Next Noble Pen Meeting

August 2nd, 2012 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Brazil has a novel program in its prisons: reduced time for reading books and writing book reports.  They say it makes better people of the convicts.  Why didn’t I get reduced time in English class?

Victories

Tyree sees his way to the finish of his book Breathless Stars.

Ciuin’s article was combined with those of other authors, some very prestigious, for use in an international publication.

Dylan submitted four stories.

Education

Tyree reminds us that we in the group are rarely each other’s target audience.  That thought should influence how you use the critiques you receive.

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Author Tana French gives some writing tips.  You only have to get it right once, no matter how many tries it takes.  No person does, and therefore no character should, think he’s wrong, misguided, bigoted, etc.,  even if he really is.  And other good points.

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The site Creative Writing Forums is a place for writers to discuss techniques, problems, etc. and do critiques of short segments of writing.  It seems fairly civilized.  Some participation and two weeks of membership are required before you can post anything to receive critique.

If you’re looking for more elbows to rub against, want to see how others do critique,  or want to discuss writing with a wide group, give it or other forums a try.  It is a good place to practice giving critiques anonymously and to compare your observations to others’.  Some of their rules are restrictive: you can’t post links except as citations to something you quoted or summarized, and you can’t recommend commercial tools.

Also, recognize that anything you post to a forum with unrestricted membership has been published (even if it is later deleted), so restrict your submissions to excerpts or practice pieces that you will never try to sell.

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Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.  Art is knowing which ones to keep. ~Scott Adams

Upcoming Schedule

Aug 2nd
Nick (double)
Tyree

Aug 9th

Shannon
Ciuin
Jean

Aug 16th

Nick
Ciuin
Tyree

Aug 23rd

Shannon
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill