Meeting Minutes November 16, 2023

Meeting attendees: Don, Ev, Vicky, Emmet, Michelle, Becky

Emmet filled in on his life after a long absence: While working and helping raise two young daughters he is still writing, participating in nanowrimo with a new sci-fi novel based in a world in which genders are totally separate. He shared that his novel "The Cure" is complete and he has secured an editor.  Very exited and supportive of Emmet.  

Vicky read a first chapter of her (finished) novel Tales from a Time of Plague, set during the pandemic, a mix of nonfiction and fiction. 

Ev read his short piece “Sticks and Stuff,” featuring the job of monback, which everybody caught onto immediately except me.

Michelle and Becky, who slavishly obeyed the month’s prompt, read pieces respectively titled “Stick Season” and “The Fall of Freddy.”

 Our discussion generated several interesting book recommendations:

"Herland" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman "Herland is a utopian novel published in 1915 and written by the feminist writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The story describes an isolated society composed entirely of women. The result is a perfect social order, free of all wars, conflicts and dominations."

"The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula Le Guin "A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants’ gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters..."

"A Journal of the Plague Year"  by Daniel DeFoe (thought of by Becky after the meeting) "In 1665 the plague swept through London, claiming over 97,000 lives. Daniel Defoe was just five at the time of the plague, but he later called on his own memories, as well as his writing experience, to create this vivid chronicle of the epidemic and its victims."

"Spinning Silver"  by Naomi Novik "Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss."  (pseudo Russian mythology recced after Michelle shared her current bedside read "The Bear and the Nightingale" by Katherine Arden

Writing prompt for next month is “Christmas.” Anything to do with, good, bad, indifferent, or peripheral.

For anyone looking for upcoming contests, workshops and resources please see our monthly newsletter.  Latest found HERE  

Our December meeting will take place on Thursday, December 21, 6 PM, at the Swanton Public Library. 

SWG November Newsletter

 Thank you Becky!

Swanton Writers Group Newsletter for November 2023

The next meeting of the Swanton Writers Group will take place on Thursday, November 16, at 6 PM at the Swanton Public Library.

The Writing Prompt for this month is the changing of the seasons and what that means to you. Share a tradition or discuss how you feel as we enter “stick season” (otherwise known as naked trees). Try a poem, an essay, a short story and come prepared to share – or bring a selection from your current work. All writers welcome!

IN THE NEWS:

November 1 marks the first day of NANOWRIMO, National Writing Month. The challenge here is to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days (or 29, if you skip Thanksgiving). For more information go HERE.

The latest issue of League Lines, the League of Vermont Writers Newsletter, is now available online. Check it out (Read, print or Download) HERE

Check out these upcoming events from the Vermont Humanities Council HERE (Becky is talking talking at the Platt Memorial Library on November 8 on the history of food.)

Many free workshops for writers are available through the Burlington Writers Workshop

Contests:

Looking for a contest? From Poets & Writers, see the Writing Contest, Grants & Awards list at Poets and Writers Grants

From The Write Life  see this list of free (“reputable, well-reviewed”) contests for poets, fiction writers, essayists, and more.

Recommendations: 

BEST BOOKS FOR WRITERS according to the Center for Fiction here’s the essential list:

On Writing by Stephen King (Scribner, reissue 2020) I highly recommend. (M)

Still Writing by Dani Shapiro (Grove Press, 2023)

On Moral Fiction by John Gardner (Basic Books, 1979)

First You Write by Joni Rodgers [out of print]

The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner (Riverhead Books, 2919)

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard (Harper Perennial, 2013)

Writing Past Dark by Bonnie Friedman (Harper Perennial, 2020)

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White (Pearson, 1999)

Story by Robert McKee (Regan Books, 1997)

Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern (W.W. Norton, 1991)

Steering the Craft by Ursula K. LeGuin (Harper Perennial, 2015)

Got a recommendation? Bring it to the meeting!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

The road to hell is paved with adverbs.

Stephen King

Meeting Minutes November 19, 2020

6 members met over zoom from 6-7:40

Our discussion was dominated by upcoming local events.

