The monthly meeting’s cover excellent material and are extremely engaging – I’m looking forward to the next possible topic very much. However, we might have the beginnings of some of us who would like to dive in to deep reviews and critiques of our work. Possibly, this could be set up prior to the monthly meetings at the downtown location or breakfast, lunches, happy hour, or some other time that members find mutually convenient.

One suggestion I’d heard was to bring a chapter each, pass them around to someone who would read and provide feedback right there at the hour or so long meeting. Immediate detailed feedback!

Going to that next step of peer review is frightening, but I also believe if we’re going to sharpen our skills we must do it against the rough whet stone of true criticism.

If you'd like to participate in such an exercise please email me from the membership list. I’ll then post a follow up with suggested time and place. Please send your preferred time and days and I’ll see if I can organize the sub group meetings. All are welcome.

Be serious and ready to draw blood and bleed a little yourself, no Mr/Mrs nice, publishers are tough, so let’s get tough on each other!

Discussion Update.

For those that do not receive the email distribution please see below an update to the original discussion post.

We have set our first two dates:

Wednesday May 11th 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn
Place; 1900 NW Expressway (they have a few different seating areas, cafe, and
an outdoor seating when the weather holds, and I know it's kid friendly).

Thursday May 12th 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn
Place 1900 NW Expressway. They close at 9:00 weeknights.

We have set a meeting format:

- Bring the material you'd like reviewed, something you believe you could read
carefully yourself in about 30-45 minutes. You provide and then receive a
review in turn.

- Please bring anything to be reviewed in a manuscript format - double
spaced, with an easy to read font. If you’re bringing something in electronic
format please bring a note pad or something so the reviewer can write you notes
since they won’t be able to do a traditional mark-up.

If you have not yet registered and would like to attend please RSVP to me.

UPCOMING DISCUSSION GROUP MEETINGS

Starting in June we'll add some weekends!

We have set our next two dates:

Wednesday May 18th 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn Place; 1900 NW Expressway (they have a few different seating areas, cafe, and an outdoor seating when the weather holds, and I know it's kid friendly).

Thursday May 19th 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn Place 1900 NW Expressway. They close at 9:00 weeknights.

We have set a meeting format:

- Bring the material you'd like reviewed, something you believe you could read carefully yourself in about 30-45 minutes. You provide and then receive a review in turn. We've found that on a 12 font, double spaced, at least 20 pages, no more than 30 before eyes start glazing over.

- Please bring anything to be reviewed in a manuscript format - double spaced, with an easy to read font. If you’re bringing something in electronic format please bring a note pad or something so the reviewer can write you notes since they won’t be able to do a traditional mark-up.

If you have not yet registered and would like to attend please RSVP to rsvail1@cox.net

I'll try to make it to some of these in the future.

I've been traveling and will be again next week, but I will get us rolling again the week of the 20th for both day and evening meetings. I'll send out in an RSVP email same as before.

I'll try to make it to some of these in the future.

Writing review sessions are coming back online - three dates below, including tomorrow lunch. These are quick, but thoughtful reviews for some of your work, the format for the meeting means anyone can attend any meeting and expect review that same meeting, just show up with your material in hand. You may use these meetings as an opportunity to shop for a quid pro quo reader for larger works, to test a newly re-written chapter, to discuss ideas about writing - theme, dialogue, description, or any issue you might be having.

DATES:

Daytime TOMMORROW - Wednesday June 22th 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn Place; 1900 NW Expressway(they have a few different seating areas, cafe, and an outdoor seating when the weather holds, and I know it's kid friendly).

Daytime Wednesday June 29th 1:00 to 3:00 at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn Place; 1900 NW Expressway

Evening Thursday June 30th 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Full Circle Bookstore; 50 Penn Place 1900 NW Expressway. They close at 9:00 weeknights.

Please RSVP to me so I can grab the right sized table.

MEETING FORMAT:
- Bring the material you'd like reviewed, something you believe you could read carefully yourself in about 30-45 minutes. Whatever your write, chick lit, dark fiction, fan fiction, sci-fi, poetry.
- Please bring anything to be reviewed in a manuscript format - double spaced, with an easy to read font.

I'm trying to make it to one of these, but crazy things keep coming up! Maybe next week.

I am hoping to attend tomorrow's meeting. I hear that it will be OK to bring my kids -- ages 11 and 8. Is that correct?

Mine are 11 and 3, and we tend to meet in the kids' room so they can read, play with trains, etc.

Aw, crud. 1 to 3 is much better for my schedule, but I just "assumed" (made an ass out of U and me) it was at 11:30 and am at Full Circle now. I guess my kids and I will hit the mall. Oooops.