CENTRAL OREGON WRITERS GUILD REPORT
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2008
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Redmond Writers is now Central Oregon Writers Guild. The name change is designed to reflect our group's commitment to the entire Central Oregon writing community as we carry out our mission to support, encourage and assist writers of all genres.
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Authors Paty Jager and Lindy Jacobs will present "Critique: Getting the Help You Need" at COWG's Thursday, February 28, 2008 meeting.
COWG members Paty and Lindy will do a joint presentation on the importance of critique groups to writers of all genres. Published authors often credit their success to participation in critique groups, which serve as a writer's first audience where members provide feedback and accountability along the way to publication. Lindy will focus on how to give feedback that is honest but encourages the writer to keep going. Paty will focus on what to ask for and use during the critique session. They will distribute handouts with reference materials on how to start a critique group and guidelines to ensure it is successful.
Paty is a member of the Romance Writers of America, as well as a member of EPIC and Mid-Willamette Writers. She is the author of several Western Romance novels. Her recent novel "Perfectly Good Nanny" is a finalist in an upcoming EPPIE contest. To learn more about Paty's writing and activities, go to her website, www.patyjager.com.
Lindy Jacobs is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Oregon Christian Writers. She has written plays, television commercials and storylines for a CBS daytime drama in Los Angeles. She is currently writing a novel set in Pakistan, and has helped start and is a member of several critique groups in Central Oregon.
Central Oregon Writers Guild meetings are free and the public is invited to attend. Meetings take place the fourth Thursday of each month at the Redmond Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave. beginning at 6:30 pm. A critique session follows the program. Those who would like to present their work (limit is three readers) should bring along 20 copies. Critique guidelines are available at the meeting.
March 27 Meeting--Rod Morris, Senior Editor, Harvest House Publishers, will speak on the topic, "Dialogue Dos and Don’ts." Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend this important session where Rod will talk about writing dialogue that rings true, critical in both fiction and narrative non-fiction writing.
Upcoming Meetings:
April 24 - Ali McCart - Editor with Indigo Editing - "What an Editor Looks For"
May 22 - Bill and Mary Lewis - "Interviewing - Mining for the Story's Golden Nugget"
September 25 - Cameron Prow - Coaching workshop for authors/writers who speak in public.
Upcoming Events:
April 5, 2008 -
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Comfort Suites Inn, Redmond
Workshop fee: $15, payable at the door
Central Oregon Writers Guild is hosting a DVD Workshop by Chris Vogler and Michael Hauge entitled, "The Hero's 2 Journeys--Insider Secrets for Uniting the Outer Journey of Plot Structure with the Inner Journey of Character Arc." COWG program chair Paty Jager will moderate this session, a fast-paced and in-depth look at the structural elements that tie a story together, the stages of the journey through which a story's hero passes, and which offer the writer a blueprint for creating compelling characters and stories that sell.
Chris Vogler and Michael Hauge are highly successful writers who join forces in this workshop to provide aspiring authors the tools they need to assist in their own writers' journey. You can learn more about Chris and Michael at their websites, http://www.TheWriterJourney.com (Chris) and http://www.screenplaymastery.com (Michael). Workshop participants are encouraged to view the movie "Erin Brokovich" prior to the workshop, as it will be referenced in the presentation.
For further details about the workshop, contact Cindy Prescher at 388-0836 or e-mail her. Information will also be posted at COWG's blog, http://www.CentralOregonWritersGuild.com.
Speaking of which--Thanks to Tia Linschied, COWG now has a domain name, http://www.centraloregonwritersguild.com./ That URL will take you directly to the blogsite, where you will also see our new COWG logo. Sincere thanks not only to Tia but to Cindy Prescher, Lindy Jacobs, Jo Ann Senior, Elsie Rochna, Paty Jager, Carol Brian, and Anita Lanning for their work designing the logo, getting us online and accessible at the click of a mouse. More exciting things are in the works, so stay tuned. Frequent trips to the blog will keep you up-to-date on future developments.
More Upcoming Events/Activities:
Saturday, May 17, 2008--Oregon Christian Writers Conference
Northwest Christian College, Eugene, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
COWG member Carol Brian will conduct the workshop, "Real Poetry for Real People" during the Oregon Christian Writers Conference in Eugene. We are honored that Carol has been invited to make this presentation and we know that all who attend will benefit as she shares her passion for poetry. As Carol says, "Poems are all around us every day." She encourages everyone to be in the moment and turn those moments into poems. The results, Carol explains, can be profound. To learn more about the OCW conference and how to participate in Carol's workshop, go to http://www.oregonchristianwriters.com./ Conference keynote speakers are authors and relationship experts Bill and Nancie Carmichel.
