San Francisco Peninsula Writer
September 2018
Writers Helping Writers Since 1909
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President's Message
September, 2018
Opportunity Knocks!
I'm excited to be at the beginning of a new writers club season! We will continue to meet at the Sequoia Yacht Club the third Saturday of the month, August through June, with the following exceptions:
October: We meet a week early - Saturday, the 13th - (to accommodate Yacht Club's schedule)
December: Our annual Holiday Party, Sunday afternoon, December 2nd
(No regular meeting in December)
This month, during networking time, you'll have the chance to visit different corners of the room in our pop-up "Volunteer Fair."
If you've had that nagging feeling you want to contribute but haven't been sure how, this is your chance. For example, join forces with the Marketing & Outreach Team, hop on with the Hospitality team, lend a hand with special events like California Writers Week, the San Mateo County Fair CWC Literary Stage, or sign up to help at the check-in table before meetings.
Member involvement and sharing your unique talents means more benefit for everyone in this venerable writing club, one of the oldest in the nation. Plus, we're a fun group to work with. Give a little, or give a lot, and it will come back to you. (Correction: I goofed up last month: Think Tank is planned as usual at 12:00 p.m. after the meeting.) See below for details.
October brings more opportunities. On October 13, after abbreviated announcements and a short break, a lively panel of published authors will share pearls of wisdom and answer questions from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. And after the main meeting, stick around for a special Think Tank featuring the long-awaited
Critique Group Gathering. This is for anyone looking to join or forge a critique group, for existing groups seeking new members, and for the critique group curious. We will kick off with a little matchmaking, organizing by genre and interest to help you find a good fit.
And the third week of October is
California Writers Week! See below to find out more.
Also, don't forget Membership Renewals are due this month!
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September 2018 Highlights:
- President's Message
- September 15, 2018 Speaker - Corey Rosen - Free Your Mind And The Stories Will Follow
- Membership Renewal Deadline September 30, 2018
- Fault Zone: Strike Slip Submissions start September 1, 2018
- California Writers Week October 15-20, 2018!
- Classified Ads - LitQuake October 11-20, 2018
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Photo by Karen Brodgesell
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Speaker:
Corey Rosen
Subject: Free Your Mind And The Stories Will Follow
Does your storytelling sometimes feel stuck?
Improvisation to the rescue! Actor, writer, and visual effects producer Corey Rosen will discuss how you, as a writer, can take advantage of the techniques of applied improvisation to get past telling "the same" stories and find stories worth telling from your own life.
Corey Rosen is an actor, writer and visual effects producer who lives in San Francisco. He is a regular host of The Moth StorySlam series in the Bay Area. He began his career writing for Jim Henson Productions and Comedy Central in New York City. As an actor, Corey can be seen as a main stage company player at BATS Improv, where he improvises feature length plays.
His film credits (as a VFX Artist) include Iron Man, Grindhouse, Ted, and The Phantom Menace.
When: Saturday, August 18, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: The Sequoia Yacht Club 441 Seaport Ct, Redwood City, CA 94063
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MEETING WRAP-UP August 18, 2018
Speaker: Laurel Anne Hill
Topic:
Fault Zone: Strike Slip
At the August 18th meeting, Fault Zone editor and award-winning author, Laurel Anne Hill, gave a presentation about submitting creative stories and poems to the upcoming anthology-Fault Zone: Strike Slip. She opened with the topic of what worked and didn't when members submitted stories and poems for the most recent anthology.
"The opening paragraph hooked us," "strong story arc," "tight point of view," "fantastic word images." These are a few of the many positive comments from Fault Zone: Uplift editors to various CWC San Francisco Peninsula Writers in response to their submitted stories.
On the other hand, editorial comments also included more numerous negative ones. "We have no idea why the main character took a particular strong action," "wrong point of view," "not a story," "no tension," and "we don't care what happens to anybody."
Laurel Anne Hill went through what worked during the last submission process and what didn't. "Please submit only one piece of work per electronic submission-even poems," she said. "Please realize that nearly all submitted material will require additional work."
Whether you write poetry or prose, it's all about inspiration, ideas, words and how you use them.
By the way, during the Fault Zone: Uplift editing period, some writers were completely confused by Laurel's editing style, which is how she does preliminary editing on her own work. "You never mentioned you had a problem with this before," several writers had told her. But with Laurel, story editing comes first, followed by line editing and copy editing. Why line or copy edit material requiring major changes?
For Fault Zone: Strike Slip, Laurel's assistant editors will be Lisa Meltzer Penn and Audrey Kalman. All three will be involved in the acceptance, rejection, and editing procedures, as they were in 2016-2017. The Poetry Editor will be Lisa Rosenberg, outgoing San Mateo County Poet Laureate, who some of you probably remember from The 2018 San Mateo County Fair. Lisa Rosenberg will be looking for poems that are ready or almost ready to print, as well as those with strong potential, but still in need of work.
