Charlotte Writers Club December 15, 2020 Meeting Recap:
In Case You Missed it:
At the last general meeting of 2020, CWC members and guests were treated to an evening of voice and personna. Three stories in 500-words--read by the winners of our Ruth Moose Flash Fiction Contest and Diana Pinckney shared her poetry and her thoughts on
Releasing the Tiger in The Poem.

For pictures and context visit this
President Caroline Kane Kenna thanked members who responded generously to the Giving Tuesday appeal. The donations received are a start of a scholarship fund. She welcomed new members Bob and Lori and familiar faces from Charlotte and the environs. Fellow writers zooming in from North Carolina and South Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia and New York.

During our Member Announcements we celebrated: Sarah's new poetry chapbook Weird Women, Landis, who has had pieces accepted by Randell Jones's 6-minute Stories podcast and for Headwaters III an anthology by High Country Writers; and Dallas reported good luck with The Journal of Art and Faith.
For more good publishing news and to share yours Check out Member Kudos
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  • Mack Staton, announced the winners of the Ruth Moose Flash Fiction Contest First Place: Michael Beadle,"General Binky," Second Place Paul Kurzeja, "Spring Storm", Third Place David Poston, "In Therapy". Honorable mentions for Landis Wade, Pat Everette and Ann Kissel. See The December Meeting Recap Page for comments from the judge Luke Whisnant.

  • Angela Haigler introduced Diana Pinckney and her topic and David Collins led the discussion during the Q&A.

  • Debra Wallin, Immediate Past President, Webmaster and Tech Guru, asked for help keeping the website current. She will train and supervise those interested in learning the system. Intermediate technical skill is necessary to edit, save, and upload pictures and documents to the website file manager. If you are interested, send her a message through the Member Directory. Once you have logged in you can select Member Directory, then click on her name and Send Message button can be selected.

  • Caroline noted we still need a co-contest chair to work with Darrell Horwitz for the rest of this program year. With the completion of the Flash Fiction contest Mack Staton's term has ended and he is stepping aside.

  • We are adding a Marketing and Promotions team to the advisory board. Contact Anshu or Caroline if interested. Stay tuned for more opportunities to share your talents with the club as a member of the advisory and or executive boards. Vacancies will be announced in January.
Our Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 19, 2021
6:30 to 8:30 pm via Zoom
Developing Realistic Main Characters

Kevin Winchester is our guest speaker. The 2013 winner of the Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize, author of a collection of short stories and first novel Sunflower Dog: Dancing the Flathead Shuffle was published in 2020.

He will provide tools and techniques for creating a new character or fleshing out one you already have. Through a series of guided questions and explorations, you will come away with a character you really know, and know intimately, and techniques to find, identify, and employ conflict that arises naturally from character to create stories (and characters) readers remember. For more on our presenter and his topic visit the CWC Calendar of Events Page
Resolve to Polish and Submit to Two CWC Contests

Last Call for entries for the Nonfiction Contest Deadline is January 2,2021 for your articles and essays on any subject, and any informational piece that is not a fictional story, novel, play or poem. 750 to 2,000 words, work that is original and unpublished. Judy Goldman is the judge. The winners will be celebrated at the February meeting.

The Poetry Contest opened on December 15th and closes on February 16, 2021. Ashley Lumpkin is the judge for poetry with no more than 50 lines, excluding haiku.
Winners will be revealed at the April meeting.
Club Announcements:

Seats are filling quickly for Building Better Scenes: A Four Session Course with Sarah Creech. Sign up to reserve your place and start 2021 with a craft class.


CWC North: Honoring Anthony “TONY” S. Abbott’s Life and His Last Book of Poems a virtual event hosted by co-sponsor Main Street Books, celebrating the life of Anthony “Tony” S Abbott and the release of his final collection of poems, Dark Side of North, from Press 53, on Thursday, January 7, 2021, at 7 p.m. Sign up to receive the ZOOM link


CWC Virtual Writing Salon & Social Time: Monday, January 11, 7 to 8:30 pm
is your next opportunity to write to prompts provided by Tiffany Grantham. If you are a member you will receive an announcement and the zoom link. This is open to the public. Be our guest by clicking on this link to sign up.


Don't forget Open Mic Night on January 15, 2021. You must be a member and register ahead of time to read. REGISTER HERE.
Don't Forget These





Check out the on going programs Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library offers to writers at CMLibrary.org

Hear Me Now - Letter Writing for Change, Tuesday, December 29, 2020, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Part 3 of a 3 part series- Part 1 is on YouTube here; Part 2 will be available shortly) Please register to attend.

“Hear Me Now” is a letter writing project that uplifts the experiences of Charlotte citizens, residents and neighbors whose voices have been historically silenced.The art of hand written correspondence is a powerful, therapeutic and effective tool of activism and resistance. Kia O. Moore, leads this FREE virtual workshop in partnership with The Roll Up CLT.

Enter NCPS Pinesong
2021 Awards Contests

Now through January 9, 2021, the North Carolina Poetry Society is accepting submissions for the 11 contests that comprise the adult portion of the Pinesong Awards for 2021. Contest rules and instructions.


Support CWC Members & Community Partners
Visit the Member Resources Page
Get into the Spirit with Charlotte Readers Podcast on Facebook Live
On Wednesday, December 23rd, at 5:30 pm. Landis and his guests The Writing Group, Ink: Bess Kercher, Tracy Curtis, Trish Rohr and Kimmery Martin, will talk writing, play some Reindeer games (Christmas themed conversations and memories), do some Christmas readings and more. Click the graphic to the right to get to the Facebook page.
FEATURED LIT EVENT:
PEN TO PAPER
Join on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30 a.m. for a mini-lesson, writing prompt, writing time, and sharing. Free

Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize Deadline to submit
is January 2, 2021
Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize open now until January 30, 2021
MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Charlotte Writers Club entitles you to participate in workshops, critique groups, contests, and guest speaker programs. The cost is a modest $35 per year for individuals and $20 for students.
We welcome all writers in all genres and forms to join our Charlotte-area literary community. Your membership in the Charlotte Writers' Club helps support writers, readers, and literacy at a critical time in our nation's and our city's history.

To Join or Renew click this Membership Link and follow the instructions.
Charlotte Writers Club PO Box 220954, Charlotte NC 28222


Please "LIKE" our Facebook page to encourage discussion among fellow
writers and keep up with the club offerings.