
-If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
-Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
-Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.
–William Safire, “Great Rules of Writing”

I’m sure we won’t agree on our paragraph contest.  I’ll repeat the link to 355 opinions on what makes a good first paragraph.

Upcoming Schedule

July 21 st

Nick
Dylan
All: paragraph contest

July 28 th

Shanna
Kris
Dylan or ??

August 4 th

Tony
Nick
Open slot

August 11 th

Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Noble Pen Newsletter for July 14, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 14th, 2011  7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

LuLu has a special deal right now for a free proof copy of things published through them through July.

Writing contest:  For one of the July 21 slots, let’s each write one paragraph which could be the beginning of a story. We’ll read them to the group, and vote on which one is best, with discussion of why.

Victories

Nick was asked to write 5 short articles with photos for his railfan magazine.  It is a paying job.

Dylan received a request to reissue one of his older stories.

Kris got a job. Although it isn’t as an author, she says she will still have time to write.

Bob is rewriting his short story and has Chapter 2 done.

Education

I’m sure we won’t agree on our paragraph contest.  I’ll repeat the link to 355 opinions on what makes a good first paragraph.

Tony offered this semi-educational, humorous look at the History of English in 10 Minutes.

If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.  ~Toni Morrison

Upcoming Schedule

July 14th

Kris
Tyree Bill
Dylan

July 21 st

Nick
Ciuin
All: paragraph contest

July 28 th

Shanna
Kris
Dylan

August 4 th

Tony
Nick
Open slot

Keep Writing,
Bill

The Noble Pen for July 7, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 7th, 2011 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Writing contest:  For one of the July 21 slots, let’s each write one paragraph which could be the beginning of a story. We’ll read them to the group, and vote on which one is best, with discussion of why.

Victories

Tyree sold a werewolf story to an anthology, to come out this fall, and has already been paid.

Ciuin finished the biggest of the documents she is doing for the World Artists Initiative, with one more to go, and says she won’t sign up for that much work again.

Education

A link to 355 opinions on what makes a good first paragraph.  Here’s a sampling of diverse comments from there:

I want an opening paragraph to grab me by the throat and thrust me into the middle of the action. Make me catch my breath, don’t bore me with details, or set up–I will look elsewhere for something to read.-AE Rought

I was going to say the opposite… The ones that catch my eye are the ones that describe the main character calmly and in a fairly normal everyday setting.  One opinion, one quality of the character’s, one memory. The action beginnings leave me exhausted.-Deniselle

A feeling that the author is going to take care of you. To lead you along. That he is saying: here is what my story is going to be about. Here is how I’m going to tell it. Relax. You’re in my hands now. We will have ups and downs, we will have surprises and disappointments, but i will lead you through it all, like a guide in a strange land.-Mark Cecil

Any work that can be judged on its first paragraph alone isn’t worth reading. – Joe B.

I want my mind to start whipping out questions, which will be answered in the author’s own sweet time.-wendy kovitz

Upcoming Schedule

July 7th

Tony
Kris
Nick

July 14th

Kris
Tyree
Dylan

July 21 st

Nick
Ciuin
All-paragraph contest

July 28 th

Tony?
Open slot
Open slot

Keep Writing,

Bill

The Noble Pen for July 7, 2011

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 7th, 2011 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Writing contest:  For one of the July 21 slots, let’s each write one paragraph which could be the beginning of a story. We’ll read them to the group, and vote on which one is best, with discussion of why.

Victories

Tyree sold a werewolf story to an anthology, to come out this fall, and has already been paid.

Ciuin finished the biggest of the documents she is doing for the World Artists Initiative, with one more to go, and says she won’t sign up for that much work again.

Education

A link to 355 opinions on what makes a good first paragraph.  Here’s a sampling of diverse comments from there:

I want an opening paragraph to grab me by the throat and thrust me into the middle of the action. Make me catch my breath, don’t bore me with details, or set up–I will look elsewhere for something to read.-AE Rought

I was going to say the opposite… The ones that catch my eye are the ones that describe the main character calmly and in a fairly normal everyday setting.  One opinion, one quality of the character’s, one memory. The action beginnings leave me exhausted.-Deniselle

A feeling that the author is going to take care of you. To lead you along. That he is saying: here is what my story is going to be about. Here is how I’m going to tell it. Relax. You’re in my hands now. We will have ups and downs, we will have surprises and disappointments, but i will lead you through it all, like a guide in a strange land.-Mark Cecil

Any work that can be judged on its first paragraph alone isn’t worth reading. – Joe B.

I want my mind to start whipping out questions, which will be answered in the author’s own sweet time.-wendy kovitz

Upcoming Schedule

July 7th

Tony
Kris
Nick

July 14th

Kris
Tyree
Dylan

July 21 st

Nick
Ciuin
All-paragraph contest

July 28 th

Tony?
Open slot
Open slot

Keep Writing,

Bill