Tuesday, March 04, 2008
FWA Ancient City Chapter Newsletter for March
Hello Ancient City Writers,
Our next meeting: Saturday, March 15th
Location: The Main Library in downtown St. Augustine (1960 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.)
* Doors open at 9:30, so please come early enough so that everyone will have time to get a cup of coffee or tea, socialize briefly, and get seated in time for us to begin at 10:00 sharp.
Meeting / Speaker: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
“WRITING A BOOK IN SIXTY DAYS” – Take the challenge!
Our March 15th speaker will challenge you to write your book in 60 days. If you are struggling, and unable to move forward and finish, Rik Feeney will provide you with the tools needed to complete it within 60 days. He will show how to use the "Top Ten Writing System" to break a book down into byte-sized chunks that are easy to accomplish, and depending on the determination and desire can help you write a book within sixty days or less. Bring a pack of 3X5 Index Cards with you.
We’re hoping that some of you will really want to commit to finishing by May 17th – that’s the date of our one-day Conference in Ponte Vedra. We’d love to be able to announce who participated and what you accomplished. (We’re looking for about 60,000 words. Many books are bigger than this, but if you can get that far, you’ve truly accomplished something. ) Remember, this is personal, so whatever you can do during the March-May time period will be more than you’re doing now. If you want to try, email Jeff: mailto:sweskys@comcast.net
Rik says that from experience, writers can create their own difficulties (i.e. writer's block, procrastination, fear of success) because they come at a book in a "linear" fashion, literally trying to write from the Introduction to the Summary in that order. Creativity is not a linear process.
IMPORTANT: This meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. as this is a 90-minute presentation and Rik is having it videotaped for future use. Please plan to arrive when the library opens at 9:30am. Doors will close at 10. Address: Main Library, 1960 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd, St. Augustine.
Our next meeting: Saturday, March 15th
Location: The Main Library in downtown St. Augustine (1960 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.)
* Doors open at 9:30, so please come early enough so that everyone will have time to get a cup of coffee or tea, socialize briefly, and get seated in time for us to begin at 10:00 sharp.
Meeting / Speaker: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
“WRITING A BOOK IN SIXTY DAYS” – Take the challenge!
Our March 15th speaker will challenge you to write your book in 60 days. If you are struggling, and unable to move forward and finish, Rik Feeney will provide you with the tools needed to complete it within 60 days. He will show how to use the "Top Ten Writing System" to break a book down into byte-sized chunks that are easy to accomplish, and depending on the determination and desire can help you write a book within sixty days or less. Bring a pack of 3X5 Index Cards with you.
We’re hoping that some of you will really want to commit to finishing by May 17th – that’s the date of our one-day Conference in Ponte Vedra. We’d love to be able to announce who participated and what you accomplished. (We’re looking for about 60,000 words. Many books are bigger than this, but if you can get that far, you’ve truly accomplished something. ) Remember, this is personal, so whatever you can do during the March-May time period will be more than you’re doing now. If you want to try, email Jeff: mailto:sweskys@comcast.net
Rik says that from experience, writers can create their own difficulties (i.e. writer's block, procrastination, fear of success) because they come at a book in a "linear" fashion, literally trying to write from the Introduction to the Summary in that order. Creativity is not a linear process.
IMPORTANT: This meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. as this is a 90-minute presentation and Rik is having it videotaped for future use. Please plan to arrive when the library opens at 9:30am. Doors will close at 10. Address: Main Library, 1960 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd, St. Augustine.
Rik Feeney is a published author and marketing coach and has spoken at many events on writing and promotion. His books on gymnastics are used by schools and gyms throughout the country.
Critique Sessions:
* We only have our meeting room until 12:00 for the months of February and March, so the critique group sessions will either be shortened or canceled until April. If we have time for critiques, they will begin after a short break following the meeting and speaker presentation.
If you’re not already part of a critique group and wish to join one, please contact the proper critique group coordinator to be added to their mailing list (each name contains a hyperlink to their email address):
Mike BonDurant Fiction Critique Group Coordinator
(Position Open) Non-fiction Critique Group Coordinator
Dana Gregory Poetry Critique Group Coordinator
We are still seeking a new Non-Fiction Critique Group Coordinator. So if you are interested, please contact: Mike BonDurant
April’s speaker
Location: The Main Library in downtown St. Augustine (1960 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.)
