Hello, fellow members and guests. The meeting schedules are included below. I would appreciate some input from the critique members on subjects they would like to cover in upcoming workshops.
Florida Writer’s Association Manatee
Critique group, bring six to eight copies of up to ten pages Double-spaced
First & third Thursdays, at 6:30 pm, December 6th, 2012 and December 20th, 2012
The third Thursday we generally do something a little more advanced, but beginners will benefit from it as well. We study a style concept each month and then bring work relevant to the concept to that meeting for discussion, followed by a general critique meeting. All other meetings are critiques.
First & Third Saturdays, at 4 pm, December 1st, 2012, and December 15th, 2012
For new attendees, you may bring up to ten pages, double-spaced 12 font of your work. Please have a minimum of 6 copies for Saturday meetings and 8 copies for Thursday meetings.
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I am going to attempt to keep you all apprised of the other local writing groups, events, conferences, workshops, and contests. Now onto the writing news from around the region……
Of Writing Interest
GATORS AND GLADES
A Gathering Places for Florida Writers
On January 1, 2012, a new resource and reference for Florida writers debuted entitled
Gators and Glades. This blog celebrates creative writer’s living, working or writing about the great state of Florida. The blog is in beta test now; readers are able to access and read the blog immediately. We encourage your recommendations and ideas while we are in beta.
Gators and Glades publishes new writing related articles every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Tweets are added daily.
We invite individual writers and group leaders to contact us with news, features, events and other information of value to the Florida writing community.
Writers — if you are about to release a title, have a magazine article or other publishing news, please share with a short posting (under 400 words) with the key information on who, what, when, where and how. We cannot guarantee every submission will be posted, but we will try.
Florida Publications — if you are seeking submissions for fiction, non-fiction, and/or poetry, let us know. If you have writing guidelines, we’ll link them or offer as PDFs.
Reader comments are always welcome.
Guest writers are encouraged to submit their own blog entries to broaden interest in creative writing, share insights, knowledge and references.
The site offers several resources, such as Community Chatter, Events, Florida Writer’s Group Directory, Links & Blogs and other resources.
A Twitter feed brings a wide spectrum of tweets and retweets on writing, publishing and other content of interest to writers.
Visit www.GatorsAndGlades.wordpress.com to visit the blog.
Follow @GatorsAndGlades on Twitter to connect to our tweets.
Find us on Facebook at Gators and Glades Writers Group .
Email us at GatorsAndGlades@gmail.com .
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Leodegraunce (http://www.leodegraunce.com), founded in 2010, is a site for quality flash fiction funded entirely by its owner, author, and editor, Jolie du Pre. Every author is paid for their work. Jolie also has an associate editor on staff who she pays once a month. Jolie is hoping to keep Leodegraunce online for 2013. All donations are greatly appreciated to keep Jolie’s labor of love up and running for 2013!
Other Local Writing Groups:
Local area critique groups and meetings
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
An online writing blog for Sarasota and Manatee Writers includes all the vast resources available to local writers. The web address is:
http://bradentonwriters.blogspot.com/
I hope you check it out and find it useful. If you know of any other resources please feel free to add them or forward the information to me and I will add them.
There is a similar blog for Pinellas and Hillsborough writing events at:
http://www.marylouihess.com/enews.html
Ask The Author
Dona Lee co-hosts “Ask the Author,” a radio show airing the THIRD Friday of every month on WWPR 1490 am between 5 and 6 p.m. Please join our discussion on WWPR. Listen in, call in, and Ask The Author. If you know any local book clubs or discussion groups, please let them know about this new exciting program.
Florida Writers Assoc., Sarasota Branch
FWA-Sarasota Chapter
Coordinator: George Mindling
FWA Sarasota meets two evenings each month: on the FIRST and THIRD Wednesday. The training room of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department is located at the corner of US41 and Pavonia Road. Pavonia Road is the street that has the flashing emergency lights on US 41 south of Matthews-Currie Ford. Pavonia is about a quarter mile south of Albee Road.
