Upcoming Meeting Dates

The January meeting will be held the third Thursday of the month, which is January 15th.

As usual, submissions are due via email one week before the meeting, which is January 8th before midnight. Please email submissions in word format to monroviawriters@gmail.com.

Starting in March, we will meet twice a month -- the first and third Thursday. The first Thursday of the month will be a workshop. We will have PowerPoints, writing activities, guest speakers, etc. The third Thursday of the month will be entirely dedicated to submissions. At this time we plan to still have the submission deadline remain at the second Thursday of the month. If that changes group members will be updated via email and this blog.

Please send us an email (monroviawriters@gmail.com) if you have any suggestions for topics and activities for the workshops. In particular, any leads on guest speakers would be wonderful.

 

New release: When Books Went to War

Earlier this month "When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II" by Molly Guptill Manning was released.                                

The synopsis taken from Amazon reads as follows:

"When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks, for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks, in every theater of war.

Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy; in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific; in field hospitals; and on long bombing flights. They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity. They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is an inspiring story for history buffs and book lovers alike."

Group Member Spotlight: Rose Nicola

Rose Nicola is one of the newest members of the Monrovia Writers Group. She is a graduate of Monrovia High School.

Rose writes fan fiction, much of which is located online at: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4998111/RoseMary2435. Please check it out and be sure to provide her with feedback.

Want to be featured? Send a picture and info to: monroviawritersgroup@gmail.com or talk to Kelly at an upcoming meeting.

Event: Holiday Author Fair - Indiana History Center

Holiday Author Fair at Indiana History Center
Saturday, December 6th from Noon to 4 p.m.
Eli Lilly Hall, Indiana History Center
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, 46202

Meet more than 70 authors at a fun-filled day of mingling and book signing. This year, meet basketball legend Bobby "Slick" Leonard, bestselling author Philip Gulley and the Chicks on the Right.
 
Download the brochure with listing of authors and titles here.
 
The order form is available here.

Free admission includes the Indiana Experience.

Pitch-In Postponed

Our NaNoWriMo pitch-in celebration for tomorrow has been postponed. We will discuss at the December 18th meeting the possibility of moving it to the January meeting.

Group Reminders

Just a few quick reminders about the group:

Group members are responsible for reading submissions BEFORE each meeting.

• Submissions are due by the 2nd Thursday of the month. Generally submissions will be emailed out to the group the next day. That gives everyone a little less than a week to check their email and prepare for the meeting.
• Group members should print out or bring an electronic device on which they can access the submissions. Printed copies are preferred so that you can give your edits and revisions to the writer at the end of the meeting.
• Going forward there will not be extra copies of submissions available at the meeting.

Out of respect for the time of your fellow group members, please only submit for a meeting if you will be in attendance.

• While we understand that emergencies happen, if you submit for a meeting it is expected that you will be in attendance.
• If you miss a meeting that you submitted for, please get in contact with Kelly (monroviawriters@gmail.com) regarding your submission. If we do not have a lot of submissions we may be able to move it to the next meeting, but it will be at the bottom of the list. Your submission will not be automatically moved to the next meeting.

Discussion of submissions is to be treated anonymously. The writer should not participate in the discussion and group members should not directly ask the writer questions or otherwise engage the writer.

• It is very important that these meetings be comfortable and non-confrontational. If the writer interjects or is otherwise engaged in the discussion some members might feel the need to hold back during feedback.
• To that end, going forward all submissions will be anonymous. Please help me out by not including your name on the work. Obviously, over time we will get to know one another's writing styles and content. But we will still treat each work as anonymous and only acknowledge the author after EVERY group member has had the opportunity to speak at least once. I will know who submitted what and will know to skip over the writer.
• At the very end I will ask the writer of the piece if he/she would like to respond to anything that was brought up during the group discussion.

These rules are not meant to be harsh or rigid. Rather, they are important for us to function in an orderly and respectful manner. So far things have been going very smoothly. These guidelines will ensure that things continue to go well in the future.

Upcoming Writing Contests

Below are a few upcoming writing competitions. This is just a small sampling.

More upcoming contests can be found on: http://www.pw.org/grants. The database on the Poets and Writers website allows visitors to search by genre, submissions fees and other criteria.

Tampa Review - Danahy Fiction Prize

Deadline: November 30, 2014

Entry Fee: $20       

Website: http://www.ut.edu/tampareview

E-mail address: utpress@ut.edu

        

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tampa Review is given annually for a short story. The editors will judge. Submit a story of 500 to 5,000 words with a $20 entry fee, which includes a subscription to Tampa Review, by November 30. All entries are considered for publication. Send an SASE or visit the website for complete guidelines.