We do not have a speaker scheduled for April, and thought it would be a great time to dedicate April’s meeting to our critique groups (since they had to forfeit their February and March sessions) plus any of you who are going to take up Rik Feeney’s challenge of writing a book in 60 days (see details above) and wish to discuss your progress. Please come out and share your works-in-progress with the group.
Calender of writing events:
Future Bohl book signings and events
Author couple, Sherry and Allen Bohl, recently had a book signing at The St. Johns Town Center Barnes and Noble in Jacksonville and have various book signings and speaking engagements coming up in the near future.
For more information on their books as well as dates for their upcoming book signings and speaking engagements, visit their website at: http://www.allenbohl.com/
March 30th, 2008
Please join award winning mystery and suspense authors for an afternoon of mystery and mayhem as MURDER THEY WROTE is presented by the Friends of the Library and the Ancient City Chapter of the Florida Writers Association on Sunday, March 30, from 2:00-4:00pm at the main library.
Hear authors talk about their detectives, the crimes and clues they create that make for exciting novels. Mary Anna Evans (Effigies) detective is an archeologist, Rene Fix (Informed Consent) writes legal thrillers about an attorney, Michael Wiley’s (The Last Striptease) is a private investigator, and June Weltman’s is a teenage sleuth in The Mystery of the Missing Candlestick.
Authors will sign and sell their books following the panel discussion. All sales benefit the Friends of the Library. Vic DiGenti and his adventurous cat Windrusher (from the Windrusher series) will be on hand to moderate the panel.
Be sure to join us for this exciting program. The main branch of the St. Augustine library is located at 1960 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd, in St. Augustine.
Starting April 2nd, 2008
Writing Mysteries for Children and Teens
Local author June Weltman will teach an eight-week workshop on “Writing Mysteries for Children and Teens” through the University of North Florida’s new LEARN Jacksonville program starting Wednesday, April 2, 2008 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the University Center Building. The class is open to beginning and experienced writers ages 18 and older. It covers the development of character, plot and setting. Students are invited to bring manuscripts in progress.
June’s Mystery of the Missing Candlestick, a novel for ages 9-13, is set in St. Augustine. It won a special award from the Florida Historical Society. For more information about June, visit her website: http://www.juneweltmen.com./ The UNF LEARN JACKSONVILLE program is part of the university’s Continuing Education Division. For more information or to register, call 620-4255 or visit: http://www.ce.unf.edu./
April 26th, 2008
Join us at The POETRY ZONE celebrating National Poetry Month.
An afternoon of poetry celebrating National Poetry Month will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 1:00pm-5:00pm. It will feature readings, a workshop about publishing and building a poetry platform and craftsmanship. An open mic will follow and attendees will have the chance to sign up and read. Full details will be provided in next newsletter. This event is brought to you by the Friends of the Library and the Ancient City chapter of the Florida Writers Association and will be held at the St. Augustine Main Library, 1960 North Ponce de Leon Blvd. Event will be led by Kay Day, author of "A Poetry Break", (Best Poetry Book, 2004, Florida Writers Association; Finalist, USA Best Books 2004; Nominee for Best Poetry Book 2005 Southeastern Booksellers' Association)
May 17th, 2008
Set aside this date for the FWA Northeast Region One Day Conference at the Ponte Vedra Community Center. More information will be coming soon.
September 12th – 13th, 2008
There's a new book festival in the works in the nation's oldest city. The Florida Heritage Book Festival will celebrate Florida authors and those who write about Florida…for more information: http://www.fhbookfest.com/
November 14th – 16th, 2008
THE 7th ANNUAL FLORIDA WRITERS CONFERENCE is scheduled for November 14 - 16, 2008 at the Marriott Resort in Lake Mary, Florida. Since planning for the next conference begins almost as soon as the last one has ended, efforts are well underway. We'll keep you posted as information becomes finalized. In the meantime, be sure to save the date!
Writing Contests:
The 2008 Royal Palm Literary Award
2008 ROYAL PALM LITERARY AWARD submissions will be accepted from March 1st through April 1st. This contest is only for current Florida Writers Association Members.
For more information: http://www.floridawriters.net/DNN/Default.aspx?tabid=66
The Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest
Eligibility: The Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest is open to all.
Write 200 to 500 words of readable, well-written, even beautiful writing. Send your entries to editor@vocabula.com. Along with your submission, you must include your name, address, and email address.
