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Scottsdale Society of Women Writers invites Jan Holmes Frost to speak Feb 19th

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SCOTTSDALE SOCIETY OF WOMEN WRITERS

Welcomes editor/author/speaker to Feb “Leap” Meeting!

WHO: Scottsdale Society of Women Writers and Jan Holmes Frost

WHAT: Monthly Speaker/Dinner Meeting

WHERE: Chaparral Suites Resort, 5001 N, Scottsdale Rd. at Chaparral Rd light, NE corner – Enter off Chaparral Rd – 4th Floor Grill entrance, take elevator, exit 4th floor, left to the Cactus Room

WHEN: Feb 29th Wed 5:30-7:30 – Celebrate your “Leap” with us!

WHY: The Scottsdale Society of Women Writers gives members access to events of interest, a format for exchanging ideas, an opportunity to network with other women writers and authors, an alliance with businesses relating to writing and publishing, and camaraderie and support.

HOW:             PLEASE – RSVP now to Patricia L. Brooks, president/founder

Cell 480-250-5556 or patricia@plbrooks.com See Details Below

SPEAKER:  Jan Holmes Frost janholmesfrost@gmail.com and

www.janholmesfrost.com

How Important Are Your First 100 Words?

They are your sales pitch, your resume, they welcome the reader into the story, or they are a dismal disappointment.

What elements are key to grabbing a reader, or agent or publisher’s attention?

How can you develop an enticing through-line in one or two sentences?

What does your first sentence reveal?

In this Workshop/Discussion you’ll learn the answers, and more.

Jan Holmes Frost received her education in Boston, MA. She is the author of EightThings You Need to Know to Write a Novel and has taught workshops in Texas, Arizona and Colorado, and at the Central California Writer’s Conference.  She works as a managing editor for Fireship Press of Tucson, and also does freelance editing. Her novel, Without Sanctions, a
techno-thriller, is due to be released in early 2012.

notes below for dinner fees, format and location directions.  Thank you.

MENU:  Salad, dessert, beverage and roll or a sandwich/soup, dessert, beverage and roll – both with tax and gratuity included – make your choice the night of the meeting.

COST: $22.00 for members – $25.00 for guests (able to visit twice before joining)

CHECKS:  Please make check payable to Scottsdale Society of Women Writers prior to coming to the meeting to save time at the check-in table.  Thank you.

CHECK-IN:  Please check-in between 5:15 and 5:45 at the table at the door, the meeting starts promptly at 6:00 – thank you.

(1) Leave your check made payable to SSWW

(2) All those attending the meeting must pay for the dinner/room/speaker

(3)Have your name checked off the RSVP list and Pick-up your name badge

AGENDA:  The agendas will be on the dinner table and the format remains the same.

DIRECTIONS: Chaparral Suites is in Scottsdale at Chaparral Rd just north of Fashion Square Mall – Chaparral Rd has a light.  Parking is in the rear – two large parking lots Note: best to enter from the middle elevator for the 4th Floor Grille.  From the 101 freeway exit Chaparral Rd and go west.  Just prior to Scottsdale Rd enter the side drive at 4th Floor Grille and come up that levator.  There is an awning marked 4th Floor Grille.  This is the easiest way
– not through the lobby.  The parking lots are in the back of the complex.

Goals of the Group

Value all the professional women writers seeking to
share their expertise

  • Honor all genres and all forms of professional
    writing
  • Attend monthly meetings  to move the group and its members
    forward
  • Learn and share in the experiences of monthly
    professional speakers
  • Grow the group to a membership of active and
    contributing women
  • Encourage participation by members as presenters,
    mentors, judges and volunteers
  • Support and challenge each other to always be
    writing
  • Help members to stretch as writers and reach lofty
    personal goals
  • Have fun,  meet trustworthy women writers, share dreams

 

THANK YOU for
your interest in our group!

