Springs Writers Critique Group

This critique group will meet the Saturday following the Springs Writers monthly workshop.

When: Saturday, January 16, 2010

Where: 5209 Del Paz Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918

This Saturday Springs Writers will host its first critique group session. This group is open to anyone who wants to attend. You are welcome to come and observe.

The goals of this group include:

· Learn each critique group member’s responsibilities

· Teach writers how to give and receive critiques

· Critique submitted pages from manuscripts

· Channel participants into ongoing, healthy critique groups.

Submission Guidelines

To make sure the critique sessions are on target and beneficial, please provide the following when submitting a chapter or article.

· Submit a complete article or chapter, but realize we may only partially critique each submission. (In some critique groups, members are only obligated to review 8-10 pages per person.)

· Spellcheck your article before submitting it.

· Email your submission to scotidomeij at gmail dot com before Saturday.

· Submission deadline: We’ll discuss this on Saturday.

· Bring six copies for critique group members.

· Please read the information below. If possible, include the information that’s listed under your submission category with your emailed submission.

FICTION/NOVEL

What is the genre?

Who is the target audience?

One Sentence Summary: What is your book about?

1. Elements of the one-liner

a. 25 words or less.

b. Packed with emotion and suspense

c. Evokes character, suggests motivations, and strongly suggests plot.

d. Hooks readers into wanting more.

e. Sells your story to agents and editors.

2. Samples:

a. A slain cop is reborn as a fearsome cyborg and takes revenge, regains his identity.

b. A paleontologist contends with man's hubris on an island resort where dinosaurs have been revived.

c. After the death of his only friend, a dwarf must re-connect with new people, situations.

d. A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the apostle Paul.

e. Check out the New York Times Bestseller descriptions

3. Links regarding one sentence summary by Randy Ingermanson

a. http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

b. http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2008/03/26/whats-your-one-sentence-summary/

Brief synopses of your novel.

· Should read like back cover copy.

· Punchy, to the point, and invitational to the reader.

· 75-500 words.

· Avoid deep details; it’s an overview.

· Focus on character’s goals and motivations.

· Establish the setting and tone.

· Write the synopsis in present tense, third-person, even though your project may be first person.

· Includes all important plot points, conflict or topics of your book.

· What does the character encounter in story events and how the character emotionally/physically/spiritually reacts to those events?

· How does the character change as a result of the conflict?

· Describes the story setup, major disasters, and ending of the novel.

· Links to articles regarding writing a synopsis.

a. http://www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html

b. http://www.mybooktherapy.com/index2.php/?page_id=171

c. http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/The+Rock+Synopsis.aspx

NONFICTION BOOK

Who is the target audience?

What is the book about?

1. Write a 90 second elevator speech. This is similar to a synopsis—a verbal pitch of your book—a brief explanation of what your book is about. No more than 3 sentences.

ANTHOLOGY

Note: The easiest way to provide this information is to go to the Web site and copy and paste it into a document. Include the link to the Web site.

What is the name of the anthology?

1. Examples: Cup of Comfort, Chicken Soup for the Soul

What description did the publisher provide?

2. Example: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Topic: New Moms: Becoming a new mom is the most amazing experience, unique and unlike any other. From the moment that baby is placed in your arms, there is an incredible feeling only a new mother can know. This book celebrates the physical, emotional, and spiritual experience of having a child and creating a family. We are looking for heartwarming, insightful, and humorous stories about raising babies and toddlers that share with our readers the wonders of early motherhood. The deadline for story submissions is February 28, 2010.

What are the publisher’s writing guidelines?

ARTICLE

Who is the target audience?

What kind of article is this?

What magazine or e-zine are you planning to send the article to?

Which column are you targeting?

1. Example: Relevant magazine:

a. The God section explores spiritual topics (spiritual disciplines, relationship with God, others and the church, worship). 600-1000 words

b. Life covers just that: life (relationships, career, finance, travel, psychology and ethics/morality). 600-1000 words

c. Progressive Culture talks about what's new and noteworthy in culture—trends, fashion, film, TV, arts and music. Reviews: 400-600 words; features 600-1000 words.

What are the magazines’ writing guidelines? Once again, the easiest way to provide this info is to cut and paste from the magazine’s Web site, include the link.

Upcoming 2010 FREE Writing Workshops

July/August: Summer Break

September 13, 2010: How to Make Your Reader Care

Description: If you have a wonderful story to share but can’t engage your reader emotionally, your story has fallen short of its potential. This workshop will discuss techniques for drawing your reader in and keeping them involved, whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction.

Speaker: Renee Gray-Wilburn: After five years of writing for publication, Renee has accumulated over 125 published pieces, including numerous articles for Focus on the Family’s children’s and parenting magazines; several short stories and devotionals in anthologies such as the Cup of Comfort series, Life Savors, and Guideposts Incredible Prayers; and magazines such as Grand, KidZone, Christian Communicator, Quiet Hour, and Devotionals. In addition, she has co-authored eight children’s curriculum books for David C. Cook and Group Publishing, and writes regularly for several organizations. Her company, A Way With Words, has provided editorial services for publishers, independent authors, and businesses for over ten years. These services include basic proofreading to content editing for any industry or genre of writing. In addition to writing and editing, Renee endeavors to teach and inspire others in their writing journey through writing workshops, her blog, and her online picture book critique group--Picture This

October 11, 2010: Tools to Avoid Clichés

“I think my whole generation's mission is to kill the cliché.”—Beck Hansen

Description: Is your writing mission to kill those dreaded overused ideas and trite phrases. We all know we're not supposed to use clichés, but how can writers avoid them? Evangeline offers practical tools to transform clichés into memorable word pictures.

Speaker: Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. She has co-authored two children's books that are under contract with Waterbrook Press. Evangeline is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as chapter secretary.

November 8, 2010: The Last Class on Show vs. Tell You'll Ever Need

Description: If you write fiction, you've doubtless heard someone say, "Show, don't tell." But what does that mean? Telling is the act of stopping your story to spoon-feed backstory or explanations to the reader (who probably couldn't care less). Showing is the act of illustrating that information in a way that doesn't stop the story and does engage the reader. Telling is much easier. Anyone can do it--but "anyone's" story would be weak. Showing is harder but a hundred times more effective. Learning to spot telling, and to convert it to showing, can be confusing. Come hear the best way to learn how to see it--and some fantastic ideas for how to transform it.

Speaker: Jeff Gerke has been called the de facto gatekeeper of Christian speculative fiction. After writing his own speculative fiction and spearheading the launch of a fiction imprint dedicated to Christian speculative fiction at a major Christian publishing company, Jeff branched out on his own to launch Marcher Lord Press, an Indie publishing house billing itself as the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. His fiction how-to book, The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, is available through Amazon or Marcher Lord Press and his new craft book from Writer’s Digest Books is due out in late 2010. Jeff lives in Colorado Springs with his wife, teenage daughter, 9-year-old son, and 2-year-old adoptive daughter from China.

December: Christmas Break