Monthly Meeting Held, Saturday, September 19th

This past Saturday our September meeting unfolded as promised, with the focus on finding inspiration and getting over writer’s avoidance behavior. Everyone shared stories, techniques to keep reaching word goals on a consistent basis, and we all came away with new brainstorming ideas. We discussed guilt and how to get over that too, and be free to just write. Everyone left with their worries in a little bag to place aside when necessary. A nearby Target reported a rush of timer purchases.

The group energy was high and the meeting helped many to refocus and enjoy writing again and “just do it.” As was reported on several facebook pages…people are hitting their word counts in record numbers.

Attendance for the September meeting was strong, with 24 attending.

Other discussion points brought up at the meeting:

RWA Status

Kathy Steffen reported the first level inquiry package is complete and on it’s way to National Headquarters. We await approval and instructions for the next steps.

December Holiday Party

Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner. Bobbi Dumas asked that if anyone is willing to host a party, to let her know. We will all bring refreshments, holiday cheer, and never-ending gratitude. If no alternate location surfaces, we will rock the library.

March Write Off, Nano Style

Every year in November several MadCityRomancers engage in Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month, where each writer attempts to hit a word goal of 50,000 words by the end of the month. It was suggested we do a MadCityRomanceWriMo sometime this winter, just when we are all going to be out of our minds with cabin fever and desperate for an extra boost to blast to the end of our writing projects. Or for an inspired and strong lift-off as we begin a new one. More information will come as we set this up. Everyone agreed March would be a good month to hold this event.

October 17 Meeting

Don’t miss it! Jena Reynolds is going to “show you how to use tarot to brainstorm ideas for stories, come up with characters, plot your stories, write scenes and description, work through blocks and snags in your writing and be more creative.” See “Upcoming Meetings” for more details.

Upcoming Meetings

SEPT 19 & OCT 17 Meeting details
Middleton Library 9:30 a.m.

September ~ Kathy Steffen
Brainstorm Through Writer’s Block (or…Grab Your Muse, Pin Her to the Wall, and Make her Sing!)

Do you find yourself doing laundry or cleaning instead of writing? Do you have trouble finding time to write? When you sit down, do you stare at a blank computer (or screen) as panic builds and your mind feels like a vast wasteland? Or do you flail around, not sure when or where to start or which way to go with your story? Where do you get ideas, how can you brainstorm to find lots of inspiration? And how do you stay on track and keep writing?

Be prepared to engage both sides of the brain as we talk about what writer’s block (or avoidance behavior) really is, and how to pinpoint its reasons and get over them quickly. Then, get inspired with lots of exercises and brainstorming lists to help you boost creativity. Take home worksheets to help you conceptualize elements of your next book. Free yourself to enjoy writing instead of worrying about where (and when) the next idea will come.

Come, share your own experiences and learn new ways to jump-start creativity and find ideas.


October ~ Jenna Reynolds
Tarot for Fiction Writers

This workshop will show you how to use tarot to brainstorm ideas for stories, come up with characters, plot your stories, write scenes and description, work through blocks and snags in your writing and be more creative.

Since I won't be spending that much time going over the basics, (I did that at the workshop for the 2008 retreat), I would suggest checking out the following websites if you're not familiar with the tarot.

You don't have to memorize the meanings or anything like that. But it will help if you could have an overall sense of the structure of the tarot. I will also be providing handouts about the tarot.

Aeclectic Tarot - Here you will find tons of information about tarot. Decks, books, articles, etc.. It's a cornucopia of info about tarot.

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/

Here you can learn the basics of reading tarot:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/

If you're looking for a Tarot book check out this list, especially if you're a beginner

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/beginners.shtml

Many of these books can be found at the local library, so if you don't want to buy one you can check them out there.

We're going to be using tarot in the workshop so if you don't have a deck and don't want to buy one, don't worry. I'll bring along decks for you to work with.

If you're looking to purchase a deck, however, you can find decks listed by themes here:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/themes.shtml



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