Gamlingay & District Writers’ Group

Happy First Anniversary to the Writers’ Group! It doesn’t seem possible that our inaugural meeting really was a whole year ago. Thank you to everyone who has made the group such a pleasure to run. Let’s hope that there are many more anniversaries to come!

1. Introductions
We had one new member this month, Mike, who got off to a flying start with two stories. Welcome, Mike! We also had a few apologies from people who couldn’t be with us. And get well soon to Gillian and Sarah–we missed you!

2. Review of Targets
Emma has actually managed to write 15,000 words, which is an astonishing achievement, and has treated herself to a well-earned aromatherapy session as a reward. Well done, Emma–keep it up! Our other novelist Jackie managed a respectable 3,000 words in a ‘write a novel in a month’ competition.

3. Competition News
Emma and Jackie are still waiting to see if they have won anything with their onion related stories. It has been suggested that all members should start sending work off to competitions on a regular basis, and the Chair will start to circulate details of any interesting-looking competitions, especially where there are prizes up for grabs! The Chair is also going to enter the Spinetinglers’ novel competition by stringing together enough short stories that they can masquerade as the beginnings of a novel.

4. Other News
Teresa Benison – still trying with this one! One last go, & then we’ll give up & try another speaker.

Writers’ News – we are going to appear in the March issue of Writers’ News which comes out on 4th Feb 2010, so we will all be famous!

5. Discussion of Work
This month, our work had to be inspired by a picture. It is becoming very obvious that some members are making great strides forward with their work–often just by listening to each other and noting how other members achieve a particular goal with their writing. Some members managed to coax out a story only days before the meeting–but the important thing is that they made the effort. Writing is like anything else–the less you do it, the less you feel like doing it, so even if you’re feeling totally uninspired, it really is well worth trying to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

The Chair is also preparing a quick guide to critiquing stories which will be an introduction for those who may not have done this before and a reminder for everyone else. The Chair is also going to produce some new critique sheets to act as an aide memoire when reading other members’ work.

Reminder no 1: there are two members who submitted their work but who could not be with us. The first is Sarah and the second Val, who is now a ‘virtual’ member as she lives in Scotland. Can we all take a moment to send them our comments to ensure that they still feel part of the group?

Reminder no 2: can we please, please remember to put our names on our work and number the pages? It does get confusing sometimes to work out who has written what! Thank you!

7. Aims for the coming month
We’ve got a brand new program for 2010! Our first topic is ‘After “The End”’. Take your favourite book and then tell us how it continues after ‘The End’. Or do the same with a film. Does everyone really live happily ever after or is there more to it?

However, if anyone is working on something not connected with the theme, as ever, they are welcome to submit that instead. That’s what we’re here for – to give support and encouragement at all stages of the creative process, from the first germination of an idea to the polishing of the finished article.

It would be helpful if we could circulate our work a week in advance of the meeting to allow for reading time. When circulating work, please use the distribution list on the e-mail which sends the monthly newsletter–the Chair reviews it every month before sending the newsletter, removing dormant members and adding new one, so it will be the most up to date list.

8. Any Other Business?
Meeting venue for January 2010 – TBC. Several members have kindly offered to host if needed, and details will be circulated as soon as possible.

Christmas Social Event – thank you, Emrys, for looking into this. The Royal Oak in Potton has been chosen. The event will be held on the 3rd Tuesday in January, which is the 19th. We don’t need to pay a deposit, just inform them of numbers a few days in advance, and partners are welcome. Please let me know at the January meeting if you would like to come & whether you’ll be bringing a ‘plus one’.

There is an inviting and inexpensive bar menu, and if anyone wants a sneak preview, the website is http://www.theroyaloakpotton.co.uk.

The Villager – the new editor Claire has advised that she is looking for stories of 500 to 1,500 words, 2,000 at a push. They must contain no swearing or political incorrectness or anything which could be construed as offensive-with the result that all the Chair’s submissions have been thoroughly rejected! If you have any writing which fits the bill, please send it to me and I’ll pass it on.

Website – it’s a bit quiet on there and it would be fantastic if we could try to post a bit more. Maybe we could all try to visit it once a week so that it looks fresh & vibrant?

See you all next month! Happy writing!!

Tracey