Next Noble Pen Meeting

August 6th, 2015 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

They keep finding old manuscripts and publishing them.  Besides Harper Lee, there is one by Dr. Seuss.

Victories

Dylan got over a writer’s block.  He also started serializing an old story.

Education

How do you describe your characters?   Rachel Scheller says that you should avoid making the description sound like a police all-points bulletin, or overdoing the adjectives.  Instead, tell more about what is inside them, and use actions to depict them.  Here is a list of characteristics that aren’t all physical.

You may find this automatic description generator amusing, but it probably doesn’t do what you need.

Upcoming Schedule

Aug 6
Tyree
Nick

Aug 13
Ciuin
Open slot (Dylan backup)

Aug 20
Cassie
Open slot

Aug 27
Open slots

Sept 3
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 30th, 2015 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Author E. L. Doctorow died recently at age 84.  He wrote many novels that combined fictional characters with real people of the past.  Here’s an interview.

Victories

Cassie has been prolific, writing 8k words in 3 days on a novella in response to an open call for submissions to an anthology of “Christmas paranormal romance”.  She also got 4 comments from editors on her last submission to the Avon contest, and wrote 6k words on her novel that is an outgrowth of her contest submissions.

Ciuin finished an article for City Revealed magazine.

Stacie has a book of 4 fantasy short stories just out in print.

Education

Many words and phrases linger in English but have become idiom because their original meaning is obsolete.  Everybody knows the phrase “carbon copy,” but how many have actually used carbon paper to make a copy?

Someone may say they were “hung out to dry” if left alone to face a problem, but how many have hung out clothes to dry on a clothesline?  Who has actually heard a “broken record” on the phonograph?  “Don’t touch that dial,” but you have a radio or TV upon which you can turn a dial?  Is it bigger than a bread box?

Many other phrases never had a literal interpretation, but convey a sense of the past to those old enough to remember their use.   Life used to be “swell”, but when’s the last time anything was swell or neato?  Gee whillikers!

There are more of these old expressions “than Carter had liver pills”.  “Kilroy was here”, but he isn’t anymore. This is a fine kettle of fish!  Do you look “like the wreck of the Hesperus” when you get up? Heavens to Betsy!  I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!   Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!  Holy moley!

You can’t bring those days back, not for all the tea in China, but you can remind people of them by using them when writing a story set in the past.  See ‘ya later, alligator!

Upcoming Schedule

Jul 30
Dylan
Ciuin

Aug 6
Tyree
Nick

Aug 13
Ciuin
Open slot

Aug 20
Cassie
Open slot

Aug 27
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 23rd, 2015 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Harper Lee’s book is out and getting mixed reviews.   Everybody is excited, and most find it worthwhile reading but not fully developed as they expect a novel to be.  It portrays a greater complexity of black-white relations than To Kill a Mockingbird.  Some find it confusing  “politically and artistically” and disappointing in how some of the good characters in Mockingbird, particularly Atticus Finch, turned out in this story set later.  Based on early reviews, it appears this book will prompt discussion for a long time, and certainly is not a dud as some feared.

Victories

The proposal Ciuin wrote for a children’s’ program at the museum was accepted.

Erin wrote an answer to a question that helped her work relationships.

Mark’s 3rd article on gaming was accepted and he was paid.

Education

Do you sometimes struggle with your writing, or its impact on your life? You’re not alone. Here are some problems that are almost universal among writers.    And another list.

A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~Joseph Conrad

Upcoming Schedule

Jul 23
Jed
Erin

Jul 30
Dylan
Ciuin

Aug 6
Tyree
Nick

Aug 13
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 16th, 2015 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Should novelists try to be moralists via their stories?  These commentators seem to be against embedding more than a hint of moral teaching.  Do you agree?  I mostly disagree.  Did Grapes of Wrath have only a hint?  Brave New World?  I think it shouldn’t be blatant preaching, but having an underlying message can be good.

–//–

You’ve probably used the phrase “It’s all Greek to me.”  Here’s some history on why Shakespeare used it.

Victories

Cassie wrote Chapter 4 for the Avon contest with 4200 words and Chapter 5 with 3000.  She got comments on her chapter from a prominent guest author.  She wrote 7000 words toward a goal of 30,000 for Camp NaNoWriMo, and wrote two blog posts.

Tyree has Bombay Sapphire in print.  He broke through a block and wrote 2300 words on Yoelin in two hours before the meeting.  His short story collection was accepted for publication in October.

Erin convinced her husband that writing was a worthwhile use of her time.

Laura finished Chapter 5 for the Avon contest.  She is reworking the beginning of The Ice Lord to submit to a call for submissions by Mills and Boon.

Education

Whether fiction or non-fiction, most writing is about people.  Real or imagined, the people you are writing about need to seem real and alive to the reader.  This article discusses making the reader feel your character’s emotions, Part 1 and Part 2.

Upcoming Schedule

Jul 16
Nick
Ciuin

Jul 23
Jed
Erin

Jul 30
Dylan
Ciuin

Aug 6
Tyree
Open slot

Keep Writing,
Bill

Next Noble Pen Meeting

July 9th, 2015 at 7 pm

Scott’s Family Restaurant

1906 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids

News

Harper Lee’s long-forgotten novel is getting lots of attention as book sellers prepare for the release date.  More on its discovery.

–//–

Smart phones are getting smarter, but Apple and Google don’t take the same approach.

Victories

Laura got good comments on her Avon contest submission from two editors.

Mark’s third gaming article was accepted.

Dylan’s Sand and Blood advanced to the final round of four books in Elitist Book Reviews for best self-published SF&F book of 2014.  He finished a commission and got paid.

Nick is writing reports on his railfan trip.

Erin found the group and has writing to submit.

Education

Do you have only a short time on a given day to write?  Make the best use of scattered moments through out the day to make notes of ideas for plot, character, and scenes.  Here’s a list of possible times to think about your story. Use your phone or other gadgets to capture those notes while driving.  Or as one member does, think through your plots while exercising.

When you do sit down to write, you may find it best to just capture the ideas and not worry about cleaning it up.  Keep editing as a separate (but necessary) task so you don’t slow down the creative process.

Do whatever it takes to make sure that when you sit down to write, you don’t get distracted.  Some people keep an old computer, off net, just for writing so they aren’t distracted by email and F*ceb**k.   If you’re going to want a cup of tea, make it before sitting down so you don’t interrupt yourself to get it.

Here are 10 tips on productivity and another series of tips by a prolific writer.

Upcoming Schedule

Jul 9
Laura
Tyree

Jul 16
Nick
Ciuin

Jul 23
Jed
Erin

Jul 30
Open slots

Keep Writing,
Bill