Newsletter March 2006 Newsletter: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD serving writers of the Coachella Valley MARCH, 2006 MARCH 5th SPEAKER Tom Sawyer Applying Screenwriting Techniques to Narrative Fiction - How to Hook - and Hold Onto Your Readers By Adding Energy and a Sense of the Visual to Your Words Novelist, screenwriter, playwright Thomas B. Sawyer was Head Writer/Producer-Showrunner of the hit CBS series, Murder, She Wrote, for which he wrote 24 episodes. Tom has written 9 network TV pilots, 100 episodes, and has been Writer, Producer or Showrunner on staff of 15 network series. He is co-librettist/lyricist of JACK, an opera about John F. Kennedy, backed by the Shuberts, that has been performed to acclaim in the US and Europe. He wrote, directed & produced the cult film comedy, Alice Goodbody. The best-selling mystery/thriller, The Sixteenth Man, is his first novel. His next thriller, No Place To Run, will be published in 2006, as will a novelty book, Making It In Tinseltown - The Little Book Of Essential Hollywood Wisdom. At present, Tom is writing a memoir, titled Who Knew...? Mr. Sawyer has been nominated for an Edgar and an Emmy. He's taught writing at UCLA, at other colleges and universities, and teaches at numerous major writers conferences. He is co-creator of Storybase software. Both his latest books, Fiction Writing Demystified, and Storybase, are Writer's Digest Book Club Selections. Tom, his wife Holly, and cats live in Malibu, California. SEE WEBSITE: www.ThomasBSawyer.com Tom is teaching an online course - Introduction to Fiction Writing - at: www.writersuniversity.com. PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD MEETS: Sunday: March 5th 2:00 to 4:00 pm PALM DESERT LIBRARY Community Room 73300 Fred Waring Dr. Palm Desert, CA 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 GUILD GRAM newsletter edited and produced by Board and Committee Members CONTEST TIME SHORT STORY CONTEST entries are being accepted! $500 1ST Prize $250 2nd Prize $100 3rd Prize For information: Jack and Marci Stillerman: 760-346-7956 e-mail: marciess@aol.com EVENTS: * Feb. 25, Saturday - Criblets at Cathedral City Library 2-4pm * March 25, Saturday - Newsletters, Websites And Publicity 2- 4pm at C. C. Library MEMBER PROFILE by Mary Barrer Dr. Edward Gordon, Psychologist, Historian, Business Editor One of our most distinguished members, Dr. Edward Gordon is modest yet has enjoyed a highly successful career in his chosen fields. During a recent appearance at the Palm Springs Air Museum in which he spoke on "The Clash of the Titans," he attracted a capacity audience of over 650. Dr. Gordon's interest in writing began as a youngster. He submitted articles to his school newspaper and during high school where he attended Maris Academy in Chicago, Il. his interest continued. While pursuing his education, he obtained degrees from DePaul and Loyola Universities and was awarded his doctorate in psychology from the University of Chicago. Dr. Gordon's highly successful enterprises includes offices in Chicago and here in the Valley. He has published 15 books internationally, has distributed books on his specialities as well as hundreds of other articles. His speaking engagements take him from coast to coast addressing business and industrial conventions and seminars. We look forward to Dr. Gordon sharing with the Guild his philosophy of business and history at an early meeting next season. At that time a more detailed biography will be presented. We are honored to have him as a member of our Guild. SPEAKER REVIEW by Joanne Hardy How does a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey go from being a shoe shine boy to an author of 53 books with a best seller standing and sales topping 12 million copies? Larry Wilde would tell you that first you need some talent, but beyond that you need to teach yourself to look on life with an eye for humor. He says study people, see the human foibles and turn them into something funny. He was a stand-up comedian for 25 years and has spent his lifetime making people laugh. He said, "I came to realize I am not so much a humorist as some one in the people business." He continued to enhance his talent and hone his skills by interviewing some of his favorite comedians - seventeen of them. He wanted to learn from these people what would make people laugh. Conversations with these stars ultimately made their way into four CDs but the original tapes are considered historical interviews