lcrwpres Presentation described

Critique Guidelines

Our first of three critiques is coming up on Saturday, March 22. This is a great time to get a manuscript of up to 2500 words looked at.  If you aren't a member, this is a fantastic opportunity to see what LCRW can do for you (in addition to the six presentations we have each year.)

This is a LCRW function.  You may participate one time only if you are a non-member. You must be a member to critique.

          ALL manuscripts must be emailed to the moderator, Steve Yates at writingsbysay@yahoo.com by MIDNIGHT on Wednesday, July 12th.  (Note, this is ten days before the critique session.)  Any submissions received after that will be handled as time permits, at the end of the critique session.

          Critiques will be discussed in the order they are received.

          You will be receiving a manuscript from each participant and are expected to print it out and have your critique of their work at the meeting, or email the author your notes, and attend the meeting also.

          Your manuscript must be formatted using: Times Roman, Courier, Tahoma, or Verdana font at 12 points.  Margins should be to one inch.  Double space.

Be sure to number your pages (Insert / Page Number).  Also, it makes critiquing easier if you insert line numbers (Open the Page Layout ribbon / Click Line Numbers in the Page Setup section / Select your options from the pop-up menu.)

Save your document in: .doc, .docx, or .rtf formant.  (All major word processing programs have this capability.)  All manuscripts will be converted to .pdf by the facilitator, with line numbers inserted if you have not already done so.

          Please limit your submission to about 2500 words.  (You may send as many words as you like. The person critiquing may stop at any time after 2500 words.)

          Starting time is 9:00 AM Saturday, March 22th. Please be ready to start then.

          1605 Buffalo Rd, Rochester, NY 14624 Enter via the Police Annex door at the back of the building. There is plenty of parking. We meet in the first room on the left.  

          Please do not submit first drafts.  Spend some time editing before you send it out.  Also, it is requested you don’t send a modified copy of your manuscript after the original has been dispersed. (When Steve receives a manuscript, he will send it out to those who have already submitted. He will send all the manuscripts at the deadline.

          Everyone who submits a manuscript will be expected to critique all other entries and ensure they receive a copy of your comments.  (You are not required to send your critique to the recipient before the critique, but it is useful.)  In addition, we always have people who wish to share their knowledge of writing, yet not submit.  

          NEW: It was decided at the last critique that, no matter how many entries and volunteers we have, we will all be at one table. That may force us to extremely limit your time to present your critique. Therefore, you must be sure to have everything you wish to say on the paper copy to return to the author.

 

The following information should be on the first page, before your story begins. (You may wish to copy/past this to your manuscript and answer them.)

·       Please include your name and email address at the top of the page.

·       Genre: (Fantasy, Romance, etc.)

·       Demographic (target audience):

·       How long is the final piece (short story, novel):

·       Is there back story we need to know to understand what is going on:

·       Where does this fit in your manuscript (i.e.: two-thirds of the way through):

·       What questions do you want answered:

          When critiquing, consider:

·       Are the characters developed.  (You may not get to this in a limited piece)

·       Is there a strong sense of the setting/time.

·       Is it original (Not a requirement.  Some of the best stories are a retelling.)
lcrwpres Presentaation summary

Show-dont tell – presentation

At last Saturday's meeting we were watching a video presentation entitle "show - don't tell." After a few minutes, fussy technology reigned and I couldn't get the video restarted. Member, Kim Gore jumped up from her seat and professionally saved the day. After a bit more instruction, she gave us the following prompt that tells about something happening and asked us to write the same scene showing it to our fellow readers. 
Prompt: He was so angry that he threw the shovel across the driveway and screamed. His wife came out of the house and gave him a cup of cocoa.  
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My descriptive version: by Paul Irvine

He stared hard at the shovel, half full of snow, the ice sticking to it adding ten pounds. His frozen toes now forgotten, he kicked it, shattering the ice and his big toe, and sending him flying down the driveway on his back. The resulting scream echoed down the street, like a blast from a shotgun. His wife, already half way out the door, rushed to him, slipped and spilled the hot cocoa down his open jacket. As she hit the ground, their duo screams set off their car alarms, adding to the winter cacophony filling their neighborhood!
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Effort to show not tell - Kathleen Plum:

It was a bitter cold wintery morning and the three feet of snow and ice on Jack’s driveway begged to be left alone. He was still steaming from the argument with his wife over their taxes; he was happy to feel the icy breeze brush his nose and cheeks as he stepped out of the house with the snow shovel. A thin, fluffy coating of snow had disguised the thick, hard layer of ice beneath it. In pure frustration, Jack threw his shovel across the driveway and screamed. But then he saw the outline of a bloody human hand, with only 3 fingers, encrusted in the ice below. Now the wind- or maybe it was the hand in the ice- took his breath away entirely. Jack was still speechless as his wife came out of the house bearing a cup a cocoa in repentance for her part in the dust-up that morning, oblivious to the macabre scene that awaited her.
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Immediate response to telling prompt -  by Sue Spitulnik

"This damn snow. I want to move south."
"You've said that for years and I agree, then you say you won't leave the kids."
"That's your line."
"Okay. It's your mother you won't leave. Go shovel before she gets here."
He put on three shirts, his insulated pants, a heavy coat and gloves. I added his knit cap and opened the door for him. Next thing I heard was a scream and a thump. I ran to the window. The shovel was five feet into the yard and he was sitting on his ass, fuming, but seemed okay. I watched. He slowly turned to get on all fours and gingerly got up. I went to the kitchen to make him a cup of hot cocoa and put a shot of whiskey in it thinking whatever works. I took it out to him. He would be nicer when his mother arrived. 
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As you can see, Paul and Kathleen followed the prompt. Sue rearranged the timeline in her writing showing that everyone wrote what came to mind with different character personalities, and different settings. This is because every author draws on their own personal experiences when writing, and no two people think alike. It was a good presentation for everyone present. Fun side note: more than one person included an argument about doing their taxes.
lcrwpres Presentation described

Book Banning

Our presentation on April 27 will be hosted by Emily Clasper, the Associate Library Director at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. She will be sharing information that might surprise you about who is behind trying to ban certain books that we have come to think of as classics and why.

Our group welcomes visitors who are writers interested in learning more about the craft, publishing trends, and all things books.