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CWC SF Peninsula Calendar
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Upcoming
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Every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Shut Up & Write
As the name implies, we sit quietly and write. If you'd like to participate, join
Shut Up & Write Silicon Valley on Meetup to RSVP (look for Shut Up & Write/CWC SF Peninsula).
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Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Open Mic
Emcee: Jeannine Gerkman
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, September 5, 2018
610 Elm St, San Carlos, CA 94070
The first Wednesday of the month, we get together to share our original work in a warm and welcoming environment. Members and non-members are welcome. Too shy to share?
Come as part of the audience.
FREE
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Wednesday, October 17, 2018
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Writers Helping Writers
Darlene Frank - 'Editing Memoir and Personal Stories'
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Saturday, September 15, 2018
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Think Tank
12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.
Moderator: Pat Obuchowski
Topic:The Bigger Game
Sequoia Yacht Club, 441 Seaport Ct, Redwood City, CA 94063
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Saturday, October 13, 2018
(NEW DATE)
Do This, Not That - Authors panel on what works & what doesn't in your wr
iting career...
and a special Think Tank featuring the long-awaited
Critique Group Gathering
October 11-20, 2018
Details to Follow.
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Wednesday, September 19, 2018
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Writers Helping Writers
Tim Flood - 'Plot Backward; Write Forward'
The third Wednesday of each month, we meet to learn and teach about writing, publishing, marketing, critique groups and a myriad of other useful writing-related topics. Learn from your fellow writers. Bring pen and paper.
FREE
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Third Week in October, 2018
October 15 - 21, 2018
California Writers Week
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Fault Zone:Strike Slip will begin taking submissions on September 1, 2018.
Submittable Link
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Saturday, December 8, 2018
Details to follow. |
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Membership Renewal Deadline September 30, 2018
Summer is the time for all of us who have been members of CWC to renew our memberships. The renewal deadline is September 30, 2018, but help out the Membership team and take care of it today! If you miss the deadline and renew later, you will need to pay the new member rate again.
Existing Members
: Most of us are members of CWC SF/Peninsula only, but some are Dual members who have membership in another CWC branch in addition to our own SF Peninsula branch. Dual members will pay through our branch and the other branch they have joined.
This is the policy set by the CWC Central Board and as branch members we are required to follow their requirements exactly.
This year we have two options available to our members. You can choose which plan works best for you:
1) Combined Fee (NEW): Pay a combined fee upfront that covers both your annual membership dues and meeting fees for the whole year. Regular members pay $125.00; Dual members pay $105.00. Overall you will save money (two meetings free) and have the convenience of one payment.
2) Traditional Separate Fees: Pay the annual membership dues now and pay the meeting fees monthly. Regular members pay $45.00 to renew membership; Dual members pay $25.00 to renew. Both groups pay $10.00 for each meeting they attend.
New Members and Late Renewals
: If you are a new member or have missed the September renewal deadline, then your cost will include a processing fee. A new member choosing the Combined Fee option pays $145.00. A new member using the Separate Fee option pays $65.00 to join and then $10.00 each meeting.
Here it is in a chart:
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Traditional
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Combined |
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Annual Dues $
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New Member
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65.00 |
$145 |
| Existing Member |
45.00 |
$125 |
Existing Dual
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25.00 |
$105 |
If you pay by check, make it out to "CWC SF-Peninsula". Either bring your funds to the next meeting or mail them to CWC SF-Peninsula, P.O. Box 853, Belmont, CA 94002. Thank you.
Tim Flood
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Think Tank
After our regular meeting, all those interested meet for an opportunity to discuss a different writing-related issue. The Think Tank is open to all members, guests and newcomers.
Doesn't writing and publishing our words feel like playing a Bigger Game to most of us? The Bigger Game is a leadership and change model. Pat Obuchowski writes about it in her best-selling book Gutsy Women Win: How to Get Gutsy and Get Going. In this Think Tank discussion, Pat will lead a conversation around this model and help us find or apply our Bigger Games to our writing or our lives or something we've been wanting to do but holding ourselves back.
Geri Spieler
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Fault Zone: Strike Slip
, Our Branch Literary Anthology
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"Writers Helping Writers"
Monthly Member-Led Community Writers Groups
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The third Wednesday of each month, we meet to learn and teach about writing, publishing, marketing, critique groups and a myriad of other useful writing-related topics. Learn from your fellow writers. Bring an open mind.