and are housed in the Library of Congress. "As a result of these interviews," he said, "my comedy appearances began to grow in number and my career blossomed. I realized there is so much to learn about anything that you do - as a performer, speaker, or as a writer." These interviews were put in book form and submitted to Pinnacle books. The response was, "This is a funny book, should be published, but not by us." Three months later they contacted him, not to buy his book but to put together a book of Polish and Italian jokes. He did and there followed requests for Jewish jokes, then Irish jokes. With sales climbing, he wrote more joke books. After being accepted at Bantam, he said, he made the effort to contact all the people he worked with -- the editor, the publicity and art directors. He would call and arrange a luncheon with them. "One Christmas my wife and I wrote limericks for the people I work with. No matter how big and important you are, people like to be recognized. I think that it is important to keep the relationship going with all those you do business with. I was with one publisher for 12 years and had the same agent for 26 years." "I was very fortunate to have books that were selling. In my career, I've done five national tours -- appearing on radio, television, interviews over the phone and in person." The New York Times named him "America's best-selling humorist." Currently, he brings to corporations, associations, and healthcare professionals his upbeat message for helping people attain their goals, without stressing out or sacrificing their sanity. He listed eight keys to become a good writer. 1. Curiosity - "Learn to analyze, ask why. You learn a lot." 2. Observation - "I watch people's mannerism, their clothing, how they walk, how they sit, how they eat." 3. Study Human nature - "Watching people trying to figure out what they are doing. Psychological insights. What makes them do what they do?" 4. Perseverance - stifling rejection. "It is getting up one more time after being knocked down. Stay in what you do, learn about what you do, develop what you do and do it better and better until you break through." 5. Keep up personal contacts - "I was at a party in Hollywood and met Paddy Chayefsky and I asked, 'How do you stay fresh?' He said, 'I read poetry to get a feel for the language.' " 6. Education - "I read everything." 7. Talent - "Either you have it or you don't." 8. Happiness - "is discovering what you don't like." In addition he said he keeps 3 x 5 index cards and a pencil several places in his house and in his pocket when he is away from home, in case an idea should come to him. Those pencils are red, black and blue which serve as code in his notations. Larry Wilde can be contacted at: www.larrywilde.com or larry@larrywilde.com SALTON SEA STUDENTS WALKING INTO THE FUTURE Artists and Authors Festival March 13-17 Thank you for your interest in bringing to your memberships the invitation to participate in our upcoming Artists and Authors Festival March 13-17 at our school site. I brought this idea to our faculty and am keeping you updated as to our plans. First, any and all volunteer guests will be most welcome and literally taken advantage of. Our teachers are absolutely thrilled at the idea of professionals willing to spend some of their time with our students. Here are a few of our ideas to give you a basic picture: * Theme: Express Yourself Spirit Week * Teachers will encourage students to submit works for display throughout the campus with writings and artwork being refreshed daily (in the hopes we have enough entries to change works for display) * Art mediums: all acceptable - including oil paints, watercolors, clay, metals, papier-mâché, photography, or whatever (we place no limit upon one's imagination) * Writing types - all acceptable - including prose, poetry, plays, whatever (again, we place no limit upon one's imagination) * Opportunities throughout the week for students to read their written works and talk about their artwork. * Guest participants may volunteer to do one or more of the following: 1. present a lesson in a particular classroom (i.e., teaching the use of watercolors in the elementary classrooms or reading from their own works to middle and high school students); 2. leading breakout sessions such as one-on-one or small groups where the professional critiques students' works (all levels); 3. photo editing (high school students); 5. how best to start a career as a writer and/or artist (high