My First Writing Conference by Diane Bator

This feels a bit like an essay I did once in school.  What I Did This Summer by Diane Bator. Remember those? Only this one is about something I did for the first time as a published writer. I attended a writer's conference. Yes, it's taken me eight novels to finally get to one!

I've read posts by friends who travel to conferences all over the place but was lucky that the Writers' Community of York Region sponsored one in Newmarket, Ontario this past weekend. This was the first event the WCYR had ever hosted and it was well attended by over 100 writers from all over Southern Ontario including Patricia and I.

We started the day in the atrium of the Newmarket Town Hall with coffee and muffins and received a great new folder to take notes in. After a few brief words from on of the coordinators, we broke into groups for our chosen morning sessions.

Our first session was with romance novelist Zoe York, author of more than 50 romance novels. She discussed Marketing for Genre Fiction. A lot of writers in the room were either looking to publish a novel or had published 1 or 2 novels. The one thing I found most interesting were the questions she gave us to think about no matter where we were at in our journeys.

1. What genre do you want to be writing and what type of books do you want to write? ie. genre, heat level, setting, tone, etc.
2. What are the next 5 books you want to write?
3. Can you group thematically or do they exist in the same world? Explain that world in a common theme in a sentence or two. ie. small town romance with sexy cowboy.
4. On a blank piece of paper, list all of your work to date, published or unpublished, finished or in draft/dream stage.

One of the other things they offered throughout the day were 20 minute Blue Pencil Meetings. The opportunity to sit with a fellow writer or editor (including our own Marilyn Kleiber) and ask them questions as well as getting feedback on their novel. I passed on the chance for this conference, but Patricia was very happy with the feedback she received.

Lunch was simple, soup and sandwiches along with some yummy chocolate chip cookies for dessert. While we ate, we were also able to purchase raffle tickets and enter them to win several beautiful baskets donated by sponsors, including the writing group I belong to. Draws were made at the end of the day. I didn't win any, but Patricia did!

After lunch we were treated to a keynote speech from Terry Fallis, author of The Best Laid Plans and two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. He is a huge fan of being a Plotter when he writes his books. In fact, he plans them in great detail before he writes something I don't think I could ever do! I'm part plotter, part pantser. One thing he said that surprised many people in attendance was that he still works full time. After writing seven novels and receiving many awards, he still must hold a 9-to-5 job.

I was a bit concerned about the afternoon session. The handouts we'd received the week before suggested a very academic-style of session. Luckily, Kate Freiman, author of romantic fiction, was entertaining and the whole afternoon was more interesting than I expected. She discussed blending genres and story structure. Hard to believe I was the only self-professed mystery writer in the room.

Back in the main banquet room afterward, winning tickets were drawn for the gift baskets then my friend and I left. On the way out the door, we received a swag bag with some bookmarks and the like as well as three books. These were mine!

1. Lac Athabasca (a play) by Len Falkenstein
2. Doc Christmas by Neil Enock
3. Mad Men and Philosphy, which is an anthology.

Yay! More new-to-me authors!

I have one year until the next (fingers crossed!) York Writers Conference. I may do some searching and find a couple more I can fit into my schedule. 

In the meantime, I won't quit my day job, but I won't stop dreaming and writing either!

Looking for more New-to-You authors or familiar authors? Visit my blog every Sunday for Escape with a Writer Sunday at https://dbator.blogspot.com/

Feel free to check out my books at http://bookswelove.net/authors/bator-diane-mystery/

Diane Bator

author of Wild Blue Mysteries, Gilda Wright Mysteries, and Glitter Bay Mysteries.

Meetings October 5th and October 20th

October 5, 2019

Virginia informed us that the anthology is too short. Some people only gave one submission. You are able to submit more than one piece of writing so if you have more, please forward them to Virginia. We have extended the deadline to December 31st. If we still don't have enough pages to make a book we will hold it over until next year.

