Board of Directors
Shawn Langwell, President
Judy Baker, Vice President
Marilyn Lanier, Vice President
Jeane Slone, Vice President
Malena Eljumaily, Treasurer
Crissi Langwell, Secretary
Roger Lubeck, Immediate Past President
Joelle Burnette, Website Editor
Tina Deason, Contests
Tommie Whitener, Vault Master, Policies & Procedures
Adele Layton, Member at Large
Chairs and Editors
Les Bernstein, Poetry Anthology Editor
Skye Blaine, Newsletter Poetry Editor
Fran Claggett-Holland, Poetry Anthology Editor
Robin Gabbert, Writers Salon
Pamela Heck, Conference Volunteers
Marie Judson, Critique Groups
Jeanne Jusaitis, Author Support
Marilyn Lanier, Speaker Chair
Crissi Langwell, Newsletter Editor, Social Media, and 2020 & 2021 Prose Anthology Editor
Shawn Langwell, 2021 Prose Anthology Editor
Roger Lubeck, Membership Chair
Linda L. Reid, Writers Circle & Poetry Anthology Liaison
Danna Ruffner, PR Manager
Jeane Slone, Author Launch
Deborah Taylor-French, Author Support
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GENERAL MEETINGS ARE NOW HELD IN PERSON AND ON ZOOM |
Every third Saturday, Redwood Writers general meeting will be held 1-2:30 p.m.at:
Finley Center
2060 W. College Ave
Santa Rosa.
Masks are required by all, regardless of vaccination status per CDC rules.
If you are unable to attend or still feel uncomfortable attending in person, we will be streaming the meeting via Zoom.
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A NOTE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT |
grat·i·tude
/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/
noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Dear Redwood Members,
On November 25, millions will celebrate Thanksgiving. For many, it’s a time to share a meal with family and friends and rekindle old memories and create new ones. Who says we need to wait for a national holiday to express gratitude? It is not constrained to time or circumstance. Gratitude is a mindset. A way of being, loving, and living. Research suggests that those who are grateful and openly express their appreciation to others, are generally happier and healthier. I try and practice a bit of gratitude every day.
Today, we celebrate our Immediate Past President Roger Lubeck, the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Jack London Award. Today, Crissi and I celebrate all the authors, judges, and editors who have helped to make editing our club’s anthology seamless and pleasant learning experience. Today, I am grateful for the leaders and chairs of each of our groups, for our board, and for each of you. Because without the efforts and participation of each of you in your own ways, we would not have a club.
But wait, there’s more…
In December, we will all have an opportunity come together, online or in person, to celebrate members, award winners, and your club volunteers with our "Membership Appreciation Day."
In January, we will have an official launch party for our prose anthology, Remember When.
In February, we will celebrate our club’s authors who published a book in the past thirteen months with “Author Launch”.
As you can see there are a myriad of reasons to be grateful. I hope to see you on the 20th so we can celebrate together. Remember, gratitude is the gift that keep on giving.
Until then, Happy Writing.
Shawn Langwell
Redwood Writers President
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RW Members at the October meeting when we presented "A tour of RW groups and offerings." Did you find the last meeting informative? Weigh in on our Facebook page!
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Our next board meeting is on Tuesday, November 9, 6-7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Board meetings are held 6-7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted, and are open to any member in good standing. If you would like to attend a board meeting, contact: president@redwoodwriters.org to receive an invitation.
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An easy way to support Redwood Writers... |
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IN THIS NEWSLETTER
- President's Message
- Upcoming Events
- November General Meeting
- Homegrown Poetry
- Poetry Contest
- Writing Exercise
- Groups.io
- Redwood Writers Circle
- Author Support Group
- Member News & Events
- Member Books
- New Members
- Editor's Note
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark your calendars for this month's upcoming events! Keep reading the newsletter for more details about each event.
Nov. 9: Board Meeting
Nov. 15: Poetry Contest Deadline
Nov. 20: Author Support Group
Nov. 20: General Meeting with Children's Author Panel
Nov. 27: RW Circle
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NOTE: If you are reading this newsletter through your email, it may be clipped at the end. If you don't reach the editor's note, be sure to click "view entire message" at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Saturday, November 20
1 - 2:30 p.m.
at the Finley Center in Santa Rosa
and also online
Cost is $5 for members and $10 for guests.