Friday, October 17, 2008--Fall Literary Harvest
COWG is once again sponsoring the Fall Literary Harvest on Friday, October 17 at the Comfort Suites in Redmond from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Writers interested in reading at the event will submit their work for consideration by an editorial board, who will determine the ten winning entries. The submission guidelines and entry details will be posted on the COWG blog in April. There will be a fee of $5.00 for each entry, with submissions accepted from May 22 until August 15, 2008. Mark your calendars now for the Fall Literary Harvest!
November 5 - 9, 2008--The Nature of Words, Central Oregon's premier literary event. Information about the 2008 program will be announced as plans take place. Go to http://www.thenatureofwords.org/ for updates.
THE WRITER'S LIFE
January 2008 meeting: Author Martin Winch gave a lively and compelling presentation at the January meeting as he talked about his book, "Biography of a Place: Passages Through a Central Oregon Meadow," which chronicles the social and natural history of Camp Polk Meadow near Sisters. Martin said he set out to educate himself about the meadow rather than writing about it. He did not consider himself an author, but the learning process he undertook gave him the structure for his book. He talked about the natural features of the meadow and its ecological history. This led him to explore the chronology of the human inhabitants of the area, from Native Americans to early explorers to soldiers stationed at Camp Polk, and finally to those who immigrated and settled there generations ago. Martin talked about the research sources he used while writing his book, and he shared compelling and little-known facts about the early inhabitants and how they helped shape our history. Martin is a volunteer with the Deschutes Basin Land Trust at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, where his efforts to tell the story of the meadow have culminated in his commitment to preserve this special place that he came to know so well.
Martin generously donated proceeds from the sale of his books at our January meeting to Central Oregon Writers Guild, which we greatly appreciate. It was decided to use $200 from that fund as a donation from COWG to The Nature of Words, Central Oregon's premier literary festival, which takes place in November. Our contribution will help assure this important event can continue to bring acclaimed authors here for readings, workshops and book signings, all of which benefit writers in Central Oregon. We are grateful to Martin Winch for making COWG's participation in The Nature of Words possible!
Good Morning Central Oregon interview: Paty Jager and Lindy Jacobs appeared on the Thursday February 21 edition of Good Morning Central Oregon, hosted by Kristi Miller. They did an excellent job during their interview with Kristi, talking about COWG and our commitment to writers in all parts of Central Oregon. They also discussed their upcoming presentation at the February 28 meeting, "Critique: Getting the Help You Need." We are honored to have two such accomplished authors represent us on GMCO and we thank them for doing such an outstanding job talking about our group.
Shelf Life Books: Redmond has a new book store--Shelf Life Books, located at 249 NW 6th Street #1. It is an independent book store offering a wide variety of books for all ages, along with a full service espresso bar, gifts and greeting cards, and a meeting room for groups of 10-12 people. Their phone number is 541-520-1110. They invite everyone to stop by and check out their store, but be warned: Their motto is, "You won't want to leave!"
Winning Video: Redmond videographer Brian Johnson is pleased to announce his video "Dessert" has won 2nd place in VideoMaker Magazine's annual contest. Congratulations to Brian and his crew, and if you want to watch this award-winning film, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RvoHiH4Sw. To keep up-to-date on Brian's adventures in cinematography, check out his blog at http://cinemusing.blogspot.com/.
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2008
************************************************************
Redmond Writers is now Central Oregon Writers Guild. The name change is designed to reflect our group's commitment to the entire Central Oregon writing community as we carry out our mission to support, encourage and assist writers of all genres.
#####################
Authors Paty Jager and Lindy Jacobs will present "Critique: Getting the Help You Need" at COWG's Thursday, February 28, 2008 meeting.
COWG members Paty and Lindy will do a joint presentation on the importance of critique groups to writers of all genres. Published authors often credit their success to participation in critique groups, which serve as a writer's first audience where members provide feedback and accountability along the way to publication. Lindy will focus on how to give feedback that is honest but encourages the writer to keep going. Paty will focus on what to ask for and use during the critique session. They will distribute handouts with reference materials on how to start a critique group and guidelines to ensure it is successful.
Paty is a member of the Romance Writers of America, as well as a member of EPIC and Mid-Willamette Writers. She is the author of several Western Romance novels. Her recent novel "Perfectly Good Nanny" is a finalist in an upcoming EPPIE contest. To learn more about Paty's writing and activities, go to her website, www.patyjager.com.
Lindy Jacobs is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Oregon Christian Writers. She has written plays, television commercials and storylines for a CBS daytime drama in Los Angeles. She is currently writing a novel set in Pakistan, and has helped start and is a member of several critique groups in Central Oregon.