Moderator: Tim Flood
Subject: 'PLOT BACKWARD; WRITE FORWARD'
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Member News
Writers Week (October 14-21, 2018)
When patrons get off the elevator in the third floor fiction section, they'll see a display table that contains our Writers Week poster and all of our members' books, which the library will purchase (one copy each) for this purpose.
The Writers Week poster will also be displayed on the wall across from the main entrance
Thursday, October 18, 2018, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. our members will read from the books on the Writers Week poster. Readers should bring extra copies of their books.
More exciting events are in the works. Stay tuned!
Pat Obuchowski's book
Gutsy Women Win won the 2018 Top Female Author award in the Inspirational/Motivational/Self Help category presented by The Authors Show.
Laurel Anne Hill keeps chugging along breaking records and making history. Her book,
The Engine Woman's Light
, made the Top 10 in the Kindle Store in three categories last month. Here are the stats:
Audrey Kalman has
two
pieces of good news:
1) Her
short story collection,
Bill Baynes' new book,
The Occupation of Joe
, was officially released on August 31, 2018 and is now available in paperback or digital formats at Amazon.
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Member Resources
Check out the updated
Writers' Corner
page on the SF Peninsula CWC website, where you'll find a list of resources to help you write and get published. Listings include publications and small presses founded or edited by branch members, literary magazines where members' work is published, local writing conferences and contests, and local writing organizations.
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Classified Ads
Look below for Writer's Conferences, Volunteer Opportunities and Upcoming Events. Let's promote our club and boost your career.
Check them out!
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Club Volunteer Opportunities in the following areas:
- Marketing & Outreach Team
- Special Events
- Hospitality Team
- San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage
- and more!
Find out more at this month's pop-up "Volunteer Fair "during networking time, or contact Lisa Meltzer Penn at
[email protected].
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Critique Groups
SAN MATEO: Meets on the 2nd and 4th Friday each month, 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Peninsula Regent, 1 Baldwin Avenue, San Mateo, rear of the large meeting room opposite the elevator. Bring at least 5 copies of your no-longer-than-6-page manuscript to hand out. For more info, contact Karen Hartley at
[email protected] or (408) 315-0271.
FORMULATION OF NEW GROUPS:
Our branch is helping to facilitate the formation of critique groups, along with distributing information about best practices in running a group.
If you are a member looking to join a critique group, add to your current one, or you just want to try something new; click on the link below and fill out the form to get more information about upcoming events.
CWC SF Peninsula Critique Groups
Even if you signed up on an earlier list, please sign up again
here, so we have everything together with complete information. Thank you.
OCTOBER THINK TANK CRITIQUE GROUP GATHERING: Saturday, October 13, 2018 will feature our long-awaited critique group gathering in place of our normal Think Tank. Be sure to be at the
Sequoia Yacht Club to take advantage of this premier gathering.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE
YOUR EXISTING GROUP
IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL
[email protected]
, subject line: Critique Group.
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2018 California Writers Club Literary Review
Everyone should have received in their physical mailbox a copy of the new 2018 California Writers Club Literary Review magazine. Happy reading! Kudos to San Francisco Peninsula Branch members Thomas Crockett, Bill Baynes, and Marjorie Johnson who were published in this edition: If you did not receive your copy, please let Lisa Meltzer Penn know at [email protected].
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LITQUAKE 2018 is October 11-20.
Mark your Calendar
Full schedule and tickets September 10.
"One of the West Coast's most beloved annual literary festivals, this smart, eclectic, 76% free ten-day gathering draws book lovers of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy words and ideas, straight from the artists' mouths. Now with 160 venues in its 18th year, the festival's uniquely portable format provides even greater access to literature."
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President: Lisa Meltzer Penn
Vice President: Audrey Kalman
Secretary: Jean Morrow
Treasurer: Pratibha Kelapure
Appointed Board Positions:
State Board & NorCal Rep: Carole Bumpus
Membership Co-Chair: Tim Flood
Marketing & Outreach Chair: Bill Baynes
Newsletter Editor: Jeannine Gerkman
SMCF Literary Stage Coordinator: Bardi Rosman Koodrin
Fault Zone Editor-in-C
hief: Laurel Anne Hill
Non-Voting Positions:
Immediate Past President & Volunteer Coordinator: Carole Bumpus
Web Manager: Mindy Yang
Hospitality Co-Chairs: Geri Spieler and
Carol Park
Think Tank: Geri Spieler
Parliamentarian: Alisha Willis
Member-at-Large: Bette Houtchens
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Guidelines for Submitting Articles to This Newsletter
Want to see your article or poem published here?
Please Note: The submission deadline has been changed to the 23rd of each month.
Keep in Mind:
Format Requirements:
- Use Word, .pdf, or write within the body of the email.
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One space (not two) at the end of sentences.
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Edit and proofread carefully before sending. If accepted, your article will be printed as submitted.
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