Tag Archives: Word Jazz

Weekly Writing Prompt — April 11, 2012 Edition

April 11, 2012Weekly Writing PromptAffirmative Reading, artists date, creative recovery, feedback, morning pages, The Artist's Way, Word Jazzcasz

Greetings Writers!

We will depart, as they say, from our regularly schedule program today to allow those who participated in or attended Word Jazz to reflect on the experience and provide feed back. It will also give everyone a chance to actually catch up on work we’ve been doing on our creative recovery journey ala The Artist’s Way. There were a good chunk of exercises in last week’s prompt, so I hope everyone will go back and work on those exercises.

So today’s prompt is to do a check in:

1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? How as the experience for you? I’m bad this week — yes I have bad week’s, too. And I notice my creativity suffers for it. I’m 3/7 this week. I could blame illness (2/3 kids sick this week), crazy schedule (conference, Word Jazz), but they really aren’t barriers, when I think about it; I’m just being lazy. But today is a new day.

2. Did you do your artist date this week? What did you do? How did it feel? I had three artist’s dates in a row, since I went to NorWesCon. I love conferences, it always fuels the creative fire, even if physically they wear me out.

3. Affirmative reading? Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them. As for me, I’ve had two separate epiphanies as it were this week. I will blog about my thoughts later today and you can read them there, if you’re interested.

Now onto comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. for Word Jazz.

Please tell us (via email here) what you liked. Please tell us any suggestions for improvement you may have. Those who keep blogs, I encourage you to write about your experience either as participant, volunteer or audience member.

Our next regular work session will be April 22 at the North Bend Library Meeting Room at 3 p.m. Until then …

Friday: DayTripper’s @ Toad’s in North Bend 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. (ish) (if you’re the first one there, please secure the large table in the very back).

Monday: Midday Muse @ Toad’s in North Bend 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. (ish) (if you’re the first one there, please secure the large table in the very back).

Tuesday: Writers’ Cafe @ Carriage Insurance House – 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. (byo-beverages and snacks)

Keep writing and send it out!

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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

Weekly Writing Prompt — March 28, 2012 Edition

March 28, 2012Weekly Writing PromptAffirmative Reading, Artist Date, Basic Principles, basic tools, morning pages, The Artist's Way, Word Jazzcasz

Writers:

Have your reservations for Boxley’s for SnoValley Writes! Word Jazz on April 10th at 7 p.m.? No? Well you can do it online here: http://www.boxleysplace.com/web/reservations.espx?reservations=on&cid=44b996ab751e19c2ed2babc48169b615

Do it now, this event fills up fast.

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As discussed in our last bimonthly writing work session…wait, you say you missed our work session? Well, be sure not to miss the next one on April 22 (we’re suspended for the Easter Holiday Sunday). On the 22nd we’ll be discussing all the exercises contained in the weekly writing prompts, so be sure to stay tuned.

SnoValley Writes! is in the midst of The Artist’s Way journey. We’ve been employing the tools of morning pages and artist’s dates and affirmative reading. Affirmative reading includes these basic principles, which I’ve attached in an effort to get you to print it and post it near your writing space or within your morning pages journal. (Please note the use of God, The Great Creator, Universe, etc. is used interchangeably to cover all spiritual preferences; because at the heart of creativity is an experience of the mystical. Ms. Cameron refers to “God” as ‘Good Orderly Direction,’ so you can look at it as an acronym if you so choose. The core of it is the same. Creativity is a spiritual thing at its foundation.)

So are you doing morning pages*? I’m 6/7 last week. This week may be a little lower because I was ill Monday afternoon through yesterday. But, I’ve got a better batting record than most Major League Baseball stars in that regard, so I’m happy. Today is a new day, you can get those pages, done, too.

What was your artist’s date** last week? Reply and tell me what you did!

And now you can do your weekly affirmative reading (see attached).

Today’s writing prompt is two fold. First: pick one of the Basic Principles and write from that. It can be essay, poem, short-story, whatever. Just pick one that means something and write. Write until your hands cramps or every thing you have to say on it is on the page/screen.

