Cleckheaton Writers Group (CWG) met on Monday 29 April at Cleckheaton Library with Barbara, Dave, Karen, Kathy, Michelle, Paul and Reuben in attendance.
The minutes needed some alterations, which Karen apologised for omitting, and were passed due to these amendments.
WIP updates: Paul's book, The Pervert in the Hills (J. P. Holzer), is now available on Amazon. He hired an editor and cover designer and uploaded it. There are no paperbacks available in Ireland but Paul will be sending copies to the bookshop where he met the murderer. Paul gave details of his process and prices for the book to CWG members and it was agreed it would be a great future meeting if Paul could give members a presentation on his learning curve for self publication. Paul hopes to do interviews on an Irish Daily Mirror podcast, County Cork and has undertaken a Robert McKee course on writing crime thrillers. Reuben has written an Astrid chapter for his WIP and tweaked and rejigged some previous chapters. He has also read Blue Train to give feedback to Dave. Dave has been working on his WIP Done to Death and feels he has got the start. He is drawn to writing it as a stage script for TV relating it from 1919 to the present. Barbara started something new and concentrated on description of selling and person walking towards a cafe in a small town/village entitle "No chips here, try next door.
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# 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/ Karen mentioned the Anna Chilvers writing events coming up and Mark Connors Poetry events which she has shared on Facebook and added to the agenda
Writing plans: Karen hopes to do some editing. Kathy hopes to work on Book Puppet. Dave hopes to work on Done to Death and Pastures Old (lost in WWI and family in UK learn about him through a historian in the family who dies). Reuben hopes to write a new chapter for his WIP but as he is on holiday and has a conference, he wont be around for 8 weeks. Paul will be promoting his book and doing some research on underground domestic nuclear shelters, air and oxygen and surviving for the first two weeks. Michelle will be writing a poem on the butterfly theme and calling it "Tully." Barbara will be working on No Chips here, Try next door.
Feedback: Kathy shared some of Book Puppet which hooks you in and leaves on a cliffhanger. The WIP is 9.5K words and lead to a discussion about the policeman and Vinnie working together to work out who the killer is in the story going forward. CWG members also discussed Scrivener and Script or Novel. Dave shared some opening credits of his script Done to Death using actual MPs speeches and believes scene swapping makes it easier to write. This was well received and he will progress this further. Reuben shared chapter x featuring Astrid. There was felt there was good imagery and descriptions made you feel like you were there as it was detailed and makes you want know more about what's going on with the father as there is a hook to know why she is angry with him. This led to a discussion about the contents of each chapter he has written so far and that he is planning another Astrid chapter that he has not written yet and one for another new character Vanessa. Reuben has a rough plan of characters and plot and pulls the dialogue from the original script he wrote (121 pages long but two thirds is old stuff).
Writing challenge: May Day/pole.
Next meeting: Monday 13 May 2024, 5.30pm Cleckheaton Library
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