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Masks are required by all, regardless of vaccination status to attend this meeting, per CDC. |
Children's Author Panel: Paths to Publication
Featuring Mae Respicio, Meera Sriram & Mitali Perkins
Moderated by Natasha Yim
Note: Panel will present via Zoom. Members are invited to gather at the Finley Center to see this event streamed live, or watch from the comfort of their own home.
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Children’s Authors: A panel discussion on paths to publication (Illustrated, Middle Grade & Young Adult). RW’s esteemed children’s books author and freelance writer, Natasha Yim, will moderate the panel.
The three notable award-winning panelists:
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Mae Respicio, author of middle grade novels
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Meera Sriram, author of children’s picture books.
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Mitali Perkins, author of many books for young readers (her middle-grade novel, Rickshaw Girl, was adapted as a film release in 2021 and is garnering acclaim and awards)
This panel discussion will benefit all writers interested in sharing their work in multiple mediums, choosing to options for publishing, and the trends appearing in children's books, middle grade and young adult books.
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About our featured authors: |
Mae Respicio writes middle-grade novels full of hope and heart. She’s the author of The House That Lou Built, which won an Asian/Pacific American Libraries Association Honor award, was an NPR Best Book, and was named to many state reading and “best of” lists. Her most recent novel is Any Day With You, and her latest book is How to Win a Slime War, released in September 2021 from Wendy Lamb Books/Random House Kids. Mae lives with her husband, two children, two pet rats, and one rascally puppy in the suburban wild of Northern California. Learn more at MaeRespicio.com. |
As an Indian American, Meera Sriram has lived almost equal parts of her life in both countries. Previously an electrical engineer, she now enjoys writing for children and advocating for diverse bookshelves. Meera is the author of picture books, The Yellow Suitcase, and A Gift for Amma, winner of the 2021 South Asia Book Award and the Foreword Reviews Indies Silver Award. Her 2021 titles include Between Two Worlds, a biography of the Indian-Hungarian artist Amrita Sher-Gil, and Dumpling Day, a counting book that celebrates food, community, and cultures. Meera has also co-authored several kids’ books in India. She believes in the transformative power of stories and likes to write about people, places, and experiences less visible in children’s literature. For more information, please visit MeeraSriram.com. |
Mitali Perkins is the author of many award-winning books for young readers, including Between Us and Abuela, Forward Me Back To You, You Bring the Distant Near, and Tiger Boy, all of which explore crossing different kinds of borders. Her middle-grade novel, Rickshaw Girl, was adapted as a film by Sleeperwave Productions and Half-Stop Down. Mitali was born in Kolkata, India before immigrating to the United States, has lived in Bangladesh, India, England, Thailand, Mexico, Cameroon, and Ghana, studied Political Science at Stanford and Public Policy at U.C. Berkeley, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. More information at mitaliperkins.com.
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Natasha Yim is a children’s author and freelance writer. She has published seven picture books and written for the children’s magazines, Highlights for Children, Appleseeds, Faces, and Muse. She is also a regular contributor to Mendocino Arts Magazine. Natasha is the author of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (2014), The Rock Maiden (2017), and Mulan's Lunar New Year (2018). Her math-concept picture book, Luna’s Yum Yum Dim Sum illustrated by Violet Kim, was recently published by Charlesbridge Publishing as part of the Storytelling Math series. She is currently working on a multicultural historical fiction middle grade novel. Natasha grew up in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong and loves to write about people and cultures from around the world. Find Natasha at www.natashayim.com. |
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November's General Meeting Agenda |
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- Finley Center opens at noon for networking with other authors
- Zoom meeting room opens at 12:45 p.m. for open conversation
- Meeting starts at 1 p.m.
- Featured topic: Children's Author Panel
- Chair announcements
- Member announcements
- Adjourn at 2:30 p.m.
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On Sunday, October 17, over sixty-five representatives of the California Writers Club gathered over a sumptuous lunch to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of twenty worthy volunteers from the CWC with the bi-annual Jack London Award. This award honors a member from each branch whose service to the CWC and/or a branch has been exemplary.
