Sebastien de Castell at The Grind Writers: on Writing a Series

We were fortunate to have Sebastien de Castell come to The Grind Writers in May, and give us a mini-workshop on "The Collaborative Process of Writing and Publishing a Series."

Sebastien's the author of TRAITOR'S BLADE, the first in his series, which he sold to Penguin.

He gave a really interesting, excellent presentation on the ways and means of writing then selling a series.

He told us about his 8  Expert Readers "who help you make your strongest book:"

• the Concept Reader, 
• the Craft Reader, 
• the Literary Reader, 
• the Genre Reader, 
• the Industry Reader
• the Market Reader,
• the Proof Reader, and
• the Distribution Reader.

He explained the role of each Reader in the process of getting that manuscript from the author's computer to the bookstore shelf.

Sebastien also told us about the mechanics of running his (now closed to new members) weekly writers' critique group where members have to post a chapter a week for other members to review and then they receive critique at a dinner meeting which addresses each person's offering (5 mins. each). Their critique is surgical and sometimes blunt, according to Sebastien -- but each member of this group wants to become a published author, so it's not for the thin-skinned or feint of heart.

An interview with Sebastien on Speculative Book Review.

Sebastien de Castell at The Grind Writers - May 2014

When someone said they kept thinking of him as "Simon" not "Sebastien," he quipped, "Yes, if I'd been Simon I would have gotten beat up fewer times in school."

GRIND WRITERS NEWS - FOR MAY 2014

Contents

--She lasso’d it. She wrestled with it. She tied it down, embraced it, and kissed it on the nose: Joan at the North Shore Writers’ Festival

--Wordplay – New West’s monthly poetry-generating free meet-up

--BC Writers Autonomous Fan Region

--Places to go, things to do, people to see

--Whole lotta writing going on: The RCLAS

--Could you turn some of your life experiences into paid articles?

--The Surrey Conference has its list of presenters up!

--Submit. (you know you want to) Contests and calls

--Grind Writers – where we meet & when. Upcoming minis

--The free-write photo prompt:  just try it!

Read here: http://issuu.com/grindwriters/docs/grind_writers_news__may-2014

Between you 'n me and the gatepost - the wide wide avenues of Interactive Multimedia Storytelling - Malcolm van Delst

Between you 'n me and the gatepost - the wide wide avenues of Interactive Multimedia Storytelling

Malcolm van Delst's mini-workshop on INTERACTIVE STORY-TELLING at The Grind Writers May 10th. 

First she took everyone to the interactive fiction walkabout (http://activefictionproject.com) that starts near the Grind Café. 

On return returned she took us from Dickens (inveterate serial novelist who shaped characters based on reader feedback) through everything from Choose Your Own Adventures to flashmobs and faithhealers, to NFB’s Bear 71 - the fascinating interactive docu on the ubiquitous ursine wanderings of a wild bear to Survivance and Homestar Runner; she introduced us to Snowfallen and lured us over to Kingdom of Loathing.

It was an overview worthy of Norton on a topic of endless width and breadth and possibilities. “Our lives,” she says, “are big, long stories, shaped by the people we meet.” And how.

You can read Malcolm’s remarkable experimental novel The Low Self-Esteem Reading Room online and she welcomes your feedback. She's available to speak to your group. Connect via Twitter or at the website (http://www.cutelab.com).

GRIND WRITERS NEWS - APRIL 2014

Contents
--Write about wood --Twisted Poets
--BC writers. Autonomous fan region
--Susan’s bucket list – ticked off

--Places to go, things to do, people to see

--Submit.  (you know you want to) – Contests and calls  

--Two all-day literary fests (with oodles of free workshops) this month
--Places for Writers

--Grind Writers – where we meet & when. Upcoming minis.

--The free-write photo prompt:  just try it!

View the GW News on Issuu.  Would much appreciate if you'd send this link to your friends &colleagues, and ask them to follow us. http://issuu.com/grindwriters/docs/grind_writers_news__apr-2014

Grind Writers News - March 2014

View Grind Writers News here:

CONTENTS:

--Wanted: writers over 50
--They only publish Canadian writers!--Submit.  (you know you want to) – Contests and calls for submissions--Women working in a man’s world

--Are writers doomed?
--Are you easily distracted?
--Fund$ for writers

--Places to go, things to do, people to see
--BC writers autonomous fan region

--The free-write photo prompt:  just try it!

http://issuu.com/grindwriters/docs/grind_writers_news__mar-2014 

Cudos to Grind Writers group, the program, and the News

Here's some feedback from a first-time attender at our last Grind Writers meeting, which was a mini-workshop by Sylvia Taylor on "Writing Memoir--and Getting it Published:"

Hi Margo:     I enjoyed the workshop so much that I wanted to share an excerpt from an email about it I sent to a friend, “ … I learned a good deal about writing memoir during the 2½  hours I spent with Sylvia (and the rest of the group) yesterday.  I took that learning home and put it straight to work by diving into her book [The Fisher Queen; Heritage, 2012]. 

