Meeting #11 - 09/30/09

Our meeting tonight was a little different from the usual. It just so happened that Michele Ashman Bell, local author, was coming to speak about writing at the Taylorsville Library tonight at 7 pm. The timing could not have been more perfect. Thanks to everyone who came and I hope everyone took something valuable from it. Some major points of her presentation were:

• Don't be afraid to break the mold and be original.
• Your setting is like another character--know it well.
• Internal conflict is one thing books can do that movies usually can't.
  
• Formatting is very important when sending a manuscript to a publisher, but while writing a rough draft, the most important thing is just getting it down.
• Everyone has their own voice and style. Find your strengths and use them to your advantage.
• Be specific and include details. Don't assume your reader will fill in blanks.
• The writer who gets published isn't necessarily the most talented writer. The one who gets published is the one who is passionate about what they're writing and keeps pressing on.
• There comes a point where you have to stop listening to other people who tell you how to write your story and do it yourself, the way you know it needs to be.

Another exciting piece of news is that she asked for the URL to this blog! I told her we weren't very exciting, but she insisted. I'm honored to have a visit from someone as successful as she is. Thank you for your visit, Michele! (Hurry, everyone! Post something exciting!) By the way, her blog can be found here. She's been doing interviews with other authors, which I think is a great resource for young budding writers like ourselves.

I got a few new ideas for future meetings, too. Next Wednesday will be at my house again. We've all been doing really well with bringing new material. Let's keep it up! I'm thinking about devising some kind of reward system for people who set goals for themselves and achieve them. Does that sound helpful?

Happy writing, everyone. Enjoy the break!