Please help me recognize and congratulate Roger C. Lubeck as the 2021 recipient of the Jack London Award for the Redwood Writers branch.
About Roger:
- Current President of CWC on Board of Directors of CWC
- Immediate Past President of Red Redwood Branch of CWC
- Current Board member of Redwood Writers
- Current Board of Directors, Redwood Branch of CWC
- Current Membership Chair, Redwood Branch of CWC
Roger C. Lubeck is the President of the California Writers Club and the Immediate Past President of the Board of Directors of Redwood Writers, and the 2020-2021 Membership Chair. As a Redwood Writer Roger has tried to bring enthusiasm, encouragement, humor, and fun to the club events. His efforts have focused on writing opportunities and publishing among our members. He is a strong supporter of community education regarding the craft of writing.
Roger joined the Redwood Writers in 2013. He served on the Redwood Board as Editor-in-Chief (2016), Vice President (2016-2018), and President (2018-2020). Also, he served as the NorCal rep in 2018-2020 and the CWC rep in 2018-2021. Since joining the board, Roger has served as an associate editor on five Redwood Writers anthologies: Water (2014), Journeys (2015), Sonoma (2017), Redemption (2018), Endeavor (2019), and Sunset, Sunrise (2020). He was the Editor-in-chief on the Redwood anthology: Untold Stories (2016) and he served as the cover and interior book designer for Untold Stories (2016), Sonoma (2017), Redemption (2018), Endeavor (2019), and First Press: Collected Works from Napa Valley Writers (2017). Working with the board, Roger created Redwood Writers Press (RWP) and he continues to manage RWP’s Kindle Direct Publishing site, the Bowkers (ISBN) site, and the Library of Congress Number Online website for the Redwood Writers Press.
Thank you, Roger, for all you do. We are honored to have you join a historic list of Redwood Writers members who have gone over and beyond to serve our branch.
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HOMEGROWN POETRY IS NOW ACCEPTING YOUR POEM SUBMISSIONS!
Please submit poems to: poetrynewseditor@redwoodwriters.org. Submission guidelines: single-spaced, Times or Times New Roman, 12 point font, no all caps, please. Poems are reviewed by a team of poets. We will acknowledge receipt of your work, and let you know if your poem is going to be included, or if we are requesting minor edits prior to inclusion.
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Love
By Marlene Augustine-Gardini
The letters were gone
In a plume of grey smoke
The words burned
In her memory
With a branding iron
Of bitterness
A once sweet melody
Muted in her soul
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Marlene Augustine-Gardini retired from the music industry as Senior Director/West Coast Promotion for MCA, a division of Universal Music Group. Her passion is animal rescue, especially "TNR," the trapping/neuter/ release of feral cats. After residing for decades in San Francisco she, her husband, and their fur of rescues live in Northern California.
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The Covid Pandemic
By Leanne Chapman
The Covid pandemic traumatic as can be
A 2020-2021 to forget or be etched in our minds
Always a way to solve and be kind
Remember those who lost loved ones
Support frontline workers
And keep safe all
May businesses survive
And in 2022 thrive!
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Chapman earned a Masters in Education at the University of San Francisco. She is attempting to write a book about her experiences growing up in the Haight and the History of the Haight from the 1880’s. She is a fourth generation San Franciscan.
She moved to Sonoma County in 2018 after retiring from S.F. Unified School District. Her hobbies include bowling, gardening, cooking and anything with arts or crafts. Currently she is enjoying babysitting her newborn granddaughter several days a week.
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Our current contest is underway, and it's all about poetry. Whether a Sonnet, a Sestina, Free Verse, or Ballad, whichever style of poetry sings from your heart, jot it down and send it in!
In our latest contest, the Redwood Writers branch invites you to submit up to 3 poems. This contest is for all writers, from novice to polished. As a bonus, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be published in the upcoming poetry anthology, Crossroads.
Submission fee is $10 for members, and $15 for non-members. Be sure to follow the guidelines at redwoodwriters.org.
The judges look forward to reading your entries. Deadline is November 15th.