Swanton Arts Council (SAC) is going ahead with plans for the second "Emotion Speaks" arts display. The hope is to have an in person reception to launch the display. The cost to enter is $10. Partipants will receive an 8x8 canvas. Their display, writing, art, etc must fit on this canvas. The new director of the project is Hilarie Santiago. Direct question to her at swantonartscouncil@gmail.com .

Future theme for "Emotion Speaks" might be Solitude.

Proposal for our group. "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas is a topical novel focused on systemic racism in the US. Would members be interested in writing a response to this novel? Possible prompt might be a quote from the book. Our responses might tie in with the Swanton Book group or possibly a community event in the future. The book and movie are available on Amazon/Prime Video. You can also borrow a copy through the Swanton library. Paramters for this project will be discussed at future SWG meetings. Tentative deadline for a response would be April or early May 2021. Please visit the Swanton Public Library website HERE for help gettting a copy of the book or accessing the Green Mountain Consortium for a copy. The members who met this evening seemed interested in the project but we really need wider support for this important conversation.

2021 Edwin M. Church Award. Entries must contain a train element. The expected length is 1,500-3,000 words. Proposed deadline is August 1, 2021. The winner will be announced at the Swanton Arts Spectacular, which is traditionally the second Saturday in September.

We discussed the idea of an annual membership fee to the Swanton Writer's Group. $10-$20. Proposed benefits of membersship: early access to writing events/workshops, subscription to the email list, entrance to an annual writing contest sponsored by the group. Possible long term goal of a contest would be an anthology. It was agreed that further discussion should be undertaken when more members can attend, hopefully in person. Please keep the idea in mind and direct comments to Becky or Michelle.

Three members read their work: Ev, Judy and George (new member who enjoys writng poetry)

The next meeting via zoom will be Thursday December 17, 2020 from 6-7:30. Becky will send a link to all members.

Meeting Minutes November 15, 2018

Our meeting commenced at 6 pm. Three of our members attended Joy Choquette's workshops on November 7th and 14th. Unfortunately, Joy could not be with us for this meeting.  Judy asked on her behalf if anyone would be interested in a blogging workshop.  Several members expressed interest.  There will be more information in the future if Joy decides to hold the workshop.

2 group members are attempting NaNoWrimo. Alternatives to a full novel were proposed for those interested in participating in the remainder of NaNo. Members could write: a blog a day, article a day, short story a day, book proposal or query letters.

Becky proposed a couple of ideas for future group activities
1. The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection by Colby Sharp Combines art and writing
2. A writing prompt box.  2 prompts are pulled each month and the entire group attempts a piece (poem, short story, essay, memoir) based on one of the prompts. Becky will bring in a prompt box for December's meeting.

Contests

Hunger Mountain: Reminder to all.  There are 5 contests/categories.  Submission of original, previously unpublished work is from October 1-March 1. Find all of the information HERE and happy writing!

Burlington Writer's Workshop offers several workshops monthly on a variety of topics.  The next submission period for their "Mud Season Review" begins December 1st. Find all of the information HERE

Resources

Literary North " Read author interviews, discussions about our favorite books, tips about literary resources, and news and notes about northern New England books and authors." Please find more information HERE. Among the listings is a book event featuring local author Stephen Payne and his latest work "Life on a Cliff" Saturday, December 1, 2018 10:00 AM  2:00 PM Bridgeside Books
29 Stowe Street Waterbury, VT

Exhibition/Event

Corrina Thurston is having a book launch and event on December 5th at the New Moon Cafe in Burlington. Her newest book is "Disappearing Act" You can find more details HERE.

Michelle discussed her experiences with NaNo up to this point in the month. Annie read her short story. It was compared to the short story "The Shack" by William Young. Scott read 2 of his song lyrics, including "Pretty Push". Don read his entry for the Emotion Speaks "Anxiety" exhibit. The meeting concluded at 7:30.

Our next meeting is Thursday December 27th.  To celebrate the festive season, please bring something light to share (cookies, bread etc)