Newsletter February 2006 Newsletter: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD Newsletter serving writers of the Coachella Valley FEB. 2006 IN THIS ISSUE 2006 SCHEDULE 2 JUST ASK 2 WRITING EVENTS 2 MEMBER PROFILE 3 SPEAKER REVIEW 3 INCORPORATION MOVES ON 4 THE CROWS NEST 5 A GREAT LOSS 5 SPEAK OUT 6 SHORT STORY CONTEST entries are being accepted! $500 1ST Prize $250 2nd Prize $100 3rd Prize * * * MEETING TIME: • Sunday: Feb. 5th 1:00 to 3:00 pm (to accommodate SUPER BOWL FANS we did a time change for this meeting) PALM DESERT LIBRARY Community Room 73300 Fred Waring Dr. Palm Desert, CA LARRY WILDE FEBRUARY 5th SPEAKER HUMORIST Larry, director of the Carmel Institute of Humor, is author of 53 books with sales over 12 million copies. He has appeared in clubs and concerts with such stars as Ann Margaret, Diana Ross and Debbie Reynolds, and his long list of television shows, films and commercials include the Tonight Show, Today on NBC and several appearances on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Wilde's two books on the craft of comedy, GREAT COMEDIANS TALK ABOUT COMEDY and HOW THE GREAT COMEDY WRITERS CREATE LAUGHTER are considered definitive works on the subject. The original tapes of his celebrity interviews are housed in the Library of Congress as part of the LARRY WILDE COLLECTION. His newest book is titled WHEN YOU'RE UP TO YOUR EYEBALLS IN ALLIGATORS. * * * NEW LOCATION Don't forget, our meeting location has been changed back to the Palm Desert Library. Meeting time remains the same, 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Except for February 5th time is 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Although meetings are free, please support the Palm Springs Writers Guild of Coachella Valley with your membership - it is now PSWG renewal time. SHORT STORY CONTEST The contest is open to all writers. 3000 words maximum. More than one submission is allowed, but each must include an entry form. First prize: $500, second prize $250, third prize $100. Get those story juices flowing. Criblets can help. CRIBLETS EVENT The first ‘06 writing event will be held February 25th (Saturday 2 - 4 pm.) Bill Clark will present CRIBLETS, a visual and talk on story, character and dialogue development, at the Cathedral City Library. 760-861-9157 or ScrnScript@aol.com 2006 SCHEDULE MARK YOUR CALENDAR •FEBRUARY 5 - SPEAKER When You're Up To Your Eyeballs In Alligators. How to use your sense of humor for unlimited success, better health and staying sane when the world gets a little crazy. LARRY WILDE, author of 53 books with sales of over 12 million copies. P/D.Library, 1-3 pm •FEBRUARY 25 - EVENT Criblets: A writer event that will help to bring variety and color into story plot, character and dialogue developement. Visuals and how-to talk with BILL CLARK, author and playwright. C.C. Library, 2-4 pm •MARCH 5 - SPEAKER Techniques That Will make You A More successful Writer. TOM SAWYER, head writer / producer/ showrunner of the hit series, MURDER SHE WROTE. P.D. Library, 2 - 4 pm. •MARCH 25 - EVENT Newsletter, Website and Publicity Workshop. •APRIL 2 - SPEAKER Award-winning poet, author and Poetry Editor of The Desert Woman, DESSA REED, will introduce Poetry Month NOTE: Watch for change of location for this meeting. •APRIL 22 - EVENT A how-to playwright/screenwright session with BILL CLARK and BOB HURLBERT. Dialogue vs action in stage and screen illusions. Time and location to be announced. •MAY 7 - SPEAKER Turning Authors Into Success Stories. PENNY SANSEVIERI of Marketing Experts, Inc. How to promote yourself and your book in today's market. P.D. Library, 2 - 4 pm. •MAY 20 - EVENT How to set up and conduct a critique group. FRAN KAPLAN. Time and location to be announced. •JUNE 4 - INSTALLATION New PSWG OFFICERS will be introduced. Ice Cream Social. P.D. Library, 2 - 4 pm. NOTE: watch for announcements of other events. JUST ASK ... Q & A's by Staff Have we a member who would like to do this fun Q & A column of writer interest on a regular bases? We, as writers, are always in search of little bits of information. Telephone Bill if you are interested: 760-861-9157 Q How does reconnaissance relate to story writing? A. I like Christopher Vogler's answer in his book THE WRITER'S JOURNEY. ... A villain surveys a territory, seeking information about a subject, person or location in a conspicuous manner, alerting the reader/audience to something afoot - thus, reconnaissance can be a supportive way to begin a page turning story plot. Q. Do all stories need to have violence? A. Violence has a bad connotation. When violence is placed on a sliding scale from a simple frown to a holocaust the answer is yes. Nothing in a story should be free of a disturbing conflict of some degree. Q. Where was the first California State Capital located? A. Send your answer to PSnewsletter@aol.com and receive a SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH reward. LAST MONTH ANSWER (No winner) The U.S. President that never went to school until he was fourteen was none other than Franklin D. Roosevelt. BOOK REVIEW The writer's Guide to CHARACTER TRAITS by Linda N. Edelstein, is a must