Posts Tagged manuscripts
Crafting Opening Lines and Critique Workshop
Agenda
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Flash Fiction Writing Exercise and Craft Chat: Opening Lines
How do you pull your readers into your story from the very first line? What makes for a good first line? When should you write it?
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Critique Workshop
Manuscripts have been turned in and distributed to the members in good standing. Order of critiques are as follows: R. A., K. L., D. H.
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time: 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Place: Butte County Library, Chico Branch – Conference Room
Address: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico (cross street – First Avenue)
Writers Workshop Sat., March 7
Agenda
Craft Chat: Creating Suspense
You want your reader to both understand what’s going on and want to keep reading. How do you create mystery without either giving away too much or losing the reader?
Critique Workshop
This segment is only for members-in-good standing. Manuscripts have been delivered, please be prepared to actively critique the three manuscripts. We’ll be working in the following order:
- R. A. S.
- L. H.
- L. G.
Date: Saturday, March 7th, 2009
Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Place: Chico Branch Meeting Room
(directly across from circulation desk)
Butte County Library
1108 Sherman Avenue (cross street 1st Ave.), Chico
Please note: members are requested to help put everything away after our sessions and check with the organizer before leaving. Thank you.
Craft Chat on Sentence Structure and Critique Workshop
Date: Saturday, December 27, 2008
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Location: Butte County Library – Chico Branch
Address: 1108 Sherman Avenue, Chico
(cross street is First Ave)
Agenda
2:00 PM: Craft Chat – Sentence Structure
What makes a complete sentence? Do you always have to use them? How do you learn to vary your sentence structures? Is it ever okay to use a run-on sentence to get your point across when it fits what you’re doing even if you’ve been told not to use them and that sentences need to contain only one solid idea? Fragments? We’ll talk about all of this and what sentence structure can mean for your story.
3:00 PM: Manuscript Critique Workshop
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Upcoming Meetings
January – June 2009
(tentative)
Location: Butte County Library – Chico Branch
Saturdays (unless otherwise noted)
| January 10 | 3:30 – 6:30 PM | January 24 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM |
| February 7 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM | February 21 | 4:00 – 6:30 PM |
| March 7 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM | March 21 | 4:00 – 6:30 PM |
| April 5 (Sun) | 11 AM – 2:00 PM | April 18 | 3:30 – 6:30 PM |
| April 30 | 4:30 – 7:30 PM | May 2 | 4:30 – 7:30 PM |
| May 2 | 4:30 – 7:30 PM | May 16 | 3:30 – 6:30 PM |
| June 13 | 4:30 – 7:30 PM | June 27 | 4:30 – 7:30 PM |
We now have a calendar with updated information, including manuscript deadlines. You can click on the link at the top of the navigation column (CWG Calendar) or click here to go there now.
Deadline for Manuscripts – Thursday, Dec. 18th
Manuscripts for our upcoming workshop scheduled for Saturday, December 27th from 2pm – 4pm are due this coming Thursday, December 18th by 5:00 pm.
Important information about submitting a manuscript:
- First come, first serve. Presently there are none in queue.
- Check your manuscript to ensure it is free of any viruses before you send it in.
- No more than 10 pages, please (plays and screenplays max. is 20 pages).
- Formatted as follows:
- 10 – 12pt Serif font (Courier, Times New Roman)
- 1" margins all around
- 1 1/2 – double spaced
- No title page (please be considerate of your fellow writers who are printing these out at their own expense)
- Name, title of piece and contact information (phone or email) on top of first page
- Please number your pages
- Saved in (listed in order of preference): *.doc, *.txt/*.rtf, *.PDF
- Please note that the aforementioned files may be read by downloading free readers. If you require more information, please leave a comment with a current, valid email address (never posted) and someone will respond to you shortly.
- If you are unable to save your document in the aforementioned formats, you may alternatively bring enough copies to the next meeting for distribution and have it workshopped the following session in January, 2009. For a head count, please leave a comment with a current, valid email address.
- If there is anything in particular you would like to pass along to the readers, please include that into the body of the email.
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FAQ
Question: Do I have to submit a manuscript?
Short Answer: No.
Detailed Answer: Our writers submit manuscripts as they become available. However, the purpose of these workshops is to provide invaluable feedback to the writers which obviously can’t be done if there isn’t a manuscript.
Question: Do I have to critique others?
Short Answer: Yes.
Detailed Answer: The whole point of critique workshops is to provide each writer with feedback. In doing so, we can learn how to strengthen our own writing. It isn’t fair to ask for your work to be critiqued if you aren’t returning the favor!
Question: Should my manuscript be print ready, meaning a final copy that’s ready to be published?
Short Answer: No.
Detailed Answer: While you should aim to have your copy as polished as possible, free of grammatical and spelling errors as possible, your manuscript doesn’t have to be ready for publication. Some writers are looking merely to sharpen skills, try out different techniques and grow from the experience. Others may have a certain contest or purpose to fulfill as a goal.
Question: I’ve never proofread or edited before. Are there rules to follow?
Short Answer: Yes and no.
Detailed Answer: You’ll find proofing and editing information here on this site which will be helpful both in editing/proofing a copy as well as understanding the marks that are made on your own piece. Go at your own pace, ask questions and do what you feel most comfortable doing. If you’d like, we can pair you up with another writer to help you learn editing and proofing methods.
Question: Is there a specific format I should use for my manuscript?
Short Answer: No.
Detailed Answer: While we don’t require a specific format, you should get into the habit of writing within the industry’s standards. Work should have a header with the title of your piece, your name, the date (or season) and what draft/copy level (e.g. first draft, third draft, final copy, etc.) We urge you to number your pages. The industry standard is to double space, set margins to 1? on all sides, use a Courier font at 12pt. which we encourage you to stick with.
Question: Do I have to send my manuscript in prior to the meeting?
Short Answer: No.
Detailed Answer: To guarantee your piece is critiqued and that you get the most “bang for your buck” (even though it is a free workshop, your time is worth something, right?), it is in your favor if you do send it by the deadline or even earlier. If you wait and bring it with you, we can’t guarantee we’ll have enough time to get to it. If, however, you do opt to do this, make certain you bring enough copies for everyone (about 5, not including your own copy).
Still have questions? Need more information? Feel free to ask! Either use the comment section here (we can all benefit from the questions and answers) or email kathie dot blog at gmail dot com.
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