It is time again for the membership to discuss future meeting programs. The board discusses them, but ideas really need to be considered by everyone. The following are some suggestions that I came up with. Hopefully many of you will look at the ideas, mull them over, and then talk about them at an upcoming meeting. Come up with ideas of your own. This group is for YOU. Your opinions and needs count.
Program Suggestions (based on Starla’s writing classes)
- Basics: Formatting, word count, pre-writing strategies, preparing to write (where, when, what), project organization
- Basic Development: title, ideas, character profile, names, settings, brainstorming
- Digging Deeper: GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict), plotting basics, scenes, turning points, subplots
- Beginning to Write: dialogue, internalization, narration, POV (Point of View), hooks
- The Middle: sagging middles, review structuring
- Drafts: goals of first, second, third and final drafts
- Editing: from plot to characters, punctuation, names, numbers
- Finalizing: blurb, synopsis, proposal, query letters, pitch
- Publishing: contracts, traditional publishers, small presses, subsidy presses, vanity presses, self-publishing options
- Marketing: websites/blogs, social media, author bio, Amazon author page, media kit, press kit, speaking engagements
Other Suggestions
- Conferences: discussion of various types and the pros and cons
- Contests: discussion of types and value to the writer
- Marketing Ideas: selling in book festivals, local venues (museums, etc.), book signings, libraries
- Useful websites: discussion on sites used by members such as Grammarly, ProWritingAid.com, etc.
- Writing Program Tips: mini workshops on using Word tips, Excel spreadsheets tips
- Self-Publishing Tips: steps to prepare for submission to publisher (like IngramSpark or KDP/CreateSpace)
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