Headwaters Writers' Guild 2020 Meeting Schedule

Below is the schedule of meetings for 2020. Leaders are not listed here. That copy was emailed to group members.

2020 Meeting Schedule

All Meetings at the Orangeville Public Library, Start time 1:30pm

Sunday, January 5^th –

Sunday, January 19^th –

Sunday, February 9^th –

Sunday, February 23^rd –

Sunday, March 8^th –

Sunday, March 22^nd –

Sunday, April 5^th –

Sunday, April 19^th –

Sunday, May 3^rd –

Sunday, May 24^th –

Sunday, June 14^th –

Sunday, June 28^th –

Sunday, July 19^th –

Sunday, August 16^th –

Sunday, September 13^th –

Sunday, September 27^th –

Sunday, October 4^th –

Sunday, October 25^th –

Sunday, November 8^th –

Sunday, November 22^nd –

Sunday, November 29^th – Christmas Social

Meeting June 23, 2019

Diane had sent out an email last week advising the group of a Writers Conference in Newmarket on October 26th, 2019, from 8am to 6pm. Information can be found here: https://wcyork.ca/conference/.
The group decided to contribute a prize basket to the event as representation of the Headwaters Writers' Guild. Any published authors who would like to contribute one or more of their works to this basket should contact Patricia or Diane. Patricia will be contacting the Orangeville Public Library for a contribution of one of their book bags to use as the "basket".

Further discussion was had regarding the upcoming anthology. Virginia is still searching for an appropriate cover photo, however, a different title was suggested which would change the picture. The new proposed title is: "What Prompted That?: An Anthology of Writing Prompts". We are considering all possibilities so if anyone has an idea, please let us know. The deadline for submissions is September 1st, 2019. It was agreed that we would stick to our group's colours of gold and blue.

Writing Prompts

Prompt Lottery

1.         Pick a number between 1 & 10                      _____

2.         Pick a number between 11 & 20                    _____

3.         Pick a number between 21 & 30                    _____  

4.         Pick a number between 31 & 40                    _____  

5.         Pick a number between 41 & 50                    _____  

Pick your numbers before continuing.

Pass the page to the person on your left.

Turn the page over (list is below) and fill in the blanks below. Your winning numbers are:

1.         Main character:                      _________________________

2.         Location:                                _________________________

3.         Object:                                    _________________________

4.         Secondary character:             _________________________

5.         Goal:                                       _________________________

Write a story using those elements. The goal action may be applied to the object, secondary character, or something else altogether. The secondary character may help, hinder, or do anything you wish. Go wild. But use all 5 elements in some way.

Main character:

1. Prospector                                6. Carpenter

2. Hunter                                      7. Pirate

3. Cop                                           8. Executive

4. Mayor                                       9. Farmer

5. Teacher                                       10. Explorer

Location:

11. Shack                                     16. Mine

12. Garden                                   17. Forest

13. Basement                               18. Beach

14. Observatory                           19. Tower

15. Cliff                                        20. Library

Object:

21. Chest                                       26. Map

22. Instrument                               27. Gun

23. Lantern                                    28. Envelope

24. Trophy                                     29. Calendar

25. Star                                          30. Hat

Secondary character:

31. Artist                                        36. Extra-terrestrial

32. Any bird or animal                   37. Witch

33. Angel                                        38. Mythological creature

34. Time traveller                           39. Literary hero

35. Neighbour                                 40. Twin brother or sister

Goal:

41. Find                                            46. Destroy

42. Save                                            47. Create

43. Hide                                            48. Help

44. Thwart                                        49. Capture

45. Appease                                      50. Rob

Next Meeting: Sunday, July 14th, 2019, 1:30pm

Judy is scheduled to lead

(Note: we are only meeting once in July and once in August)

Sunday, May 5th, 2019: Meeting

Writing Prompts

We had a lot to choose from but it was fun.

Do one of A, B, C, or D. Stretch your imagination. Mix and match.

A) Write a story inspired by a common saying. Here are some examples but feel free to use another:

1. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
2. A stitch in time saves nine.
3. Home is where the heart is.
4. It never rains but it pours.
5. Two heads are better than one.
6. There's no time like the present.
7. It's always darkest before the dawn.
8. Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.

B) Bottles can hold anything. Write about one of these:

1. A genie in a bottle.
2. A bottle full of mysterious liquid.
3. An antique bottle.
4. A bottle holding a surprise.
5. A note in a bottle.

C) Write a drabble. A drabble is a story that is exactly 100 words long. Short enough to challenge your editing skills, long enough to make a point.

D) Use one of the following prompts:

1. I bolted upright, fear clenching my heart in its fist, eyes searching the darkness for whatever had awakened her.
2. Finally, I was home. But nothing was as I remembered it.
3. He didn't look anything like I expected. Could the stories be true?
4. I stared at the cards and swallowed fear.
5. I was born in the wrong century. Too early, too late, I don't know. But I didn't fit here. I didn't fit now.
6. The rains were late that year. When they finally came, they were half-hearted, like a kid dragging his feet to school.


As always we encourage you to share your work here. For the first exercise a few people used more than one of the common phrases in one story.

Next Meeting Sunday, May 26th

Orangeville Public Library, 1:30pm

Sonja will be leading

2019 Meeting Schedule

Below is the 2019 Meeting Schedule for the Headwaters Writers' Guild. New members are always welcome. All genres welcome. Ambitious and experienced also welcome.

2019 Meeting Schedule

Orangeville Public Library

1:30pm – 3:30pm

Sunday, January 6

Sunday, January 20

Sunday, February 10

Sunday, February 24

Sunday, March 10

Sunday, March 24

Sunday, April 14

Sunday, April 28

Sunday May 5

Sunday, May 26

Sunday, June 9

Sunday, June 23

Sunday, July 14

Sunday, August 18

Sunday, September 8

Sunday, September 22

Sunday, October 6

Sunday, October 20

Sunday, November 3

Sunday, November 17

Saturday, November 23 – Christmas Social

Meeting Notes Sunday, February 11, 2018

The poster for our Open Mic Night at the library is out! We're looking for another fabulous turn-out this year. If anyone would like to post a post anywhere please advise or pick one up from the Orangeville Public Library stating you are with the HWG. I will also post this on a separate blog post.

Marilyn had copies for sale of her new book under a nom de plume. It can be purchased at Amazon.

Writing Prompts (from quotes):

1. Pull up your big girl panties and just deal with it.

2. What happens at Grandma's house stays at Grandma's house.

3. Some Friends: Some friends know all about us and like us just the same. They accept us as we are, not asking us to change. They never criticize us while listening to our views. They stay when other leave and speak when others refuse. There aren't many friends like that, and precious few I claim, but at the top of my list I've proudly written your name.

Next Meeting:

Sunday, February 25th, 1:30pm

Sonja is leading

Sunday, January 21st Meeting Notes & Prompts

Harry Posner, as Poet Laureate for Dufferin County, is organizing a Poetry Day on Broadway in May on the heels of the opening of the Saturday Farmer's Market. Details will follow soon.

Patricia will be meeting with Lauren, Events Coordinator at Orangeville Public Library, regarding what events we can participate in with the library for the coming year. We all agree that Open Mic was a big success and worth doing again.

Writing Prompts:

HEADWATERS WRITERS’ GUILD – January 21 2018– NANCY RORKE

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury    

I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it is true- hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something than don’t do it.

The Internet is a big distraction.

Your intuition knows how to write, so get out of the way.

Write something that you love, something to live for.     

Prompts

The Lake

The Night

The Night Train 

The Old Lady or Man

The Neighbour

The Attic

The Crow

The Coffin

The Telephone

Other Prompts

I swear I see ghosts everywhere…

The difference is that I lie for a reason

As always, you are encouraged to share your writing here.

Next Meeting:

Sunday, February 11th, 1:30pm

Leader: June

Meeting March 19, 2017 Prompts

Writing Prompts, March 19, 2017                                              Judy Zarowny

Across the top of the piece of paper provided, each person will write very brief answers to statement #1, fold it over so it can’t be seen, and pass the paper to the next person, who will write something from statement #2, fold it over and pass it on, and so on to #9 on this page.  When the papers are full, the one you end up with is your writing prompt.

1. Write the name of a would be protagonist, and descriptive one or two word answers to the following—gender, age, physical appearance and condition, current emotional state, job, religious affiliation, financial status.

2.  Give one word descriptions of a place, where the action in the story is taking place—interior, exterior, castle, hovel, city countryside, foreign country or domestic setting, mountains, desert, forest, underground, space ship, at sea, blah, blah, blah etc.

3.  State when this is taking place; past, present future, time of day, month or season, flash back.

4.  Describe something that this protagonist is hiding, either a physical item, or a personality flaw or a recent tragedy.