WRITE NOW WRITING CONFERENCE – what I learned and share with you

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What I learned at the Write Now writing conference
Aug 20th, 2011 – Scottsdale, AZ
Patricia L. Brooks patricia@plbrooks.com
PICK UP THE PACE
Sophie Littlefield and Juliet Blackwell, authors, speakers
Motivating you to finish your work
These women are delightful.  They are determined to inspire everyone in the audience to feel as passionately as they do about writing and publishing.  Thank you Sophie and Juliet for a tremendous effort shown to us; we appreciate it. The following questions were posed to us for reflection.
What are my True Writing Goals?
    • To tighten the structure of my current manuscript
    • To define my query letter and prepare for submission
    • To not give up no matter how many rejections I receive

    How important are these Goals?

    • Top priority –  will not be put aside for
      even one day
    • They will be a part of my morning schedule along with my exercise and daily
      meditations
    • They will be connected to everything I do as I live the writers life

    What am I willing to Give Up?

    • Social activities that I deem unnecessary to my goals listed above
    • TV time and Internet usage to have more writing time
    • Certain reading material that does not further my goals

    How will I Get in the Chair?

    • Maintain my home-office for writing and make it very workable for that purpose
    • Write and think and breathe this work each day while moving the project forward
    • Appreciate the time I have to write and take advantage of this writing opportunity

    How Will I Stop Sabotaging Myself?

    • By not allowing myself off the hook with my commitment to write each day for a minimum of two hours
    • By telling myself I can do this again in a bigger and better way
    • By not allowing my perfectionism to get in the way of my desire to finish this
      work

     

     

     

Now more honest with myself about my writing, I take these goals and commitments seriously.  I know my strengths and will capitalize on them and make them work for me such as being early and working alone.
These authors advise staying ENGAGED and working on something all of the time.  I will remember that being able to write full-time is a privilege and I should not take it lightly.
These women also preach “anything you write is practice, so keep writing” and never give up.  Keep writing and learn your voice is their mantra!
My stories are valid.  I respect my fellow writers and their work too. I seek their encouragement and support as part of my plan to write daily and I pledge to continue to give it in return.
Thank you Sophie www.sophielittlefield.com and Juliet www.julietblackwell.net for a wonderful session at the conference
FIVE TECHNIQUES FOR SHAPING YOUR SUBMISSIONS
Carol Test, writer and editor
Thank you Carol for the valuable feedback you gave me on the work I submitted at the conference.  Here is what you prompted us with followed by
my takeaways from your wonderful talk.
1)
Write Fast First Drafts (and skinny seconds)
Almost overwrite and imbue later
  1. Don’t edit as you go along
  2. Write calorie and go “all-in”
  3. Cut back with the second draft
    1. My takeaway is to write with fierce abandon
2)
Beg the Question (in the intro)
Ask a rhetorical question – no need to answer
  1. Leave this for the reader to define and answer
  2. Hook us in with the story’s question
  3. Start action with the hook
    1. My takeaway is do it now
3)
Shape your Scenes (timing them)
Scene moves you forward in the story
  1. Clock is critical – how long does it take?
  2. Progression is paramount to the story
  3. Take us back to the opening at the end
    1. My takeaway is the form and flow are crucial
4)
Answer the Post-it Question
Theme ( use rhetorical question instead of a statement)
  1. Define theme on a post-a-note
  2. Be succinct and clear
  3. Stir interest
    1. My takeaway is less is more
5)
Know the Elements of Craft – do double duty
Narrative – shape – movement – through character in to action
  1. Mirror characters to make point
  2. Concrete detail
  3. Sculpt in to a work of art
    1. My takeaway is paint beautiful pictures with my story
The use of structure to organize your work is one important thing I needed to hear.  Don’t tie it up too nicely is another.  Let the reader do some of the work, but shape it and make it attractive to the reader still another.  Let the reader answer the questions you set forth.  The best advice yet – thank you
Carol.

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