Cleckheaton Writers Group met last night at Cleckheaton Library 5.30-7pm with Martijn, Gemma, Barbara, Janet, Karen, Cassie, Mark, Sam and Kathy in attendance, Mandy, Sarah, Daniel and Alice having passed on their apologies.
Welcome/attendance: Mark and Janet, who had not met before, were introduced to each other and they both discussed the kind of writing they did.
Minutes from the last meeting: The minutes were passed as a correct record.
WIP feedback: Karen has edited her picture book story and shared it with SCBWI for feedback (which led to a discussion about some aspects of the feedback she was given), had applied for a RNA NWS Diamond Award bursary and for a scholarship with her crime novel. She has also written two new poems (both as part of the New Year CWG writing challenge), started her GEA Foundations course and written a new scene for her WIP which she had brought along to share.
Martijn received a copy of his children's Christmas story as a published book for Christmas from his wife, which he passed around the members to look at. The story was published by a company called Blurb who can print your book and give it an ISBN number for a reasonable price. He has also written two short stories and a poem which are to be performed at Lawrence Batley Theatre on Monday evening from 7.30pm, all members are invited to attend. This is part of a writing project with Dead Chuffed, a group of local writers putting on their work on the stage. Good luck Martijn. Martijn agreed to pass on details of when the writers next meet to the CWG members.
Mark has written six chapters of his current WIP, developed the world and the magical system.
Gemma has been working on her covering letter and agent requirements. Tomorrow she will get the Cornerstones Literary Service phonecall that she won so she has been making notes ahead of this. Good luck Gemma.
Barbara now has a working laptop and has been writing for the last ten days. She has started a short story about an elderly lady she used to work with, in diary form.
Cassie has not written anything since the last meeting.
Janet has written some New Year writing and has kept writing without giving her MC a name. This led to a discussion and the group agreed this was sometimes a good technique to use.
Kathy has written a piece for the New Year challenge that she brought along to share.
Sam has written chapter five of his WIP and sent it to his beta readers but feels he needs to work on it a bit more. He has started a new book, a dark comedy set in space and written the first chapter. We look forward to hearing it.
Feedback sessions: Karen shared the new scene she had written for her current WIP, which she thought might be a new first chapter to replace the prologue that she now hopes to place in piecemeal across the novel. The scene was well received and led to a discussion about the novel. Due to the dark nature of the scene, Karen then read one of the poems she had written for the New Year challenge as it was a way to lighten the mood.
Kathy shared her New Year short story which was humorous and excellent as always. We hope Kathy may enter this into a writing competition.
Barbara then shared her New Years Resolutions poem which was well received and we hope to hear more of Barbara's writing soon.
Mark shared the first chapter of his new WIP The Fallen Prophet. The chapter had excellent world-building and was also dark in nature. It reminded one of the members of Sabriel a YA novel by Garth Nix. Mark is six chapters in to his new WIP and we hope to hear more.
Writing information: Martijn informed members that BBC America will be showing Nightwatch, a steam punk rather than Medieval inspired version of the Discworld Series soon.
The next meeting will take place on Monday 3 February 5.30-7pm at Cleckheaton Library. Meetings fortnightly thereafter and new members always welcome.
NOTE TO THOSE WHO WISH TO ATTEND: The funeral of our friend and CWG member Pauline Scatterty takes place tomorrow from 10am at Dewsbury Crematorium.
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