5. Describe a crisis or emergency happening in the setting, or a challenge regarding the setting.

6.  What one thing does this person want above all else in this situation?

7.  What would this character stand to lose in this situation?

8.  Who is supporting the character?

9.  Who or what is obstructing the character and his or her intentions?

Read over the paper you end up with, and write the first paragraph of your new masterpiece.

HAVE FUN

 Next Meeting is Sunday, April 2nd

Sonja is leading

Prompt Post: Why Do You Write?

Below is the response to a recent writing prompt. Please remember, all prompts written at writing group are done in a limited period of time. All writing is raw and unedited.
~~~

Why Do I Write?

Once I had a passion for writing. I always loved to read but the thought of holding a book in my hand with my name on it filled me with desire.

As a teenager I took a creative writing class in school. I made friends with my classmates and we began to write together. We would take turns writing parts of a story. The results were actually pretty hilarious.

In that class we had to journal and I have continued to do that to this day. Life is a struggle, life is frustrating. Journaling helps me get my thoughts, fears, angers and desires out of my head and down on paper.

When I became ill and unable to return to working outside the home, I took an old story I had written as a teenager and re-wrote it. Then I wrote another story. The ideas were plentiful. I had the passion, the drive, and the time to, perhaps, make my dream of becoming a published author come true.

I joined a writing group, met with award winning authors, agents, other wannabes like me, and took writing workshops. I was encouraged and motivated.

And then something happened. I'm not sure what. The passion suddenly dissipated. I don't know whether it was because of negative critiquing I received, life's interference, doubt, fear, or my illness. Something cranked the parking brake and the passion died.

I still like to write, still want to write, but can't seem to push myself to make the effort to get back to those two abandoned novels.

But I still hope....

HWG Meeting March 5, 2017

Discussion surrounded the upcoming Open Mic Night (name to be confirmed) on April 20th at the Orangeville Public Library. Harry Posner will be the M.C. while Diane Bator will be our featured speaker. An official email account has been sent up for the Headwaters Writers' Guild (hwg5.writers@gmail.com) to be used as a contact email and for registration for the upcoming event. Four members in attendance verbally registered for the event; they will be sent a confirmation email.

Diane is now working at Theatre Orangeville. She informed us that they are now selling tickets for A Literary Pairing - a fundraiser for their New Play Development Fun - organized by Nancy Frater, owner of BookLore in Orangeville. This 2-night event consisting of five authors takes place on Tuesday, March 28th and Tuesday, May 16th, beginning at 7pm at The Opera House. Tickets are $25 for one night or $40 for both. Diane will forward a poster when she has it.

As leader this week, Nancy encouraged us to consider why we write as a prompt (or to take another prompt from the bag).

Why do you write? Have you always wanted to write? When did you discover that writing was important to you? Do you call yourself a writer? Natalie Goldberg suggests that if you write you should call yourself a writer.

How did you become a writer? What steps did you take? Did you join a writing group, and did that help you? Did anybody mentor you?

When did you start writing? Did you have any challenges and what were they? Some people start pieces and then never finish them. What problem do you have? Do you have a solution?

What do you prefer to write? Do you believe that writing is your calling or purpose? Do you write for the money or do you do it for the joy of it? Do you journal to discover who you really are? What motivates you? What hinders you?

Have you read a book that helped your writing?

Do you record your dreams as prompts for your writing? Many authors glean ideas from their dreams? What methods do you use?

If you stopped writing, what would help you start again?

All are encouraged to share their writing from the above and other prompts on this blog.

Five members brought two books for the Blind Book Exchange. Ten members were in attendance so every member got to take a wrapped book home to read and, we hope, review on this blog.

The next meeting is Sunday, March 19th.

Judy will be leading.

HWG Meeting of June 7, 2015

One of the prompts from yesterday's meeting (June 7, 2015) was to Make a list of Alphabetical Advice. Nancy, appropriately, tackled the theme of writing. This is what she came up with.

ABC’S OF WRITING

 Achieving publication takes courage, confidence, and fortitude.

Be kind but especially to beginner writers or any writers.

Creativity flows the more time you spend writing.

Don’t sabotage your creative talents by not using them.

Every creative pursuit requires effort.

Forget about grammar when you’re writing in flow.

Great writers, write.

Hesitate and some other writer will write the story you always wanted to write.

I believe everyone is creative.

Juggling three jobs won’t allow you time to write.

Knock on wood might help if you’re writing a fairy tale.

