tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71840064756490355432012-02-14T00:49:34.709-08:00News for the Lady Lake Group of the Florida Writers Association. Meetings monthly 4th Thursdays at the Lady Lake Public Library on Guava St., Lady Lake, FLClaudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.comBlogger341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-56930483501512834582011-11-26T14:33:00.000-08:002011-11-26T14:33:03.206-08:00

Recently I decided to take time off the computer for two whole weeks.  My excuse was that Sweetheart and I were gearing up to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversay.  Wow, who would've thought we'd make it this far.  We held true to our silly "early on " motto of  "Murder yes, divorce never!"  Well, that's a lot of water under the bridge, as they say.  I'm sure both of us could have thrown in the

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-7993050106688693512011-09-08T10:08:00.000-07:002011-09-08T10:08:35.907-07:00

As we draw closer to our yearly writers conference, I frequently am asked how one makes contacts while at the conference.  We used to call it schmoozing but now it's called Networking. :) Here are some suggestions from my own personal experience at writer conferences. 1)  In between your workshops, if time allows, go where the people are and plant yourself in that area.  If you notice someone

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-42705895948329768002011-06-04T09:43:00.000-07:002011-06-04T09:43:43.667-07:00

Whether this years Florida Writers Conference scheduled for October 21-23 is your first or one of many you've previously attended, there are still preparations to be made ahead of time if you want to get the most for your conference investment.  Here are a few hints to help you get started.  1)  Start by perusing the conference brochure you received upon registration. 2)  Cross out what

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-17764206530355185952011-03-04T16:13:00.000-08:002011-03-04T16:13:59.023-08:00

I'm often asked how long a chapter should be within a novel. Herewith is an answer taken from the book "Scene and Structure" by author Jack Bickman which should clear up the matter for you, especially if you are writting your first novel. ...unless your publisher has specified a desired length for his company's chapters, the length of a chapter is what you make it. There is simply no ideal,

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-43397845316405149092011-02-13T14:56:00.000-08:002011-02-13T15:24:19.294-08:00

February Meeting Information.DATE: February 24, 2011Time: 10:00 a.m. until NoonPlace: Lady Lake Public LibraryGuava St., Lady Lake, FLScheduled Workshop: Formatting for Publication and E-Books presented by Mary Lois Sanders. Workshop will be for FWA registered members only. If you have been visiting and want to participate in this informative venue, you still have time to join FWA. The main FWA

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-77956798717142567572010-12-05T10:44:00.000-08:002010-12-05T11:30:35.919-08:00

Having a problem staying motivated with your writing? Read last entry for some great tips on how to stay motivated no matter what. Mia Culpa! I just read the latest issue of The Florida Writer and freaked out when I read that our local member and RPLA chairperson Chris Coward, was awarded the President's yearly award for outstanding service to FWA at our recent conference. My face is red! I

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-89856074734282256812010-11-27T08:50:00.000-08:002010-11-27T09:24:52.254-08:00

Article written by Michael Angier Administrator - Printed with permission from SuccessNet.Org. Note to my blog readers. If you have some self-motivating tips to add to Mr. Angier's list, please send me a comment via this blog and I'll share your tip(s) in a future blog. 1. Be willing to leave your comfort zone. The greatest barrier to achieving your potential is your comfort zone. Great

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-78325280969150015852010-10-31T10:48:00.001-07:002010-10-31T11:30:41.820-07:00

Happy November! Please remember that our Lady Lake Writers Group will break stride and meet on the THIRD THURSDAY this month due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Mark your day-timers for November 18th this month. Lady Lake Library, 10:00 until noon. Critique session scheduled. BTW: Our meeting date is also the same day Oxford Writers have their evening meeting, 6:00 p.m. at the Oxford Community

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-74749460437301435632010-09-05T11:56:00.001-07:002010-09-05T12:20:23.577-07:00

Here's part of our group and some guests via the June workshop on self editing presented by Kaye Coppersmith (middle front row). Our Sept. workshop will be all about marketing your book. Most writers can't stand the business end of the craft, but if you want to be successful at marketing your work, you have to put on your business cap like it or not. Author and savvy marketing pro Lorraine

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-63392702270158823552010-07-04T14:33:00.000-07:002010-07-04T14:46:37.808-07:00

What a great workshop we had on June 24th! Presenter Kaye Coppersmith of Wordsworth editing drove up from Tampa to share a morning of learning the art of self-editing. I tried to upload the group photo that was taken but couldn't get it on this blog. Look for it in the next issue of The Florida Writer's fall issue. Editing is not as easy as it looks. When one has been married to a book in

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-46707437754868372242010-06-17T08:41:00.000-07:002010-06-17T09:08:52.520-07:00

Cartoon by Charles SchultzThis month our workshop will be presented by Kaye Coppersmith of Wordsworth Editing. Kaye facilitates the FWA editing services and is its senior editor. She will show you how to tighten and improve your writing, and will also teach you how to elicit emotional responses from readers. Self-editing is an ongoing process. The more you practice the methods, the more

