May 2021 Newsletter






Next Meeting:

Tuesday, May 19

6:45 to 8:45 PM

Zoom

Frisco Public Library Group

6101 Frisco Square Blvd.

Frisco, TX 75034




Our next meeting is May 19, 2021 at 6:45 pm via Zoom. “Doors” open at 6:30. Look forward to seeing you then!





Join Us and Invite a Friend





All are welcome to attend Write Club meetings….no formal invitation needed. Write Club meeting information can be found on the Frisco Library web site and on the club's Facebook page (Frisco Write Club). Additionally, every month, in advance of the meeting, Fergal O'Donnell (fergalod@hotmail.com) will send an invitation by email to the active members.


Anybody who has attended a Write Club meeting is automatically subscribed to our newsletters. At the top of each newsletter is a notice of our next meeting.





First Chapter Writing Contest





Frisco Public Library is holding its annual First Chapter Writing Contest through July 31st. The winning entry will be professionally reviewed by Henery Press a local award-winning publishing company.

Contest Rules

  1. Original unpublished works of 10 pages or less in English.

  2. One entry per person.

  3. Participants must be ages 18 and up.

  4. Entrants must live in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.

  5. Submissions must be double-spaced.

  6. Font size should be 11 pt or larger.

  7. All submitted files should use the following naming convention: 'Author Last Name_Title'. If your work is currently untitled, please name the file 'Author Last Name_Untitled'.

  8. For judging purposes, do not include the author's name on the 10 page manuscript. (The author's name will be captured on the web form entry and the file name should include the author's last name).

  9. There is no restriction on style or theme.

  10. Submissions not in compliance with the rules are disqualified.

  11. Submit your entry online by July 31, 2021.





Coming Soon





Rich is creating a new website for the group. Other members of the team are Fergal, Morgan, Donna, and Kevin. THANKS. We look forward to the launch.





Reminders and Requests





  • Please contact Fergal if you want to present to the group. We’re all working together to improve individually.

  • Please use the Frisco Write Club page for an exchange of ideas, questions, suggestions or jokes for writers.

  • Send your writing suggestion to lindabjohnson357@gmail.com so your healthy habit or writing mantra may help fellow members. (I’ve used all the ones sent to me. Feel free to submit a second time.)

  • From Kevin --I am looking for a professional audiobook narrator for my upcoming book. It's a non-fiction book on business and leadership genre. If you know anyone, please let me know. I can always connect with freelancers online, but I'm old school when it comes to hiring people - I prefer word-of-mouth referrals.

  • Thanks for the prayers and encouragement. My husband will be in rehab through the end of May. His recovery has been amazing, but the journey to recovery is long.





Shared Writing Hint





From Rich Blazevich:

"Write drunk; edit sober" meaning be relaxed and loose when you write, ignoring rules and etiquette. Be organized and responsible when you edit.


From Gary Thornberry:


Dallas publisher Surveyor Books launched by Joe Milazzo was featured in the Dallas Morning News in March. He focuses on publishing debut books with a unique voice. Surveyor Books has published both prose and poetry.





Successes






Linda Baten Johnson signed a contract with Barbour Publishing for a cozy mystery about a murder at a jigsaw competition. Manuscript is due in November, publication in 2022.

Trudi Young Taylor is the author of the month at truehumor.com.

Linda Baten Johnson was named one of the three winners in the Frisco Library’s Flash Fiction contest. Winners will film themselves reading their stories. More information to follow.





REJECTIONS





Kim Liao wrote an inspiring article for Lit Hub a few years ago titled Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year. Liao's piece is great because it doesn't diminish the process or the emotional range you develop as a writer when you send your work out.


The sting of rejection is unavoidable. I love the saying that a master has failed more times than an amateur has ever tried. Samuel Beckett also wrote, Fail, fail again, fail better. Sylvia Plath knew this well. She said, "I love my rejection slips. They show me I try."





Presentation Format for Members Wishing to Present Work for Critique at Meeting





  • Word Length: 2, 500 words (longer permitted, but 2,500 for reading at our meeting)

  • Font Size: 12 points (to aid those with visional limitations)

  • Font Styles: Times New Roman, Arial (but not Comic Sans)

  • Spacing: Double spaced

  • Line Numbering

Please note: If you wish to receive feedback by email from the Write Club members, please also add your email address at the top of the first page.

Please email an electronic copy of your presentation to Fergal O’Donnell (fergalod@hotmail.com) by the Saturday before the meeting. He will email presentations to members prior to our meeting.


At the meeting, the presenter will be allowed twenty minutes. Many choose to read their submission and devote the rest of the time to comments from those attending.





Blogs from Our Members





















































This email was sent to lindabjohnson357@gmail.com

why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences

Frisco Public Library · 6101 Frisco Square Blvd · Suite 3000 · Frisco, TX 75034 · USA