Love stories are popular.

My mother always insisted that I couldn’t write, but what does she know!

Never take no for an answer if you love your story, keep editing and revising it.

Other than getting drunk when you get a bad review, edit and revise.

Perseverance wins the writing contest.

Quitting writing isn’t an option to those of us who love to tell stories.

Rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite.

Save your stories and back it up on an external device.

Tell yourself you can do this.

Ugh!

Victorious writers believe they were born to tell stories.

Writing cures writer’s block ‘cause writing begets writing. Marilyn’s hint is to drink tea.

X marks your signature on all the books that you sell.

Yesterday and every day try writing for at least twenty minutes.

Zinnias look nice on any writer’s desk.

Posted on behalf of Nancy with her permission.

Other prompts were:

1. Who am I?

2. How on earth did I get here?

3. The face I saw looking back from the mirror was not my own.

4. The path into the forest beckoned. A mist swirled among the trees, I took a step...

5. Water lapped at my feet as a voice called out from behind me.

6. He receives a note under the door and is intrigued, especially because it's the closet door...

7. With the Blues and Jazz Festival in full swing, I walked down the street and...

8. Make a list of Alphabetical Advice.

The next meeting is Sunday, June 28th. 

Judy is scheduled to lead.

February 9, 2014, Meeting

Look what I have!

The Bookstore Lady by Diane Bator, now available at BookLore in Orangeville.

As usual we started the meeting asking if anyone had anything to read. Caitlin explained that she has a short story to write for an anthology but is finding every excuse not to work on it. She feels the subject of erotica is holding her back. This started a discussion on how to motivate yourself to write. The following suggestions were made:

- Judy says when she is tired and starts writing it energizes her.

- Another suggestion was to dedicate an hour first thing in the morning to write. Get it done and then it's done.

- Have an email buddy to hold you accountable.

- Patricia said she needs someone standing over her with a whip. Clare volunteered. She declined.

Jayne was leading this week and she grabbed a bunch of books off the shelves in the church's library and placed them on the table. Everyone took a book and used either the title, cover picture, author's name or even a line from inside the book to use as their writing prompt.

I urge those in attendance to publish their results here. I will be doing so, in its rough form.

Our next meeting is Sunday, February 23rd. Judy will be leading.

The Monk in the Attic

Following is the story written at writing group this past Sunday. The first paragraph was written by me. The rest was contributed by different members of the group as it was passed around the table. Please note that the instructions given were NOT to read all that had been written before (which is why this changed from 1st person to 3rd). Most of the stories were humourous. Mine was just weird.

The Monk in the Attic

After mother died, cleaning out her house was not a chore I looked forward to. I had no idea what surprises were in store for me. And surprises there were.

A box containing steaming letters. Pictures of a man standing in front of a monastary. Handsome he was, with a smile meant for who. My mother? These letters were not from my father for sure.

She picked up the first letter. The writing looked like a medieval scribe had penned it with a quill. The paper had a parchment look, but had been folded and unfolded many times. Parts were streaked with damp tears.

That was the problem with parchment. It conveyed the tears but none of the meat of what was happening with the writer. He/She was obviously very sad.

The scroll reached such proportions as to spill over the ancient table. It had belonged to one of the others and was of maple complete with compartments for treasured items.

The story the scroll conveyed was poignant and the monk wiped his own tears away as he read.

"Mirror, mirror ont he wall. I am the most beautiful monk of all."

The words moved him, but only because he could translate the clue buried inside them.

CLARE MCARTHY - Benefits of Joining a Writing Group

http://writinghood.com/writing/10-benefits-of-joining-a-writing-group/

Please check out the above article. Make sure you support Pat by clicking on the I like it button.

In the article, Pat has listed 10 benefits of joining a writing group. Under her support and encouragement benefit, she maintains that when you’re published you know that your writing group will support you by purchasing your book.

The late Janet Bellinger left our writing group for a few months but when she had her book launch at Booklore for Teacher on the Run, and we all showed up, she returned. She mentioned it was our support of her book launch that had encouraged her to return.

We have encouraged Clare McCarthy’s writing process during the beginning, middle, and ending of his book The Hurleyville Taxi (Two Thousand Pounds Of Bacon and Bone).

Clare McCarthy, one of our favourite long-time members, has his book launch on Monday, November 30 at 7:30 PM at Booklore.

Please join us to celebrate his success as only writers who know the writing process, can.