Tuesday, August 20th, 2024: Award Winning Author Pamela Gwyn Kripke: Advice on Successful Writing
DetailsDo you want inside information from a tried and true professional on how to succeed as a writer? We have an incredible opportunity this month to learn from a local author whose incomparable writing has been super successful across multiple writing disciplines. Mark your calendars and join us for a valuable evening of tips and information from Pamela Kripke. Take your writing to the next level. Trust us, you won't want to miss this meeting.
Pamela Gwyn Kripke is an award-winning journalist and author whose news stories, features and essays have been widely published in newspapers, magazines and literary journals, including The New York Times, The New York Post, Elle, Newsweek, Underwired, and Brilliant Flash Fiction. Her essays in the Huffington Post were submitted for a Pulitzer Prize.
Her debut novel, At the Seams, published in 2023 by the small press, Open Books, is a coming-of-age story based on true events about a girl who grows up to investigate the family mystery that haunts her through childhood. Her latest novel, And Then You Apply Ice, a collection of honest, funny and astute short stories that portray the female experience, was just published in spring of 2024. Seven of the 21 stories were previously published in various literary journals. Her book was a finalist for the 2024 American Fiction Award.
You can learn much more about Pamela Kripke here: https://pamelagwynkripke.com
Pamela Gwyn Kripke is an award-winning journalist and author whose news stories, features and essays have been widely published in newspapers, magazines and literary journals, including The New York Times, The New York Post, Elle, Newsweek, Underwired, and Brilliant Flash Fiction. Her essays in the Huffington Post were submitted for a Pulitzer Prize.
Her debut novel, At the Seams, published in 2023 by the small press, Open Books, is a coming-of-age story based on true events about a girl who grows up to investigate the family mystery that haunts her through childhood. Her latest novel, And Then You Apply Ice, a collection of honest, funny and astute short stories that portray the female experience, was just published in spring of 2024. Seven of the 21 stories were previously published in various literary journals. Her book was a finalist for the 2024 American Fiction Award.
You can learn much more about Pamela Kripke here: https://pamelagwynkripke.com
Tuesday, July 16, 2024: Have No Fear, Critique Workshop is Here!
Members and attendees of the BVWG are eligible to submit manuscripts for which they'd like constructive input. This is a great opportunity to get your work in front of some experienced readers and writers. The goal is to help the writer make his or her work better. Here are the requirements:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Submit work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, July 3th.
On Sunday, July 7, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Submit work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, July 3th.
On Sunday, July 7, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right. You can view it on the BVWG Message Board.
- Read these suggestions for receiving feedback on your work by Christopher Alden. You can view it on here on our Message Board.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! If you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
Tuesday, June 18, 2024: Summer Social - BVWG 20th Anniversary!
Hard to believe, but we've been at this for twenty years! The BVWG is thriving thanks to all of you! And now, it’s time for the BVWG Summer Social - 20th Anniversary. Come join us on the second floor of Ryan’s Pub at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your fellow writers. Spouses and friends are heartily welcomed too! We'll be sure to use the outside upper deck of Ryan’s if the weather is good. There will be a cash bar but snacks and appetizers are on us. Consider it the perfect night to join in the fun a little early, at 6:00pm, and have dinner with those gathered, in the spirit of celebrating our remarkable anniversary.
We're gathering lots of raffle prizes so everyone has a chance to go home with something memorable to support their writing projects. So far we have board members offering their time to provide critiques, editorial services, brainstorming and even fight scene writing advice! Much more is planned. Be there!
The Summer Social is a chance to get to know your fellow group members and writers better. Also, we need help stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library, so bring a book or three to donate and take one home to read. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
We're gathering lots of raffle prizes so everyone has a chance to go home with something memorable to support their writing projects. So far we have board members offering their time to provide critiques, editorial services, brainstorming and even fight scene writing advice! Much more is planned. Be there!
The Summer Social is a chance to get to know your fellow group members and writers better. Also, we need help stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library, so bring a book or three to donate and take one home to read. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
Tuesday, May 21, 2024: Creating Audio Books - Scott Ellis
Every Fourth Reader is Listening: Getting Your Book into Their Ears
Scott Ellis Reads is a business that specializes in helping authors understand the options for producing a book in audio. This includes everything from learning how to narrate your work yourself to selecting one of the narrators on the Scott Ellis team and having them fulling produce your project. Scott has an online classroom where he instructs people who would like to become narrators or voice actors in everything they need to know to become successful.
Scotts spends his non-narrating time playing golf, kayaking and fishing and hopes that one day he might actually be good at one of them!
Scotts spends his non-narrating time playing golf, kayaking and fishing and hopes that one day he might actually be good at one of them!
Tuesday, April 16, 2024: Philadelphia Author Merry Jones on Dialogue
Merry Jones is the author of over twenty books: non-fiction (including Birthmothers), humor (including I Love Him, But...), and suspense (including the Zoe Hayes, Elle Harrison, and Harper Jennings series, along with a couple of stand-alones). Some of her books have won awards, and others have been translated into seven languages. A former college writing instructor, she's a member of the Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, and the Philadelphia Liars Club, for which she cohosts the monthly Main Line Writers Coffeehouse. A mom and grandmom, she lives, writes and procrastinates in Philly.
