Writers:
I woke up ready to kill this morning. Kill one of my darlings, that is. Before you alert the authorities, I mean on the page. That’s what today’s prompt is about, too. Is killing your darlings. Either a character, too many words, the story in the wrong order, or starting from the wrong spot. People have to care about their story; they have to be transported in and stay in. If no conflict happens, if nothing changes on the outside, if no one grows on the inside, if you miss details — your reader pops out of the world you (hopefully) transported them into and they become disappointed, upset and angry. They stop reading (or listening, as the case may be).
So that’s your assignment. Edit. Rework. Kill off a character (probably easiest task of this list), kill those too many words, hack and cut and rearrange. Make it right.
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Again, I invite you all to attend my first public reading on Sunday, Feb. 19th, at 2 p.m. at the
University Book Store. I’ll be reading from “Edom The Treasure Keeper,” which is apart of AT SECOND GLANCE, a short story anthology. This is the book launch and you’ll get to listen to a couple of the other writers as well. I hope many of you can make it. It would be nice to see some friendly faces in the audience. If you do plan to attend, I would say leave :15 earlier than what you think you need to and carpool as parking near the University Book Store can be a bit tricky some days.
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Don’t forget to let folks know about our Writing Contest and the accompanying Word Jazz. Attached are electronic flyers. You may also send them to our Web site for more information.
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And finally a note from one of our original members who has had her other “art” take off for her. I agreed to share this with all of you. On March 3rd I’ll be tied up with kid activities and freelance activities, but I highly encourage many of the rest of you to go and celebrate with Kora for her artistic successes. Make it a group field trip, artist date, etc.
Hi Casz!
Wow, it’s been so long! I hope everything is going well with the writers’ group! I still get all of the emails, and while I’m definitely very silent, I do follow along and keep up with everyone’s achievements.
I wanted to give you (and, if you could forward it out to the whole group, everyone) a chance to know what I’ve been up to these last couple of years and why I’ve disappeared from the writing scene recently. Essentially, Simeon’s and my dance career has really taken off. We are the Bulgarian National Champions and are World Semi-Finalists (that means top 12; technically we’re placed 9th). We are travelling constantly. Just this spring we will be going to Moscow, Bulgaria, and England twice, all in three months! Our schedules have gotten so hectic that I’ve had no choice but to put my writing on the side for now.
That said, one very exciting development is that Simeon and I are opening our own dance studio in Redmond. It’s called Aria Ballroom and we’re having an Open House on Saturday, March 3rd, starting at 6:00pm and a free party beginning at 8:00pm. A number of members of SnoValley Writes had come to previous showcases of ours held in Bellevue. I thought maybe those who know and remember me would like to come on out. I would really love to see everyone and catch up if so. Anyway, thought I’d let you know what I’ve been up to.
Hope your writing is going well! It sounds like the group is still alive and kicking! I think it’s great! Someday, I hope I’ll be able to get back into writing a bit more. I do miss it. Please say hello to the group for me at your next work session!
Much love,
Kora
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And now your moment of Writing Zen:
“No matter how slow the film, Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer It has chosen.” ~Minor White
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Hope to see you at one of the
Write-Ins this week!
—
What did you Write today?
~Casz
Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites
“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron