This month join former HSW president Linda Enos, who writes as Romance Queen Lynda Bailey, along with bestselling author and current HSW president, Matt Bayan, for a mash-up of two essential craft skills: developing micro-tension and replacing description with image.
Last month, Lynda presented the concept of micro-tension and how to develop it at the page level. We got a lot of positive feedback so we’ll continue with that this month.
Another writing essential is replacing overblown description and flaccid writing with dynamic images. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, let’s get rid of the thousand words.
Bring your laptop, tablet, or a sheet of paper with a stub of a pencil. Charcoal and a flat rock will also work. We’ll get under the hood and workshop how micro-tension and image can make your writing more powerful and engaging. Also bring a few pages of your manuscript and we’ll do some hands-on editing.
We’ll also work on First Pages with a focus on image and micro-tension.
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The High Sierra Writers Meeting is Saturday, October 13 at 10 am at the South Valleys Library. The address is 15650 Wedge Pkwy, Reno, NV 89511. Come early to get the best parking as there may still be some soccer or baseball games being played on the surrounding fields.
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From the HSW President
Happy October,
In reference to description, Hemingway said, “We’re not interior decorators.” In writing a book, a chapter, or even a paragraph, we are challenged by the need to inform versus the need to not bore the reader. How do we keep a story moving yet give the reader enough information to understand the setting, the characters, and the plot?
October’s HSW meeting will focus on how to take description and develop it into vivid images. If a picture is worth a thousand words, let’s cut out the thousand words and focus on the picture – in this case a verbal image.
We’ll explain how to switch your mind-set to look for the gems of image that lay buried in the bloat of description.
At the same time, Linda Enos will integrate what she started last month – how to use micro-tension – into the discussion of how to replace description with image.
Bring writing samples. We’ll workshop your samples using the filter of micro-tension and specific images to accomplish a tighter, more reader-friendly outcome.
“I see pumpkins.” – Matt Bayan
Critique Group Reminder from the Wrangler
Are you expecting to enter the Big Contest in just over 10 months?
In addition to a polished manuscript and paid membership with HSW, you’ll need a critique group! You CAN wait around and join a finish group in the final 5 or 6 months (remember, it takes at least 4 months to get through a full round of completed novels, plus some time to make revisions, and finish polishing the beast), but an on-going critique group can help you stay/get on track, and support you get as you get to your best draft before the beta readers step in.
Shoot Nicole an email if you’d like to start the hunt for the right group now – cgwrangler@highsierrawriters.org
Please check the HSW web siteCritique Group page where the groups that are already formed and those looking for like-minded writers are listed.
Or is your plot board looking a bit cluttered?
Just a reminder that the winner of this contest will have his or her manuscript submitted to the acquriing editor of one of the Big 5 Publishing houses.
This is a spectacular opportunity. So you want to be on top of it. Keep the key information in mind.
- Entry deadline is the August 2019 meeting.
- Four finalists will be announced at the September 2019 meeting.
- Winner will be announced at the October 2019 meeting.
- Open to PAID members of High Sierra Writers ONLY.
You have ten months to the submission deadline. Where are you on your novel? Where will you be in two months? As Nicole mentioned, use your critique group to begin cleaning up your work and get into a finish group by January to ensure your novel is read, and you have time to work on revisions.
Check the HSW website to read all the details for this outstanding contest.
You fail only if you stop writing.
-Ray Bradbury
NaNoWriMo is coming.
Beginning November 1 to November 30, writers around the world will throw down words like fiends to complete 50,000 words during the month. If you want to try your hand at it, talk to Rene Averett, who is one of the co-Municipal Liaisons for the Reno/Sparks area, for more information. You can email her atruamor@sbcglobal.net or find her on the Facebook NaNa Reno site.