You can learn more at her website: <<MerryJones.com>> |
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Tuesday, March 19, 2024: Reading Night!
March’s BVWG meeting will once again be a celebration of the stories and poems we’re writing!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five minutes or 750 words). Readers will be randomly chosen. Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
We do require that you put your name in the reading pool ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], written in third person. Your bio will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your 3rd person bio. Deadline is Friday, March 15.
See you there!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five minutes or 750 words). Readers will be randomly chosen. Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
We do require that you put your name in the reading pool ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], written in third person. Your bio will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your 3rd person bio. Deadline is Friday, March 15.
See you there!
Tuesday, February 20, 2024: Creating Tension with
Philadelphia Crime Writer, James McCrone
Philadelphia crime writer, James McCrone will join us to discuss creating tension in thrillers. But don’t worry, James will tailor his talk to be useful to non-crime writers as well, aware that “we all need the reader to keep turning those pages.”
James McCrone is the author of the Faithless Elector series--Faithless Elector, Dark Network, and Emergency Powers—“taut” and “gripping” political thrillers about a stolen presidency. Bastard Verdict, his fourth novel, which debuted in May, is about a conspiracy surrounding a second Scottish Independence referendum. To get the details right for the new thriller, he drew on his boyhood in Scotland and scouted locations for scenes in the book while attending Bloody Scotland.
He’s a member of MWA, Int’l Assoc. of Crime Writers, and he’s the new president of the Delaware Valley Sisters in Crime chapter. James has an MFA in Creative Writing from University of Washington (in Seattle), where National Book Award winner Charles Johnson (for Middle Passage) was chair of his committee.
You can learn more at his website: <<JamesMcCrone.com>>
Join us at Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, February 20 at 7pm, where we’ll spend the evening learning about creating tension in our work such that readers indeed keep turning those pages.
James McCrone excels in crafting the unexpected, not just for Imogen but in the lives and deaths of those surrounding her. His ability to portray a heroine who makes both good and bad decisions, struggles to get her personal life and professional career back on track, and faces the ultimate sacrifice as a result of her decisions is well-done, providing many action-packed and unexpected moments throughout.” — DIANE DONOVAN, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
James McCrone is the author of the Faithless Elector series--Faithless Elector, Dark Network, and Emergency Powers—“taut” and “gripping” political thrillers about a stolen presidency. Bastard Verdict, his fourth novel, which debuted in May, is about a conspiracy surrounding a second Scottish Independence referendum. To get the details right for the new thriller, he drew on his boyhood in Scotland and scouted locations for scenes in the book while attending Bloody Scotland.
He’s a member of MWA, Int’l Assoc. of Crime Writers, and he’s the new president of the Delaware Valley Sisters in Crime chapter. James has an MFA in Creative Writing from University of Washington (in Seattle), where National Book Award winner Charles Johnson (for Middle Passage) was chair of his committee.
You can learn more at his website: <<JamesMcCrone.com>>
Join us at Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, February 20 at 7pm, where we’ll spend the evening learning about creating tension in our work such that readers indeed keep turning those pages.
James McCrone excels in crafting the unexpected, not just for Imogen but in the lives and deaths of those surrounding her. His ability to portray a heroine who makes both good and bad decisions, struggles to get her personal life and professional career back on track, and faces the ultimate sacrifice as a result of her decisions is well-done, providing many action-packed and unexpected moments throughout.” — DIANE DONOVAN, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16 - TONIGHT'S MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Those who could make it to Ryan's Pub gathered for drinks and conversation.
December 19, 2023: Winter Social!
It’s that time again for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 19th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your fellow writers. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a wonderful evening.
Once again, there will be cash bar service, but snacks are on us.
As in the past, we’re stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library – so bring a book to donate, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
And, not to be missed, the Winter Social is your big chance to become a fully vested member of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Yes, the opportunity will be there for you to contribute $40 for your 2024 annual membership. We make it easy by accepting check, cash, or Venmo.
Once again, there will be cash bar service, but snacks are on us.
As in the past, we’re stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library – so bring a book to donate, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
And, not to be missed, the Winter Social is your big chance to become a fully vested member of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Yes, the opportunity will be there for you to contribute $40 for your 2024 annual membership. We make it easy by accepting check, cash, or Venmo.
November 21, 2023: Roundtable Discussion
Ever wonder what tools other writers use to do their work? Have you heard of Scrivener? How many hours a day do writers spend in the chair, and how many projects do they tackle at once? Have other questions you are interested in talking about?
Join in the conversation at our November meeting where member, Dennis Murray, will get things started with a 15-20 minute personal introduction. Having a peek into the experience one writer has had with his project, will surely inspire a vigorous discussion tailored to the needs and interests of those in attendance. Don't miss it!
Join in the conversation at our November meeting where member, Dennis Murray, will get things started with a 15-20 minute personal introduction. Having a peek into the experience one writer has had with his project, will surely inspire a vigorous discussion tailored to the needs and interests of those in attendance. Don't miss it!
October 17, 2023: A Discussion on Identity in Writing with
Gabrielle Stanley, Assoc. Director WCU Writing Center
Are you an active writer or a passive writer? Are you aware that your individual perspective impacts your work to create the special and unique voice that is yours? Has it occurred to you that grocery lists, tweets, and emails constitute genres of writing?
