Gamlingay & District Writers’ Group

Another great meeting! It’s becoming noticeable that the quality of work is increasing exponentially between meetings – well done everyone! Practise really does make perfect!

1. Introductions
No need for introductions this month as we all know each other by now. It was pleasing to see that our new member liked us enough to come back.

However, it has been pointed out that there are a number of people on the e-mail distribution list who are not making an active contribution to the group. It has been decided that if we do not see or hear from anyone for three months, then they should be removed so that we’re not harassing them!

If you’ve been busy lately but want to stay involved – that’s fine! Just make contact and you can stay on the list! Otherwise, please feel free to rejoin us at any stage – you know where we are if you want us!

2. Review of Targets
Our novelists are making steady progress – one has written another few hundred words, and the other has been working out some revised targets. The Chair is working on two novels at the moment – one new and one a rewrite – and is finding it useful to spend a set amount of time on each one every day – for example, half an hour. It does all add up if you stick to it.

3. Competition News
Sarah is still awaiting a publisher’s verdict on one of her novels.

Jackie has entered a competition on the topic ‘Seven Deadly Sins’, and was also shortlisted in a flash fiction competition, eventually coming third. Well done, Jackie! The competition was particularly difficult as entries had to be submitted within half an hour of the topic being announced.

Since the meeting, the Chair has entered two competitions, sending the ‘Back into Hell’ story to Dark Tales, and also submitting ‘The Literary Agent’ to a competition run by Northants Writers’ Group.

4. Other News
Teresa Benison – the Chair has finally managed to make contact, and has so far chased three times to try to agree a date. Teresa is a very inspiring speaker so it would be well worth us getting hold of her if at all possible.

Publicity for the Group – we’re now officially famous, with pieces about the group in this month’s Villager and Gazette. We have also been awarded a regular slot in the Gazette, which is great!

The New Writer – has asked the Chair to submit details of the group and also a photo for inclusion in a later issue. This was deferred to the August meeting because some of the regular members were absent...as was the photographer!

It has now been deferred again because it slipped the Chair’s mind... so let’s try to get organised for the October meeting and get a picture done!

And the big news of the evening – is that Will’s novel is being published soon! He’s currently extremely busy with the editing process, and it’s all coming together! The book cover has been chosen, the last details are being finalised and it’s all very exciting. Well done, Will!!

5. Discussion of Work
This month’s topic was a script – and we had a great variety of work. Some people had decided to lay their work out as a script; others had made their work about a script. We had a scene set out in a restaurant, some actors discussing a proposed production, a riveting sci-fi story, a story from a song from the Chair (which was July’s theme, but better late than never...) and a script addressing the issue of multiculturalism in modern Britain.

It really does make the meetings very interesting when each person has made such an effort with their work.

A reminder – there are two members who submitted their work but who could not be with us. The first is Emrys, who is in Spain at the moment. He submitted a script about a Pools win. The second is Stanley who wanted to join us but couldn’t, and who had submitted a really unusual script.

Can we all take a moment to send Emrys and Stanley our comments seeing as they’ve gone to the trouble of writing something? And let’s not forget Valerie, our furthest-flung member? I’m sure she’d appreciate some e-mails from us all.

6. Break
No break this month as there was a lot to talk about. It’s great that so many of us are really excited about our projects.

7. Aims for the coming month
Everyone is aiming to produce something for the next meeting on October 6th. The theme is, “Person, Place, Thing. Can you include in your story the person, the place and the object agreed in September’s meeting?”

The items agreed upon are: Person - A Policitian, Place - A Lake, Object - A Phoenician Coin

However, if anyone is working on something not connected with the theme, as ever, they are welcome to submit that instead. It would be helpful if we could circulate our work a week in advance of the meeting to allow for reading time. Remember that we have a week less than normal as the September meeting was deferred for a week.

8. Any Other Business?
Meeting venue – Will has kindly offered to host the meeting again so we will be meeting at 7 o’clock at his house.

See you all next month! Happy writing!!

Tracey