Marilyn is holding a free workshop on self-publishing at the Orangeville Public Library on Saturday, November 9th from 10am-2pm. Register with Shannon McGrady at smcgrady@orangeville.ca.

On Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at 7pm, join the library for An Evening with Maureen Jennings. Maureen is the creator of The Murdoch Mysteries. She will be discussing her new book Heat Wave.

Prompts

The Trouble with Turkeys and Other Table Terrors

1. The trouble with turkey is....

2. Never make a pumpkin pie with the insides of a Jack O' Lantern.

3. My mother-in-law finally gave me her recipe for stuffing. Now I know why they can't get enough of it.

4. How was I supposed to know candied yams weren't made with candy?\

5. I thought it would be great to pick up some fresh corn from the stand outside the farm, but when I peeled back the husks, I was shocked at what I found.

6. Usually I open a can and let gravity pull out the gelatinous mold we know as cranberry sauce, but with my son bringing his gourmet chef girlfriend for Thanksgiving this year, I knew I had to step up my game.

7. Gravy can usually cover a multitude of culinary sins, but this year I was going to have to make mine using holy water.

October 20, 2019

Diane has HWG mugs available for purchase.

Prompts

1. While driving my car, I noticed....

2. When I was a teenager, all I wanted was....

3. What the hell are you doing here?

4. When the judge looked at me I prayed for the first time in many years.

5. When I awoke on the couch this morning I didn't know where I was.

6. The rain came on so suddenly I couldn't...

Next Meeting is Sunday, November 3rd

1:30pm to 3:30pm

Joint Book Launch at BookLore

Marilyn Kleiber and M.J. Moores held a joint book launch at Booklore on Saturday, April 27th, coincidentally (not) Canadian Independent Bookstore Day.

Booklore, Orangeville's number one Independent Bookstore.

This display of books at BookLore consists solely of local authors.

M.J. Moores launched "Final Year". Marilyn Kleiber read from "The Healers" the second book in a series she is writing under the nom de plume J.M. Tibbott.

M.J. Moores and Marilyn Kleiber, authors extraordinaire.

Meeting Sunday, September 9 2018

Patricia, hurry up and get well!!

We had a small but fun group and a lively discussion today about aging after Clare read from his "document" called "Growing Old is Not for Wimps."

Our items of business were the long list of upcoming events:

Coffee, Conversations & Books Author Event – Diane Bator

September 19, 2018, 7pm-8pm   Jelly Café, Shelburne 

Local self-published author Diane Bator rekindled her passion for writing in 2007 when she joined Dufferin County’s foremost writing group, the Headwaters Writers’ Guild. She has written assorted short stories, murder mysteries, and YA novellas. Her first murder mystery, Murder on Manitou, was published after winning a writing contest in 2010. In 2016, Diane was nominated to be an Established Artist of the Year at Orangeville’s Celebration of the Arts. 

To register for Coffee, Conversation and Books email Jade Noble: jnoble@shelburnelibrary.ca This month's venue is the Jelly Craft Bakery in Shelburne. Refreshments provided.

Writer’s Craft with Marilyn Kleiber: Creating Great Characters

September 22, 2018, 10:00am - 3:00pm | Orangeville Public Library

Join creative writing instructor Marilyn Kleiber for a full day workshop where you will learn how to research for and build characters in your writing, using dialogue to make them come alive. Does your character deserve first person or third person presentation? Will you present your character in the present, or the past tense? Answer these questions and more.

Pre-registration required. Please email infolibrary@orangeville.ca or call 519-941-0610 ext. 5230 to reserve your spot today. A 30-minute lunch break will be provided.

Fall Workshop dates:

Saturday, Sept 22 - there is a waiting list!!
Saturday, October 27 - Self Editing like a Professional - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. only a few spots left!
Saturday, November 24 - Self-Publishing - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  only a few spots left!

