Good Afternoon Area 1!
NEEDED: Someone to fill in for our Secretary for a year. Anyone interested in joining Fritze, Dan, and myself on the PW Board, please email me.
I’m starting to accept donations for the Area 1 basket for the Annual Conference. Let me know if you have a donation and we’ll arrange for pick-up.
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” Alexander Graham Bell, inventor (3 Mar 1847-1922)
“Success is indeed a journey, but if you stop at [only] adding value to yourself, you miss the reward of significance.” John C. Maxwell
“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” Oscar Wilde
“Kindness is always fashionable.” Amelia Barr, novelist (29 Mar 1831-1919)
Please also check-out the happenings in Area 3. There might be something of interest to you. Also, we’re trying to remind all PW members that meetings across the areas are available for you to attend. Please check the website.
GROANERS:
- A weasel walks into a bar. The owner says, “Wow! In all my years tending bar, I’ve never served a weasel. What can it get you?” The weasel responded?
- What did the sheriff say to his deputy when they found a couple of cows smoking a joint and playing poker?
- Why was the young lady thrown out of her local park after trying to arranging the squirrels by height?
- How did Mom respond to daughters request of “How do you make synonym buns?”
- What happens when they deliver fake rocks for your driveway?
- Why are there poptarts but no momtarts?
- What do you call a car being driven by a sheep in a swimsuit?
(See very bottom for answers if you’re brave enough and thanks to Sheila for sending me these.)
NEW MEMBERS:
PRAYERS:
· Liana Laverentz (Mother’s passing and for illness recovery)
· Sue Gourley ([our President] for surgery recovery)
· Ellen Byham (for her sister Linda)
· Amy Bovaird (and her brother Mike)
· Aimee Gross (and for her dog Esther)
· Babs Mountjoy
· Gene Ware
· Kelly Allred
· Rebecca and Chris Frank
(PLEASE let me know of any prayer issues)
MEMBER NEWS:
- CONGRATS to Babs Mountjoy (aka Alana Lorens) on the release of Prophecies and Promises.
- CONGRATS to Holly Jacobs on the release of A View to a Kiln.
NEWS:
- 35th ANNUAL PENNWRITERS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN! May 13, 2022, to May 15, 2022 – Pennwriters Conference in Lancaster, PA, with Thursday intensive workshops. Register at www.pennwriters.org.
- Pennwriters Online Classes: Click on the link of the class you might be interested in attending for more info and to register. Remember to check the Pennwriters website for other upcoming events and meetings.
[Support our Fritze!] April: Let the Setting Sing, Let it Haunt Their Dreams with Fritze Roberts, Gold Level Instructor
The setting of a book, whether fiction or non-fiction, is more than just background noise and props. It’s an ecosystem and your character is a lion strolling through it. For readers, the setting establishes a context for your plot, sure, but it also does so much more. It affects emotions, both consciously and subconsciously. Together, we’ll study examples and learn how to use setting as another tool to improve our writing. Small exercises will be assigned each week.
June: Confronting Conflict with Patricia Jackson, Silver Level Instructor
Conflict is the engine that drives a story forward, whether it is external (character versus society) or internal (character versus self). Conflict propels the narrative through character development or a sequence of events known as the plot. Using character development, dialogue, and exposition, conflict should be buried within in the narration and allowed to resurface like land mines in the course of the story. However, writers must be careful not to bury these kernels too deeply, stifling the reader and stalemating their storytelling process.
[Support our Deanna] July: Debunking the Show-Don’t-Tell Myth with Deanna R. Adams, Gold Level Instructor
You've heard the term, "Show Don't Tell," sometime in your writing career, but Deanna Adams always says: Show AND Tell but SHOW MORE THAN TELL, and in this course, Deanna will teach you how to do both. Know when it’s best to simply TELL, using straight narrative, and when to SHOW through scenes and dialogue. Included will be some great literary examples of this. There will be weekly assignments to help you determine which is best for the telling, and the showing of your story. This course is for writers of both fiction as well as memoir.
