Chicagoland Author's Group

[OneLustyWench]

After having the initial meeting, it was agreed for now to keep the meeting at 7 pm on the Thursdays, the schedule will be November 6, November 20, December 4, December 18, January 8, January 22, February and beyond will be determined in January. We also agreed to keep the current location unless the troops from the North do decide to participate and then we will look for a more central location or alternate locations.

Also agreed was that your participation is needed and all writing submissions need to be emailed to group members by Monday night (Tuesday morning early can also be accepted) to allow time for critique. Critiques will be brought to the meeting.

So, for the next meeting: November 6th

Choose at least one of the following, if ambitious you can do all three:
1. Problem story - a story that you are working on that is causing problems

2. Improvement ideas "Cask of Amontillado" - have fun with the possibilities of a dungeon, lots of booze and people w/nefarious purposes

3. Do a character sketch of a woman who is cast in a role opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you haven't joined us but want to, please PM either OneLustyWench or MidwestYankee for meeting location details.

We had a great time and hope more people can join and help make this a productive and enjoyable group.

Wenchie

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Also agreed was that your participation is needed and all writing submissions need to be emailed to group members by Monday night (Tuesday morning early can also be accepted) to allow time for critique. Critiques will be brought to the meeting.

So, for the next meeting: November 6th

Choose at least one of the following, if ambitious you can do all three:
1. Problem story - a story that you are working on that is causing problems

2. Improvement ideas "Cask of Amontillado" - have fun with the possibilities of a dungeon, lots of booze and people w/nefarious purposes

3. Do a character sketch of a woman who is cast in a role opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger

A little clarification...

So one of these projects has to be e-mailed out by Monday, November 3rd, right?

No. 1 should include a brief statement of what the problem is, of course. I think it's fair too if you just want a general critique of a story or to bask in admiration.

No. 2 should be expanded upon. The idea here is an exercise in plot development. The assignment is to take the plot of Poe's "A Cask of Amontillado" and improve upon it; make it a better story. You don't have to rewrite the whole story, just a sketch or description would do, but given the elements of the story -- the dungeon, the booze, the nefarious motivation -- what else could you come up with? Add characters or elements as needed.
Plot is one of the biggest stumbling blocks in story creation. Developing plot is what this exercise is all about.

No.3 -- A character sketch of a woman to play opposite Arnold Schwartzeneggar. It has to be Arnold. He's big, ham-fisted, physical. You're to describe a woman who could share a scene with him and not be overwhelmed. Maybe she could do it by her own overwhelming presence, or maybe she could do it by subtlety, but be a casting director and write a description of the woman you want to play opposite the Terminator in some film able to strike some sparks off him. What would she be like?

What the notes don't tell you: We had onion soup at the meeting. It was pretty good, though short on onions. The beer was very good. Dr. M. came up $10 short.

 

[midwestyankee]

Let me make one thing perfectly clear: when we said "improve on Poe's 'Cask of Amontillado'" we were not impugning the story. It's a fine story, perhaps one of the best of its type. Improve, in this case, means to add the sex and/or torture and/or sensual thrill that the scenario suggests to you.

As for the third suggested project, I am seriously considering Jessica Rabbit. Or maybe Jessica will end up besotted with my latest acquisition of amontillado. Haven't decided as the brain is still mildly fogged.

 

[OneLustyWench]

evidently my concise notes were too concise.

I vote either Dr M or Midwest Yankee get to be the new group secretary.

 

[midwestyankee]

evidently my concise notes were too concise.

I vote either Dr M or Midwest Yankee get to be the new group secretary.

I think we have a good one already. A tad sammie now and then, but otherwise entirely reliable.

 

[OneLustyWench]

I think we have a good one already. A tad sammie now and then, but otherwise entirely reliable.

Well as parlimentary rules go, we don't have enough for a quorum. Heck if everyone took a position we'd only have enough for a board at this point. Let's hold off board positions until we have lured in more writers into the fun and skills we are doing.

 

[pleaz_me]

The vodka was a good dose of neededness, too.

Wait.

There really WAS orange juice in there!

 

[pleaz_me]

~Bump~

Who are we e-mailing our stories to? The whole group or choosing one to critique?

 

[midwestyankee]

~Bump~

Who are we e-mailing our stories to? The whole group or choosing one to critique?

My recollection is that we assumed that we'd share our work with everyone in advance. No, I don't have everyone's email addresses, either. We may have to punt on that score this time around.

Has anyone seen the illustrious self-appointed (and highly talented and worthy) club secretary? She may already have most of the necessary information.

 

[pleaz_me]

My recollection is that we assumed that we'd share our work with everyone in advance. No, I don't have everyone's email addresses, either. We may have to punt on that score this time around.

Has anyone seen the illustrious self-appointed (and highly talented and worthy) club secretary? She may already have most of the necessary information.

I believe she's out and about today.

I have your email, and I have Wenchie's email ... I just need Dr M's and anyone else that might be attending this week. Mine is the same as the yahoo contact you have for me.

 

[midwestyankee]

I believe she's out and about today.

I have your email, and I have Wenchie's email ... I just need Zoot's and anyone else that might be attending this week. Mine is the same as the yahoo contact you have for me.

Maybe we need to get a sense of who plans to be in attendance and send around email addies where needed. Certainly if new folks want to show up for the first time it would be good for them to be on the distribution list for written goodies.

Therefore, anyone out there who plans on attending this week, let us know so we can email our blank pages* to you for your thoughtful consideration.

*Speaking for myself as of the present. Others may have written volumes by now for all I know.

 

[pleaz_me]

Maybe we need to get a sense of who plans to be in attendance and send around email addies where needed. Certainly if new folks want to show up for the first time it would be good for them to be on the distribution list for written goodies.

Therefore, anyone out there who plans on attending this week, let us know so we can email our blank pages* to you for your thoughtful consideration.

*Speaking for myself as of the present. Others may have written volumes by now for all I know.

I'll be there! I'll be there!

 

[midwestyankee]

I'll be there! I'll be there!

Excellent.

Who else plans to join us?

 

[OneLustyWench]

My recollection is that we assumed that we'd share our work with everyone in advance. No, I don't have everyone's email addresses, either. We may have to punt on that score this time around.

Has anyone seen the illustrious self-appointed (and highly talented and worthy) club secretary? She may already have most of the necessary information.

Point of order - I didn't appoint myself, you did (see posting #s 4&5). I just tried to get this started again. If anything, that would make me the president or founder.

I do have everyone's email address and yes, I am planning on sending out an email reminder to all so all can send their submissions. Pleaz I already have yours and will forward to Dr M unless you sent through Litmail?

 

[Guest]

Damn it! I want to attend!

 

[midwestyankee]

Point of order - I didn't appoint myself, you did (see posting #s 4&5). I just tried to get this started again. If anything, that would make me the president or founder.

I do have everyone's email address and yes, I am planning on sending out an email reminder to all so all can send their submissions. Pleaz I already have yours and will forward to Dr M unless you sent through Litmail?

We are what we do, no?

Which would mean that I must not be a writer, as the only writing I've done recently shows up on these pages/screens/collections of electrons.

 

[OneLustyWench]

Sending in your submissions: For now, please send to my email and I'll ensure everyone who RSVP'd for the group will receive them. Everyone should have my yahoo email, if not, please PM.

Thanks,
Wenchie

 

[OneLustyWench]

Due to several cancellations, it looks like we're going to have to cancel tonight's (Nov. 6) meeting.

I would like to hear though -- do we want to reschedule this meeting for next week (Nov. 13) or do we want to totally cancel and then get together at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 20.

 

[pleaz_me]

Due to several cancellations, it looks like we're going to have to cancel tonight's (Nov. 6) meeting.

I would like to hear though -- do we want to reschedule this meeting for next week (Nov. 13) or do we want to totally cancel and then get together at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 20.

I'm going to guess by the overwhelming response that we won't be meeting tomorrow night?

 

[midwestyankee]

I'm going to guess by the overwhelming response that we won't be meeting tomorrow night?

See the OP - we're not scheduled to meet again (in thunder, lightning, or in rain) until next week: Thursday 11/20. I may have written more than checks by then.

 

[pleaz_me]

See the OP - we're not scheduled to meet again (in thunder, lightning, or in rain) until next week: Thursday 11/20. I may have written more than checks by then.

OK ... was going by what Wenchie had thrown out above my last post.

I won't be able to attend next week. I may be sending two people to you though.

 

[midwestyankee]

OK ... was going by what Wenchie had thrown out above my last post.

I won't be able to attend next week. I may be sending two people to you though.

Gotcha - I'd forgotten about that little detail. You're sending two people? Cool.

 

[pleaz_me]

Gotcha - I'd forgotten about that little detail. You're sending two people? Cool.

Possibly. One lady ended up in the same boat yesterday that I fell into last week. The other is schedule pending.

 

[midwestyankee]

Possibly. One lady ended up in the same boat yesterday that I fell into last week. The other is schedule pending.

Well, at least you didn't fall out of the boat.

 

[pleaz_me]

Well, at least you didn't fall out of the boat.

True, but I get along better in the water. Instead I drown myself in worries.