Free AWA writing workshops begin April 14
Geoff and Janna Benge, members of our local group, are offering a series of free writing workshops on Tuesdays from April 14 through May 5. The workshops will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 PM at the Office Gallery and Art Studio in downtown Orlando. The Office Gallery and Art Studio is a working art studio, a great environment for writing.
Geoff and Janna have more than one hundred forty books in their portfolio and more than twenty-three years of experience in the publishing industry—evidence of the passion for writing that drives them to help others find their writing voices. Janna is also a certified instructor in the Amherst Writers and Artists’ (AWA) methodology.
The Benge’s own Silver Fern Writer’s Workshops, in conjunction with Apartment E, will be running the workshops. The workshops are free and open to all, though a donation box will be available for those who would like to donate towards the cost of running the workshop.
As added incentive—if any were needed—anyone who wishes may head over to Will’s Pub at 1042 N. Mills Avenue for additional conversation.
For a printable flyer, visit http://www.the-freelance-editor.com/BengeFlyer,Apr09.pdf For directions and parking information visit: SilverFernWriters.com or apartmentE.com. For more information, e-mail Geoff or Janna at inquiries@silverfernwriters.com
Meeting Reminder: April 1, 6:30 PM
This month’s meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, will feature local historian and author Fred Hitt, who will share his ideas and techniques for researching and writing historical fiction. Fred is the author of the recently completed, award-winning Timucua Trilogy.
That meeting is this Wednesday, April 1, at the University Club of Winter Park; the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader—ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Researching and writing historical fiction, with local author Fred Hitt
Local historian and author Fred Hitt will be featured at the April 1 (and this is no April Fool’s Day joke), 2009, meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group (Florida Writers Association).
Author of the award-winning historical novels Wekiva Winter and Beyond the River of the Sun, Fred has only recently completed the Timucua Trilogy—three books about Florida’s seventeenth-century native population—with The Last Timucuan. (For information on the trilogy, visit Fred’s Web site, www.marehootie.com.) The focus of his presentation will be on researching and writing historical fiction. “It’s what I do best,” he says, “besides talking about it.”
Fred will likely be joined by his wife, award-winning wildlife artist Linda Silsby Hitt, who painted the covers and illustrations for his books.
As always, that Wednesday meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park, which is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. Our meetings are free and open to the public. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Meeting Reminder: March 4, 6:30 PM
Remember to attend this month’s meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, for Christophe Couallier’s introduction to the social networking site LinkedIn and a demonstration of how it can be used to expand your writing career.
Remember, too, just for this month, use the “invisible” door on the north side of the library—to the left and around the corner from our usual entrance. Another group is using the main hall and has asked not to be disturbed. If the door is closed, just knock and someone will let you in. Thank you for cooperating.
That meeting is this Wednesday, March 4, at the University Club of Winter Park; the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader—ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Using LinkedIn to promote your products and services
Writers need to manage their professional careers just like bankers do. And one of the social networking tools most often used by professionals is LinkedIn. Join us at the next meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group (Florida Writers Association) to learn how to use LinkedIn to expand your writing career. That meeting will take place this coming Wednesday, March 4, 2009, with member and occasional speaker Christophe Couallier presenting information and demonstrating with a live connection.
Remember, just for this month, use the “invisible” door on the north side of the library—to the left and around the corner from our usual entrance. Another group is using the main hall and has asked not to be disturbed. If the door is closed, just knock and someone will let you in. Thank you for cooperating.
Most creative professionals use MySpace and/or Facebook to promote their talents and products. However, LinkedIn can have just as much or more value, especially on the business side of writing—where networking, branding, and research enter the picture—and it is more customizable and “respectable.”
Because the LinkedIn community is made up largely of professionals and business executives, you’ll find individuals and groups with higher ethical standards, greater interest in helping others, and better reputations, with less abuse, than some other social networking sites, where your profile can be uncontrollably linked to video-obsessed kids, love-sick teens, and overexposed perverts!
As always, that Wednesday meeting will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park, which is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader—ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
HS student completes writing senior project: Congrats!
“Adopted” member Jessica Lehrer, who has attended a couple of our meetings in the last few months, just announced that the performance of her senior project is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2009, at 7:30 PM, in the Oviedo High School auditorium. For her project, Jessica wrote and is directing a play, “Legally Frosted,” in memory of classmate Robert Locke. A minimum donation of $2 is requested with all proceeds benefiting the Robert Locke Scholarship.
Congratulations, Jessica!
