Friday 12 April 2024

Cleckheaton Writers Group minutes, meeting Monday 8 April 2024

Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met on Monday at Cleckheaton Library where Barbara, Dave, Karen, Kathy Michelle, Molly and Reuben were in attendance, Ivy having passed on her apologies.

Karen thanked Kathy for taking the minutes at the last meeting and the minutes were passed as a true and accurate record.

WIP updates: Karen has edited six chapters of her sequel to Christmas Evie and submitted her picture book to the James Catchpole agency. Kathy wrote the CWG minutes and has been working on a poem for a work retirement that she wrote within 48 hours and was well received by all who heard it. Well done Kathy, we look forward to hearing the poem at the next meeting. Dave has written every day for the last 2/3 weeks, 2/3 short stories, 16 for Listening to Frogs (900-3600 words) and finished black pudding and neet. He has also been changing his Tastes stage play and wondering if it is worth doing something with and would value opinions. Barbara said she would be interested in reading this and Reuben is looking at Dave's Blue Train for feedback. Reuben had planned to write a particular 2/3 chapters, but ending up working on a later chapter, which may get edited, featuring the man in black character and then started one of the chapters he'd planned on writing over the weekend. Molly has worked on the third part to the poem and putting it together to look at it. She has been reading the Beth Kempton book and accessed another writing course which recommended starting a notebook which she has done, with writing prompts at the end of every chapter. Michelle has written a poem which she had already shared with Karen for feedback. Barbara has a first draft of a short story and has been reading a lot.

CW comps/workshops/events: York Literature Festival, Retreat West monthly micro competition on the theme of LIE, 150 words, Huddersfield Literature Festival 11-28 April, Ann Chilvers writing events (as shared on the agenda) 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: Karen plans to undertake more editing. Barbara plans to reorganise some of her stories and get help from her grandchildren to compile her short stories on her laptop to put together a collection which she is considering self-publishing. Michelle hopes to write a short story and enter a competition with it. Molly is starting a new job in Bradford so may not get time to do anything before the next meeting. Reuben will write a Justine chapter and read Blue Train for feedback for Dave. Dave hopes to write 4/5 different headings and notes to form part of Listening to Frogs and any with an R in the month, plus look at Done to Death, a story he plans on a real life great-great uncle who died in mysterious circumstances which brought about changes to parliament in 1898. Kathy hopes to work on Book Puppet and will bring some of this to share, along with her work poem, as she has plotted it out.

Possible arts funding: Karen told members about the PPL funding and a discussion took place about either applying for the anthology or some workshops.

Feedback sessions: Michelle read out her Broken Vase poem which was well received. CWG members felt it could be about growing old, the Japanese art of Kintsugi, the skill in the art of making or about learning to love yourself as an older person with all the scars that have made you the person you are. An excellent layered poem. Barbara shared a short story that is as yet untitled which was well received. This led to a short discussion as we ran out of time due to the discussion on arts funding.

Writing challenge: APRIL Fools/Showers

Due to the Bank Holiday changing our normal schedule, the next meeting will take place this Monday, 15 April at 5.30pm at Cleckheaton Library and then fortnightly thereafter.

P.S. CWG members would like to pass on a huge congratulations to Jack on the birth of his baby daughter

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