Craft Chat and Critique Workshop: Point of View

Achieving a strong point of view (POV) is critical to storytelling regardless of the genre. Should you keep the same POV throughout the story? When can you change? Can you have several different points of view? One of the more difficult elements of the craft is learning how to use varying points of view and maintain them throughout the course of your story. We'll be discussing the differences and offering some ideas on how to assess which type of POV works best for moving the story along in this week's Craft Chat.

EVENT: Chico Writers Group Craft Chat and Critique Workshop

DATE:   Saturday, December 19, 2009

TIME:    1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Butte County Library, Chico Branch, Meeting Room
                  1108 Sherman Ave., Chico (cross street: First Ave.)

CONTACT:  
                  (530) 521-4264

AGENDA:

1:00 - 1:15 PM - Free write.
                         Bring along your pad of paper and pen or laptop and spend the first portion of our meeting writing to a prompt that will tie into our Craft Chat.

1:15 - 1:30 PM - Craft Chat: Point of View

1:30 - 3:00 PM - Critique Workshop - manuscript has been sent out to all members in good standing for review. Critique to be conducted round-robin fashion.

 

Next Meeting: Saturday, January 2, 2010

Happy holidays and a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all!

Idea Think Tank

Where do you get ideas?

Some of us get them from reading the tabloids (nope, don't even have to buy them, just stand in line at the grocery store and flip through one while you wait), watching television, arriving early at the movie theater and watching all the commercials and trailers -- the possibilities are endless. The key is using your imagination, giving your muse an opportunity to romp around.

But in a world that's crazy busy, sometimes we lack the time or the ability to slow our brains down long enough to let our muse out to play. Are we endlessly stuck in a gray world, unable to coat a fresh sheet of paper with those lovely scribbles that turn into being novels, short stories, poetry or prose? Of course not! We just need tools to help us unlock our muse's true potential.

Working with writing prompts is a terrific tool to exploring some thoughts and ideas. Whether you chose to select a topic or subject and see what a few minutes of free writing will expose, a more definitive prompt that might give you character names, a place and a situation, or do a fun little exercise that involves a dictionary (see below), spend some time to free write.

The Dictionary Prompt:

Open the dictionary and blindly pick a word. Don't even bother looking at the definition, jot the word down on your pad of paper. Do this again, two more times.

Once you have your three words, set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes, then write. You don't even have to use the words you selected. Maybe those words elicited another thought or idea. Maybe you'd prefer to write about something that eludes to the words. Or maybe your muse has taken off in a completely different direction. There are no right or wrongs to this exercise. Just write. Don't edit. Don't try to make sense. Don't worry about grammar or spelling or the mechanics. If you do, your muse will shut up and sit there, staring vacantly at you as if you've put her under lock and key and threaded a gag across her mouth. Whatever you do, don't piss her off.

If you find you like this exercise, consider signing up for "Word of the Day." You'll find that a number of online dictionaries have this free service that will deliver a new word to your in-box daily. Create a filter and save those words in a special folder so that you can easily and quickly return to it for some new words to play with.

Online Prompts:

Do a query for the keywords "writing prompt" and see what you stumble upon. There are hundreds upon thousands of sites out there where the fodder is chin deep and just a few keystrokes away. Use caution, however, in posting what comes of the prompt. Should the exercise evoke a much bigger story (isn't that the whole point to these exercises?), you wouldn't want someone coming along and swiping it from you, right? But more importantly, as the industry continues to evolve in light of the economy and the necessity of streamlining by using technology, online posts can at times be considered a form of publication and can, in some circumstances, ruin the opportunities for agented publication. A good resource for learning more about these legalities is to visit literary agent Nathan Bransford's web site and enroll in his online forums at http://www.nathanbransford.com

What Ifs:

Thinking back on your day, whether it's while you were standing in line at the bank or grocery store, straddling the in-box at work, mindlessly running copies, or driving around running errands, was there a person, a car, a landmark you passed that caught your fancy? A situation, an event, an observation you made, perhaps? Spend ten to fifteen minutes just thinking about that, letting your mind go and carrying that thought away on it's own little trip. Now spend another fifteen minutes chasing that idea across your paper. Save it. You might find it useful as a scene description, a character, even a plot point. Maybe even the jump-off point for your next free write that could reap a wild array or even a single solitary idea for a story.

Where else can you get ideas?

• commercials
• mailers
• online ads
• movie trailers
• tabloids
• magazines
• a cozy coffee shop
• a busy mall
• the list is endless...

Other ways to develop a playground for your muse:

• Mind mapping - to learn more about this, visit http://www.hollylisle.com who has a wonderful way to mind map
• Snowflakes - to learn more about this, visit http://www.ingermanson.com or better yet, http://www.writetoinspire.com/article1258.html 
• For logic thinkers, work on developing your creative brain by taking up drawing and for those of you who are all creative-minded, visit Wikipedia for some articles about logic thinking. Having two sides of your brain, the creative and logical sides, your muse has a much more expansive playground to cavort around on!