Your judges,
Fran Clagget-Holland
Les Bernstein
Susan Gunter
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Each month, the Redwood Writer will feature an exercise to help inspire your writing. This can be an exercise you do on your own, or you can send your 300-word (or less) piece to editor@redwoodwriters.org for possible publication in the newsletter. |
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Humor in Poetry
The upcoming Redwood Writers contest is Poetry. Writing a tragic poem is easy. Writing a funny poem is hard. In this exercise we offer a tip for writing a funny poem.
According to Thea Voutiritsas, “Humor, in poetry or any other art form, gives us a chance to view the world through a different lens and approach truths that may be too difficult to face in earnest. Tools like irony, satire, and surrealism can help us understand and cope with life’s absurdities, injustices, and complications.”
Some words are funny when you read or say them. Often we can’t explain why a word is funny. W. C. Fields proved Kumquat makes us laugh by repeating it and even spelling it out. How about words like nose, toes, potatoes, and peas. Try Dingle, Dangle, and Dongle.
Identify four words that you find funny. Consider words that when read them aloud they have a similar sound or rhythm. Before you start, do the words suggest a topic for a poem? Can you make the tone of the poem, using these words, ironic or funny? If they feel right (funny), write a poem using these words. Give it to a trusted friend. If the poem makes him/her laugh, send it to the contest, or send it to the newsletter.
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DISCUSSION ABOUT PUBLISHING AT GROUPS.IO |
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Plenty was shared this past month on our club's Groups.io page. Of note was a discussion about whether to self-publish or seek a traditional publisher.
Anita Erola asked "Did you self-publish, or use a publisher? Would you, did you, do the same again, and why?"
Most members had nice things to say about self-publishing. Here are a few excerpts:
"I self-published both my People of the Water book as well as Anderson Marsh State Historic Park. I sent the books out to a dozen or so publishers, and decided to self-publish, get on with my life and start 2 more books! I plan to self-publish my next books."
- Kathleen Scavone
"I do not have time to wait for agents or publishers to respond to my queries. I use Book Nook Biz a company out of Arizona that does layout and cover art. I am self-publishing in order to express myself. If I make money fine, but that is not the primary purpose."
- John Omaha
"I self-published my last poetry book. I found the wait for 40 some poems to be previously published and the time and time for a publisher to step forward to be too great."
- Karl Kadie
"I self published all of my books, and the success I’ve received depends on the amount of work I do marketing it. Long story short, I’m not rich enough to quit my day job. But I’ve learned a lot through the process, such as paying attention to what readers like, experimenting with different ways to spread the word, and how to attract readers without being annoyingly self promotional."
- Crissi Langwell
"Marketing is what really requires effort. If you don't need the income, though, self publishing is really nice. Perhaps the thing I like most is that you can edit the book after it's published. You surely couldn't do that with a publisher!"
- Richard Boyd
And here are some excerpts from comments about traditional publishing:
"While that initial waiting period seems to take forever, if you’re able to stay a traditionally published author (definitely no guarantees on that) once that first book is in the pipeline, the wait for publication really isn’t an issue because you’re always working on something. Would I try for traditional publishing again even without the guarantee that I’d make it past the gatekeepers? Absolutely. For one thing, I love working collaboratively with an agent, and (if I’m being honest) I like that I’m not the one taking the financial risk. But would I also consider hybrid publishing and maybe self-publish too? Also absolutely. It’s a great option, especially if you are prolific, have a robust fan base or are skilled in self-promotion, or if you have a “project of your heart” that you want complete control over."
- Heather Chavez
"I think the decision to self-publish or go traditional depends on your goals and the kinds of books you write. I'm traditionally published, and wouldn't think of going the self-publishing route because I write children's picture books which are illustrated. Traditional publishing matches a professional illustrator with the author, and I can't tell you how much a great art director is worth his or her weight in gold! Generally, in traditional publishing you also get an advance and publishing the book doesn't cost you anything except your time writing and editing it, and marketing it later. Those are the upsides. The downside is that it is a very lengthy process. Agents and editors are inundated with submissions, so sometimes you're waiting a long time to hear back. For me though, there's a certain elation to knowing that someone likes my story enough to acquire it and give me money for it. The most challenging aspect of self-publishing, I think, is distribution. When bookstores buy books through distributors like Ingrams, they get steep discounts and can return the books when they don't sell in the store, so they prefer to only buy books through what their distributors carry."