Second: look at the second attachment (contract) and print it, fill it out, sign and date it and keep it in your morning pages journal or near your desk/writing space. I have modified it slightly for our purposes because we will be doing this journey for more than 12 weeks, given our bimonthly (less holidays) work session schedule.

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Writing Dates This Week

Friday, March 30, DayTrippers Write-In Fall City Roadhouse 9:30 a.m. until Noon-ish (come when you can, leave when you must)

Monday, April 2, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Midday Muse, Toad’s (North Bend), Write-In (come when you can, leave when you must)

Tuesday, April 3, Word Jazz Dress Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. Carriage Insurance House

Thursday, April 5, Open Mic Night, The Black Dog, 6:30 p.m. — An opportunity to read your stuff for an appreciative, receptive audience.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Man is asked to make of himself what he is supposed to become to fulfill his destiny.” ~Paul Tillich

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*Morning Pages are three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-consciousness. I call them “mental debris collector.” They are not meant to be art. It’s simply menat to be the act of moving the hand across the page and writing down whatever comes to mind. Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included. The act of morning pages frees your mind for better creativity.

**Artist Date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artists. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, aka your creative child.

***If you’re reading this online and want the attachments, you just need to email us at: snovalleywrites (at) gamil (dot) com. We will send them your way.

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — March 14, 2012 Edition

March 14, 2012Weekly Writing Promptartists date, artists way, basic tools, daily reading, homework, moment of writing zen, morning pages, SnoValley Writes!, weekly writing prompt, Word Jazzcasz

Happy Pi Day all. Be sure to get some Pie today as well. Treat yourself. Apple-pie making in the happening over in these parts.

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So how many days this week did you do your morning pages? What? You haven’t been journaling? You haven’t been getting that mental debris out — the stuff that keeps your creativity blocked?

Have you given yourself an artist date this week? Even just a trip to a favorite retailer for some fun stickers and a new journal? How about to a book signing? A new art exhibit? Hear a new band? If you did, how did it feel? What did you do? What do you plan to do this week?

For those that missed the work session on Sunday, we’ve started the journey of The Artist’s Way (A path to higher creativity). Having done the formal program twice personally, beginning it with a group is fabulous. It has that much more meaning. For those that have had a hard time making time for your creativity — or spending too much time on your shadow art as opposed to the art you’re impassioned about (e.g. writing), this will be a great exercise for you. It will take us many months to do, but I hope that you will see this as a course in discovering and recovering your best creative self yet. A self who is generative and prolific and a creative life that leaves you feeling satisfied.

The major tools in this journey are:

1) Morning pages: three hand-written, stream-of-consciousness pages you write every morning as soon as you wake up (before you do anything else). Write them in a notebook or journal so you can have them all in one place (currently, I have two completed Morning Page journals sitting on my bookshelf). I set my alarm :15 early to do this. My handwriting is not pretty; but, it clears the mind and is like a writing meditation. I can’t recommend this practice enough.

2) A weekly Artist Date: A commitment of time spent on yourself once a week; Time spent solely on you — no companions allowed; A date with your inner-artist, or your inner-child. For me, it was yesterday and getting a multi-flavored slurpee at 7-11 and to sit in the sunshine (albeit brief as it was in Seattle yesterday) and just watch the world go by. Oftentimes I walk down to the river and do yoga or just sit and watch the inner workings of the water, the trees, the birds and critters. I have also been known to pull the blinds and get out the kids coloring books and crayons and just color in superheros or Hello Kitty. It’s freeing and lets your brain recharge for productive creativity.

3) Daily Reading (which can be accomplished on Wednesdays by undertaking your weekly writing prompt from SnoValley Writes!) I do no less than :30 of reading a day. Non-fiction, fiction, it doesn’t matter. I have books everywhere — my car, the bathroom, my bedroom, my purse, my desk, the living room, even the kitchen. There’s no excuse for not reading every day.

Therefore your prompt this week is to try to accomplish these goals. I can’t recommend or encourage you strongly enough to really take these tasks to heart and do them. Reward yourself for each day you accomplish your morning pages; the artist date is a treat in itself. Do not turn out the lights at night until you’ve gotten in your :30 of reading.