Gabby Stanley is a writing studies researcher specializing in conception studies, or how one's conceptions of writing can affect the writing they produce. Her research has been published in Young Scholars in Writing and presented at regional and national conferences. Along with conception studies, Gabby also researches how a writer's identity influences their work. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Writing Center at West Chester University, where she trains writing tutors to help their clients learn to use their individual identity as a strength in their writing.
Don't miss the opportunity to participate in this roundtable discussion with Gabrielle Stanley.
Gabby Stanley is a writing studies researcher specializing in conception studies, or how one's conceptions of writing can affect the writing they produce. Her research has been published in Young Scholars in Writing and presented at regional and national conferences. Along with conception studies, Gabby also researches how a writer's identity influences their work. She currently serves as Associate Director of the Writing Center at West Chester University, where she trains writing tutors to help their clients learn to use their individual identity as a strength in their writing.
Don't miss the opportunity to participate in this roundtable discussion with Gabrielle Stanley.
September 19, 2023: Critique Workshop
Members and attendees of the BVWG are eligible to submit manuscripts for which they'd like constructive input. This is a great opportunity to get your work in front of some experienced readers and writers. The goal is to help the writer make his or her work better. Here are the requirements:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Submit work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, September 7th.
On Sunday, September 10th, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Submit work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, September 7th.
On Sunday, September 10th, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right. You can view it on the BVWG Message Board.
- Read these suggestions for receiving feedback on your work by Christopher Alden. You can view it on here on our Message Board.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! If you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
August 15, 2023: Members and Attenders Reading Night!
August’s BVWG meeting will once again be a celebration of the stories and poems we’re writing!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five minutes or 750 words). Readers will be randomly chosen. Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
We do require that you put your name in the reading pool ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], written in third person. Your bio will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your 3rd person bio. Deadline is 8/10/23.
See you there!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five minutes or 750 words). Readers will be randomly chosen. Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
We do require that you put your name in the reading pool ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], written in third person. Your bio will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your 3rd person bio. Deadline is 8/10/23.
See you there!
July 18, 2023: Writing Across Genres with Philadelphia Author
Anndee Hochman
The ability to write in multiple genres comes from dedication to your craft and being open to opportunity. It also helps you to become a better and more capable writer.
Anndee Hochman is a Philadelphia native who has carved out a successful writing career by seizing opportunity. She is a journalist, essayist, novelist, writing coach, teach and storyteller. She writers, the “Parent Trip” column for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She has written two books and has a YA novel in progress. You can check her out here: https://www.anndeehochman.com
In addition to her writing, Anndee is a seven-time Moth Story Slam winner. She has taught memoir, fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry for over 30 years. Believe us when we say that Anndee is a seasoned, successful storyteller! We are fortunate to have her as a presenter. So come on out for this one-of-a-kind presentation from an author who’s rich voice and extensive knowledge will resonate for years to come.
Anndee Hochman
The ability to write in multiple genres comes from dedication to your craft and being open to opportunity. It also helps you to become a better and more capable writer.
Anndee Hochman is a Philadelphia native who has carved out a successful writing career by seizing opportunity. She is a journalist, essayist, novelist, writing coach, teach and storyteller. She writers, the “Parent Trip” column for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She has written two books and has a YA novel in progress. You can check her out here: https://www.anndeehochman.com
In addition to her writing, Anndee is a seven-time Moth Story Slam winner. She has taught memoir, fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry for over 30 years. Believe us when we say that Anndee is a seasoned, successful storyteller! We are fortunate to have her as a presenter. So come on out for this one-of-a-kind presentation from an author who’s rich voice and extensive knowledge will resonate for years to come.
June 20, 2023: SUMMER SOCIAL
The BVWG is thriving thanks to all of you! And now, it’s time for the BVWG Summer Social. Come one and come all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your fellow writers. Spouses and friends are heartily welcomed too! We will be outside on the back deck of Ryan’s if the weather is good. There will be a cash bar but snacks and appetizers are on us.
The Summer Social is a chance to get to know your fellow group members and writers better. Also, we need help stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library, so bring a book or three to donate and take one home to read. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
The Summer Social is a chance to get to know your fellow group members and writers better. Also, we need help stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library, so bring a book or three to donate and take one home to read. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
May 16, 2023: Feedback That Improves Your Writing -
Roundtable Discussion and Critique Group Start-ups
Critique groups are as good as the members that make them up. Come and learn how to be a valued critique partner and get started in your own group on May 16 at 7:00pm, at Ryan’s Pub.
Long-time BVWG member, Victoria Rose, will kick things off with some tips, tricks, and suggestions from her experience working as an editor:
· what types of feedback are available.
· what to expect from various types of readers.
· the stages of editing (from first draft to final proofread).
· the difference between hiring an editor and participating in a critique group.
· how to best request feedback, ask the right questions, and get useful feedback.
· the difference between a critique partner, beta reader, and other types of readers.
· what to do with contradictory feedback.
Besides our roundtable discussion, this meeting will be an important opportunity for you to meet others who want to participate in off-site work. If you cannot come to the meeting and want to be included in an independent critique group, be sure to let us know and we’ll pass on your name.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Roundtable Discussion and Critique Group Start-ups
Critique groups are as good as the members that make them up. Come and learn how to be a valued critique partner and get started in your own group on May 16 at 7:00pm, at Ryan’s Pub.
