Newsletter & Upcoming Meetings

The May edition of the newsletter is online with articles by Christina Arbini with tips on how to pitch your latest novel, an interview with professional editor, Erin Brown, and guest authors (and CWG members) Donna Hole and MaryRose Lovgren. Hurry on over to our newsletter and [check it out!]

Our upcoming meetings are:

• Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm [RSVP here]
  • Chat Topic: Genres
• Saturday, May 29, 2010 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm [RSVP here]
  • Chat Topic: To Be Determined

Craft Chats & Critique Workshops

Workshops are held every other Saturday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. The following is a list of upcoming workshops and dates manuscripts must be submitted for distribution:

Date Manuscript Due	Date of Workshop
XX Already Passed XX	Saturday, May 1, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, May 6, 2010	Saturday, May 15, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, May 20, '10	Saturday, May 29, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, June 3, '10	Saturday, June 12, 2010*
	*At Chico Library Meeting Room
5:00 pm Thursday, June 17, '10	Saturday, June 26, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, July 1, '10	Saturday, July 10, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, July 15, '10	Saturday, July 24, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, July 29, '10	Saturday, August 7, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, August 12, '10	Saturday, August 21, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, August 26, '10	Saturday, September 4, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Sept. 9, '10	Saturday, September 18, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Sept. 23, '10	Saturday, October 2, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Oct. 7, '10	Saturday, October 16, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Oct. 21, '10	Saturday, October 30, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Nov. 4, '10	Saturday, November 13, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Nov. 18, '10	Saturday, November 27, 2010
5:00 pm Thursday, Dec. 2, '10	Saturday, December 11, 2010

 

We are a no-fees, no membership dues writing group open to serious writers ages 18 and older. For more information, please contact us by writing to TheChicoWritersGroup@gmail.com

Upcoming Meetings

The following is a list of our upcoming meetings (2009). New members and those interested in the group are more than welcome to attend except when noted as "closed session." New and interested members are respectfully asked to contact us prior to attending the meeting so we can provide you with information about the session and about our group.

Except where noted, meetings are held in the meeting room directly across from the circulation desk at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library (1108 Sherman Avenue - cross street 1st Ave. - Chico).

Manuscript Due Date	Manuscript Distribution Date	Meeting Date	Time	Location
Thu., July 9	Fri., July 10	Sat., July 18	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library
Thu., Aug. 13	Fri., Aug. 14	Sat., Aug. 22	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library
Thu., Sept. 3	Fri., Sept. 4	Sat., Sept. 12	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library
Thu., Sept. 17	Fri., Sept. 18	Sat., Sept. 26	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library
Thu., Oct. 1	Fri., Oct. 2	Sat., Oct. 10	1-3 p.m.	CLOSED SESSION*
Thu., Oct. 29	Fri., Oct. 30	Sat., Nov. 7	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library
Thu., Nov. 12	Fri., Nov. 13	Sat., Nov. 21	1-3 p.m.	CLOSED SESSION*
Thu., Nov. 26	Fri., Nov. 27	Sat., Dec. 5	1-3 p.m.	Chico Library

The noted (*) closed session locations will be disclosed to members in good standing prior to the scheduled meeting.

Dates and times are subject to change. We will attempt to update this blog and other web sites where announcements regarding upcoming meetings are located with the corrections. All active members in good standing are automatically notified via email.

Meetings typically begin with a "free write" segment (time allotted is voted on by participants) typically with a prompt that leads into the prearranged craft chat portion of the meeting. Writers are encouraged to bring paper and pen/pencil or a laptop for this portion. Afterwards, everyone is encouraged to share what they wrote as this portion is not a "critique."

The Craft Chat is about a variety of topics (character development, how to name your piece, worldbuilding, adding red herrings, etc.) all pertaining to the craft of writing.  Handouts covering the topic are typically distributed at the end of this segment.

We conclude our session with a critique of (typically) two submitted manuscripts.

Craft Chat on Sentence Structure and Critique Workshop

Date: Saturday, December 27, 2008
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Location: Butte County Library - Chico Branch
Address: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico
(cross street is First Ave)

Agenda

2:00 PM: Craft Chat - Sentence Structure

What makes a complete sentence? Do you always have to use them? How do you learn to vary your sentence structures? Is it ever okay to use a run-on sentence to get your point across when it fits what you're doing even if you've been told not to use them and that sentences need to contain only one solid idea? Fragments? We'll talk about all of this and what sentence structure can mean for your story.

3:00 PM: Manuscript Critique Workshop

# # #

Upcoming Meetings
January - June 2009
(tentative)

Location: Butte County Library - Chico Branch
Saturdays (unless otherwise noted)

January 10	3:30 - 6:30 PM	January 24	1:00 - 4:00 PM
February 7	4:00 - 7:00 PM	February 21	4:00 - 6:30 PM
March 7	4:00 - 7:00 PM	March 21	4:00 - 6:30 PM
April 5 (Sun)	11AM -2:00PM	April 18	3:30 - 6:30 PM
April 30	4:30 - 7:30 PM	May 2	4:30 - 7:30 PM
May 2	4:30 - 7:30 PM	May 16	3:30 - 6:30 PM
June 13	4:30 - 7:30 PM	June 27	4:30 - 7:30 PM

We now have a calendar with updated information, including manuscript deadlines. You can click here to go there now.