Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met on Monday 4 March 2024, 5.30-7pm at Cleckheaton Library with David, Ivy, Karen, Kathy, Molly and Reuben in attendance, Michelle and Jack having passed on their apologies.
The minutes from the last meeting were passed.
WIP updates: Karen has applied for ITV Emmerdale story-liner opportunity, applied for Screen Manchester Waterloo Road opportunity and a position at The Novel Factory, so didn't have time to work on her WIP. Kathy has been working on her WIP Book Puppet. Molly has done more on the Beth Kempton course, more on the Process of Poetry and another online course with Nadia Colburn*, plus redrafted her poem from the last meeting. Reuben has finished chapter 2 of his WIP. Ivy has edited Blondielocks and the Bear which she shared at the last meeting and worked on her novella, helped by taking part in ecstatic dance which enables a meditative state to hyper focus, and so she then knew what to do and mapped out and rejigged it. She had been basing it on perceptions of the fae realm and now knows it is better to do her own thing. She has been writing more in general and written a poem, immortality. David has been experiencing the same thing in that attending CWG focussed him as though working to a deadline and he has finished Blue Train, Changing Tastes a stage play, worked on a piece using the February theme of Love and looked again at the introduction to his piece Listening to Frogs. He has written more in the last 10 days than he has done in a while.
CW comps/workshops/events: FREE to enter Wergle Flomp Poetry Contest (see Karen’s blog for details - 21/1/24) deadline 1 April and York Literature Festival, Retreat West monthly micro competition on the theme of LIE, 150 words, New Writing North FREE YA Fiction workshop on 27 March 12.30pm online (see Karen's blog for details - 4/3/24), Leeds Lit Fest in March (see Karen's blog on Leeds Central Library newsletter) including Agent event 9/3/24 and more, and Magma Poetry Pamphlet competition Magma open poetry pamphlet competition 2024 - Magma Poetry and holistic writing class for women* https://nadiacolburn.com/free-holistic-writing-class/
Writing plans: Molly will be working on her pamphlet, starting to put some poems together, and look at what she has and what goes together to work out a thread. She will also do more on the Process of Poetry, the Beth Kempton Course and the Nadia Colburn course (14 March). Kathy will be working on Book Puppet but she is also interested in the poetry pamphlet and will sift through her poems to see what she has. Karen will edit some of the sequel to Christmas Evie. David will continue with Listening to Frogs and take another couple of short stories and finish them, plus working on another poem as well as finishing Hunting the Haggis (see feedback sessions). Ivy will edit the fairy tales that she has and complete a collection, plus look at potential competitions to enter. She is also considering organising a writing get-together which all CWG members were interested in and she promised to keep us posted. Reuben will be working on two chapters for his character Justine and one chapter for his character Mary.
Feedback sessions: David shared his Valentine Love poem which was a great humorous poem, and a section from his Blue Train short story which is at 2,700. David read out a draft version of Hunting for Haggis, which Kathy felt it was very folky, and this led to a discussion about sharing longer work (3k maximum) with CWG members prior to meetings for feedback. It was agreed that Karen would add the email addresses of David and Reuben (who wish to share their work first) to the email accompanying the minutes, and interested CWG members will contact them directly. Reuben gave an appraisee of his chapter one and prologue, then read out chapter two featuring Mary. From her keen interest in supernatural writing, Karen knew quickly that Mary was a ghost hunter and the chapter was well received. Molly shared a re-draft of her poem. Members felt it kept the imagery that worked so well, yet lent to a more evocative narrative style giving a journey through the poem of contemplation. David felt it might bring it around full circle to add a conclusion to the journey as a final stanza.
Writing challenge: March theme HARES/HAIRS.
Next meeting: Monday 18 March 2024, 5.30pm-7.00pm at Cleckheaton Library, new members always welcome. Kathy kindly offered to lead and take the minutes for the meeting as Karen has passed on her apologies.
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