- Natasha Yim
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AUTHOR LAUNCH
It is my great pleasure to present Author Launch on February 19, Saturday from 1-4 p.m. at the Finley Community Center, 2060 W. College Ave. Santa Rosa. If you are a member of the club and have published an edited book between January 2021 and January 2022, please email me to be presented. Eighteen authors will present their book on this exciting "book birth" day. The author will read from their book for five minutes. After all the readings are done, the authors will autograph and sell their books.
This is a free celebration with family, friends and members who are all invited to this exciting event.
Jeane Slone
Chair Author Launch
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Mission of RW Circle:
To offer members a constructive and enjoyable environment
in which to read their work among the support of fellow writers.
Bring your Prose, Memoir, Poetry and more.
Meeting format:
Meetings will be in-person unless otherwise notified. Vaccinations required.
Meeting begins at 10:00 am and ends at Noon.
- Those to be “Readers” will be limited to the first 20 who register.
- Other attendees may be “listeners.”
- Each reader will have 5 minutes, including introductory remarks.
- After each reading there will be a one-minute written critique.
REGISTER…VACCINATIONS REQUIRED
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AUTHOR SUPPORT GROUP
Nov. 20, noon - 1 p.m.
(via Zoom before the general meeting)
Please join us online via Zoom on Nov. 20 at noon to chat about writing, listen to the challenges of others, and share resources. All levels of writers can benefit from participating. Published authors enjoy this group as well as beginning writers. This is a forum where you pick the topics and questions to be discussed. Discuss the challenges of writing fiction, memoir, or nonfiction. Find new ways to handle rejection, writers' block, or to start a critique group.
The Author Support Group's purposes are to help those who want assistance getting unstuck, want new resources, or need guidance in choosing options.
Be sure to register in advance to receive the link to this free online gathering.
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Over the next several months, we will feature the books of recently published Redwood Writers. We encourage you to read and review your fellow members' books! If your book was published in 2021 and you would like your book to be featured, send a 100-word (or less) synopsis and a JPG file of the front cover of your book to editor@redwoodwriters.org. |
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Joan Goodreau's new colletion of poems takes us on a journey through the challenges of our times. Where to Next? looks at the personal effect of California wildfires, the Corona pandemic and life on the Autism Spectrum. "I see you through a mask of smoke/the outlines of your life blurred."
These realities are balanced by poems about the bonds of love between generations and the memories from lovers like a war vet, mermaid and a friend with Alzheimer's. The collection ends with poems about grace: "a white feather...a parachute of hope" strengthens us to ask Were to Next?
"From the very first word to the very last in Joan Goodreau's Where to Next?, she expresses how to transit directly to the heart of all things human. These are poems of dynamic honest and profound tenderness. This is a book to cherish." - Les Bernstein
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Edward Olson is an all-American guy. His stunning looks, captivating blue eyes, and charisma make it easy to meet women. But Edward has a dark secret—behind his charming smile, a vicious serial killer lies in wait. Edward is driven to kill by an entity and struggles to rid himself of the creature he thinks has stolen his soul. Cate Derry’s rocky relationship with Edward and her connection to a detective on the case plunge all three into a downward spiral to a world where no one is safe. The Darkness is a harrowing journey into the depths of evil and the battle to overcome it.
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If you like stories that evoke a simpler era and words strung in lyrical ways, Aunt Truly's Tales is a collection that will sweep you to a wondrous world where ordinary rules don't apply. The ten tales in this book present stories Aunt Truly, a character in Laura McHale Holland's novel, The Kiminee Dream, might recount if you happened by her home, Windy Wood, where snow falls from November through April, and reality is open to interpretation. Inside, you'll meet a determined frog, wise handyman, stolen wife and more unlikely heroes who face daunting trials. Some succeed; others fail. In the process, they're all transformed.
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If you have news to share about your writing, an award, an appearance, or other writing-related news, send a 100-word or less announcement to editor@redwoodwriters.org. Photos encouraged. Deadline for consideration in next month’s newsletter is the 15th of this month.