Long-time BVWG member, Victoria Rose, will kick things off with some tips, tricks, and suggestions from her experience working as an editor:
· what types of feedback are available.
· what to expect from various types of readers.
· the stages of editing (from first draft to final proofread).
· the difference between hiring an editor and participating in a critique group.
· how to best request feedback, ask the right questions, and get useful feedback.
· the difference between a critique partner, beta reader, and other types of readers.
· what to do with contradictory feedback.
Besides our roundtable discussion, this meeting will be an important opportunity for you to meet others who want to participate in off-site work. If you cannot come to the meeting and want to be included in an independent critique group, be sure to let us know and we’ll pass on your name.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
April 25, 2023: Literary Agent, Marie Lamba will ZOOM IN with the BVWG
Have questions about finding and contracting with a literary agent? Then don’t miss our special zoom presentation by Marie Lamba! Our members have asked for a presentation such as this and we’ve been listening. So, get all your “how-to-get-an-agent” questions ready! Marie Lamba will answer them and more at our upcoming Zoom presentation.
Marie is a Senior Literary Agent at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in NYC (jdlit.com), where she represents fiction and non-fiction authors of picture books, middle grade, YA and adult works. She is also the author of young adult novels: What I Meant… (Random House), Over My Head and Drawn, and the picture books: Green Green: A Community Gardening Story (Farrar Straus Giroux), and A Day So Gray (Clarion).
Marie’s articles appear in more than 100 publications. She's a frequent contributor to Writer’s Digest and has worked as an editor, an award-winning public relations writer, and a book publicist. She has taught classes on novel writing and author promotion. You can find her at www.marielamba.com, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/marielamba and like her FB page: Marie Lamba, Author.
This presentation is Zoom only on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. The Zoom link will be published on our Meetup Event page for all those who RSVP. Hope to see you there.
April 18, 2023 - The Business Side of Writing: Bruce Mowday
This month, join us in a discussion about the “other” side of writing: the business side. Local author and one of the founders of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group, Bruce Mowday,
addresses the trials and tribulations of the working author. As a frequent speaker at various civic and historical groups, and with more than 20 books to his credit, Bruce is well-positioned
to talk about the “work” side of writing.
Bruce is an award-winning author and newspaper reporter. He has authored books on history, sports, business and true crime. He has appeared on PBS’s Emmy-award winning show Counter Culture, the Discovery ID channel, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Our American Heritage, Journey into the Civil War, and Chronicles of the American Civil War. He is former chairman of the Chester County Historical Society, former president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates, and former board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance and the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. If you are having trouble keeping up with Bruce, check out his schedule of events at www.mowday.com.
Join us at Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, April 18 at 7pm, where we’ll spend the evening with Bruce and learn more about his writing habits and how they have led to his fascinating career arc.
Books by Bruce E. Mowday, Chester County Author and Publisher
addresses the trials and tribulations of the working author. As a frequent speaker at various civic and historical groups, and with more than 20 books to his credit, Bruce is well-positioned
to talk about the “work” side of writing.
Bruce is an award-winning author and newspaper reporter. He has authored books on history, sports, business and true crime. He has appeared on PBS’s Emmy-award winning show Counter Culture, the Discovery ID channel, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Our American Heritage, Journey into the Civil War, and Chronicles of the American Civil War. He is former chairman of the Chester County Historical Society, former president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates, and former board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance and the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. If you are having trouble keeping up with Bruce, check out his schedule of events at www.mowday.com.
Join us at Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, April 18 at 7pm, where we’ll spend the evening with Bruce and learn more about his writing habits and how they have led to his fascinating career arc.
Books by Bruce E. Mowday, Chester County Author and Publisher
March 21, 2023 - Members and Attenders Critique Workshop
Members and attendees of the BVWG are eligible to submit manuscripts for which they'd like constructive input. This is a great opportunity to get your work in front of some experienced readers and writers. The goal is to help the writer make his or her work better. Here are the requirements:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Members need to submit their work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 10th.
On Sunday, March 12th, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right. You can view it on the BVWG Message Board.
- Read these suggestions for receiving feedback on your work by Christopher Alden. You can view it on here on our Message Board.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! If you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
Calling all writers! Calling all readers! READING NIGHT is February 21
February’s BVWG meeting will once again be a celebration of the stories and poems we’re writing!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five
minutes or 750 words). Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
Last time we allowed sign-ups at the door, but for this Reading Night we do require that you secure your spot ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], which will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your bio. Deadline is 2/15/23.
See you there!
We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five
minutes or 750 words). Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced writers.
This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
Last time we allowed sign-ups at the door, but for this Reading Night we do require that you secure your spot ahead of time.
To do so, send a short bio of 50-75 words to [email protected], which will be used to introduce you and your work. This is the only way to secure a reading spot. You must send a bio. Walk-in reading slots will not be available. No need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read, along with your bio. Deadline is 2/15/23.
See you there!
IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE: January 24, 2023 - The Craft of Fiction: Characterization with Gregory Frost
Creating characters that readers can relate to is a skill writers hope to master. Ideally our characters make us think about them when we aren't reading about them, and that carry the purpose and heart of a story.