for a writers bookshelf. It explores a range of personality types from soccer mom to serial killers. The book contains 400 easy-to-references designed to meet the needs of writers in all genres. The book includes traits of people in careers, basic family types, body language, words used by men to describe women and words used by women to describe men and much more. For more information: www.writersdigest.com OUR FOUNDER: Shirley Hammer A Mary Barrer Profile Shirley Hammer is the Surviving Guild Founding Member - one of the original nucleus of men and women who created the Palm Springs Writers Guild, offers a wealth of information on its interesting history. Although there were many twists and turns in the road to success for our organization, it has survived and has been an inspiration to many Valley writers. Shirley credits the concept for the Guild to Rex Nivens, an L.A. Times reporter living here. During the early years the Guild membership was limited to 24. Although small in number, Shirley as program Chair, attracted such illustrious literary giants as Harold Robbins as a speaker, and actor Kirk Douglas. Helen Rose found support in writing the biography of Judy Garland. A gentleman named Don Begillico prepared the first Guild bylaws. Buddy Kaye served many years in various roles with the Guild. Our annual award for outstanding service honors him. Shirley explains that in the eighties Palm Springs' small town atmosphere made it easy to see news article of organizations in print as the Sun welcomed stories by Guild members. The two novels that Shirley has completed have been circulated to a handful of agents and publishers. She is hopeful that they will be accepted in the near future. In addition to her writing and social activities, Shirley maintains a home based business which she took over when her husband passed away after fifty years of marriage. The Guild salutes this enthusiastic founding member and appreciates the wealth of historic information she has at her fingertips. Perhaps in the future this will be recorded for all to enjoy. SPEAKER REVIEW Joanne Hardy Guild members were both charmed and informed by Kimberley Cameron who came to us from The Reese-Halsey Literary Agency North in Tiburon, California. Ms. Cameron demonstrated what the old maxim imperative, "Stand and Deliver," means. For over an hour she addressed issues serious writers confront. Then she took questions running the gamut from setting down one's personal life story for grandchildren to the advantages of accepting a modest advance for a first book. She said she likes to get in her special chair and go through the 500 plus submissions she receives each week, always hoping, as she reads, to find that "new voice." "You need something that makes you feel you are struck by lightning. Most are lukewarm. They are just not ready. I cannot sell a mediocre book." She was both positive and realistic when she said, "You need to realize that rejection is part of a writer's life. All great writers have received rejection. It sometimes seems it is impossible to get published, but it is not. It requires persistence. There are many agents." Writers often feel they are writing blind for an unknown criteria. She advised "Write from your heart. Great writers are passionate and their passion fires the story." "A good story is multi-layered, that is, it travels on more than one level. It is thought provoking. It makes a reader see himself in relation to the story and assess his own life. It should be visual; have a cinematic quality. The first page carries the interest and makes the reader wonder what will be happening on page 20. Often a book starts clear enough and then falls into a muddle. Do the work it takes to get your book ready." Prospective authors always want to know how to write a successful query letter. "Remember it is just a presentation of you and your work. In addition to a concise paragraph on the essence of your story, the agent would be interested in how you selected them to represent your work. They would be impressed if you seem to have done your homework – researched the agents' recent titles. It is also helpful in the query to identify the genre in which your story would most likely fit. The perfect query letter is one page, but it can be two. Sum up who you are, provide a brief summary of the story, and state if you are published." If proposing to do a non-fiction work, she said, state why you are qualified to write on the topic. Although there is nothing new, in considering non-fiction, a fresh approach is essential. A proven track record helps. A platform means marketability. Is there a reader audience for the subject of your work? Never be rude or less than professional in your query. Often a good one sentence pitch in the query is material for the book jacket. She recommended sending the first ten pages. "A query doesn't always do what a manuscript does." A synopsis should be one page. It does help to get a quote from an important person. In marketing either fiction or non-fiction, "recycle." Keep sending out your work. There are many agents. If you have written a non-fiction book, it is appropriate