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-73227161223761889262010-05-28T11:05:00.001-07:002010-05-28T11:40:12.547-07:00

Happy Memorial Day! Special topic for writer group leaders: This weeks topic is all about writer group meetings and the pitfalls of "rabbit trailing" which can happen faster than saying "What were we talking about?" As a writer group leader it's our responsibility to keep members focused on the reader and to give encouragement and helpful feedback after they read a portion of their current

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-87374339829942882652010-05-10T12:15:00.000-07:002010-05-10T13:25:36.062-07:00

Thanks Snoopy! (created by Charles Schultz) It's been said that you can't succeed unless you fail to fail. If you don't buy into that statement, you don't belong in this business. Do your feelings get hurt easily? Get over it. Editors are people like yourself who must plow through mountains of submissions daily. Don't take it personal. It's all part of the writing process. If you want to

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-32326950464866385382010-03-02T11:22:00.000-08:002010-03-02T12:44:50.345-08:00

Using the Active voice is usually the best choice when writing your stories. Some writers seem confused with how to employ the active or passive voice. If you study the below examples closely, you will see that when the verb is in the active voice, the subject of the sentence does the action. When the verb is in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. It's quite

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-2289763066545258112010-01-23T09:41:00.000-08:002010-01-23T10:40:21.658-08:00

Welcome back from our December recess! Time to quite playing Cowboys and Indians and get back into the writing saddle! Scenario: You've decided to attend some type of writers conference in 2010. Arriving at your destination, you check in and plan which events you'll attend. The room is filled with animated voices adding to your excitement of schmoozing with agents, presenters, etc. While

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-32197892328055272132009-12-28T11:50:00.000-08:002009-12-28T12:25:04.248-08:00

(Continued from last month)#8. Using 'should of' instead of 'should have'. This mistake is becoming more and more common, presumably because one sounds like the other. 'Should of' is bad grammar, however, and it is always wrong.#9. Confusing 'to', 'too' and 'two'. These words all sound alike but have quite different meanings. 'To' is a preposition and it is used in phrases such as, 'Give

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-60105009802543438732009-11-04T10:05:00.000-08:002009-11-04T10:31:33.050-08:00

Notice of meeting date changes: We will meet on November 19th this month due to Thanksgiving. Same time same place: 10:00 A.M. Lady Lake Public Library, Guava St., Lady Lake. We are not meeting in December, but will resume our regular schedule of meeting monthly 4th Thursday's in January of 2010. Please mark your calendars accordingly. James Hamilton who writes for the UK's top correspondence

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-24461971299833540812009-10-06T13:47:00.000-07:002009-10-06T14:28:55.199-07:00

Irony is not one of the easiest techniques for a writer to use even though it's regularly used in writing and conversation. The reason why it's a hard technique to use is because using irony won't be effective unless your reader is able to recognize that what you have written is irony. Therefore, you have to write irony in a way that it can easily be recognized as such.I see you scratching your

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-2532846298083969272009-09-14T09:17:00.000-07:002009-09-14T10:09:43.555-07:00

Do you sometimes get your similes and metaphors mixed up? You're not alone. Here's a short brush up. Metaphor: Some writers consider a metaphor as nothing but a strong, or strengthened simile. While a simile says something is like something else, a metaphor says something is something else, which in literal truth is not. In a metaphor, a word or phrase that ordinarily means one thing is used

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-17121470402377650202009-08-28T15:08:00.000-07:002009-08-28T15:50:19.748-07:00

Dear Members and Guests, Our "Silent Auction Basket" to benefit the Florida Writers Foundation is currently receiving donations. We are well on our way to build a nice basket for the cause. Some of our members have also tapped local merchants to donate golf packages, etc. which will be appearing on the auction website. Thank you so much for your time and participation in this worthwhile

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-6253275662745638362009-08-04T13:37:00.000-07:002009-08-04T14:35:40.414-07:00

Hot weather getting you down? Tired of deleting "forwards" in your email box? Take a break and check out some of these writer blog resources. I've picked a few but will post more in the future. Thanks to Writers Digest for the info. anotherrealm.com/preditors - Preditors & Editors provides writers with informaiton, contacts and warnings about potential scams. mediabistro.com - Great place

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-20384778469187702482009-07-04T08:55:00.001-07:002009-07-04T10:10:01.292-07:00

Okay, non of us are "Hemingway's" and we do have our own unique voices when writing. However, as writers we can strive to follow his example in teaching us how to write more effectively. Herewith his 4 top tips.1) Use short sentences. If you read any of his writings you'll agree that he didn't use flowery adjectives. He got straight to the point. Hemingway wrote with simple genius.2) Use short

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-4025307901333865912009-06-13T09:36:00.000-07:002009-06-13T10:08:57.250-07:00