Local author, Gregory Frost, tells us that he is currently in the throes of uncertainty right now with a couple of characters of his own, for a novel-in-progress. That makes him well-positioned to share what he knows about the process of developing characters. For our benefit, he offers to “open a vein and share the pain.”
Gregory Frost (Shadowbridge/Lord Tophet – an ALA Best Fantasy Novel pick) is an award-winning author of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He has taught the Fiction Writing Workshop at Swarthmore College for eighteen years, and his latest novel, Rhymer, set in 12th century Scotland, is the first in a three-book series due out from Baen Books in June.
Join us at Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, January 24 at 7pm, where we’ll spend the evening with Greg who will speak to us about that ever-tricky writing element, characterization.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
December 20, 2022: Winter Social!
It’s that time again for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 20th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your fellow writers. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a wonderful evening.
Once again, there will be cash bar service, but snacks are on us.
As in the past, we’re stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library – so bring a book to donate, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Special this year, to help you hone your work, we’ll have a sign-up for those interested in participating in upcoming small independent critique groups. More about that later.
And, not to be missed, the Winter Social is your big chance to become a fully vested member of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Yes, the opportunity will be there for you to contribute $30 for your 2023 annual membership. We make it easy by accepting check, cash, or Venmo.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
November 15, 2022: Critique Workshop Night
Members and attendees of the BVWG are eligible to submit manuscripts for which they'd like constructive input. This is a great opportunity to get your work in front of some experienced readers and writers. The goal is to help the writer make his or her work better. Here are the requirements:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Members need to submit their work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 4th.
On Sunday, November 6th, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
Maximum word count is 3000 words. Double-spaced. New Times Roman font. 1 inch margins. Please include page numbers.
Your piece can be a section or chapter from a novel, a short story, flash fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, or even poetry. We're open to all genres!
Members need to submit their work to [email protected]. Please send your work as an attached PDF or Word file.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 4th.
On Sunday, November 6th, we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review by posting a notice via meetup.com with a link to the stories. Please note that dues-paying members get priority if we need to prioritize submissions.
Christopher Alden will be moderating the Critique Workshop. We'll focus on the strengths of the submissions as well as areas that could be made stronger with suggested changes. The goal is for meeting attendees to read the submissions in advance, make suggestions for the writer and come prepared to discuss ways to help the writer make the piece better. The authors are encouraged to bring extra paper copies of their stories in case there are attendees who have not read the stories.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right. You can view it on the BVWG Message Board.
- Read these suggestions for receiving feedback on your work by Christopher Alden. You can view it on here on our Message Board.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! If you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
October 18, 2022: Calling all writers! Calling all readers!
This month’s BVWG meeting will be a celebration of the stories and poems we’re
writing! We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five
minutes or 750 words). Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress
as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced
writers alike. We encourage you to share whatever you have been toiling over or have
written last minute.Take the leap and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow writers.This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
You may sign up at the door on a first-come first-serve basis, or secure a spot by sending
an email to [email protected]. You don’t need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read. If you include a short bio (50-75 words), we’ll use that to introduce you and your writing. Alternately, you may simply
introduce yourself and provide some context for you piece prior to your reading.
writing! We invite you to read aloud from a selection of your own work (up to five
minutes or 750 words). Rest assured this is a non-critique evening, and work-in-progress
as well as completed writings are equally welcome — from new writers and experienced
writers alike. We encourage you to share whatever you have been toiling over or have
written last minute.Take the leap and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow writers.This is a great opportunity to practice reading your work in a safe space, among friends. Readings, in case you've never done or attended one, are about celebration, not evaluation. We can't wait to hear what you've been working on!
You may sign up at the door on a first-come first-serve basis, or secure a spot by sending
an email to [email protected]. You don’t need to submit your writing in advance; just send a message indicating you’d like to read. If you include a short bio (50-75 words), we’ll use that to introduce you and your writing. Alternately, you may simply
introduce yourself and provide some context for you piece prior to your reading.
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September 20, 2022: Peaceful Transition of Power Meeting!
After 11 years in the role, BVWG President Mark Mitchell is passing the pen to incoming President Jane Butler. Remarks will be made! Plans will be discussed! Much festive bunting will be evident (well, okay, maybe just a little). Come out and see how it's done, folks!
We'll also be reintroducing the BVWG Board and talking about where the group will be going over the next year. Bring your thoughts about what you would like to see us doing and discussing!
We'll also be reintroducing the BVWG Board and talking about where the group will be going over the next year. Bring your thoughts about what you would like to see us doing and discussing!
August 16, 2022: BVWG Summer Social
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Summer Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, August 16th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’re stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library – so bring a book, donate it to the library, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’re stocking up the Tony Conaway Memorial Free Library – so bring a book, donate it to the library, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
July 19, 2022: The Novel Becomes The Movie: An Evening with Everett De Morier
We all know the dream: Publish that novel, get noticed, turn the novel into a Major Motion Picture featuring Dustin Hoffman....But, really, who gets to live that dream?
Everett De Morier, for one.
Everett is an award-winning, Dover-based author, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, keynote speaker, and documentary filmmaker. His 2015 novel, Thirty-three Cecils, won the top fiction prize at The London Book Festival and is being developed into a feature film starring Dustin Hoffman. His 2019 book, The Invention of Everything, was the focus of the documentary, Binghamton: Valley of Opportunity.
