Pure Fiction League

6 SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES

Eleven people attended: Burt, Casey (read half a chapter from Francine Stein), JoAnne, Jonathan (read a query letter for Bummin’ It), Lance, Maddie, Marsha, Richard, Rosie (read a query letter for On Thin Ice), Shari and Stace.

News & Notes

Reminder: we selected James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure to be our craft-related reading for fall. The discussion sessions, readings and moderators are as follows:

• 27 Sep – Chp. 1-3 (Stace)
• 25 Oct – Chp. 4-6 (Rosie & Maddie)
• 29 Nov – Chp. 7-9 (Burt)
• 31 Jan – Chp. 10-12 (Richard & Marsha)
• 28 Feb – Chp. 13-14, Appendix B (Jonathan)

Thanks to everyone who volunteered.

13 SEPTEMBER READING LIST

Please review this list for accuracy. If you discover any mistakes or omissions, please let us know in advance of the meeting.

Marianna (8/30)
Glenda (8/30)
Stace (9/6)
JoAnne (9/6)
Jo (8/30)
Burt (9/6)
Lance (9/6)
Marsha (9/6)
Richard (9/6)
Maddie (9/6)
Shari (9/6)
Rosie (9/6)
Jonathan (9/6)
Casey (9/6)

23 AUGUST MEETING NOTES

Ten people attended: Burt (read the opening chapters of On the Dead Run), Glenda, Jo, Jonathan (read the final three chapters of Bummin’ It), Lance (read the final chapter of Identity), Maddie, Marsha, Richard, Rosie and Stace.

News & Notes

We voted to begin a new craft-related reading series this fall. Several members mentioned they would like to read a book about plotting (which we haven’t so far), and that it be written by an author who writes about something other than writing. These three books have been nominated so far:

• Plot & Structure, by James Scott Bell
• The Plot Whisperer, by Martha Alderson
• Second Sight, by Cheryl Klein

If you have other nominations, please add them in a comment to this post. We’ll go over the nominees during the 30 August meeting and choose the book and the beginning date.

Burt attended a Sisters in Crime/LA meeting that featured a presentation on cross-gender writing (women writing a male POV or vice versa). Among the interesting points: women use eleven times more words than men in dialog.

Glenda recommends Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, which discusses the mental journey involved in leaving behind amateurism and embracing professionalism in a chosen way of life.

30 AUGUST READING LIST

Please review this list for accuracy. If you discover any mistakes or omissions, please let us know in advance of the meeting.

Marianna (8/16)
Glenda (8/23)
Stace (8/23)
Maddie (8/23)
JoAnne (8/16)
Shari (8/9)
Rosie (8/23)
Jo (8/23)
Casey (8/16)
Burt (8/23)
Lance (8/23)
Jonathan (8/23)
Marsha (8/23)
Richard (8/23)

16 AUGUST MEETING NOTES

A lucky thirteen attendees: Burt, Casey (read a chapter from Francine Stein), Glenda, Jo (read a chapter from Moonspell), JoAnne, Jonathan, Lance, Maddie, Marianna, Rosie (read a synopsis for On Thin Ice), Stace, and two returning old-line members, Richard (writes short stories) and Marsha (essays and memoir). Richard and Marsha’s last PFL appearance was in 2006. Welcome back.

News & Notes

Stace proposed that we resume our craft-related readings this fall. This involves picking a book that focuses on an aspect of writing or publishing and discussing sections of the book during a 50-minute session once per month. Please consider this proposal and come prepared to discuss it next meeting (23 August). If you support the proposal, please have ready the title of a book you think we should read; if you oppose it, come prepared to explain why. We’ll vote on the proposal on the 23rd. The list of previous craft-related readings is available in Writer Resources.

Jonathan recommends WriteOnCon.com for the content of a writer’s convention without the travel. The event itself is over, but the webinar programs are still available, as are the blog posts, a Twitter hashtag (#writeoncon), and an online forum.

Jonathan used Lulu.com to obtain a printed, bound version of Bummin’ It for his beta readers. A trade paperback-format book of average length cost ~$9-10 a copy. You can also use Lulu to publish in paper and ebook, but you don’t have to publish in order to get books printed.

Stace mentioned that the Placentia Public Library will host a benefit featuring Dean Koontz next March. There’s absolutely nothing on the library’s website about it yet, but keep it in mind if that interests you.

23 AUGUST READING LIST

Please review this list for accuracy. If you discover any mistakes or omissions, please let us know in advance of the meeting.

Marianna (8/16)
Burt (8/16)
Glenda (8/16)
Stace (8/16)
Maddie (8/16)
Lance (8/16)
JoAnne (8/16)
Shari (8/9)
Jonathan (8/16)
Rosie (8/16)
Jo (8/16)
Casey (8/16)