Central Oregon Writers Guild meetings are free and the public is invited to attend. Meetings take place the fourth Thursday of each month at the Redmond Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave. beginning at 6:30 pm. A critique session follows the program. Those who would like to present their work (limit is three readers) should bring along 20 copies. Critique guidelines are available at the meeting.
March 27 Meeting--Rod Morris, Senior Editor, Harvest House Publishers, will speak on the topic, "Dialogue Dos and Don’ts." Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend this important session where Rod will talk about writing dialogue that rings true, critical in both fiction and narrative non-fiction writing.
Upcoming Meetings:
April 24 - Ali McCart - Editor with Indigo Editing - "What an Editor Looks For"
May 22 - Bill and Mary Lewis - "Interviewing - Mining for the Story's Golden Nugget"
September 25 - Cameron Prow - Coaching workshop for authors/writers who speak in public.
Upcoming Events:
April 5, 2008 -
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Comfort Suites Inn, Redmond
Workshop fee: $15, payable at the door
Central Oregon Writers Guild is hosting a DVD Workshop by Chris Vogler and Michael Hauge entitled, "The Hero's 2 Journeys--Insider Secrets for Uniting the Outer Journey of Plot Structure with the Inner Journey of Character Arc." COWG program chair Paty Jager will moderate this session, a fast-paced and in-depth look at the structural elements that tie a story together, the stages of the journey through which a story's hero passes, and which offer the writer a blueprint for creating compelling characters and stories that sell.
Chris Vogler and Michael Hauge are highly successful writers who join forces in this workshop to provide aspiring authors the tools they need to assist in their own writers' journey. You can learn more about Chris and Michael at their websites, http://www.TheWriterJourney.com (Chris) and http://www.screenplaymastery.com (Michael). Workshop participants are encouraged to view the movie "Erin Brokovich" prior to the workshop, as it will be referenced in the presentation.
For further details about the workshop, contact Cindy Prescher at 388-0836 or e-mail her. Information will also be posted at COWG's blog, http://www.CentralOregonWritersGuild.com.
Speaking of which--Thanks to Tia Linschied, COWG now has a domain name, http://www.centraloregonwritersguild.com./ That URL will take you directly to the blogsite, where you will also see our new COWG logo. Sincere thanks not only to Tia but to Cindy Prescher, Lindy Jacobs, Jo Ann Senior, Elsie Rochna, Paty Jager, Carol Brian, and Anita Lanning for their work designing the logo, getting us online and accessible at the click of a mouse. More exciting things are in the works, so stay tuned. Frequent trips to the blog will keep you up-to-date on future developments.
More Upcoming Events/Activities:
Saturday, May 17, 2008--Oregon Christian Writers Conference
Northwest Christian College, Eugene, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
COWG member Carol Brian will conduct the workshop, "Real Poetry for Real People" during the Oregon Christian Writers Conference in Eugene. We are honored that Carol has been invited to make this presentation and we know that all who attend will benefit as she shares her passion for poetry. As Carol says, "Poems are all around us every day." She encourages everyone to be in the moment and turn those moments into poems. The results, Carol explains, can be profound. To learn more about the OCW conference and how to participate in Carol's workshop, go to http://www.oregonchristianwriters.com./ Conference keynote speakers are authors and relationship experts Bill and Nancie Carmichel.
Friday, October 17, 2008--Fall Literary Harvest
COWG is once again sponsoring the Fall Literary Harvest on Friday, October 17 at the Comfort Suites in Redmond from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Writers interested in reading at the event will submit their work for consideration by an editorial board, who will determine the ten winning entries. The submission guidelines and entry details will be posted on the COWG blog in April. There will be a fee of $5.00 for each entry, with submissions accepted from May 22 until August 15, 2008. Mark your calendars now for the Fall Literary Harvest!
November 5 - 9, 2008--The Nature of Words, Central Oregon's premier literary event. Information about the 2008 program will be announced as plans take place. Go to http://www.thenatureofwords.org/ for updates.
THE WRITER'S LIFE
January 2008 meeting: Author Martin Winch gave a lively and compelling presentation at the January meeting as he talked about his book, "Biography of a Place: Passages Through a Central Oregon Meadow," which chronicles the social and natural history of Camp Polk Meadow near Sisters. Martin said he set out to educate himself about the meadow rather than writing about it. He did not consider himself an author, but the learning process he undertook gave him the structure for his book. He talked about the natural features of the meadow and its ecological history. This led him to explore the chronology of the human inhabitants of the area, from Native Americans to early explorers to soldiers stationed at Camp Polk, and finally to those who immigrated and settled there generations ago. Martin talked about the research sources he used while writing his book, and he shared compelling and little-known facts about the early inhabitants and how they helped shape our history. Martin is a volunteer with the Deschutes Basin Land Trust at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, where his efforts to tell the story of the meadow have culminated in his commitment to preserve this special place that he came to know so well.