So you'll definitely want to come out to Ryan's Pub for the July meeting of the BVWG because Everett De Morier is going to be joining us -- in person -- to talk about his experiences publishing Thirty-three Cecils, writing the screenplay, and seeing his work picked up and transformed into the M.M.P. of dreams.
Everett De Morier, for one.
Everett is an award-winning, Dover-based author, novelist, playwright, screenwriter, keynote speaker, and documentary filmmaker. His 2015 novel, Thirty-three Cecils, won the top fiction prize at The London Book Festival and is being developed into a feature film starring Dustin Hoffman. His 2019 book, The Invention of Everything, was the focus of the documentary, Binghamton: Valley of Opportunity.
So you'll definitely want to come out to Ryan's Pub for the July meeting of the BVWG because Everett De Morier is going to be joining us -- in person -- to talk about his experiences publishing Thirty-three Cecils, writing the screenplay, and seeing his work picked up and transformed into the M.M.P. of dreams.
June 21, 2022: Member Manuscript Critique Night
Our June meeting will be a critique night. Dues-paid members of the BVWG are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 3,000 words. If your story ends at 3,200 words, go ahead and send the whole thing.
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in June. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 21st, we will organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in June. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 21st, we will organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
May 17, 2022: How to Give and Receive Good Writing Critique - Take Two
Curious about writing workshops and how critiques can help you write better stories? Unsure of the best methods for giving or receiving feedback in a writing workshop? BVWG Board member Christopher Alden will cover critique workshops -- how they work, best practices for readers and writers, and how to get the most from the experience both as a reviewer and as a writer whose work is being reviewed. This presentation was scheduled for April but was pushed back to May.
Christopher has led, moderated and been a part of countless writing workshops over the years. He is the Secretary of the BVWG and runs our Critique Workshops. He also leads the Main Line Writers Group (MLWG) Monthly Critique Workshops Series. Join him for this informal discussion and share some of your own workshop experiences as well.
Christopher has led, moderated and been a part of countless writing workshops over the years. He is the Secretary of the BVWG and runs our Critique Workshops. He also leads the Main Line Writers Group (MLWG) Monthly Critique Workshops Series. Join him for this informal discussion and share some of your own workshop experiences as well.
April 19, 2022: Open Meeting
Open Meeting via Zoom and in-person.
March 15, 2022: Winter Social Redux
The March 15th Meeting of the BVWG will be our long-postponed Winter Social -- IN PERSON on the second floor of Ryan's Pub in West Chester.
Need we say more to entice you?
No program! Almost no agenda! Just an opportunity, after yet another Covid-induced delay, to get together again in person at Ryan's.
The food is on us; the drinks are on you. Bring a book to donate to the Tony Conaway Free Memorial Library and plan to take another one home!
Need we say more to entice you?
No program! Almost no agenda! Just an opportunity, after yet another Covid-induced delay, to get together again in person at Ryan's.
The food is on us; the drinks are on you. Bring a book to donate to the Tony Conaway Free Memorial Library and plan to take another one home!
February 15, 2022: The Art of the Cover: An Evening with Andrew Zimba
As writers, we tend to focus on the words that go into our stories. The art that goes on the cover of those stories? Too often it's an afterthought -- and it shouldn't be.
For the February Meeting of the BVWG, author Andrew Zimba is going to join us from Texas (via Zoom) to talk about cover art, particularly in the context of self-publishing, where the decisions about what your cover looks like are entirely in your control. He'll talk about conceptualizing the art for your book, selecting and working with an illustrator, and formatting the artwork so that it will work with the book design you've chosen.
Andrew Zimba is a lifelong storyteller. An avid historian, he grew up reading stories of kings and kingdoms as well as tales of myth and magic. A native Minnesotan, he holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and spent time studying in Poland. He and his wife currently reside in Texas. His debut novel, IN TIMES OF WAR: A TALE OF ARDALENCOR, is a medieval fantasy adventure that you can find at ardalencor.com.
Since Andrew will be joining us from afar, the meeting will be conducted primarily over Zoom. If Covid conditions permit, some of us may be gathering at Ryan's Pub to engage with Andrew from there. Stay tuned for further updates closer to the meeting date. Meanwhile, click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and indicate that you plan to attend and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom URL you'll need to join from wherever you are.
Note you'll need to be logged into your Zoom account itself in order to access the meeting. If you don't already have a Zoom account, you can set up a free account at zoom.us. Sorry for the extra step, but this helps eliminate the kind if zoom bombing we've encountered in the past.
For the February Meeting of the BVWG, author Andrew Zimba is going to join us from Texas (via Zoom) to talk about cover art, particularly in the context of self-publishing, where the decisions about what your cover looks like are entirely in your control. He'll talk about conceptualizing the art for your book, selecting and working with an illustrator, and formatting the artwork so that it will work with the book design you've chosen.
Andrew Zimba is a lifelong storyteller. An avid historian, he grew up reading stories of kings and kingdoms as well as tales of myth and magic. A native Minnesotan, he holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and spent time studying in Poland. He and his wife currently reside in Texas. His debut novel, IN TIMES OF WAR: A TALE OF ARDALENCOR, is a medieval fantasy adventure that you can find at ardalencor.com.