Where Do You Get Ideas? Craft and Critique Workshop

So where do you get ideas for your next novel? How do you get them? How can you tickle your muse and get her to speak to you? This is our topic for our upcoming Craft and Critique Workshop coming up on Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the Butte County Library, Chico Branch (1108 Sherman Avenue, cross street First Avenue) in the meeting room (directly across the breezeway from the circulation desk). Don't forget to bring your writing gear for our kick-off free write session!

Agenda

1:00 - 1:30 p.m.  Free Write
1:30 - 1:45 p.m.  Craft Chat: How do you get ideas for your next piece?
1:45 - 3:00 p.m.  Critique Workshop: Two pieces have been selected to be critiqued during this session. All members in good standing should have a copy and be prepared to review them at our meeting.

Next meeting: Saturday, December 19, 2009 1-3 pm @ Chico Branch - Butte County Library

For more information about the Chico Writers Group, membership, manuscripts and formatting and more, visit our official website at http://www.ejourn.net/cwg/ or look for us on Facebook!

 

Writers Workshop: The End All

Probably one of the most difficult things for writers, or should we say, storytellers, is learning how and when to come to an end. When and how exactly does one end the story? For most of us burgeoning novelists, this is the caveat, the one single solitary thing that keeps us from flourishing in the world of becoming published. You do, after all, need an ending to your novel, right? Well, step right on up, fetch some coffee and maybe a scone, grab a chair and listen to the story we're about to tell. The topic for this coming meeting is "How - and when - to end your tale." Catchy title, isn't it? Have faith, it's better than the other one that came to mind.

Our meeting will be held Saturday, November 21st from 1:30 - 3:30 pm at a location to be disclosed later. If you'd like to receive an email regarding the location, leave a comment here, just be sure to use a working email address.

Agenda

1:30 - 1:45 pm Free Write
  Writers are encouraged to spend the first 15 minutes of our session writing from the prompt given (which often ties into the craft chat topic) and afterwards, share with the rest of the group.

1:45 - 2:15 pm Writer Share and Craft Chat - "Endings"; selection of topic for upcoming session (Saturday, December 5, 2009)

2:20 - 3:30 pm Critique Workshop
  Selected authors will be sharing their current work and receiving feedback from other authors in the group. Manuscripts have already been selected and distributed. Please note that only members in good standing are eligible for having their work critiqued and members who have been in attendance previously and are planning on attending the upcoming session have been sent the selected manuscripts to read and prepare for the critique workshop.

For more information about the Chico Writers Group, read our post: Update on Meetings and Write-Ins (http://chicowritersgroup.blogspot.com/2009/10/update-on-meetings-and-write-ins.html) or visit our official site at http://www.ejourn.net/cwg/

Craft Chat: Describing Setting through Character's Eyes

The Chico Writer's Group will be hosting a Craft Chat Saturday, September 12, 2009 on the topic of how to describe a setting through the character's eyes. This is a free event, writers of all walks, all levels of experience, are invited to attend.

Craft Chat and Critique Workshop

Date:	Saturday, September 12, 2009
Time:	1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Location:	Butte County Library, Chico Branch
Address:	1108 Sherman Avenue (cross 1st Ave.)
	Chico, California
	Public Meeting room directly across breezeway from the circulation desk.
What to Bring:	Pen/pencil, writing tablet or a laptop/notebook
	Agenda
1:00 - 1:20 PM	Free write. Using prompts, writers will be given the opportunity to write for fifteen minutes, then share what they've written to the other members of the group.*
1:20 - 1:30 PM	Craft Chat: What are some effective ways to describe the setting in your fiction through different character's eyes that is unique to the character's own voice? We'll explore this question, exchange ideas, and review resources available to add to our writing toolbox.
1:30 - 3:00 PM CLOSED SESSION	Critique Workshop: Members in good standing will be offering critiques to authors of assigned manuscripts which are distributed prior to the meeting. Members: Please attempt to use the critique worksheet, available for download, when reading the manuscript, complete it and bring it with you to the meeting.
About:	Closed sessions are still open to the public, we just ask that anyone interested in this segment enters prior to the session, understands they are only there to observe, and may ask questions, enter into a conversation with the members after the session concludes (however, after session discussions should be conducted outside the meeting room). Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent at all times due to the nature of the conversations that take place. If, however, the authors do not feel comfortable having their manuscript reviewed in the presence of minors, we reserve the right to ask anyone under the age of 18 to please leave the room.
*Sharing written free write work	This portion of our group meeting is not critiqued. Other writers are encouraged to give feedback, provided it's positive. The free write portions of our group meetings is meant to inspire, challenge and bring about new and exciting ideas about the written word to those participating. While you are not required to read your work aloud, this is an invaluable opportunity to hear the differences in points of view and often quite enjoyable both for the writer and the members of the group. Alternatively, provided your writing is reasonably legible, you may always invite another member to read your work out loud to the rest of the group.