Prairie Schooner - Sillerman First Book Prize

 

Deadline: December 1, 2014

Website: http://africanpoetrybf.unl.edu

E-mail address: prairieschooner@unl.edu

        

Sponsored by the African Poetry Book Fund in partnership with Prairie Schooner, a prize of $1,000 and publication by University of Nebraska Press and Amalion Press in Senegal will be given annually for a debut poetry collection by a poet who was born in Africa, is an African national or resident, or whose parents are African. The African Poetry Book Fund editorial board will judge. Using the online submission system, submit a manuscript of at least 50 pages by December 1. There is no entry fee. Call, e-mail, or visit the website for complete guidelines.

 

Friends of American Writers - Literary Award

Deadline: December 10, 2014

Website: http://www.fawchicago.org/awards.php

        

A prize of up to $4,000 is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction published during the previous year by a writer who is a resident of the Midwest (or who previously resided in the Midwest for at least five years) or whose book features a Midwestern setting. The prize may be split if two winners are selected. Writers who have published up to three books are eligible. Authors or publishers may submit two copies of books published in 2014 and an author bio by December 10. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

 

Sarabande Books - Bernheim Writing Residency

Deadline: December 15, 2014

Website: http://www.sarabandebooks.org/residency       

E-mail address: info@sarabandebooks.org        

        

A two- to six-week residency at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky, will be given annually to a poet, a fiction writer, or a creative nonfiction writer. The resident will also receive a $500 stipend and lodging in a private cottage, and will be required to give one public reading or discussion during the residency. Submit a writing sample of 10 to 20 pages, a letter of intent, and a curriculum vitae by December 15. There is no application fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.

 

 

Coming soon to MCPL - Monrovia: "Writing Down the Bones"

The Monrovia branch has ordered Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones." While it is not a
new book on writing, it is an important one. Unlike many writing books, this one does not focus on technique. Rather the emphasis of this book is on motivation and inspiration.

Each chapter is only a few short pages. It is an easy book to read completely in one sitting. It is also structured in such a way that one chapter could be read a day for inspiration.

This book will be an excellent addition to the writing books currently available at the Monrovia branch. Please also remember that with your Evergreen card you can request books from any library in the Evergreen system.

New Release: The Indie Author Power Pack

Today the kindle version of "The Indie Author Power Pack" was released on Amazon. The bundle will be available for a limited time only. Below is information on the three books contained in this download:

WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT.: The No-Luck-Required Guide to Self-Publishing Success
- Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant

In 2013, Johnny B. Truant and Sean Platt published 1.5 million words and made their full-time livings as indie authors. In WRITE. PUBLISH. REPEAT., they tell you exactly how they did it: how they created over 15 independent franchises across 50+ published works, how they turned their art into a logical, sustainable business, and how any independent author can do the same to build a sustainable, profitable, future-proof career with their writing.

LET'S GET DIGITAL: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should
- David Gaughran

The internet has revolutionized every business it has come into contact with, and publishing is no different. These changes are handing power back to the writer. It's up to YOU if you want to profit from them. With practical, hands-on publishing advice; best practices on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing; and effective marketing strategies that won't eat into your writing time or budget. And that's just for starters...

HOW TO MARKET A BOOK
- Joanna Penn

Get to grips with marketing! Learn the values and marketing principles that will help your long-term career as a writer and encourage you to think more like an entrepreneur, while using short-term tactics to kick up immediate sales. Includes recommendations for branding, content marketing, social networking and working with the media. With methods to take you beyond the book into professional speaking, making money from other products and creating new opportunities.

Show more

 

Indy Word Lab

 The first Monday of the month Indy Reads Books sponsors a writers workshop known as the "Indy Word Lab." At each meeting the group spends 30-40 minutes writing a prompt provided at the meeting. The remainder of the time is spent in small groups discussing one another's work. Each meeting is facilitated by a local author.

 

The group meets from 7-9 p.m. at the bookstore, which is located at: 911 Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46202. Indy Reads Books is a non-profit bookstore that supports the mission of Indy Reads, an agency dedicated improving adult literacy in Indianapolis.

 

Writers of all ages and experience levels are welcome. It is a free event. However, you are asked to register in advance by visiting: http://www.meetup.com/IndyWordLab/

Indiana Writers Center

If you are located in the Indianapolis metro area the Indiana Writers Center is a wonderful local resource. They offer classes and workshops throughout the year on a variety of topics. The organization is wonderful about ensuring that there are offerings for writers of all skill levels

The Indiana Writers Center is located in north Broad Ripple in the Cultural Complex on the campus of the Indianapolis Art Center. Please note that they do not have regular hours. You will want to visit their website for a list of classes and other events: http://www.indianawriters.org.