Since Andrew will be joining us from afar, the meeting will be conducted primarily over Zoom. If Covid conditions permit, some of us may be gathering at Ryan's Pub to engage with Andrew from there. Stay tuned for further updates closer to the meeting date. Meanwhile, click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and indicate that you plan to attend and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom URL you'll need to join from wherever you are.
Note you'll need to be logged into your Zoom account itself in order to access the meeting. If you don't already have a Zoom account, you can set up a free account at zoom.us. Sorry for the extra step, but this helps eliminate the kind if zoom bombing we've encountered in the past.
January 18, 2022: The Art of Revision: An Evening with Jim Sassaman
Writing the beast is one thing. Turning it into something that's a good story? that holds the attention and interest of the reader? that makes a coherent statement (if you're into that sort of thing)? That's another.
That's what BVWG member Jim Sassaman is going to talk about at the January meeting of the BVWG. Jim takes a disciplined, multi-step approach to novel revision that he will share with the group, and it may help you find new ways to address an age-old challenge.
James F. Sassaman has served as defense litigator before the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission for the past 35 years. For over 20 years, he negotiated with the Building Trades and taught at Drexel University. His novel, Dempsey's Diner, is the centerpiece of a trilogy. Framed by Watergate, it is a late-adolescent coming of age novel depicting the end of the hippie era.
In deference to omicron the January meeting will be online only, so click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and indicate that you plan to attend and Meetup will reveal the magic URL you can use to join.
That's what BVWG member Jim Sassaman is going to talk about at the January meeting of the BVWG. Jim takes a disciplined, multi-step approach to novel revision that he will share with the group, and it may help you find new ways to address an age-old challenge.
James F. Sassaman has served as defense litigator before the Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission for the past 35 years. For over 20 years, he negotiated with the Building Trades and taught at Drexel University. His novel, Dempsey's Diner, is the centerpiece of a trilogy. Framed by Watergate, it is a late-adolescent coming of age novel depicting the end of the hippie era.
In deference to omicron the January meeting will be online only, so click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and indicate that you plan to attend and Meetup will reveal the magic URL you can use to join.
December 21, 2021: BVWG Winter Social Grinched!
BVWG During a normal December we'd be hosting the Winter Social in person at Ryan's, but these are still not normal times. With Covid-19 numbers again on the rise in Chester County (and everywhere else), we've opted to postpone the Winter Social till February. We live in hope that that's a reasonable distance to kick the can down the road.
For December, we'll hold an Open Meeting on Zoom for anyone who feels like joining online to hang out and discuss whatever is on anyone's mind. Since we're not going to be gathering in-person at Ryan's, I would encourage you to call Ryan's and put in a take-out order for dinner. Then you can nosh while online with us for the evening. If you close your eyes and practice that willing suspension of disbelief thing, you'll think you're right there at Ryan's....
For the Zoom login information, click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and RSVP that you'll be attending the December meeting. Meetup will provide you with the login information.
For December, we'll hold an Open Meeting on Zoom for anyone who feels like joining online to hang out and discuss whatever is on anyone's mind. Since we're not going to be gathering in-person at Ryan's, I would encourage you to call Ryan's and put in a take-out order for dinner. Then you can nosh while online with us for the evening. If you close your eyes and practice that willing suspension of disbelief thing, you'll think you're right there at Ryan's....
For the Zoom login information, click on over to the BVWG Meetup page and RSVP that you'll be attending the December meeting. Meetup will provide you with the login information.
November 16, 2021: Member Manuscript Critique Night
Our November meeting will be a critique night. Dues-paid members of the BVWG are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 3,000 words. If your story ends at 3,200 words, go ahead and send the whole thing.
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in November. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 16th, we may need organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in November. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 16th, we may need organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
The interactive nature of a critique night suggests that a hybrid meeting format will be less than ideal. Stay tuned for a determination as to whether to hold the meeting in person or via Zoom. A decision will be announced by November 9th.
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
On Tuesday, November 9th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please put your name in the header of the document so that it appears on each page and please include page numbers (in case anyone drops their pile of stories and has to put all the pages together again).
- Please format your submission using double-spaced lines so people have room to write notes.
- Please format your submission with left and right margins at least 1" wide so people can write notes on the page.
On Tuesday, November 9th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! We'll try to record the critique sessions so that the authors can review the comments after the fact, but if you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
October 19, 2021: Critique Workshop: How to Get the Most Out of Giving and Receiving Writing Feedback
Curious about writing workshops and how critiques can help you write better stories? Unsure of the best methods for giving or receiving feedback in a writing workshop? Come along and let’s explore these answers and more. BVWG board member Christopher Alden will cover workshop structure, best practices, and how to get the most from a critique both as a reviewer and one whose work is being reviewed.
Christopher has led, moderated and been a part of countless writing workshops over the years. He currently runs our BVWG workshop events and leads the Main Line Writers Group (MLWG) Monthly Critique Workshops Series. Join him for this informal discussion and share some of your own workshop experiences as well.
This meeting will be held both in person and online. Come on out to Ryan's Pub if you are fully vaccinated and you'd like to join us in person; or, join us via online Zoom if you'd prefer. Either way, click the RSVP button on the BVWG's meetup.com site to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
Christopher has led, moderated and been a part of countless writing workshops over the years. He currently runs our BVWG workshop events and leads the Main Line Writers Group (MLWG) Monthly Critique Workshops Series. Join him for this informal discussion and share some of your own workshop experiences as well.