Martin generously donated proceeds from the sale of his books at our January meeting to Central Oregon Writers Guild, which we greatly appreciate. It was decided to use $200 from that fund as a donation from COWG to The Nature of Words, Central Oregon's premier literary festival, which takes place in November. Our contribution will help assure this important event can continue to bring acclaimed authors here for readings, workshops and book signings, all of which benefit writers in Central Oregon. We are grateful to Martin Winch for making COWG's participation in The Nature of Words possible!
Good Morning Central Oregon interview: Paty Jager and Lindy Jacobs appeared on the Thursday February 21 edition of Good Morning Central Oregon, hosted by Kristi Miller. They did an excellent job during their interview with Kristi, talking about COWG and our commitment to writers in all parts of Central Oregon. They also discussed their upcoming presentation at the February 28 meeting, "Critique: Getting the Help You Need." We are honored to have two such accomplished authors represent us on GMCO and we thank them for doing such an outstanding job talking about our group.
Shelf Life Books: Redmond has a new book store--Shelf Life Books, located at 249 NW 6th Street #1. It is an independent book store offering a wide variety of books for all ages, along with a full service espresso bar, gifts and greeting cards, and a meeting room for groups of 10-12 people. Their phone number is 541-520-1110. They invite everyone to stop by and check out their store, but be warned: Their motto is, "You won't want to leave!"
Winning Video: Redmond videographer Brian Johnson is pleased to announce his video "Dessert" has won 2nd place in VideoMaker Magazine's annual contest. Congratulations to Brian and his crew, and if you want to watch this award-winning film, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RvoHiH4Sw. To keep up-to-date on Brian's adventures in cinematography, check out his blog at http://cinemusing.blogspot.com/.
CONTESTS/CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS
Oregon State Poetry Association Contest
The deadline is nearing for OSPA's Spring 2008 Poetry Contest. Submissions must be made by February 29, 2008. Go to their website http:www.oregonpoets.org/index.php? for contest categories and read the rules carefully to assure your entry is considered.
Nature of Words Third Annual Rising Star Competition
This competition is awarded in fiction, literary nonfiction and poetry in two age categories, 15-18 and 19-25. Winning writers will receive a cash prize, recognition at an awards ceremony during the Nature of Words festival in November, and a scholarship to one of the event's workshops. Entry deadline is May 10, 2008. Competition details: http://www.thenatureofwords.org/.
77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition
The deadline for entries in this prestigious contest is May 15, 2008. For details about the categories, rules, entry forms and requirements, go to their website, http://www.writersdigest.com/.
OnceWritten.com 2008 Spring Fiction Contest
OnceWritten.com is looking for high-quality, well-written short stories for their Fiction Writing Contest. All entries must be original unpublished stories, word limit 5,000, with a first place prize of $1,000. Go to http://www.blogger.com/www.oncewritten.com/Contests/Fiction/Contest.php for details.
Cool Stuff 4 Writers
Not only does Cool Stuff 4 Writers offer a monthly contest challenge, each issue is chock-full of great information for writers of all genres and features interviews with successful authors, writing tips, articles, announcements and links to other writer-related websites. Check it out at http://www.coolstuff4writers.com, and while you're there, vote up the site as one of Writer's Digest 100 best websites. This month's Cool Stuff issue included a link to Central Oregon's Writers Guild's blog, which we greatly appreciate!
SOURCES AND RESOURCES
USA Today bestselling author Virginia Kantra is offering an online class "Isn't It Romantic? Developing Romance in Your Romance Novel." Dates are March 3 - 31, registration is $30. Go to http://www.WriterUniv.com for details and to register for Virginia's class.
COWG CONTACTS
Executive Director: Cindy Prescher
Membership & Finance Chairperson: Elsie Rochna
Membership & Finance Assistant Chairperson: Carol Brian
Publicity Chairperson: Anita Lanning
Program Chairperson: Paty Jager
CO Writers Report Editor: Anita Lanning
Refreshment Chairperson: Lindy Jacobs
Photographer: Jo Ann Senior
Blog Chairperson: Tia Linschied
Tags :
writing , Central Oregon , support group , Paty Jager , Lindy Jacobs , Writers Digest Writing Competition , Nature of Words , writing contest , Oregon State Poetry Association Contest , OnceWritten.com , Cool Stuff 4 Writers
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