Eramosa Eden Writers’ Retreat

September 23, 2018, 9:00am - 4:00pm    Eramosa Eden
Bring your own lunch.
Cost: $20 donation is appreciated to cover costs.
Check in is at 9am then writing until noon. After a lunch break, we will continue with private writing or you can meet with a small group for feedback on a short piece, that you either bring with you or have written that morning. The day usually winds up around 4pm.

To register:  Email Gloria Nye at glorianye@gmail.com

Brampton Artists Festival

Saturday, October 13, from 10am - 4pm
30 Peel Centre Drive (Next to Bramalea City Centre, Bramalea Retirement Residence)
Join us for The ARTISTS Festival - a cultural intersection where the residents and the general public can meet artists from the local and GTA arts and culture scene.  Celebrate the creative arts, enjoy performances, and discover artistic treasures in over 30 displays; a select marketplace showcased within an elegant atrium venue. ​Stay for the day, enjoy performances and displays, book a tour of the Bramalea Retirement Residence at the festival for five free raffle tickets towards the Prize Packages.    **Marilyn offered to cover the cost of the table and asked if other group members with published work would like to share. Patricia sent around the email with the forms to be submitted if you do. Please let Marilyn know as well.     

Don had some great items for us to use as writing prompts:  a kit for assembling violins, a coin collection, a statue of a water carrier, a very cool telescopic camera from days gone by, and a jug from Hudson's Bay.

We came up with some very intriguing stories!

                  

Upcoming Writing Meetings

September 23, October 14 and 28 @ 1:3opm 

New members are welcome to join.

       

Author of My Life by Nancy Rorke

It’s not that I can’t write, it’s more that it’s been difficult to find flow, when it feels like I’m taking dictation from my soul, or possibly channeling an article, story or poem.  It’s when I write every word that I hear without censoring it.

The late Robin Williams said that everything flowed through him and that he mainly channeled his work.  He also said that many writers, artists, actors, or creative people talk about being the conduit.

I prefer to write in flow, like Beethoven did, but without becoming a monster.  He was obsessive and wrote music incessantly.  Or I’d like to compose like Mozart, who penned music effortlessly, sometimes completing his masterpieces in one draft.

Or I’d rather create like van Gogh, one of my favourite masters, who painted because he must…but I could do without having the depression and committing suicide.  One year he completed two hundred canvases. Starving, penniless and sick, he generated works of art simply for the joy.

Actually, I’d like to write like Marilyn Kleiber, a fellow writer, who is prolific. She writes one or two short stories a day.  Marilyn creates the beginning of short stories with prompts given at the Headwaters Writers’ Guild meetings. She definitely writes in flow, possibly because she writes on a consistent basis.

For me, poetry sometimes arrives without any effort on my part. That’s when I rejoice. My creativity flows when I remember to write with passion and from my heart. I swear it frees the writer within me.

Whenever I become discouraged and have writer’s block, I remember van Gogh, who painted from his heart and soul, and he recognized that creativity is its own reward.

Eric Maisel, author of Coaching the Artist Within, suggests that we must coach ourselves to become the artist or writer of our dreams. Change your thoughts – change your creative life.

I’m infatuated with words, and I even doodle words. I adore journaling, seeing the blank space fill up with uninvited words.

It’s not easy being a writer. Doubt is always present, along with fear.  But I hunger for a creative life. I write for the joy of it and how it fascinates and excites me at the same time. I want to say that I lived and to record my perspective on life.

Maisel also suggests that creative individuals should write out life-mission statements. How could I have forgotten that I am the author of my life, or that I assign my life’s purpose, and my life unfolds according to my commands or the choices that I’ve made?

All this time, I waited for the Universe to tell me my life’s purpose when I should have told the Universe.

I wrote this piece in September 2008. It flowed in my journal. Even when I channel some of my writing, I still need to edit.

Written by Nancy Rorke, posted by Mary Patricia Bird