NaNoWriMo Pitch-In Celebration

Last night was the first meeting for the NaNoWri group. So far we have writers that have set goals for between 50,000 and 100,000 words for the month of November. The other NaNoWriMo meetings will be held on October 30th, November 6th and November 13th.

In addition to the NaNoWriMo meetings we will also have a pitch-in to celebrate the end of NaNoWriMo on Sunday, November 30th at 3pm. The library closes at 5 p.m., so we will probably only meet for an hour or so to eat and discuss our progress. Please feel free to bring any food to share with the group. We will email out a sign-up sheet for food so that we are not duplicating efforts.

Please remember that our NaNoWriMo meeting are separate from our normal writers group meetings. We will still meet the third Thursday of the month (November 20th) as usual with submissions for that meeting being due one week before.

Butler Visiting Writers Series

On Tuesday, October 28th New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Franzen will be speaking at
Butler University's Clowes Memorial Hall.  Franzen has won the National Book Award for Fiction and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

The talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

For more information about the series, please visit: http://news.butler.edu/blog/2014/09/vws-fall-14/

Ready for NaNoWriMo?

For the last 15 years November has been the official month for NaNoWriMo - aka National Novel Writing Month. Writers are challenged to write 50,000 words between November 1st and midnight on November 31st. Writers can make outlines and otherwise plan their novel, but no writing is supposed to take place before November 1st. Writers can sign up on NaNoWriMo's website and track their progress.

While writers are always welcome to visit the library and write, we would like to extend a special welcome for the month of November. As always, please feel free to stop by any time during our open hours. There is a study room, a community room, several tables and study carrels. The library has free WIFI. Those without a computer can use any library computer by signing in with their library card.

On October 23rd, October 30th, November 6th and November 13th the group will be meeting in the community room from  6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Please feel free to come as often (or little!) as you like during the month of November. These will not be formal meetings, but rather just a time for those participating to gather and discuss their progress. One of our group members has generously offered to share her NaNoWriMo kit with the group

On November 20th the Writers Group will meet as usual from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. As usual, we will go over submissions and discuss one another's works. We will spend our remaining time discussing how to structure a novel. Please remember that submissions will be due one week before the meeting, which is November 13th. Please see the submissions page in the navigation bar for more information on submitting work for our meeting

Website: http://nanowrimo.org/

Upcoming Indiana Conferences

Below you will find some information on two major writing conferences that take place in Indiana each year:

Indiana University Writers' Conference

IU will host their annual writers' conference May 30- June 5, 2015 in Bloomington, Indiana. The website is currently be revamped and more information will be added later. The website has links to the official facebook page and twitter account for the conference.

Website: http://www.indiana.edu/~writecon/
E-mail: writecon@indiana.edu

Midwest Writers Workshop

The 42nd annual Midwest Writers Workshop will be held July 23-25, 2015 in Muncie, Indiana. Registration will open in February. Last year's workshop had over 35 instructional classes regarding fiction, non-fiction, marketing and publishing.

Website:http://www.midwestwriters.org/
E-mail: http://www.midwestwriters.org/contact/
Phone: (765) 282-1055
  

Indy Author Fair

Next weekend the Indy Author Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Central Library. The library is located at 40 East St. Clair Street Indianapolis, IN. The event is free to the public.

Below is a schedule of events:

10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Overview of Publishing: Have Yourself a Fling with Writing or Make It a Lifelong Career – Clowes Auditorium
Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Nancy Baxter.
 
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Meet the Authors – Clowes Auditorium
Sit down with the winners and finalists of the 2014 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award as they discuss their writing and connections to Indiana. Book sales and signings will follow.
Featuring Michael Shelden, Norbert Krapf, Jessica Brockmole, Clifford Garstang and Kelsey Timmerman

12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Indy Author Fair: Meet Hoosier Authors – Simon Reading Room
Network with more than 40 up-and-coming Indiana authors, who offer a wide variety of writing styles and genres. Book sales and signings will be available. Click here for a list of participating authors.
 
12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Calling All Young Authors! – Learning Curve Arena
A writing workshop for ages 8 and up. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Barbara Shoup.

1:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Get Started! – Knall Room
Have you been thinking about writing for a long time and just not doing it? Do you wonder how to connect with other writers in the Indianapolis area? “Get Started” offers writing exercises and lively conversation about writing and the writing life that’s guaranteed to jump start the process of becoming the writer you want to be. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Kip Robisch. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Writing and Publishing for Children – Clowes Auditorium
This session will offer an overview of writing and publishing for young people, from picture books through YA. You will learn practical advice about how to make time for writing, how to evaluate manuscripts, how to submit manuscripts and where to go for information about current books, publishers and organizations for children’s book writers. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring John David Anderson, Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Barbara Shoup. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Books – Goodrich-Houk Room
This session will offer an overview of how to publish a nonfiction book, including tips on how to organize your material, how to write a book proposal, and how to find the right publisher for the book you want to write. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Nancy Baxter and Douglas Wissing. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Blogging for Writers – Learning Curve Arena
Blogs are an effective and important tool for writers. This session will cover the fundamentals of blogging. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and Sarah Layden. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Get Started! – Knall Room
Have you been thinking about writing for a long time and just not doing it? Do you wonder how to connect with other writers in the Indianapolis area? “Get Started” offers writing exercises and lively conversation about writing and the writing life that’s guaranteed to jump start the process of becoming the writer you want to be. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Kip Robisch. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Writing and Marketing Genre Fiction – Clowes Auditorium
This session will be invaluable to those who hope to write speculative fiction (science fiction, horror, fantasy), Westerns and/or mysteries. You’ll gain inside knowledge about how to break into these markets and tips for catching an editor’s eye. You’ll also learn how to write a query letter, synopsis and pitch, which will give your book its best shot at publication. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Maurice Broaddus, Tony Perona, and Larry Sweazy. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Writing and Publishing Humor – Goodrich-Houk Room
In this session, participants will learn the formula for writing humor, techniques professionals use for “writing funny” and how to find a market for the kind of humor they write. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Erik Deckers. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Writing About Your Life – Learning Curve Arena
Sometimes our lives scream and sometimes they whisper – and most of the time they are imperfect. But they are always rich with stories that define and validate us and bring insight and resolution in the telling. The Quakers have a saying, “Let your life speak.” This session will help you find the voice to tell your own stories and provide strategies for getting them down on the page. Presented by the Indiana Writers Center and featuring Darolyn (Lyn) Jones. Registration required; call (317) 275-4119.

Fall Foliage Festival Poetry Winners

The Morgan County Public Library and the Martinsville Arts Council have announced the winners of the Fall Foliage Festival Poetry Contest.

Elementary 1st Place: Jill Ramsey
Middle School 1st Place: Becca Clark
High School 1st Place: Carmen Paul

Adult 1st Place: Beverly Rossell
Adult 2nd Place: Penny Franey
Adult 3rd Place: Michael Weaver

Meeting Dates & Flyer

Most months we will meet the third Thursday of the month from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Please double check this page for exact dates as that might vary a bit from time to time. Our upcoming meeting dates and topics are as follows:

October 16, 2014 - Showing v. Telling

November 20, 2014 - Structuring Your Novel

December 18, 2014 - Social Media Promotion for Writers

Please feel free to share our flyer. Click here for PDF copy that you can print and distribute.

Submit Your Contact Information!

For those who are planning on attending a future meeting, please shoot me a quick email at monroviawriters@gmail.com with your

name, phone number and email address. That will ensure that you are on our email distribution list. We already have one submission for the October 16th meeting and I would like to be able to pass it (and any other submissions that come in) along to as many members as possible in advance of the meeting. If you are not sure if you will make it, that's fine! You have no obligation to attend but I would like to make sure everyone is prepared in case they do attend. :)

If you have a submission, feel free to send that along as well! Submissions are always due by email the second Thursday of the month. At this time we are not limiting the quantity of work submitted, but if your work is very long or if we have multiple submissions we may hold a piece for the following meeting.

Don't forget that Thursday, October 16th is our first meeting. We will start on time at 6 p.m. and go until 8 p.m. In addition to discussing submissions we will talk about the "showing v. telling" in writing. Bring something to write with (pen/paper or electronic device) and we will see you then!

Welcome!

The Monrovia branch of the Morgan County Public Library is re-launching its writers group. The new program will meet the third Thursday of every month from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. in the community room. The group will now be facilitated by Kelly.

Writers of all ages and experience levels are welcome. All genres are welcome as well.

The specific activities we host during meetings will vary depending upon the composition of the individuals who join the group. At this time we are planning on having the first hour be dedicated to review and discussion of each other's works (distributed in advance). The second hour will be dedicated to general discussion and questions regarding writing and a pre-planned lesson on a topic relating to writing. If time remains we will do writing exercises, so please be sure to bring paper/pen or an electronic device. As group membership grows we will incorporate guest speakers.

Attendees will not be required to share their work. However, if you wish for the group to read, edit and discuss you work it will need to be submitted one week before the meeting via email. You can submit your writing in word format by sending an email to: monroviawriters@gmail.com no later that the second Thursday of the month (i.e. one week before our meeting).

At this time we are not strictly limiting the quantity of writing that can be submitted, but if your work is more than 10 pages you may wish to submit a portion of it at a time (e.g. 10 pages for one meeting and the next 10 pages for the next meeting, etc.).