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Crissi Langwell receives Writer's Digest award
I'm thrilled to announce my dystopian romance novel, Numbered, won an honorable mention in the Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards in the Genre Fiction category. Thousands of authors enter this contest, and only ten honorable mentions are handed out per genre.
This is the second time I have been honored with this award for one of my books. My young adult novel, Forever Thirteen, received an honorable mention in the Young Adult category in 2014.
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Local writers featured in Detour by Off the Page Readers Theater
Featuring the works of 10 local writers:
Sandra Anfang, David Beckman, Shayna Billings, Diane Budo, Craig Harris, John Heide, Gene Hottel, Hilary Susan Moore, Laurie Reaume, Jo-Anne Rosen.
Music by:
Pi Jacobs - the evening shows
Patrick Michael McCarty - the matinee.
Church of the Oaks
160 W. Sierra, Cotati
November 12 & 13 7pm
November 14 3pm
tix: $15 @ the door
Vaccinations & masks required
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Mastering Meetup.com and Other Tips for Club Growth
The methods for reaching today’s socially conscious and tech-savvy audience may require different steps than what worked in the past. Does your CWC Branch have a MeetUp.com account or have you been considering one? What outreach changes have you made during the pandemic?
Whether you are a branch organizer or a writer, if you want to know more about reaching a wider audience, join us on Zoom for an interview with a marketing professional on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 6 p.m. We have arranged for this expert to share his insider knowledge and guide us toward success in this format designed to increase your branch membership.
Brian Gaps is the CWC branch president and 2021 Jack London recipient for Orange County. He will share techniques used to grow club membership in a year in which most branches lost members. Equally vital to the future success of the club is that the new member’s average age is an estimated 25 years younger than the club’s traditional membership.
The OC club’s Meetup.com group exceeds 900 members and email guest list has climbed toward 200 opt-in subscribers converted from social media platforms. Average Zoom attendance consistently meets or exceeds pre-pandemic live audience sizes.
Brian is currently a senior copywriter working in the advertising and marketing industry. He is a former partner at a boutique digital agency and co-hosted a marketing radio show on KLAA AM830. He taught an 11-year-old how to build a YouTube channel that reached over 50 million views.
Statewide CWC president, Roger Lubeck, observed during the recent Jack London Awards ceremony, “This is the guy other branches should listen to.”
The High Desert CWC (HDCWC) will present this event at no charge to CWC members wishing to attend.
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CWC NorCal Calendar
Because of social distancing, most events are now held virtually. This presents a unique opportunity to attend events, workshops, and meetings held by other CWC branches that would have been difficult to attend in person. To keep up to date with upcoming events, be sure to check the CWC NorCal calendar at the button below.
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CRITIQUE GROUP COORDINATION
Marie Judson keeps an ongoing list of RW members interested in joining or creating a writing group. If you would like to find a critique group, or add more members to an existing group, send your genre(s) and contact information to mariejudson@gmail.com. You'll receive an email with the subject line, "Writers seeking writing groups." You can then either reply to all or select specific writers to contact. This has been an ongoing free service for Redwood Writers members for nine years. |
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A huge welcome to our new member, Molly Martin!! Here's a little more about her. If you see Molly at the general meeting, either on Zoom or at the Finley Center, be sure to say hello. |
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"I’m an old feminist who sees herself as part of the worker writer movement and whose primary goal in life has been breaking down barriers to women in the construction trades."
Molly Martin is a co-founder of Tradeswomen Inc. and the quarterly magazine Tradeswomen (1981-1999), and the author of Hard-Hatted Women: Stories of Struggle and Success in the Trades (Seal Press, 1988). Her collection Wonder Woman Electric to the Rescue will launch Dec. 1. Molly is a retired electrician (IBEW Local 6) and San Francisco electrical inspector. She lives in Santa Rosa with her wife Holly. Her blog is mollymartin.blog. Her Medium handle is @tradeswomn. Website: molly-martin.com.
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Redwood Writers are members of the California Writers Club (CWC). Redwood Writers is the largest of the 22 branches in the CWC. Becoming a members of the Redwood Branch of the California Writers Club is a simple as 1, 2, 3.