Let me know by next Tuesday how you’re doing, too. Yes, I’m giving homework. Report back, please. I promise no tongue-lashings, just honest encouragement and understanding and all-out cheerleading-praise when appropriate.

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Sometimes I carve out my artist date on either end of one of the Writing Cafes we host. The next is Friday’s DayTrippers from 9:30 a.m. to about noon-ish. Our dearest Takako Wright sends out the reminders for that. DayTrippers are tripping all over the valley for the next few weeks until the Black Dog returns to normal hours on Fridays. So, get the Email from Takako to find out where this week’s location is (her email is in the to line above).

Following that will be Mid-day Muse on Monday at Toad’s in North Bend. This is your reminder about that. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ish). Hope to see you there.

Then Tuesday is Writers Cafe at Carriage Insurance House in North Bend. The Incredible Sheri Kennedy will send out the reminders for that. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.(her email is in the to line above).

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Make your reservations for Word Jazz now. April 10 at 7 p.m. at Boxley’s. It’s going to feature some of our best work yet. Be there or make us all very sad.

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I am still in need of local literary legends for our first Literary Salon. Send me your suggestions now, please.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“You need to claim the events of your life to make yourself yours.” ~Anne-Wilson Schaef

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — March 12, 2012 Edition

March 7, 2012Weekly Writing PromptShadow Artist, Word Jazz, writer's cafe, Writing Zencasz

Good day all!

I hope this finds you digging deep into your creativity and producing lots of stories, art, experimental dishes, whatever!

Speaking of experimental dishes, today’s prompt talks about paying attention to our shadow artist. You know the things you do instead of writing or creating? For me, it’s cooking and baking. Do you know what your shadow artist is? If not, sit down and think about it. Meditate or do some stream-of-consciousness writing to figure it out. Chances are you already know what it is. I’m not talking about the laundry or chasing kids or cutting the lawn or poking around the internet. I’m talking about what you do when you’ve got the time to just create. What do you do to fulfill that need inside of you to create? What is the one thing you find yourself doing instead of writing?

Really examine it. Figure it out. Then write a story where that is the enemy. It may be a very silly story — can you imagine a life where cooking was like a drug addiction? Yes, that’s what I mean. You or your character have to avoid that particular activity on threat of jail or death or …whatever awful thing you can inflict upon the shadow artist.

Then reward yourself for writing and go play in your shadow art.

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Those that are participating in Word Jazz & the V3 Journal need to get your bios and photos to Sheri Kennedy (on the to line), today. Just something simple — two or three sentences max — and an author head-and-shoulders shot. Remember, rehearsals start March 13 at 6:30 at Carriage House and every Tuesday following that with an all-hands dress rehearsal on April 3rd. Word Jazz is April 10th at Boxley’s at 7 p.m. Make your reservations now.

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Reminders:

DayTrippers on Fridays continues it’s travelling from place to place and this week will be at the Fall City Road House in Fall City this Friday. 9:30 a.m. until about Noon-30.

Monday Midday Muse will once again commence at 11 a.m. at Toad’s in North Bend.

Tuesday (March 12), Writer’s Cafe is being taken over for Word Jazz rehearsal.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~Anais Nin
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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 4, 2012 Edition

January 4, 2012Weekly Writing Promptboard meeting, day trippers, weekly writing prompt, Word Jazz, writer's cafe, writing contestcasz

Happy New Year Writers!

What are your New Year’s Resolutions for your Writing?

Me? I’m trying to get back to basics and meet my personal word count five days a week.

A quick note before I forget, I’ll be forwarding you all another email under separate cover regarding another contest and conference. So be sure to look for that.

Busy week coming up in the SnoValley Writes! World.

Friday (1/5) — Day Trippers, 9:30 a.m., Toad’s Coffee House in North Bend — write, consume caffeine and get literary energy.

Sunday (1/8) — Regular Work Session, 3 p.m., North Bend Library Meeting Room (be sure to RSVP, so I can plan accordingly. Topic = Revision Tips & Tactics — so bring a project to ‘revise’)

Tuesday (1/10) — Writer’s Cafe, 6:30 p.m., Carriage House — Tea there to share, or bring your own coffee/soda/snacks. Write, Share, Get Inspired

Wednesday (1/11) — SnoValley Writes! Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Carriage House, All invited to attend (Word Jazz, Writing Contest, Next Journal — all up for discussion)

Again, I can’t stress enough how much RSVP’ing for the work sessions help. Lesson plans are tailored for number of authors attending. So, please do shoot me a quick Email to confirm your attendance.