school students), or whatever the participant feels comfortable doing. * Ask guest participants to recommend student works that they believe should appear in a school wide K-12 fine arts anthology publication. * Culminate the week's festivities with a gala that would include food, balloons, certificates, music, etc. * More ideas forthcoming. Feel free to distribute the above as you see fit among each of your memberships. An advance list of names of volunteer guests would be appreciated and on what particular day/time they would be willing to be at our school site. Directions will follow. With sincere regards, Sam Messler Teacher: Language Arts, Theatre Arts, Yearbook, ASB West Shores High School Coachella Valley Unified School District 2381 Shore Hawk Avenue Salton City, CA 92275 Office 760-394-4331 Cell 760-799-3790 smessler@coachella.k12.ca.us The Crow's Nest By: Dodie Cross Got something to Crow about? E-mail me at dodiecross@dc.rr.com JUDITH FABRIS MONEY ...Cool! Guild member and former stockbroker will be talking about and signing her book designed to give parents and other adults the knowledge to teach young people about money and economics; how to save, how to earn, and how to spend wisely. Where: Barnes & Noble, Palm Desert When: Saturday, March 4, 2:00 pm OLIVIA LAB DILEMMA AND OTHER STORIES Lab's new book is full of interesting stories of elderly people in today's America. She had an author discussion/signing session at Barnes and Noble on Saturday, February 11th. TED PANNELL HOLD'EM POKER GUIDE Pannell sold his book to Buford Books with a nice advance. Look for his publication in Oct/Nov. ... Way to go Ted! REDEMPTION By Dawn Huntley Spitz Winner of the Southern California Writers Conference contest in Palm Springs HOW THE HELL did I know I wasn't supposed to take $8.60 from the collection plate? Now you might wonder what a Jewish guy from New York was doing in the Catholic Church anyway. It actually has to do with my being a Coke addict--Coca Cola, that is, not cocaine. I mean there is nothing quite as pleasurable as taking a swig from an ice cold can of the bubbly stuff that chills and fires your gullet all at once. Five cans a day, my usual quota, can put you on a flying high. There's just one problem, however. Five cans a day adds up to about 35 cans a week which is about 140 cans a month, which at 5 cents a can for the deposit adds up to about seven bucks more or less. That's money coming right out of your pocket unless, of course, you redeem those cans. Now in New York we had these dandy little machines in the supermarket where you could take a month's supply of accumulated cans and stick them one by one into the slot and then collect your seven bucks or so. Never mind that your hands got all sticky from the sugar. Or that you might have to wait while the guy ahead of you redeemed a full six month supply of empties. You knew you were getting your money's worth, even if you were only breaking even. But in California, I've never seen these machines in the supermarket. Then somebody told me that they were redeeming cans at a trailer up behind Food For Less. So I tried that. But they just weighed the cans which netted me only $3.25, a ripoff if I ever saw one. Then one day, I saw a sign outside of this church on this sort of black billboard. It read: "Redemption, 10:30 a.m. next Sunday." So I took all my cans to the church and when they passed the collection plate, I took what was due me and so I was arrested for petty theft..What kind of redemption is that? They never even bothered to count the cans. THE END NEXT MONTH, DESERT WOMAN will debut a monthly column, NODS & APPLAUSE by DeAnn Lubell and her daughter, Tanya Trefry, giving kudos, nods and applause to outstanding women of our desert community for individual achievements, honors, and milestones. If you or someone you know are celebrating or being celebrated for a special honor, recognition, promotion, partnership, century birthday, act of volunteerism, new job, creative arts or business deal, act-of-kindness, civic triumph, heroic deed - please let us know so we can sound the trumpets. DeAnn Lubell 760-324-2900 or Lulubell24@aol.com RENEWAL NOTICE To continue receiving a Newsletter in 2006, PSWG renewals must be in by March 15th, 2006. Costs continue to rise, it is the membership dues that pay the rent. Membership Renewal - click here 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 ^ posted by Webmaster @ 2/23/2006 06:00:00 PM Pacific Time Powered by Blogger. |