The FIRST meeting of the month, December 5th, 2012 is dedicated to subgroups of various genres. The members of each subgroup bring stories, poems, articles, or novel chapters for reading and critiquing. The SECOND meeting of the month, December 19th, is the general meeting. A few members read to the entire group and then receive comments and suggestions from the group. The rest of the general meeting is dedicated to questions, discussions, progress reports, and general information about writing, publishing and marketing.
A half hour of socializing is encouraged for attendees arriving at 6:00. The regular meetings begin promptly at 6:30 and last until about 9:00. Come join us on the FIRST and/or THIRD Wednesday of every month.
They just changed group leaders. The new leader is George Mindling. He can be contacted at: myakka@embarqmail.com .
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FICTION WRITER’S FORUM
Critique group
7pm Second Thursday of the month, December 13th, 2012
Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall
7pm Fourth Thursday of the month, December 27th, 2012
Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall
Bring ten to fifteen copies of up to ten pages of your fiction.
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Sarasota Fiction Writers
No meeting this month.
Members are invited to their Christmas Party on December 2nd.
Sarasota Fiction Writers Critique Meeting
7:00 pm, Wednesday Decemver 19th, 2012
Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall
Bring 5 pages of work to read,
At least ten copies, double-spaced, 12 font.
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Screen Writer’s Circle
Time and location are being changed. The moderator is Laurie Stoner. As soon as we know, we will disseminate the information. For more information and to join the notification list or to join, contact Laurie Stoner at Laurissas@msn.com
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Sarasota Authors Connection
The Sarasota Authors Connection has no meeting this month. Please join them at the Christmas Party. All writers are welcome. No children please.
Sarasota Author Connection Annual Club Christmas Party
Sunday, Dec. 9, 4 to 9 PM.
Matrix Horse Farm
32159 Claygulley Rd. Myakka City, Fl.
All writers are welcome, just bring a covered dish, BYOB,
and wear comfortable shoes.
Adult Party. Susan Klaus -furryklaus@aol.com
If you are an author or soon to be author, and would like to join Sarasota Authors Connection and receive the monthly newsletter, please email the club secretary, Paula Counce at jcounce@comcast.net and submit your name, phone and email address. There are no dues.
The Authors Connection Radio Show
The Authors Connection Radio Show is a one-hour, web radio show and can be heard every Tuesday from 11 AM to 12 PM and repeats on Thursdays from 9 to 10 AM on Radioearnetwork.com. The show consists of interviews with local authors as well as bestselling authors such as Michael Connolly, Tom Corcoran, David Hagberg, Tim Dorsey and others. If you have a book and would like to be interviewed, please contact Susan Klaus, the show director at furryklaus@aol.com
We are pleased to announce that Radio Ear Network now has a listening audience of 10 million in 148 countries worldwide.
Due to the closing of Circle Books, the Authors Connection is now being taped at the Coffee Loft, 5025 N. Taimiami Trail, a few blocks south of the Ringling Museum on US 41 Circle on the second Wed. of the month.
Author Connection Radio Show upcoming guests:
Interviews from The International Miami Book Fair
Dec. 4– Sharon Potts & James Grippando, N.Y. Times Bestseller
Dec. 11- Jean Zimmerman & Adam Johnson
Dec. 18 –Michael Sledge & Debra Dean, N.Y. Times Bestseller
Dec. 25 –Antoine Wilson & Brian Smith
For those writers to our south….
New Writing Group
Peace River Writers
Group Leader: Douglas Houck
Type: Critique and Discussion
Meets: First Saturday of every Month at 9:00 am
Location: Morales Cuban Cafe
321 Taylor Street
Punta Gorda, Florida 33950
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Contests
TV ME! WRITERS & CREATIVES
Sarasota, FL –The Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office (SCFEO) will be closing the call for entries for the 2013 TV ME! Contest – the nationwide innovative writers’ competition seeking fresh, creative content ideas for television programming – in just 8 weeks! Entries may be submitted now through November 30, 2012. Submission instructions and prize information are available online at www.TVMEcontest.com.
Conferences
Florida Writers Conference
The Magic of the Pen
Was held October 19th through the 21st in Orlando. They are already gearing up for next year’s conference. I am posting the list of the Royal Palm Winner’s which includes our newest Bradenton member. Maria Hammerblad Sadowski won TWO top awards. Her unpublished screenplay, Kidnapped, won First Place and then she won the new Dahris Clair Memorial Award for best screenplay as well.
