Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 3rd, 2014 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Just because you get a contract doesn’t mean success.  Tony Horwitz tells a sad and cautionary tale of disappointment in the e-publishing world.

Victories

Ciuin’s father, who almost never reads her writing, read her article in the museum journal and liked it.

Tyree’s story Bombay Sapphire not only met acceptance, the publisher asked for a sequel.

Education

Laura offers a couple good links.   An article by Robbie Blair points out words that may “gum up your text” and be candidates for elimination or change.  Tameri has a longer list of words whose use is worth reconsidering.

Upcoming Schedule

July 3rd
Nick
Jed
Ciuin

July 10th
Tyree
Laura
Ciuin

July 17th
Nick
Tyree
Jed

July 24th
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

June 26th, 2014 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Daniel Keyes, best known as the author of the classic story Flowers for Algernon, died at age 86.  The story is sometimes used as an example of how good science fiction tackles serious or tragic and emotional problems.

–//–

Apple has reached an out-of-court settlement of the e-book price-fixing case.  A longer version of the story.

Victories

Ciuin’ four-page article on interpreting Romany culture was published in a museum journal.

Nick wrote a 3000 word train spotting report.

Dylan wrote a 9000 word story.

Jed finished a new chapter of Castalia.

Education

Writers Digest posted an example of a successful query letter, with discussion of its merits.  Query Tracker has also been recommended as a great source of information and examples of query letters, and lists of agents to submit them to.

Upcoming Schedule

June 26th
Tyree
Jed
Ciuin

July 3rd
Nick
Jed
Ciuin

July 10th
Tyree
Laura
Ciuin

July 17th
Nick
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

June 19th, 2014 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

The sentiment expressed so far indicates people want to meet on July 3, the day before a holiday weekend. If you have an opinion on that, please express it at the next meeting.

Victories

Ciuin made good progress on editing Petty Theft, including successfully fitting the scenes to the historical timeline.

Education

Where do you write? Joe Pawlikowski has his opinions on good and bad places. Another view. Some famous authors took advantage of any place they happened to have time to think, and some of them favored slightly unusual places. One of our own group plots out his stories while he walks. Find what works best for you as a routine, whether it is a desk or a bathtub but don’t ignore the moments of opportunity.

The same place may not be optimum for writing and editing. For instance, I find I must write at the computer, but need to edit both there and lying in bed with a printout.

Upcoming Schedule

June 19th
Cassie
Nick
Ciuin

June 26th
Tyree
Jed
Ciuin

July 3rd
Nick
Jed
Open slot

July 10th
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

June 12th, 2014 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

The sentiment expressed so far indicates people want to meet on July 3, the day before a holiday weekend. If you have an opinion on that, please express it at the next meeting.

–//–

If you ever get famous as a writer, be sure to watch out for marketing rights associated with your books. Harper Lee, well known for her 1960 book To Kill a Mockingbird, has settled a dispute with a museum in her home county over merchandise associated with the title. Your newsletter editor took notice because he has visited that museum.

Victories

In a very eventful week:

Tyree sent off the completed Bombay Sapphire.

Dylan received the final printed version of Sand and Blood.

Ciuin had requests to buy copies of Petty Theft which is in late editing, and her other Romany story which is only started. She is making good progress on editing Petty Theft.

Cassie had an epiphany about what had improved in her writing and will go back to fix previous work with better showing of motivation through thoughts and emotions of her characters.

Bill wrote 2500 words on his SF story, although he still doesn’t know where it’s going.

Nick sent a train spotting report to his group.

Education

Every author may dream of having a book on the best-seller lists. The most famous of many such lists are the ones from the NY Times. Publishers Weekly has lists. NPR has one. Amazon has theirs and other organizations publish them.

Making such a list one week will greatly help following sales of that and future books. What goes on behind the scenes to come up with the lists and to get on them? As mentioned in that article, there are sometimes shenanigans, as authors pay dearly for that momentary acclaim that could bring long-term benefits.

Critics point out the defects in relying on best seller lists, and even call for eliminating such lists, which seems unlikely.

One author found that making a best-seller list did not bring financial rewards because her publisher went bankrupt before sending her any royalties.

Upcoming Schedule

June 12th
Aimee
Ciuin
Jed

June 19th
Cassie
Nick
Ciuin (would cede if asked)

June 26th
Tyree
Jed
Ciuin

July 3rd
People seem to want to meet before holiday. Opinion?
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill