Past Meetings

Posted on August 30th, 2010

Date: March 22nd @ 6:30PM

Location: Panera Bread HW14

Topics:

  • Current project status — several novels in progress
  • Joan Sween updated us on the sales for her novel, Nice Girls Don’t Bite
  • Discussed plays written for theatre and the upcoming Writers Festival

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Date: March 8 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Meeting Room A

Submissions to be reviewed:

  • Christa Worrell – F. E. S.: Chapter 3
  • Rose Hamlin – Query letter for Scarlett Ribbons
  • Ann Noser – The Drownings: Chapter 3
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapters 11 and 12

We also discussed:

  • Rose Hamlin presented on her experiences with AuthorHouse

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Date: February 22nd @ 6:30PM

Location: Dunn Bros North

Topics:

  • Current project status — several novels in progress
  • Joan Sween self-published her novel, Nice Girls Don’t Bite
  • Discussions on how we prepare to write
  • Discussions on how to find time to write — “Go to the ‘store.’  Take a laptop”

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Date: February 8 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Meeting Room A

Submissions to be reviewed:

  • Rose Hamlin – Scarlett Ribbons
  • Christa Worrell – F. E. S.: Chapter 2
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapters 9 & 10
  • Ann Noser – The Drownings: Chapter 2
  • Dolph Bezoier – Caterpillar Science

We also discussed:

  • Success in self publishing

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Date: January 25th @ 6:30PM

Location: Caribou Coffee North (near Target)

Topics:

  • Current project status — several novels in progress
  • Mindsets for editing — Editing with a “mean pen”
  • Amanda Hocking’s recent success with her self-published novels on Kindle
  • Mike’s recent class with Sara Megibow on finding problems with story beginnings
  • MN Writers Alliance and its upcoming February newsletter

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Date: January 11 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Meeting Room A

Submissions reviewed:

  • Rose Hamlin – Scarlett Ribbons (deferred to February meeting)
  • Christa Worrell – F. E. S.: Chapter 1
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapters 7 & 8
  • Ann Noser – The Drownings: Chapter 1
  • yours?

We also discussed:

  • Mike Kalmbach shared how to set up an author blog

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Date: December 14 @ 6:30PM

Location: Rochester Public Library – Meeting Room A

Submissions:

  • Danielle Allen – Vietnam
  • Ian C – Assault
  • Christa Worrell – Whisperings of Love: Chapter 3
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapter 6
  • yours?

We also discussed:

  • The author blog discussion was deferred to a future meeting

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Date: November 23rd @ 6:30PM

Location: Panera Bread (near HyVee south on HW 14), 460 Crossroads Drive SW, Rochester MN 55902

Topics:

  • Progress on writing projects
  • Query letters
  • Rochester Writers Festival 2011
  • Script writing
  • “It’s easy to make money writing, but it’s hard to make a living.”

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Date: November 9 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Meeting Room A

Submissions:

  • Mike Kalmbach – Don’t Trust Your GPS
  • Christa Worrell – Whisperings of Love, Chapter 2
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict, Chapter 5

We also discussed:

  • The author blog discussion was deferred to a future meeting

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Date: October 26th @ 6:30PM

Location: Dunn Brothers South, 1340 Salem Rd SW # 3

Topics:

  • Progress on writing projects
  • Writing blocks/struggles
  • If you’re not sure where to start, start with whatever first comes to mind
  • Adding humor to writing (coins in the telephone)

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Date: October 12 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Alternate conference room

We will have a short photo shoot right at 6:30pm for the library so they can use the photos in promotional materials (including advertising the writing group).  Try to arrive early if at all possible!

Submissions:

  • Christa Worrell – Whisperings of Love: Chapter 1 (part 2)
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapter 4
  • Christa Worrell — Whisperings of Love: Prelude

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Date: September 28th @ 6:30PM

Location: Dunn Brothers North, 120 Elton Hills Drive N.W.

Possible topics:

  • Progress on writing projects
  • Writing blocks/struggles
  • Discussing successful writing strategies
  • Breaking into freelancing

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Date: September 14 @ 6:30PM
Location: Rochester Public Library – Auditorium

Submissions to be reviewed:

  • Jennifer Galuska – A Kiss for Emily: Chapters 12-13
  • Mike Kalmbach – The Caldarian Conflict: Chapter 3
  • Ann Noser – Desiderata: Chapter 1
  • Christa Worrell – Whisperings of Love: Chapter 1 (part 1)

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Date: August 24 @ 6:30PM
Location: Caribou Coffee North (by Target)

Topics covered:

  • Self-publishing: pros and cons, when to self publish, how to succeed
  • How to motivate oneself to keep writing every day
  • Pros and cons of using established plots as a guide for writing (like Tobias’ 20 Master Plots)
  • Future ideas for the writing group