to mention that in your credits when marketing a work of fiction. Regarding traditional publishing versus self-publishing, she said, "There is a kind of vindication in being accepted by an agent and later, an editor. In addition, with self-publishing you don't have a distribution engine." An advance is a payment against future earnings. She suggests that a modest advance is preferable to maintain your reputation as an author who recoups the advance in book sales. The agent gets fifteen percent of everything you sell. Ms. Cameron contracts from eight to ten books a year. The right action for writers, she said, includes heart, self-discipline and persistence. Kimberley Cameron can be reached at info@reecehalseynorth.com or www.reesekimberley.com or (415) 789-9177 Incorporation Moves Along Carol Mann The Palm Springs Writers Guild was formed as an informal writers' club. Its purpose was to provide fellowship and further the craft of the members. It gained structure with the writing of by-laws and the formation of a board. Membership was small and dues were nominal. It met in members' homes and then in facilities such as libraries, senior centers, synagogues, and churches in and around Palm Springs. In 2002 Guild members took the then president to court for attempting to steal the organization for private purposes. To disassociate from the situation, the Guild changed its name to the Original Palm Springs Writers Guild. Membership began to grow again with the organization's commitment to consistently offer educational programs at the general meetings and special event seminars. In 2005 the Board made the decision that the Guild was of sufficient size to incorporate as a non-profit organization and apply for tax exempt status to continue its primary purpose: furthering the quality of the craft of Coachella Valley writers through educational programs, seminars, workshops, and critique groups. 1.) To bring writers of the Coachella Valley together to support each other in their efforts as authors, poets, playwrights, and screenwriters. 2.) To provide opportunities for member writers to improve in their craft through participation in a Guild Critique Group. Presently, the Guild offers such groups where writers work on a written piece of their own, receiving input from 5 to 7 other critique group members. 3.) To provide speakers at the monthly general meetings who share their expertise in the craft to help educate attendees toward improvement in their writing. 4.) To provide workshops or all day seminars conducted by experts in the field to help educate attendees toward better writing. 5.) To conduct an annual writing contest for writers that rewards the winners for the hard work in creating, writing, and polishing a quality short story. 6.) To encourage members to submit their written work for publication. 7.) To build a writer's confidence and skill through education and participation. 8.) To provide a monthly newsletter focusing on education and communication among members. A GREAT LOSS FORMER GUILD MEMBER Those of us who remember Senator Jack Gordon as a former member of PSWG, along with his wife Myra MacPherson, know what a great loss it is to Coachella Valley, and the Country as well. He and Myra had just moved back to the Valley and into their new home when the terrible accident happened. After leaving the state senate in 1992, he founded the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship Studies at Florida International University, became a select member of Rosalyn Carter's Mental Health Task Force, worked with the most prestigious international organization on death and dying--IWG--the International Work Group and served as president of the Hospice Foundation of America, which is a leading advocate for better end-of-life care. Myra was a Washington journalist, and is the author of She Came To Live Out Loud, "- a powerful educational tool for a difficult subject," Former first Lady Rosalyn Carter. Grahame Smith, former PSWG President, represented the Palm Springs Writers Guild at Senator Gordon's local remembrance held at the Desert Falls Country Club. He gave personal condolences to Myra on her loss. NOTE: Grahame has now finished his chemo treatments and is on the recovery road. It has taken a severe physical toll on him, and he apologizes for his inability to attend the Sunday meeting at Temple Isaiah, but looks forward to attending future meetings. HELP WANTED Your PSWG GUILD GRAM is in need of someone to serve as a GUILD GRAM REPORTER. This could be a fun experience and big help to our publication's success. It requires contacting members and ferreting out interesting and education material for our monthly newsletter. The position can be as a writer, or encourager of other writers to come forth with material. The Guild Gram is only as good as its contents. Content is from member participation. The Crow's Nest By: Dodie Cross Hello! Here's a real "Crow" for everyone from Kathryn Jordan: "Dear Friends: It's in the book stores! Tell and e-mail your friends. And if you happen to be in a book store, could you ask to make sure they have HOT WATER? (Help keep them on their