PLEASE READ THE UPDATED (and hopefully clearer instructions) FOR THE SLUSH PILE READING.
“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” – Leonard Elmore.
WMO meets at 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month (October 19) in the http://greekkouzina.com/ backroom in Pittsboro. Come early for lunch, literary gossip, and then the meeting. T
he NCWN sponsors WMO. Al Manning heads WMO.
October is Slush Pile Reading. Get gut reactions to the opening of your Work-in-Progress (WIP) from three guest panelists. The format for the entry page is one typed, double-spaced page, any genre in TIMES NEW ROMAN, font size 12. DO NOT include any identifying information on the entry page. Include Identifying information on one second page for the Reader’s benefit. Staple the identifying information to one entry page. Hand all copies of the entry as you enter the meeting to the Reader. The Reader sets the order and ensures the judges have anonymous copies. Won’t to go first or maybe last? I hear Bonnie takes bribes.
The Reader (Bonnie Olsen) will present your entry aloud while the judges read along silently. The judges pretend to be editors at a prestigious publishing house. It is Friday afternoon and each judge is staring at a large pile of unsolicited manuscripts. This is the slush-pile. It could be that a true Best Seller is in there. It can also be true that there are only pages of garbage. The editors can’t take a chance—they have to look at all of it. But the editors would really rather be at Happy Hour, so they read the slush-pile with a definite bias. They are looking for a quick reason to reject whatever they are reading. As the Reader reads each entry aloud, any judge that is bored, finds something incorrect, or simply dislikes the entry will raise a hand, signifying he or she would toss the entry on the floor if alone. And they are free to mark-up the copy if they so choose.
When the Reader is finished reading an entry, each judge will explain what they think is incorrect. If no one objects, they will also discuss what are the really good things in that entry that they like. Remember, there’s no crying during the slush pile reading.
The judges are: Ron Voigts, CCCC instructor and author of a fourteen self-published books; Dolly Sickles, CCCC instructor and author of romance and children’s literature; Ashley Memory, CCCC instructor and author of fiction, poetry, and short fiction.
November’s presentation is “Book Meta-Data: How to Maximize its Creation?” Rick Bylina will interpret the forest of terms (log-line, TV-Guide synopsis, elevator pitch, query letter plot summary, back-of-book blurb, synopsis (100, 200, 500 words) surrounding meta-data and why it is important for the writer to control it.
December is Holiday Open Mic. Theme: holiday. Time limit: six minutes. Type: poetry, prose, mime. Sign-up sheet on the day of the open mic.
Writing-related Timely Events. Have one? Let Rick Bylina know.
*10/05. 2-4 p.m. Judy Hogan reads from her new books (memoir, poetry, Penny Weaver Mystery) at The Joyful Jewel.
*10/06. 4:30-5:30 p.m. The Lorax Poets - Reading their latest poems at The Joyful Jewel.
*10/07. 6-8 p.m. Panel Discussion: In Conversation with NC Publishers. Chapel Hill Lib. Room B.
*10/12. 1-4 p.m. Nice Girls Don’t Say That, poetry workshop by Pam Baggett. Chapel Hill Library, Meeting Room A.
*10/15-17. 1-4 p.m. Writing Workshop led by Dasan Ahanu. See attached flyer (CW Workshop).
*10/16-19. West End Poetry Festival. In/Around Carrboro & Chapel Hill.
*10/27. 2-6 p.m. Press 53’s Celebration of Poetry & Short Fiction. Open Mic and Quiet Mile. Winston-Salem.
*10/31. Deadline. Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by The Raleigh Review.
*11/08. Start of NCWN 2019 Fall Conference, November 8-10, in Asheville. Which means, register now!
*11/15. Deadline. Mentorship by a distinguished NC poet. Part of the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet Series.
*12/01. 5-8 p.m. Joyful Jewel Holiday Party. Music and Readings. “Rick Bylina and poetry! Are you kidding me?”
*02/01. Deadline. Know a student? Have Mom, Pop, Aunt Lily check out the NC Poetry Society student awards.
*For more about writing-related contests and events, See the NCWN website .
Writing-related Ongoing Events (monthly unless otherwise noted). Have one? Let Rick Bylina know.
*1st Thurs. 6-8 p.m. “Take Five Poetry and Prose Open Mic.” Karma Boutique and Coffee Bar in Sanford. 5 minute yaks.
*2nd Sat. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. “Prompt Writing”. Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill.
*2nd Sat. 1:30-3 p.m. Triangle Sisters-in-Crime Meeting. Open to public. Durham S. Reg. Lib. Forensic Toxicology Expert.
*2nd Sun. 3-5 p.m. “Featured Poets/Open Mic.” Flyleaf Books. Pre-poetic pontificating--2 p.m. The Root Cellar.
*3rd Thurs. 6:30-8:30 p.m. “Pop-Up Poetry”. Pittsboro Center for the Arts, Poetry gabbing and learning.
*4th Sun. 2 p.m. “NC Poetry Society Poetry Series” McIntyre’s Fine Books, Fearrington Village.
*Dates vary. Creative Fiction Writing and Critique Group. Check Pittsboro Meet-ups for times and locations.
*Dates vary. Central Carolina Community College. Creative Writing Program writing workshops and courses.
*Dates vary. Pittsboro Center For The Arts and Sweet Bee Theater. Check often for performances/programs.
*Dates vary. Redbud Writing Project. Writing courses for an adult education writing school in Chapel Hill.
Remember: Don’t forget. The NCWN offers critiquing and editing services. See their website.
Bonus #1: If you know how to work Final Draft software, contact Rick Bylina. Another writer needs you!
WMO is a free gathering of writers in Chatham and Lee counties, NC for monthly discussions about craft and business of writing, as well notices of opportunities and literary events in the area. WMO is sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network.