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Today’s prompt has to do with self-improvement.

Tell me a story about you or your protagonist when a goal for self-improvement (losing weight, not being so angry, being more assertive, etc.) has gone horribly wrong. Develop your character through the trials and tribulations of trying to get better and having a different lesson entirely presented to her/him. Losing weight makes them lose their friends because they become obsessed with unreasonable eating and exercise, perhaps? They try to curb their quick temper and learn that they’ve gone to the point of letting people just walk all over them. Torture them through their imperfect humanity. Give your reader a real honest-to-goodness lesson on the intricate balances of life.

Bring this story with you on Sunday — or some other project to work on revision.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way.” — John Holt, Educator

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — The last for the year 2011 (Dec. 14, 2011 Edition)

December 14, 2011Weekly Writing PromptFinishing Stories, Glimmer Train, Hugo House, Views Voices & Verses, Word Jazzcasz

Holiday Greetings to all you literary types!

Here’s hoping you get lots of books, writing tech gadgets, hugs and support from your friends and family, with a promise to yourself that you will make your writing a priority for 2012.

First point of business, the board meeting for tonight has been cancelled. Work and illness make it a necessity to look towards January for the next. I’ll remind you closer to the time.

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Vicky Bastedo has stepped up to be the project manager for Word Jazz. She will be interfacing with Boxley’s to find out the date of when we’ll be having it. In the meantime you need to be writing on the theme. For those that missed it: here’s the theme:

We’re looking for at least three of these words to be in the prose or poem that you submit as members of SnoValley Writes!: Three, Magic, Number, Valley, Anniversary, Coffee, Friends, Ashes, Determination, or Quest. There are no bonus points if you get all the words. But, feel free to challenge yourself.

That will also be the prompt for our writing contest, for which we still need a project manager. This person should be able to interface with many of the other organizations in the valley, including the schools and businesses. I will help that person, but the organization needs them to take the helm.

We will be putting out another journal, too, with this. The above theme will be inclusive in that as well. So if you want a piece considered for publication — please put it in there. Deadline will likely be in February, so you dont’ have much time! More details to come.

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Hugo House and Glimmer Train have deadlines coming up. Google them for all the details. Get your work out there. There are several of us trying for the Hugo House one, so let us know if you’re going to enter the “end of the line” theme, and we’ll all save some postage and do a “carpool” packet run.

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Don’t know what to write for any of the above? Well here’s a start of a story I came across when trying to determine which stories I’d be sending out this month. It didn’t have a title, and I had only a vague memory of writing it — but I was obviously interrupted. Feel free to use this to jump off for your own story. Bonus points if you include any of the words from the writing contest/word jazz theme. If you are aiming to have it part of the journal or Word Jazz, be sure to keep it to 1500 words:

“He just sat there looking at her, poking the toast point in and out of the fried egg, making a slooshing and sucking noise with the egg yolk. He laughed inside his head. She looked terrified.”

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.” ~Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — Nov. 16, 2011 Edition

November 16, 2011Weekly Writing Prompthenry miller, NaNoWriMo, weekly writing prompt, winter's coming, Word Jazz, writing contestcasz

Wow, the middle of November. Ouch. The forecast is calling for Snow this weekend, however, all those hot little writing hands are not going to allow it to stick around much.

For those still participating in National Novel Writing Month: Kudos! Keep at it. Even if you don’t make 50k — all the words you have are good ones. You allowed yourself, gave yourself permission to be creative. Keep it up. Don’t give up. Heck, I’m only at 8k and I’m not giving up. Today’s goal is to simply get to 10k. If you’re having trouble, I encourage you to come out to one of the write-ins and challenge yourself with your fellow WriMos and SnoValley Writes! members and do some word wars, talk out your plot, your characters. Ask any veteran of a Write-In, they will tell you they are hugely helpful. I got an extra 800 words yesterday thanks to a write-in. I doubt I would have gotten those without the support of my fellow writers. And that’s why we’re here. Support. Encouragement. Education. We help you reach new literary peaks. 😀

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Don’t forget SnoValley Writes! authors who were featured in Views, Voices & Verses Vol. II: Fall Into Story, will be signing copies of the anthology on Monday (Nov. 21) at Selah Gifts in Downtown North Bend (Bendigo and 3rd Street area…right next door to Carriage House). Signing begins at 6:30 p.m. Hope to see many of you there!