toes). "Please check my web site and join me at a Hot Water event. www.kathrynjordan.com or www.hotwaterthenovel.com. Spa resorts, what fun! La Costa will be terrific, Feb. 23. I'll be speaking in a garden area by the pool, the audience will be wearing spa robes, and so will I! "It looks like I'll be signing books at the Aladdin and Paris Hotel Spas in Las Vegas, Feb. 17-18th. Thanks for all your support. Best wishes for a New Year filled with peace and joy (and a little Hot Water for fun)." Kathryn Jordan, Author of HOT WATER a Novel. Berkeley, a Division of Penguin, N.Y. 41-021 Yucca Lane, Bermuda Dunes, CA 92203 (760) 345-0569 katejor@earthlink.net Marci Stillerman, our prolific writer and Guild member, is crowing about winning a contest and publication in an anthology: "I won runner-up for 1st prize in Jane's Story, a short story contest, entitled "Swimming Lessons" which will be published in their anthology: WOMEN WRITING ACROSS BORDERS coming out in April. "JANE'S STORY" is a literary journal. WOMEN WRITING ACROSS BORDERS is the theme of their current short story contest. It's their third anthology and consists of the work of contemporary women writers. It will be sold at bookstores and on Amazon. "SWIMMING LESSONS" will be in that anthology, as well as on their web site." A special thanks to Kurt Sipolski, and the others who helped with the last minute venue change of the January meeting. - PSWG Board SPEAK OUT Something to share with members? Let's hear about it. E-mail: PSnewsletter@aol.com NOTE: this came too late for last month, but thought it of interest to members. Hi, I hope you don't mind my emailing you direct but I discovered your group website whilst doing some research and I very much hope you will be interested in this new project for TLC channel. I work for an English TV company, we've been commissioned (as producers of Mr Bean and the movie ‘Billy Elliot') to produce a brand new series about people's funny and the embarrassing moments – and we are coming to film in Palm Springs in mid-January 2006!!! We would love to hear from anyone in your group who has an embarrassing moment / funny story to tell. We want people on the show who can relate a story well, who are animated and fun. We do have a link below for our website and the show. It is a 10 part series and will be broadcast next summer. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to hearing from you very soon. All the very best, and here are the contact details: Telephone Hotline: 240 223 3450 And casting call through TLC: http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/apply/getontlc.html AND OUR DIRECT SITE: http://www.tigeraspect.co.uk/casting/blunders With warm wishes, Louise Curran, Researcher www.tigeraspect.co.uk Ultimate Blunders Tiger Aspect Productions 77 Oxford Street London W1D 3DQ LATEST TIGER ASPECT PRODUCTIONS ******************************* THIS IS GENIUS: A new comedy series where historian, poet, psycho-geographer & drunk Colin Benchley explores London's pubs and off-licenses in a quest to find the real Sherlock Holmes. Tues @ 22:00 on BBC4. SEASIDE PARISH: Whilst the villagers of the North Cornish fishing harbour of Boscastle are struggling to return to normality after the devastation of last year's floods, there are rumours that the Vicar, the Revd. Chris Musser, is thinking of quitting - her boss Bishop Bill is worried. Starts Weds 4th Jan @ 19:00 on BBC2. DIET DOCTORS: Dr Wendy Denning & nutrionist Vicki Edgson aim to heal people from the inside out, using diet & exercise alone. The results could be truly life changing. Starts Thurs 5th Jan @ 20:00 on FIVE. PAUL McKENNA: I CAN MAKE YOU THIN. Follow Paul as he uses his amazing mind techniques to help people lose weight. Starts Mon 9th Jan @ 21:00 on Sky1. CHARLIE & LOLA: Don't miss our new Children's Cartoon based on the award-winning books by Lauren Child. "Charlie & Lola" is charming & imaginative. CHARLIE & LOLA: In 2006 you can watch this eve so special animation on BBC1 weekdays @ 15:25 Letter from the Webmaster EDITORS NOTE: Thanks to our wonderful PSWG Website we have reached around the World with what we say and do as an important writing organization of Coachella Valley. PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD Meetings are open to all writers. The Guild aims to nurture and promote the craft of writing. We meet on the first Sunday of each month. For more information regarding The Palm Springs Writers Guild, please contact a Board Member - see back cover. BOARD MEETING Open to all members. Contact a Board Member for information, often the Board will meet informally at Borders Book Store. Please feel free to join us and our brainstorming sessions that bring forth ideas to improve our Palm Springs Writers Guild. We are able to meet informally only until our incorporation has been finalized. Member input is very important at this pre-incorporation time. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEWSLETTER are welcomed, but subject to editing and possible delay in publication. Topics should be of interest to writers and content related to the Arts. Word count up to 600. Art and (or) photographs are accepted. •Bill Clark ----------------- President's Message •Mary Barrer ------------- Member Profiles •Joanne Hardy ----------- Speaker Review •Dodie Cross ------------- The Crows Nest •Melody Fleming ------- Celebrity Interviews •Board Members--------- Just Ask ... Q & A's GUILD GRAM newsletter Edited and produced by Board and Committee Members Palm Springs Writers Guild Board Renew Membership for 2006 or Become a Member guild membership - Invite a friend to join The Guild has open doors to aspiring and professional writers alike who have an interest in advancing their writing skills and the writing skill of others. It is a non-profit organization with roots in Palm Springs. In addition to meetings held once a month, various critique groups meet once a week to hone their skills. Membership dues: $40.00 per year (JAN. TO DEC.) please print name __________________________________ telephone (______)__________________ address _________________________________ E-mail ___________________________ city __________________________________ state __________ zip _________________ Please include me in the GUILD MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. Note: If this is not checked, your name will not appear. Only those included in the Directory may obtain a copy. ___YES send to: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD P.O. BOX 947, RANCHO MIRAGE, CA 92270 Officers - click here Newsletter by Board and Committee Members PUBLISH * READINGS * WRITING CRITIQUES * MEETINGS * NEWSLETTER * CONTESTS * SPECIAL ACTIVITIES Palm Springs Writers Guild P.O. Box 947, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 WEBSITE - Palmspringswritersguild.org Enter Short Story Contest Now! ^ posted by Webmaster @ 1/26/2006 06:00:00 PM Pacific Time Thanks to three Guild members who helped. First and foremost, I'd like to thank John Harrell, who allowed me to assume the PSWG Webmaster duties last year. In a few months, all four Guild domains were repaired, and by consolidating them at one hosting company, we slashed expenses by sixty percent. Also, the site was finally filled with useful content, including this Newsletter blog! Next, a big thanks to Audrey Moe, who let me participate in the PSWG booth at the Palm Springs Book Festival. At that event, I met the University of California's Toni Lawrence, who prodded me to create a Blogging class, later featured in The Desert Sun newspaper. Finally, I'd like to thank Dessa Reed, who introduced me to radio personality VJ Hume. Ms. Hume subsequently invited my coauthor/wife and me to be interviewed on KWXY. These three generous members helped pave the way to my new position as the Online Editor at Palm Springs Life magazine - so look for a short PSWG item on the recently-launched PalmSpringsLife.com blog in a week or two. Warmest regards, Alan C. Baird - PSWG Webmaster ^ posted by Webmaster @ 1/18/2006 06:00:00 PM Pacific Time Public Service Announcement. from: Mavis Clark Publicist 760-861-9157 //Scrnscript@aol.com re: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD c/o BILL CLARK, President ... ph. 760-861-9157 "When You're Up To Your Eyeballs in Alligators" LARRY WILDE, AUTHOR-HUMORIST, will be guest speaker of the Palm Springs Writers Guild on Feb. 5th (Sunday) 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Palm Desert Library Community Room. Larry Wilde is Director of the Carmel Institute of Humor in Carmel California and has written 53 books with humor that have sold over 12 million copies. Wilde has appeared in clubs and concerts with such stars as Ann Margaret, Diana Ross and Debbie Reynolds, and he has made appearances on the Tonight Show, Today on NBC, as well as several appearances on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. His two books on the craft of comedy - Great Comedians Talk About Comedy and How The Great Comedy Writers Create Laughter - are considered definitive works on the subject. The original tapes of these interviews are housed in the Library of Congress as part of the LARRY WILDE COLLECTION. PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD (PSWG), a nonprofit organization that serves writers of the Coachella Valley, meets on the first Sunday of each month at the Palm Desert Library at 73300 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert, CA. Open to the public. For details on PSWG, call Mary Barrer, Vice-president, at (760) 324-2691. ^ posted by Webmaster @ 1/11/2006 08:00:00 PM Pacific Time Last-minute change in location for January 8 meeting. From Treasurer Robert Hurlbert: This is to notify you of a last minute change of location for our meeting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 8, 2006. The Palm Springs Writers Guild will meet at Temple Isaiah, 322 West Alejo Road, Palm Springs. The location is near the intersection of Palm Canyon Drive and W. Alejo Road. The Palm Springs Writers Guild hosts literary agent Kimberley Cameron, who will discuss ways to approach an agent, trends in the literary market, and script writing. The meeting is free and open to the public. Please arrive early. ^ posted by Webmaster @ 1/07/2006 07:30:00 AM Pacific Time Powered by Blogger. |