Don't forget to circle your calendars for our June 25th mtg. (10:00 a.m. Lady Lake Public Library on Guava St.) to attend Vic Digenti's "Making A Scene" workshop. If we fill up our mtg. room to capacity we have been given permission to walk over to the community bldg. adjacent to the parking lot. Pls. be aware that there is construction going on and parking will be limited in the parking lot

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-88560592063321254042009-06-02T08:44:00.000-07:002009-06-02T09:22:01.135-07:00

Welcome new FWA local members, Georgette and Louis Ward and Alan Goldsmith! We are anxious to keep the FWA motto of "Writers Helping Writers" alive on your behalf as you join our diverse group of local Pensmiths. Will look forward to having you attend your first official workshop on "Writing a Scene" this month on June 25th which will be presented by published author Vic Digenti who has very

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-69252643687183729672009-05-11T13:33:00.000-07:002009-05-11T14:10:58.769-07:00

Twin Destinies - is currently available on Amazon.com and many sites via "Google" This story is about twin brother fighter pilots who on separate missions during WWII were shot down behind enemy lines. Both pilots and crews had to bail out of burning Liberator Bombers without benefit of any "jump" experience. Delbert will be picked up by Yugoslavian Partisans and make a perilous escape through

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-69787440784143664962009-04-26T15:40:00.001-07:002009-04-26T16:28:27.012-07:00

If you are seeking to get published you have to accept the fact (even though it may go against your creative bent) that you are in Business! You'll have to keep tract of your query letters, submissions, checks, etc.#1) If you have a fear of doing business, get over it! Face it head on. When I first realized I needed to get organized and get a grip on things, I went to the library and studied

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-41907167074808044702009-04-10T13:16:00.001-07:002009-04-10T13:56:24.213-07:00

Sometimes it takes courage to try something new. I remember the first time I actually pressed the AOL button that jetted me into the internet. I didn't have a clue how to surf and navigate inside cyberspace. That seems so funny to me now that I'm an old hand at it. So with the above stated in mind, and in honor of National Poetry Month which is April, I've decided to present a short workshop on

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-242619647218591642009-03-31T13:57:00.000-07:002009-03-31T14:46:42.736-07:00

Start writing your script now for the 2010 Hippodrome senior script writing contest. If you are 50 years or older, you qualify to take part in their yearly "Florida Senior Playwright Competition and Festival which is sponsored by The Hippodrome Theatre in Gainsville, FL. Plays must be original works that have not been previously produced. The play should be 30 minutes and have no more than five

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-10800403180847566322009-03-15T15:54:00.000-07:002009-03-15T16:41:33.032-07:00

I've come to the conclusion that I will have to manage which cyberspace networks I wish to be involved in. Recently I joined Facebook and Plaxo. Why? I joined Facebook to keep in touch with relatives who live thousands of miles away. It's a great way to stay connected. Plaxo offers the same scenario but today I decided not to stay active on Plaxo. The FWA network and Facebook is all I care to

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-29114184033219702932009-02-20T14:01:00.000-08:002009-02-20T14:37:27.997-08:00

We are thrilled for Chris Coward who is off to an excellent start with the newly formed evening group in Oxford. Thank you to those of you who showed support at the first meeting. Sadly I couldn't attend but am looking forward to next month. Me thinks this group will inflate in record time. FWA membership is on a roll in Central Florida. Cheers to all! Please note that this month and next

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-65054858049467540242009-02-08T14:29:00.000-08:002009-02-08T15:24:11.032-08:00

Love is in the air. Two of our group poets, Carol Kaiser and Don Lubov had love poems in today's Daily Sun. (Section "D" page 12) I wish I had enough room to copy all of Don's elegant love poem to his sweetheart of many years. Herewith is an abbreviated version but I hope you'll check out the full version in the paper. Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day! - CP A

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-49796928724288353222009-01-30T06:52:00.000-08:002009-01-30T07:49:03.408-08:00

Had a great meeting this month with a very informative workshop. It was all about paying taxes and your published books. Someone asked this question: If I give my book away as a gift, do I still have to pay taxes on it? The answer is YES! Without any further discussion (we sure had plenty of that with the above stated question), you can hear it from the direct source as to why, etc. Simply

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-38781661515177604552009-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:002009-01-16T13:53:21.770-08:00

Heh, heh, I bet if you're reading this you're probably saying "she's finally flipped her lid," (Hey, I heard that!) when it comes to the statement I made on my label post for this blog. Is there really such a thing as writers block? I say a big NO. Writers have creative minds and creative minds don't just freeze for ideas. A writer must write something on a regular basis no matter what or they

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7184006475649035543.post-72604112440040725152009-01-08T08:48:00.000-08:002009-01-08T09:09:10.716-08:00

Great News! Starting in February you will have two choices to attend meetings in this area. Along with the daytime mtgs. of the Lady Lake Writers Group, there will be a new evening chapter. This will afford local writers a second opportunity to meet with other writers. Local FWA member Chris Coward will moderate this new evening group. Where: Oxford Community Ctr.

Claudettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07917511578388349852noreply@blogger.com0