Tag Archives: writer’s cafe

Weekly Writing Prompt — May 29, 2013 Edition

May 29, 2013Weekly Writing PromptNaNoWriMo, stepping up, summer schedule, website, writer's cafeadmin

Writers:

A big Thank-You to Takako for stepping up and facilitating last night’s critique intensive. I’m feeling a bit better, but far from well. Just hoping to kick this bug enough before tonight’s hockey game, since next to writing and farming, that is one of my passions as well. 😀 Takako did give me your feedback as far as desires for the group and I will be implementing them as more information back becomes available.

Speaking of stepping up, we need to talk about National Novel Writing Month. I know it’s only May; however, plans need to begin for November now. The forms for municipal liaison are out. I know that Takako has said she will consider continuing in her Co-ML capacity as she has the last few years; however, I will not be ML this year; nor will I be participating in NaNoWriMo. I need to focus on other things currently, especially if SnoValley Writes! is to continue and grow. However, there is a huge group within SnoValley Writes! and throughout the valley that will participate in NaNoWriMo and if you have the desire — or especially if you have not done it — I strongly encourage you to do so. So, if anyone is interested in being Co-ML, (it would be good if someone who’s already done NaNo to step up for this role) please let me know and I’ll get you all the details. A decision must be made by June 19.

Speaking of June (like my crappy transitions? Hey, I blame medicine head), we need to talk Summer Schedule. We normally take August off because that is the Library’s Book Sale and we lose our meeting room. Accordingly, I’ve scheduled all my family vacations during that time. However, there are some other challenges, too, throughout summer. We will meet on June 11. Last day of school for our school district, so get your me-time in now, right? 😀 However, June 25th I’ll be wrapped up in All-Star Baseball Schedule, which is every.freaking.night. So, I will be unavailable; however, you’re all welcome to do another critique intensive — just need a facilitator. If someone steps up, then I can let the library know that we will still be using the room. In July we are scheduled to meet the 9th and 23rd. If for any reason, I have less than 3 people coming, I will cancel those sessions. Summer tends to be rough on folks’ schedules, I understand. But, I can use those hours writing or what not, if there is no moderating to be done. 😀 Just let me know, so we can plan accordingly and I can inform the library.

Last Summer, too, our weekly writing prompts were sporadic. They become more like monthly prompts. My intent this summer is to continue the weekly communique, except for August. August is vacation from everything writing. It does not mean you need to stop your artist’s dates or morning pages (those are healthy things and I continue those as well); but, for me, I take that month off from new composition, revising, plotting, teaching…all of it. I also tend to take three weeks around the holidays, too. It’s what works for me. It does not mean you have to follow the same path. Hopefully by then we’ll have the forum section of the web site activated (or something similar), and you all can stay connected.

As always, another way to stay connected with your fellow writers is through our Write-Ins (aka Writing Cafes) which take place Mondays (save holiday Mondays like this last week), Wednesdays and Fridays. You can always see the calendar section of our web site as a reminder.

Your prompt is to check out our web site and attend a writer’s cafe before June 11, as well as let me know your intentions for the rest of summer’s work sessions.

And now, your moment of Writing Zen:

“When we are unable to work, we can work at the work of getting ready to work. Writers can lay in supplies of papers and enticing pens, notepads that plead, ‘Please write on me.’ Painters can prepare their canvases, clean their brushes, neaten their studio space. Potters can acquire a new lump of cool clay and clear the table space where they will knead and shape it. Gentle things can be done.” ~Julia Cameron.

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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 — February 13, 2013 Edition

February 14, 2013Weekly Writing PromptDegas, Host, Julia Cameron, tasks, The Artist's Way, The Deadlies, Volunteer, writer's cafeadmin

Writers:

Greetings.

Quick administrative notes before we dive into this week’s writing tasks –

We need a “host” for the Write-Ins on Friday mornings and Mid-Day on Mondays.

Any volunteers?

Our Friday one is 9:30 a.m. to Noonish (currently at the Black Dog) and Mid-Day Muse is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (currently at Pioneer Café). Locations could be changed, but SnoValley Writes! needs someone to volunteer to make sure that a table of writers is started. Let me know if you’re interested in doing this.

Alright…now for our writerly workings for the week…

We’re working through the tasks of Week 10: Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection within The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

Note: Many of you have come to me and said that this work we’ve been doing going through The Artist’s Way has been enlightening, difficult, helpful, hard, and oh, so, inspiring. I’m glad so many of you are getting so much out of it. Like I’ve told you in the past, this is my third time through it and I still gather benefit from the exercises, tasks and stories within its pages.

Now for this week’s Tasks:

The Deadlies: Take a piece of paper and cut seven small strips from it. On each strip write one of the following words: alcohol, sex, work, money, food, family/friends. Fold these strips of paper and place them in an envelope. We call these folded slips the deadlies. You’ll see why in a minute. Now draw one of the deadlies from the envelope and write five ways in which it has had a negative impact on your life. (If the one you choose seems difficult or inapplicable to you, consider this resistance.) You will do this seven times, each time putting back the previous slip of paper so that you are always drawing from seven possible choices. Yes, you may draw the same deadly repeatedly. Yes, this is significant. Very often, it is the last impact on the final list of an annoying, “Oh no, not again” that yields a break, through denial, into clarity.

This one is a lot of work and I really want you all to work on this one. So, be sure to get it done.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.” ~Edgar Degas

Don’t forget, Writer’s Café tonight! 6 p.m. at Sawdust Café in North Bend.

Weekly Writing Prompt — May 23, 2012 Edition

May 23, 2012Weekly Writing PromptArtist Date, environment, morning pages, The Artist's Way, time travel, work session, writer's cafecasz

Greetings! Hope the rain and cloud cover has you inspired and not mired in “where is the sun?” complaints.

Once again, we continue with our work through The Artist’s Way together. We are still working through the tasks and exercises in Chapter 4 — for those keeping track via their own copy of the book.

But, first, it’s check-in time!

1. Morning Pages?

2. Artist’s Date?

3. No reading this past week? What did you do instead?

4. Doing the tasks and exercises?

Today’s Tasks include the environment and time travel.

1. Environment: Describe your ideal environment. Town? Country? Sank? Cozy? One paragraph. One image, drawn or clipped, that conveys this. (For those with Tumblr Accounts, feel free to do this there). What’s your favorite season? Why? Go through some magazines and find an image of this. Or draw it. Place it near your working area.

2. Time Travel: Describe yourself at eighty. What did you do after fifty that you enjoyed? Be very specific. Now, write a letter from you at eighty to you at your current age. What would you tell yourself? What interests would you urge yourself to pursue? What dreams w2ould you encourage?

3. Time Travel: Remember yourself at eight. What did you like to do? What were your favorite things? Now, write a letter from you at eight to you at your current age. What would you tell yourself?

4. Environment: Look at your house. Is there any room that you could make into a secret, private space for yourself? Convert the TV room? Buy a screen or hand a sheet and cordon off a section of some other room? This is your dream area. It should be decorated for fun and not as an office. All you really need is a chair or pillow, something to write on, some kind of little alter area for flowers and candles. This is to help you center on the fact that creativity is a spiritual, not an ego, issue.

Reminders:

DayTrippers on Friday at the Black Dog at 9:30 a.m. until about Noon-ish.

Monday Midday Muse at Pioneer Cafe at 11 a.m. until about 1 p.m. ish

Writer’s Cafe @ Carriage Insurance at 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Next Writer’s WorkShop Session: June 10th.

Steve Matlock kindly shared this link and information. Might be of interest to some of you:

Direct submissions to Arthur Levine (@Scholastic)

http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/submission.asp

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“The primary imagination I hold to be the Living Power.” ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

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 — February 29, 2012 Edition (In a time warp)

March 1, 2012Weekly Writing Promptreminders, SnoValley Writes!, time travel, writer's cafe, writers salon, writingcasz

Yes, we’re a day late. My apologies, I’ve been in a time-warp of sorts. I kept thinking it was Tuesday yesterday, even though my calendar and reminders clearly said it was Wednesday.

So, that’s your prompt. It’s a trope — but its a fun trope. Write a story that has some sort of time or time travel element in it.

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I’m writing this on the fly because I’m already late for the start of a day due to some tech emergencies. So please forgive the abruptness of this.

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REMINDERS:

1. Everyone participating in Word Jazz needs to have their final copy and images (which you own or have permission to use and we won’t have any copyright issues with…) to SHERI KENNEDY. Do not send them to me. Please send them to Sheri. She is on the “to” line here for convenience.

2. Tonight is the Open Mic at Black Dog. If you want some reading experience, or at minimum want to see how others do it, I encourage you to attend. They start sign ups at 6:30 p.m. and the open-mic starts at 7 p.m. My son plans to debut his “comedic writing” tonight as well; it would be great if you came out and supported him, at minimum.

3. Friday is Day Trippers Write In, currently being held at Country Pride restaurant at Truck Town (north of exit 34 off I-90). 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. Hope to see you there.

4. Monday Midday Muse at Toads. Another write in from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

5. Our very own Writer’s Cafe (bring your own snacks and drinks) at Carriage Insurance House at 3rd and Bendigo in North Bend. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

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Still looking for suggestions for local literary figures to invite to our upcoming literary salons.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Albert Einstein

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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