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Still looking for a project manager to get Word Jazz organized. Anyone? Buehler? Anyone? Let me know if you’re interested. You will be fully supported by the board, but you will be leading the charge to create a successful literary event.

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Still looking for a project manager to lead the Annual Writing Contest.

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Today’s prompt: So stealing this from NaNoWriMo because it’s 7 a.m. and my brain has only half a cup of coffee…

Sit down and free write and focus on you or your character observing a duck that is missing something. You decide if its literal or metaphorical. Could be a wing, an eye, it’s webbed foot. Could be your character’s best friend that represents the duck. Like I said, you decide. Would love to see what folks come up with — post on our SnoValley Writes! Facebook Page what you came up with when you’ve finished.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Until we accept the fact that life is founded in mystery, we shall learn nothing.” Henry Miller
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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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

Weekly Writing Prompt — November 9, 2011 Edition

November 9, 2011Weekly Writing PromptBook Signing, NaNoWriMo, SnoValley Writes!, Word Jazz, Writing Promptcasz

Wow, 9 days into November already. Yowsa!

NaNoWriMo Update:

Dont’ fear if you’re behind like me. Some of us are late bloomers. Just keep at it. Come to a write-in, too. The word wars work just as well as Write or Die without erasing your hard fought words.

Upcoming Write-Ins: As with all the write-ins, look for the rubber ducky on the table, or at minimum the nano-stickered laptops).

Today: Sawdust Coffee Company, North Bend, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lots of room, plugs, internet, good coffee

Thursday: Happy Hour Write-In at Fall City Roadhouse 4 to 7 p.m. Hosted by DukTap (aka Kathy Gabriel). Meet in the pub.

Friday: Toad’s North Bend, 9:30 am. to 12:30 p.m. If you’re the first one there, get the far back table.

Saturday: North Bend Library from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by Winney and Quinnleeeee (aka Vicky and Sheri).

Sunday: North Bend Library Meeting Room — Regular Writer’s Work Session (all welcome) 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

(Note: on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the North Bend Library, the King County Library System is presenting The Art of the Novel, a presentation of a variety of narrative artworks to serve as inspiration for a novel. The artworks will relate to the following genres: mystery, fantasy, romance, memoir, historical, thriller and adventure. Need some inspiration? Plan to attend right before our work session)

Monday: Music Muse Write-In at Boxley’s (North Bend) 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., they are opening up a special room for us. So please show support and come out for this one! Jazz in the background to help fuel your writing flame.

Tuesday: Writer’s Cafe, Carriage House (North Bend) 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (this is where I made a breakthrough last night! A great environment to get the words down!)

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Upcoming News:

Nov. 21st — 6:30 p.m. SnoValley Writes! Fall Into Story Book Signing at Selah’s Gifts! Come get some early Holiday Gifts and support your fellow writers. Authors with other works will have them available as well! Do plan to be there!

Dec. 12th SnoValley Writes! Board Meeting 7:30 p.m. Carriage House All invited to attend. This will be a work session to get our Federal Tax Exception worked out.

Needed: Project Manager for Word Jazz!

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Writing Prompt for this week: Go somewhere unusual — the side of the river, a park bench, steal into an empty conference room at lunch — and write, just write, freewrite, whatever comes to mind. That guy Fred whose cubicle is catty-corner from you and is constantly shuffling, the sound of the river’s current along the shore, the sound of the birds in the tree at the park. Anything. Everything. Just sit and write out of your normal writing zone. If you’ve never been to a write-in, that would qualify as well. Mimic a conversation you hear at the cafe. Incorporate it into your prose.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast: in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.”

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What did you Write today?
~Casz

“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