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Events/Classes/Seminars
Please advise any of your friends who have completed their manuscripts that this class is available and learning the skills to self-publish will save them thousands of dollars and they will earn far more than subsidies offer.
You can register for the classes at www.scf.edu
Marketing Options:
• For writers who have already published their books there are a few local marketing options you should consider.
• The first is Susan Klaus’ radio show, “The Author’s Connection”. “The Authors Connection” Radio Show is a one-hour, web radio show and can be heard every Tuesday from 11 AM to 12 PM and repeats on Thursdays from 9 to 10 AM on Radioearnetwork.com. The show consists of interviews with local authors as well as best-selling authors such as Michael Connolly, Tom Corcoran, David Hagberg, Tim Dorsey and others. If you have a book and would like to be interviewed, please contact Susan Klaus, the show director at furryklaus@aol.com
They are pleased to announce that Radio Ear Network now has a listening audience of 10 million in 142 countries worldwide.
Due to the closing of Circle Books, the Authors Connection is now being taped at the Coffee Loft, 5025 N. Taimiami Trail, a few blocks south of the Ringling Museum on US 41 Circle on the second Wed. of the month.
And then there is local author and publisher E. P. “Ned” Burke is hosting a Web site, Sarasota Authors Showcase, Sarasota.Authors.Showcase@gmail.com , on which local authors can post info about their books. The service is free. Send bio information along with the title of your book (s) and the book’s URL sales page address on Amazon.com or another location to authorepburke@gmail.com.
Burke also invites submissions and free subscriptions to his online magazines: www.theperspiringwriter.comand www.yesterdaysmagazette.com. See guidelines on site.
Self-Promotion Page
My writing is heating up. In addition to the feature article in this month’s Scene magazine, “Realize Bradenton, The Adventure Begins,” I also have weekly features in “Around the Town” in the Venice Sun.
I am rocking the airwaves as well. I previously mentioned my monthly WWPR 1490 “Ask the Author” show. In August we spoke with Lisa Unger about her most recent best-seller, HeartBroken, and her career in general. In September our guest was Sonia Pressman Fuentes, one of the founding members of NOW. She discussed her book, Eat First—You don’t know what they’ll give you. In October we interviewed Judith Rock. Berkley just released the third in the Charles De Luc series, historical novels that take place centuries ago in Paris. November 16th,we spoke with Bill Carrigan, an author who has made the Editor’s desk at Harper Collin’s Authonomy division. Listen in each month on the third Friday between 5 and 6 pm and call in during the show with any relevant questions. 941 745-1490.
Then I host a weekly show on Radioearnetwork every Thursday at 2pm called Culture Coast. I interview musicians and artists on alternating weeks. Check it out online at Radioearnetwork.com, 2 pm on Thursday. Help my numbers shoot up by listening in while you learn about local musicians and artists talent and their exhibitions and appearences in our area.
At the book gallery, Village Voices, we are celebrating An Olde Fashioned Village Christmas, complete with roving carolers and barbershop quartets from the Magic of Manatee Sweet Adelines. Grab a cup of hot chocolate, some Christmas cookies, and some unique gifts for the oersons who already have everything. Please come join us for the celebration on Decber 7th from 6 until 9.
And I can’t forget to promote the book we worked so tirelessly on. If you have finished or are close to finishing your manuscript, it would behoove you to buy a copy of my book, Published! A Complete Guide to Nontraditional Publishing.
The book helps every writer decide whether to follow the path to traditional publishing, use a subsidy, or self-publish, and if the decision is subsidy or self-publishing, how to choose the best option for your manuscript. It includes sections on editing, formatting, and marketing as well.
With this research under my belt, I have been selected to teach Publishing 101 at State College starting in October. If you are interested in taking the course, please sign up online. More information is in the section on Classes. If you know any other writers contemplating self or subsidy publishing, please tell them about the class, it is designed to save them money. Lots of money. For more information on any of the above feel free to contact me at DGould497@aol.com .
That’s it for this month!
“Writers Helping Writers”