- Has anyone tried out this feature? [thanks to Area 5 Rep Rob Teplitz and Area 4 Rep Jenn Diamond for this info.] There is a new feature included in your Pennwriters profile: Beta-Reader Match! If you are looking to swap manuscripts with a fellow Pennwriter who writes in your genre, you will just need to log-in and update your profile. Here's how:
- Go to www.pennwriters.org
- Click on Member Login
- Click the down-arrow at the end of your name to reveal the drop-down menu
- Click on Profile
- Look for the rectangle heading Your Website Functions
- Click on Interests
- Scroll down to Beta Readers
- Please read the instructions
- Click the genre you're writing in
- Scroll down to click Save
- A message should pop-up “Changes Saved”
- Click OK
Then email me letting me know you’re looking for a Beta Reader. From there, I will email prospective Beta Readers and search for a match or more. I will email you the possible candidates, then you and your potential Reader will email each other to establish a working relationship.
- NOTE: The following is not an endorsement from PW. It’s information only. Always verify before proceeding.
The American University of Paris is offering three-week creative writing courses this July, and Andrea Christmas (Summer School and Financial Aid Coordinator) has asked me to share the opportunity.
The workshops meet three-and-a-half hours per day, four days a week, allowing three-day weekends for writing, travel, and tourism. One evening per week, students will attend readings and question-and-answer sessions with inspiring authors. The event evenings also unite the full group of creative writing students to enjoy informal discussion and refreshments. For every course, participants have the choice of enrolling for university credit or just for audit at a reduced price.
More detailed information can be found on AUP's website: www.aup.edu/creative-writing . Good luck to those who apply!
- NOTE: The following is not an endorsement from PW. It’s information only. Always verify before proceeding.
We are pleased to announce………. The Orchard Street Press 2022 Poetry Contest (Ad in Poets & Writers)
The Orchard Street Press announces its fifth annual Poetry Contest: $500 first prize, $300 second, $200 third. Prize-winning and other submitted poems will appear in Quiet Diamonds, our annual poetry journal, and select entrants will be invited to submit chapbooks for possible publication. This year, we are publishing 10 chapbooks from entrants to the 2021 Contest.
We expect to publish 12-15 chapbooks from the 2022 Contest.
Submit poems and the $14 fee to: The Orchard Street Press; P.O. Box 280, Gates Mills, Ohio 44040. Entries can also be submitted via our website, orchpress.com.
Submission details: Submit up to four original, unpublished poems (no translations and no single poem longer than two pages). Poems should be typed and should not include the poet’s name on the page. The poet should also send a cover letter (listing the poems and the poet’s contact information--including phone and email) and a SASE for results.
Deadline for submissions is April 30.
Feel free to call or email us if you have questions.
The Orchard Street Press
P.O. Box 280
Gates Mills, Ohio 44040
Orchard721@gmail.com
orchpress.com(web)
330-264-7733
- NOTE: The following is not an endorsement from PW. It’s information only. Always verify before proceeding.
New World Library is seeking submissions. “Focused on non-fiction books about spirituality, personal growth, women’s interest, religion, sustainable businesses, the human-animal relationship, Native American interest and the environment. No children’s books Prefers email submissions at: submit@bewworldlibrary.com or call 415-884-2100.
- MVP and Thursday Fellowship Of The Quill Feedback Meetings are on ZOOM currently. If interested, please contact Janet or me. Next Meeting: 05/07 (MVP); 04/07 (FOTQ).
- B & N meeting has resumed in person. Next Meeting: 04/23.
- Saturday Night Writes (We are ZOOMING! Every Saturday Evening. Contact Fritze or respond to this email for more details).
GET READY:
- Mark on your goal sheet for this year to create an article for our wonderful PW newsletter. Send to Newsletter Editor. Note the following for the newsletter production schedule:
- May/June issue: submission deadline April 1.