Additional shows may be scheduled. Contact Oviedo High School at 407-320-4050 to see about other performances, to ask for directions (the school is located at 601 King Street in Oviedo; ZIP, 32765), and to seek any information you might need to show your support.
Meeting Reminder: February 4, 6:30 PM
The next monthly meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group, Florida Writers Association, is coming up quickly, so don’t forget it! Our speaker is member Rik Feeney, and his ever-popular topic is marketing: “Using Your Book as Your Primary Marketing Tool.”
During the talk, Rik will discuss cover design, interior layout and design, gathering blurbs, testimonials, and reviews, and incorporating something you may not know about—a call for action. All the key factors for motivating a sale and positioning for future sales will be on the table. And, yes, he will address questions specific to your own books.
The meeting is this Wednesday, February 4, at the University Club of Winter Park; the meeting is free and open to the public. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader—ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Using your book as your primary marketing tool
Does your book practically sell itself? It should, and the next meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group (Florida Writers Association) will focus on how it should. That meeting will take place on February 4, 2009, with author and book coach Rik Feeney leading the marketing-oriented program.
Everything, from book cover to content, should help to motivate a sale and position you for additional sales in the future. In this talk, Rik will discuss the key factors for using your book itself as your primary marketing tool.
Topics for the evening will include cover design, interior layout and design, blurbs for the back cover, testimonials and reviews, pricing, and perhaps the most important missing element on many books—a call for action! And, be sure to bring questions specific to your own book.
Come to that next meeting, Wednesday, February 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, at the University Club of Winter Park, and find out how you can sell more of your books. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. Our meetings are free and open to the public. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
Reviewing our January meeting and other notes
After a somewhat rough start (debates over respect and who had the floor at some given moments), our open forum on January 7 turned out to be a pretty informative session. During our discussions, several Web sites and blogs were mentioned; in case you couldn’t write quickly enough, here are a few that had the most interest:
This is a Yahoo Groups list that contains calls for submissions for all varieties of writing, including poetry, general fiction, and non-fiction. It also posts faculty openings, artist-in-residence programs, and grant offerings, if any of those are relevant to your needs. Thanks to Lara Zielinsky for that link.
HARO, or Help A Reporter Out, is a database listing of subject specialists who are available to provide comment or information to reporters and reporters who need subject specialists to help finish articles. Lists arrive by e-mail three times a day, Monday through Friday, and are fun to peruse, even if you only subscribe for a couple of days. Thanks to Rik Feeney for that one.
These three sites have long been staples in the arsenals of writers. Check them out for yourselves and see what you can get from them. Thanks to Robyn Weinbaum for those recommendations.
In other news, Elaine Person announced a St. Valentine’s Day Celebration with the Orlando Poetry Troupe on Saturday, February 7, at 1:30 p.m. She and sometimes-members Hinda-jonathan and Naomi Butterfield will be among the artists presenting original works by Florida poets. The celebration is part of Arts Fest 2009 at the Maitland Art Center (231 West Packwood Avenue, Maitland; 407-539-2181). A second performance is scheduled to take place at Infusion Tea (1600 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, 407-378-4675) on Wednesday, February 11, at 7:00 p.m.
And, finally, steadfast member Dan Anderson had this biographical and promotional article appear in the Jacksonville Beach Beaches Leader and BeachesLeader.com. Congratulations, Dan!
Thank you, again, to everyone who attended that experimental meeting and contributed to the information-packed result! See you again on February 4.
Welcome the new year on January 7
The next meeting of the Orlando Area Writers Group (Florida Writers Association) on January 7, 2009, will be an open forum. That’s right: any ol’ writing-related thang you want to do, ask, or talk about!
I apologize for the short notice, but with the holidays and a hectic work schedule and a shortage of available speakers, it’s been a rough month for planning. So, rather than cancel the meeting, we’ve decided to host this free-for-all forum. This will provide an excellent chance to
- meet your fellow writers and new members,
- learn what projects others in the group are working on,
- share an excerpt from your latest work,
- read a new poem, or
- present a sample for critique.
In addition, some discussion topics we could cover include new year’s resolutions; the latest writing classes, contests, workshops, and other events in the area; or your favorite moments as a writer in 2008 or your goals for 2009. Whatever’s on your mind, we hope you’ll take time to join us.
That next meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the University Club of Winter Park. The University Club is located at 841 Park Avenue North, on the northwest corner of Park and Webster Avenue. Our meetings are free and open to the public. For additional information, visit the group blog at www.fwa-orlando.org or contact Stephen Evans, group leader, at ImYourEditor@hotmail.com or 407-898-4299.
In the meantime, have a wonderfully happy and safe new year celebration!