Contest Dates: Entries for the Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest are accepted year-round. Each contest ends on May 30. The next contest begins the following day.
Selection: We accept nonfiction submissions only. Entries are judged on readability, beauty, and creativity -- in that order. Submissions not meeting the word count requirements are disqualified.
For more information, go to: http://www.vocabula.com/popupads/VRWritingContest.asp
See you all at the next meeting and keep writing,
Jeff Swesky
Ancient City Chapter Website: http://www.floridawriters.net/dnn/Regions/NorthEasternFL/tabid/79/Default.aspx
Ancient City Chapter Blog: http://fwaancientcity.blogspot.com/
Authors will sign and sell their books following the panel discussion. All sales benefit the Friends of the Library. Vic DiGenti and his adventurous cat Windrusher (from the Windrusher series) will be on hand to moderate the panel.
Be sure to join us for this exciting program. The main branch of the St. Augustine library is located at 1960 N. Ponce De Leon Blvd, in St. Augustine.
Starting April 2nd, 2008
Writing Mysteries for Children and Teens
Local author June Weltman will teach an eight-week workshop on “Writing Mysteries for Children and Teens” through the University of North Florida’s new LEARN Jacksonville program starting Wednesday, April 2, 2008 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the University Center Building. The class is open to beginning and experienced writers ages 18 and older. It covers the development of character, plot and setting. Students are invited to bring manuscripts in progress.
June’s Mystery of the Missing Candlestick, a novel for ages 9-13, is set in St. Augustine. It won a special award from the Florida Historical Society. For more information about June, visit her website: http://www.juneweltmen.com./ The UNF LEARN JACKSONVILLE program is part of the university’s Continuing Education Division. For more information or to register, call 620-4255 or visit: http://www.ce.unf.edu./
April 26th, 2008
Join us at The POETRY ZONE celebrating National Poetry Month.
An afternoon of poetry celebrating National Poetry Month will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 1:00pm-5:00pm. It will feature readings, a workshop about publishing and building a poetry platform and craftsmanship. An open mic will follow and attendees will have the chance to sign up and read. Full details will be provided in next newsletter. This event is brought to you by the Friends of the Library and the Ancient City chapter of the Florida Writers Association and will be held at the St. Augustine Main Library, 1960 North Ponce de Leon Blvd. Event will be led by Kay Day, author of "A Poetry Break", (Best Poetry Book, 2004, Florida Writers Association; Finalist, USA Best Books 2004; Nominee for Best Poetry Book 2005 Southeastern Booksellers' Association)
May 17th, 2008
Set aside this date for the FWA Northeast Region One Day Conference at the Ponte Vedra Community Center. More information will be coming soon.
September 12th – 13th, 2008
There's a new book festival in the works in the nation's oldest city. The Florida Heritage Book Festival will celebrate Florida authors and those who write about Florida…for more information: http://www.fhbookfest.com/
November 14th – 16th, 2008
THE 7th ANNUAL FLORIDA WRITERS CONFERENCE is scheduled for November 14 - 16, 2008 at the Marriott Resort in Lake Mary, Florida. Since planning for the next conference begins almost as soon as the last one has ended, efforts are well underway. We'll keep you posted as information becomes finalized. In the meantime, be sure to save the date!
Writing Contests:
The 2008 Royal Palm Literary Award
2008 ROYAL PALM LITERARY AWARD submissions will be accepted from March 1st through April 1st. This contest is only for current Florida Writers Association Members.
For more information: http://www.floridawriters.net/DNN/Default.aspx?tabid=66
The Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest
Eligibility: The Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest is open to all.
Write 200 to 500 words of readable, well-written, even beautiful writing. Send your entries to editor@vocabula.com. Along with your submission, you must include your name, address, and email address.
Contest Dates: Entries for the Vocabula Well-Written Writing Contest are accepted year-round. Each contest ends on May 30. The next contest begins the following day.
Selection: We accept nonfiction submissions only. Entries are judged on readability, beauty, and creativity -- in that order. Submissions not meeting the word count requirements are disqualified.
For more information, go to: http://www.vocabula.com/popupads/VRWritingContest.asp
See you all at the next meeting and keep writing,
Jeff Swesky
Ancient City Chapter Website: http://www.floridawriters.net/dnn/Regions/NorthEasternFL/tabid/79/Default.aspx
Ancient City Chapter Blog: http://fwaancientcity.blogspot.com/