- July/August issue: usually virtual and covers information from the May conference. Submission deadline is June 1.
- Speaking of the Penn Writer newsletter, as you know there is a regular column “Writer Spotlight” to recognize individuals who have given tirelessly to Pennwriters. If you know of a Pennwriters member who should be recognized, let me know.
FOR OUR POETS:
Poets who use their craft to call for change have a new resource: Poets Against Racism USA, or PAR USA. Affiliated with the PAR movement started in the UK in 2017, PAR USA confronts racism, bigotry, and hate through the power of poetry. PAR USA provides poets who write about social justice with opportunities to learn, publish and perform their work, and expand their impact. The nucleus of this grassroots effort is the PAR USA website, which is a hub for information about PAR USA activities, a place of convening for social justice poets, and a go-to for those eager to gain insight about social justice issues. To learn more, visit Poets Against Racism USA. Also, you can follow PAR USA on Facebook here and on Twitter, @PoetsARUS.
I will be working with Patricia to try to get some kind of joint workshop later this spring. Stay tuned.
MVP NEWS (Thanks Janet):
ZOOM Meeting
SVP NEWS (Thanks Catherine):
March was a hybrid meeting where we combined an in-person meeting at the Community Library of the Shenango Valley (Sharon PA) and used Zoom for those that could not attend in person.
Many thanks to Mike for setting up the equipment and handling the tech aspects of our meeting. By trial and error, we discovered it worked best to use the IO Group site for written feedback and comments. We will continue doing that.
We also concluded using Zoom was ideal for discussing our monthly topic and that we could use it for book reviews or our mini-workshops. Therefore, next month, from 2 to 4 p.m., we'll use Zoom for discussing the book A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver.
It's a quick read on the basics of poetry - but so much more. The pages hold kernels of information that can help writers add poetic devices and poetic techniques to enhance their storytelling, fiction, and nonfiction works.
We've also decided to open the Zoom portion of our meetings to fellow Pennwriters. We'll invite them to be our guests by posting a Facebook notice and link to the meeting.
All in all, it was a good meeting. So, don't forget to check the schedule for April's activities and challenges at the IO Group site or at https://www.catherineemclean.com/svp-c-downloads.html
And - April is National Poetry Month - celebrate it!
https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/30-ways-celebrate-national-poetry-month
CVP NEWS (Thanks Kathy):
Hopefully now that March has gone out like a lion, spring is finally here and folks can start venturing out again. It's been a long time since many of you have come and shared your writing, I want you to know that we've missed you and would like to have you come again.
We are still meeting at the Corry Library the first Monday of the month, this coming Monday, April 4th, from 5 - 8pm.
Looking forward to seeing you. Bring something to share.
If anyone needs a ride give me a call by 4pm on Monday. 716-450-0227.
PENNWRITER GROUP MEETINGS:
Other Areas have open meetings available for all PW members. Here is a list (ensure to check the website for more information and other meetings):
- Inkwell Meetings (Area 4): the first Tuesday of every month via Zoom beginning at 6:00 pm. RSVP is required to get the link, regrets need not respond. For more information or alternate RSVP email Jenn Diamond.
COMMUNICATION:
Join Pennwriters on Facebook:
Pennwriters Area 1: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PWArea1/
Pennwriters: https://www.facebook.com/groups/9428111505/
Pennwriters Presents: https://www.facebook.com/groups/365414270482496/
Road Trip: https://www.facebook.com/WritersRoadTrip/
Visit the Pennwriters website: http://pennwriters.org/
Visit A Writer’s Road Trip website: WritersRoadTrip.com
Answers to Groaners:
- “Pop,” goes the weasel.
- “That’s right deputy. The steaks are pretty high.”
- Because they didn’t like all her critter sizing.
- “You mean just like the ones that grammar used to make?” (Thanks Doris)
- Yep. You get sham rocks.
- Because of the pastryarchy.
- A lamb bikini.