      Thanks to the workshop, I was able apply what I’d just learned so it was a very instructive, as well as riveting, read.  Finally, I left that workshop viewing and valuing my journal in a whole  new way.  I still can’t believe that workshop was free.  It was hands down one of the most valuable, informative, credible, interesting, powerful, fun, challenging and emotive workshops I have had the privilege of being a part of.  Sylvia Taylor is the real deal.  I have huge admiration and respect for her.”  

    I also wanted to thank you for your wonderful newsletter. It is so well done, informative, interesting and relevant (believe it or not, I am aware of the perils of “over-adjectiving”)  -- the contents, the graphics -- all of it.  I always look forward to receiving it.  

    Thank you again.  My first experience with the group was positive and productive and I look forward to seeing you all next time. Best regards………… K.

_______

Note - Sylvia Taylor and numerous other talented local writers will be giving a full day of free workshops Sat. April 26th at LIT-FEST NEW WEST:

Theatre #1

• 11:00-12:00 Lois Peterson – Story: Process and Product
• 12:45-1:45 Sylvia Taylor – Navigating the Publishing World
• 2:00-300 NWPL (Heather Hortness) – Going Beyond Google: Library Resources for Writers
• 3:15 – 4:15 Publisher’s Panel: Richard Olafson (ekstasis editions and Pacific Rim Review of Books – Victoria); Kitty Lewis (Brick Books – London, Ontario), Manolis Aligizakis (Libros Libertad Publishing – Greater Vancouver area lower mainland)

Theatre #2

• 11:00 – 12:00 Daniela Elza - The Business Side of Writing
• 12:45 – 1:45 Don Hauka– Both Sides Now: Essential Elements of Adaptation
• 2:00 – 3:00 Max Tell – presents ‘Buzz Buzz and Hubub’
• 3:15 – 4:15 Margo Bates – What A Character! Humour Writing Workshop

Classroom #2217

• 11:00 – 12:00 Enrico Renz & Lawren Nemeth – Sense Rhythm and Rhyme
• 12:45 – 1:45 W. Ruth Kozak Travel Writing Workshop: Blogs, Articles & Memoir
• 2:00 – 3:00 Bob Roberston & Linda Cullen – Double Exposure’s -Introduction To Comedy Writing
• 3:15 – 4:15 Jacquie Pearce – Writing for Children 101

Click for full workshop descriptions.

Also during the day/evening - a marketplace; an author’s book signing event; the final LitFest Showcase  -  a multidisciplinary performance involving music, dance and the written word with authors readings and other presentations.

More information and register for the workshops here:

Website: http://artscouncilnewwest.org/litfest/program/workshops/

2014 MEETING DATES - The Grind Writers Group

THE GRIND WRITERS  2014  MEETING DATES 10am-12:30pm
Sat	Jan 11
Sun	Jan 26
Sat	Feb 15
Sun	Mar 2
Sat	Mar 15
Sun	Mar 30
Sat	April 12
Sun	April 27
Sat	May 10
Sun	May 25
Sat	June 7
Sun	June 22
Sat	July 5
Sun	July 20
Sat	Aug 9
Sun	Aug 24
Sat	Sept 6
Sun	Sept 21
Sat	Oct 4
Sun	Oct 19
Sat	Nov 1
Sun	Nov 16
Sat	Nov 29
Sun	Dec 14

For more info on the group please email and
please email first before attending the first time:
grindwriters@gmail.com

Prompts for the last meeting of 2013

Here they are.  15 mins. no stopping, no editing--just write.
Prompts:
Xmas present ever

Worst. Christmas. Ever
The Christmas I learned not to buy gifts on credit

3 bad gifts I got and why they were bad

Food at Christmas

Re-gifting

Workplace/staff Christmas parties

Worst gives you’ve received and worst gifts you’ve given and why

Christmas music

Christmas on another planet

Most memorable Christmas

Christmas when I was a kid

Bah humbug!

An ideal Christmas—if you had your way
I don’t celebrate Christmas. I’m ____ and we have __________.

Complaints about Xmas

Cudos about Christmas

Anything about Christmas

What our family does at Christmas(/Hannukah/Ramadan/Solstice,)

When Christmas is Strange

Christmas(es) you spent in other lands

My favourite Christmas

Christmas on Trial

Or any sugarplum prompts that pop into your head.

(c)2013 Margo Lamont

SEASONAL PROMPTS - ADD YOURS IN COMMENTS

The December-January axis is full of important cultural and family events:

• Hannukah [Nov 28-Dec 5]
•  The Winter Solstice [Dec 21]
• Christmas [Dec 25]
• The Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í faith [Nov 28]
• Kwanzaa [Dec 26-Jan 1]
• Orthodox Christmas (Jan 7) and 
• Mawlid-al-Nabi (Jan 14)

Please use the Comments section to suggest writing prompts for whatever celebration you choose.

The more the merrier. I’ll put them all on one sheet for the Nov 30^th meeting and we can either write for sharing on Dec 15^th meeting, or if we decide to forego the Dec 15^th meeting, we can write over the holidays and share at the first meeting in 2014.