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Go to the website: redwoodwriters.org/membership/join
- Complete the submission form. Include references to any publications.
- Pay the $65 new member fee.
Redwood Writers offers members the opportunity to:
- Attend the monthly meeting (3rd Sat. 1-3 p.m. at the Finley Center, Santa Rosa)
- Interact with other writers and sell books at the monthly meeting.
- Learn from professional speakers at monthly meetings.
- Publish fiction and memoir in the annual prose anthology.
- Publish poetry in the annual poetry anthology.
- Read their work at the club-sponsored Salon and Writers Circle.
- Present their work at local bookstores.
- Sell their work at the Sonoma Country Fair.
- Launch their new book at the Author Launch party.
- Attend workshops and conferences on the writing.
- Win writing contests with cash prizes and special recognition for winners.
- Advertise their expertise—graphic designer, editor, illustrator.
- Receive club news from our award-winning website and monthly newsletter.
- Submit stories, essays, and poetry to the Literary Review published by CWC.
- Receive the annual Literary Review from the California Writers Club and receive a triannual CWC Bulletin with state-wide events from CWC branches.
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Member Appreciation Day
DECEMBER 18
at the Finley Center and on Zoom
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For many writers, November is for National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo. This is when writers pledge to write a 50K novel in 30 days. The only way to do this is to set time aside every day for your writing. No excuses. No interruptions. Just daily writing until the word count is complete. They don't even have to be good words (they often aren't); they just need to be words that bring a story further each day until reaching the completion by the end of the month.
What I personally love about NaNoWriMo is how it really helped give me a solid foundation for how to write a novel. Five of my published books started out as NaNoWriMo projects, and I have a few more projects in the hopper that are currently in editing mode.
That said, the 30-day deadline can be intense. I prefer taking a little longer to write my novels. But I appreciate how NaNoWriMo taught me to speed up my writing process so that I'm writing a novel in months instead of years.
While NaNoWriMo is a great tool for any novelist to accomplish writing a novel, it's not the only way to get it done. If you've never done it before, I encourage you to take the challenge to see if you, too, can be one of the few who crosses the finish line on or before November 30. But if you don't want to, that's fine too. My challenge for you, instead, is to vow in November to write every day. Even if it's a paragraph. By the end of the month, you may be surprised at how much writing you accomplished.
Whatever you do, I wish you a month of happy writing (and reading, too!).
This month in the newsletter, don't miss news about our Children's Author Panel at the November general meeting. We are so fortunate to have several highly acclaimed children's authors sharing about the publishing journey. Whether you write children's books or not, this will be a very valuable meeting.
We also had a lively discussion in groups.io about the different paths of publication. Read about that more above, or visit our groups.io page to add your voice to the discussion.
And you won't want to delay sending in your submission to our next writing contest! With a poetry theme, this contest will kick off our next poetry anthology. But the deadline for your poems is coming up quick - November 15 - so send your poems soon!
I also want to take the moment to congratulate Roger Lubeck on receiving this year's Jack London award. I personally have received so much assistance from Roger in much of what I do for the club. You can read more about Roger's service to our club above.
All this and more is in this month's newsletter. Scroll up for more information.
Happy reading, and happy writing!
Crissi Langwell
Redwood Writer Editor
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CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEWSLETTER! |
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Want to be a part of the newsletter? Here's the cheat sheet to the different sections of this newsletter and the word count requirements:
- Writers Helping Writers - 300 words or less
- Other Articles or In Memoriam - 300 words or less
- Members News - 100 words or less
- What We're Reading - 100 words or less
- Homegrown Poetry - short poems work best
Please do your best to adhere to word count limits! Send your articles and news by the 15th of the month to the newsletter editor at editor@redwoodwriters.org. Send your poems by the 10th of the month to the poetry editor at poetrynewseditor@redwoodwriters.org. Submission guidelines may apply, read section for requirements. |
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If you're interested in advertising in the Redwood Writer newsletter, contact the editor at editor@redwoodwriters.org for submission requirements and guidelines.
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Our mailing address is:
The Redwood Writer
P.O. Box 4687
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
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