DWL Home Page:http://byjoni.com/dwl/
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WHERE WE MEET, AND WHEN
The second Saturday of every month, at the
CITY HALL IN THE MALL
Next to the Old Country Buffet at Golden Triangle Mall.
General Meeting 10:30 a.m.
Lunch at the Old Country Buffet at Noon.
NEXT MEETING-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14
December Speaker-James Reasoner
January Speaker-TBA
February Speaker-PN Elrod
March-Mike & Susan Farris, Farris Literary Agency
James Reasoner was born in Ft Worth and raised in Azle, so he's a true son of Texas. He has written over 140 books and over 100 short stories under several pseudonyms. Many of his stories can be found in the various western serials Wagon's West , Stagecoach Station, Abilene, Powell's Army, and Cody's Law just to name a few. Visit his website at http://home.flash.net/~livia/ for a full listing of titles.
NOVEMBER MEETING RECAP
Suzanne Frank was our guest speaker. She talked to us about writing her latest release TWILIGHT IN BABYLON, the last in the series of the adventures of time travelers Chloe and Cheftu. Ancient Sumer it seems had a society a lot like our own. They worried about the same things (taxes, economy) and made some of the same mistakes (population explosion and the wasting of natural resources). Asked about her writing habits, she said that she had the worst ones in the world and was not a good example. When she starts a new book, she researches until she thinks she finished, and then writes a rough draft. From the draft she writes an outline, and then usually discovers that she needs to do more research. After the last round of research, she sits down and writes the final story. She has a circle of friends that she uses as readers of the final draft. What the underlying story is about determines which friend she chooses. If the book is romantic/emotional in nature, she has an emotional friend who reads it. If the main character is a man, then one of her male friends will read it to see if she's captured the male attitude. Lastly, she suggested that all writers read Stephen King's new book, ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. It is not an instructional book but more of an inspirational for new and experienced writers.
Think Like An Editor
When you're in the flow of putting your thoughts and feelings in words on paper, you're wearing a writer's hat. At some point, take off that hat and put on your editor's glasses. Doing so will change your role-and your mindset-completely.
Now as the editor, you transform. You are now an advocate for the reader, reading each phrase with a fresh awareness. And the whole time you're editing, you ask these questions:
By Barbara McNichol
Make subjects and verbs agree.
Incorrect: A group of writers were in town. ("group" is singular while "were" is plural)
Correct: A group of writers was in town. ("group" is the subject here, not "writers")
Use parallel construction.
Weak: We've learned to read, write, and we're making sure information is shared.
Stronger: We've learned to read, write, and share information.
Make the subject obvious.
Incorrect: Driving down the highway, the new stadium came into view. (Who was driving down the highway…the stadium?)
Correct: We saw the new stadium as we drove down the highway.
Use the active voice.
Passive: It was decided that everyone would take the class.
Active: The principal decided every student would take the class.
Tell the whole story.
Stories, like plays, are told in three acts: Act One-set up the situation. Act Two-develop it. Act Three-resolve it. Similarly, make the end of your story echo its beginning so it will feel complete to the reader.
The next time you put on your editor's glasses, apply these techniques. If you have trouble seeing your work objectively (and that's highly possible when you get too close), let a professional editor play the part of a knowledgeable reader - and be your advocate, too.
Barbara McNichol, a professional writer/editor, works with authors and consultants to polish their manuscripts and develop their marketing materials. She publishes Word Trippers, a monthly e-newsletter (subscribe at www.wordtrippers.com) to clarify words that trip you. She can be reached at 877-696-4899 or at
editor@barbaramcnichol.com.
Haunted Encounters:
Personal Experiences with the Paranormal
Writers selected for this collection of personal ghost tales will be paid $50.00 upon publication. Your submission should be a 1000-2000 word account of a true, supernatural encounter that you've experienced. No more than 2 photos per story, please. Manuscripts that are not selected can only be returned to the author if a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) is included with the submission. Deadline for entries is January 31st, 2003.
NO FICTION, PLEASE!
Send submissions to:
Have you ever had a haunting experience? Would you like to see it in print?
Then tell us your story - you can be a part of the upcoming book HAUNTED ENCOUNTERS: Personal Experiences with the Paranormal!
HAUNTED ENCOUNTERS
P.O. Box 600745
Dallas, TX 75360-0745
Texas Conferences and Events
November 15-17, Book Festival (Austin). Visit:
December 7, Texas Authors on the Square (Fayetteville). Contact: Yvonne McCowen bymc@ev1.net
March 29, 2003, Writers Mini Conference (Wagoner, OK). Contact: Lydona Atchley wildrosepublishing@yahoo.com
April 1-4, 2003, Texas Library Association Convention, (Houston). http://www.txla.org/
August 2, 2003, Salado Book Fair, (Salado) contact: James V. Lee, saladopress@airmail.net
October 4, 2003 - 2nd Annual Book & Art Festival (Brenham). Contact: Charlene Keller phb@alpha1.net
October 18, 2003-3rd Annual Texas Writers Roundup (Wimberley). Contact: Linda Bingham Linda@texasauthors.org
From the Texas Author’s Coalition, Inc website. URL in listing below.
On-Line Writers resources
Author's Network-for writers about writing based in Europe, but interesting-
Copyright Forms- http://www.loc.gov/copyright/forms/
New Writer's Market http://hge.members.atlantic.net/
Preditors and Editors-a resources to check out agents and publishers http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators http://www.scbwi.org/
Texas Coalition of Authors, Inc. http://www.texasauthors.org/
The Novelist's Workshop-essays and advice on how to publish your book-http://www.monash.com/writers.html
Writer's Exchange http://www.writers-exchange.com/epublishing/
Writer's Market http://www.writersmarket.com/index_ns.asp
Writers Net-source for information for writers, editors, agents, and publishers-http://www.writers.net
The Zuzu's Petals Literary Resource Homepage-for both writers and poets-http://www.zuzu.com/
There are multitudes of writing resources available on the Internet. Go to any search engine and ask for writer's resources, writer's markets, writer's contests, writer's conferences, etc
DWL OFFICERS:
President - Joni Latham (
1st VP - June Powell - 940/565-1013
2nd VP - Oleta North - 940/458-3960
Treasurer – Joseph Marino
Secretary - Rae Nell Causseaux - 940/321-2739
Newsletter - George Avera (gavera@chatter.com) - 940/382-4130