Coming Saturday, September 26, 2009: Writing Conference Review. Chico Writer's Group members who have attended writing conferences over the summer will be sharing useful information with us. This is also a free event, open to the public. If you are interested in attending this special presentation, please contact us (you may leave a comment here, just be sure to provide a working email address so we can reply. Email addresses are never published publicly.) as space is limited.

The Chico Writer's Group, is not affiliated with the Meetup Group with a similar name.

Adverb Abuse and How To Avoid It: Craft Chat & Critique Workshop

Craft Chat and Critique Workshop

Topic: Adverb Abuse and How To Avoid It
Host: Chico Writer's Group
Date:  Saturday, August 22, 2009
Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Butte County Library, Chico Branch - Meeting Room
Street: 1108 Sherman Ave.
City/Town: Chico, CA
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*****AGENDA*****

1:00 - 1:20 pm Free write exercise
During this time, members will be given the opportunity to write from prompts provided and then share (voluntarily) with others at the end. Be sure to bring writing tools (paper and pen or laptop, stone tablets work well but can be a bit noisy)!
1:20 - 1:40 pm Craft Chat: Adverb Abuse and How To Avoid It
This is a step beyond and ten times better than Schoolhouse Rock! As writers, we sometimes slip into a habit of using and then abusing adverbs. How many times can your character be found looking, glancing, frowning, smiling, catapulting or picking the hairs out of his ears? Learn some of the tools of the craft and how to avoid adverb abuse during this insightful chat session. Handouts will be distributed at the close.
1:40 - 3:00 pm Critique Workshop
(open to members in good standing, guests and visitors are invited to listen,
but we are unable to provide copies of the scheduled author's work)
Members: Remember to have your manuscript in to Ruth by Thursday, August 13th. This is a strict deadline.

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 and Critique Workshop Saturday, May 30, 2009

Topic: Worldbuilding and Rule Creation
Host: CWG: Chico Writer's Group
Type: Education - Workshop
Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009
Time: 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: Chico Branch, Butte County Library Conference Room (across from circulation desk)
Street: 1108 Sherman Ave.
City/Town: Chico, CA
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Phone: 5305214264
Email: kathie(dot)blog(at)gmail(dot)com

Get ready for an exciting writing workshop and craft chat this coming Saturday, May 30th!

Agenda

4:30 - 5:00 pm Writing Exercise
5:00 - 5:30 pm Craft Chat - Worldbuilding and Rule Creation
"How do you create a story world? What makes it real for your readers? How do you create rules and keep them consistent?"
5:30 - 7:30 pm Critique Workshop
Manuscripts have been emailed out to the members in good standing and will be critiqued.

Craft Chat and Critique Workshop Sat. May 16

(We are not affiliated with the Chico Writers Meetup Group*)

"Describing Sounds"

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Time: 3:30 - 6:30 PM
Location: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico
Room: Butte County Library - Chico Branch conference room (directly across the hall from the circulation desk)
Fees: None

Agenda

3:30 - 4:00 PM Free write - We always have a fun writing exercise assigned that inspires creativity (and has resulted in poems, short stories and even the beginnings of longer pieces!). Come join!
4:00 - 4:30 PM Craft Chat: Describing Sounds
What was that noise - and how can you describe it to your reader? Whether it's the creak of a basement door, the babbling of a brook, or the rush of the wind, your characters encounter sounds. We'll talk about ways to describe those sounds so your reader hears them too.
5:00 - 6:30 PM Critique Workshop
All manuscripts have been turned in and distributed to members in good standing.

*Chico Writers Meetup Group is through a paid membership site, Meetup. We do not have anything to do with this group and are not affiliated. We never charge membership dues or collect fees.

Crafting Opening Lines and Critique Workshop

Agenda

4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Flash Writing Exercise and Craft Chat: Opening Lines

How do you pull your readers into your story from the very first line? What makes for a good first line? When should you write it?

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Critique Workshop

Manuscripts have been turned in and distributed to the members in good standing. Order of critiques are as follows:  R. A., K. L., D. H.

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time: 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Place: Butte County Library, Chico Branch - Conference Room
Address: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico (cross street - First Avenue)

Writing Exercise: Creating Suspense

From Curtis Winkle's (Executive Director at Tate Publishing) blog, there's a terrific article to read, written by Meghan Barnes, about creating suspense in your story.  Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in writing suspenseful tales.  You can find the entry here: http://tatepublishingeditors.blogspot.com/2008/10/building-suspense-by-meghan-barnes.html

From the "bonus" section of the entry, we've created a little writing exercise for you to enjoy.  Have fun!

Write a scene where your character(s) have to endure a primal fear, such as darkness, the basement, etc.

Write a paragraph or two that shows the character's internal struggle between sanity and madness.  Better yet, a few paragraphs where the character is oblivious to the changes but an interacting character questions the other's sanity or lack thereof.

For our workshop attendees, if you chose to rise to the challenge, why not bring in your completed exercise and share it with us?