This meeting will be held both in person and online. Come on out to Ryan's Pub if you are fully vaccinated and you'd like to join us in person; or, join us via online Zoom if you'd prefer. Either way, click the RSVP button on the BVWG's meetup.com site to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
September 21, 2021: Getting Your Show (or Book) on the Road
Joey Tuccio, CEO of Roadmap Writers, and Selene Castrovilla, Director of Roadmap's Authors' Division, will discuss what it takes to make it in today's TV/Film/Book climate. Joey will discuss how Hollywood standards have made their way into the publishing world. Loglines and pitches are now essential—and way more effective than the traditional query letter. He will also discuss Intellectual Property (IP), and why Hollywood wants it SO BAD! Selene will discuss what it takes to get published in today's book market. How can you adapt and flourish? What's all this about branding? She will also address going "far enough"—how your manuscript must be more than "good" to stand out from the crowd. What are the other tools you need to succeed? How do you adapt your novel into a screenplay or pilot? Joey and Selene will answer all of your questions!
This meeting will be held both in person and online (Joey and Selena will be joining us remotely). Come on out to Ryan's Pub if are fully vaccinated and you'd like to join us in person; or, join us online if you'd prefer. Either way, visit the BVWG's meetup.com page and click the RSVP button to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
This meeting will be held both in person and online (Joey and Selena will be joining us remotely). Come on out to Ryan's Pub if are fully vaccinated and you'd like to join us in person; or, join us online if you'd prefer. Either way, visit the BVWG's meetup.com page and click the RSVP button to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
August 17, 2021: Open Meeting Night (Hybrid style)
The August meeting of the BVWG will be an open meeting, so bring your questions, your complaints, your insights, and any wisdom or experiences you feel inclined to share.
We're trying something new this month: the meeting will be held both in person and on line. Come on out to Ryan's Pub if you'd like to join us in person or, if you can't, join us online for our first foray into a hybrid meeting style. Either way, visit the BVWG's meetup.com page and click the RSVP button to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
We're trying something new this month: the meeting will be held both in person and on line. Come on out to Ryan's Pub if you'd like to join us in person or, if you can't, join us online for our first foray into a hybrid meeting style. Either way, visit the BVWG's meetup.com page and click the RSVP button to indicate that you'll be joining us. If you plan to join us via Zoom, Meetup will provide you with the proper log-in information.
July 20, 2021: In Person Summer Social!
The July Meeting of the BVWG will be IN-PERSON SUMMER SOCIAL on the second floor of Ryan's Pub in West Chester on July 20th.
Need we say more to entice you?
No program! Almost no agenda! Just an opportunity, after 15 months in exile, to get together again in person at Ryan's.
The food is on us; the drinks are on you. We will also be having a special event dedicating the Tony Conaway Memorial Library (ergo the "almost no agenda" notice earlier). Those of you who were friends of Tony's will definitely want to come out.
Need we say more to entice you?
No program! Almost no agenda! Just an opportunity, after 15 months in exile, to get together again in person at Ryan's.
The food is on us; the drinks are on you. We will also be having a special event dedicating the Tony Conaway Memorial Library (ergo the "almost no agenda" notice earlier). Those of you who were friends of Tony's will definitely want to come out.
May 18, 2021: Open Meeting Night!
Our May meeting will be an open meeting night! Bring your questions, your answers, your pet peeves, your triumphs, your need to engage with like-minded scriveners! Got something you want to share? Bring it along, too!
We'll meet online starting at 7pm and talk about whatever anyone feels like talking about.
We'll meet online starting at 7pm and talk about whatever anyone feels like talking about.
April 20, 2021: Member Manuscript Critique Night!
Our April meeting will be a critique night. Dues-paid members of the BVWG are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 3,000 words. If your story ends at 3,200 words, go ahead and send the whole thing. If your chapter runs to 7,000 words, feel free to sent it all, but know that readers will only be responsible for the first 3,000 words.
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in April. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 20th, we may need organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
On Tuesday, April 13th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in April. If we have more manuscripts than we think we can discuss during our meeting on the 20th, we may need organize a second session to cover the remaining manuscripts. We'll see....
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please put your name in the header of the document so that it appears on each page and please include page numbers (in case anyone drops their pile of stories and has to put all the pages together again).
- Please format your submission using double-spaced lines so people have room to write notes.
- Please format your submission with left and right margins at least 1" wide so people can write notes on the page.
On Tuesday, April 13th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! We'll try to record the critique sessions so that the authors can review the comments after the fact, but if you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
March 16, 2021: The Writing Life According to Callaghan
Cindy Callaghan is the award-winning author of the mega-popular Just Add Magic and Just Add Magic 2: Potion Problems books; five Lost In books (London, Ireland, Paris, Rome, and Hollywood); as well as two stand-alone works, the award-winning Sydney MacKenzie Knocks 'Em Dead and Saltwater Secrets.
In other words, she knows whereof she speaks when it comes to the trials and tribulations of writing and publishing -- which is great, because on March 16th she will be speaking to us!
Cindy will be our guest at the March BVWG Meeting, where she'll discuss her own writing journey and talk about both her successes and her, well, not-so-successes. How we respond to failure, she says, will define our success. She'll also talk about how she has bridged books to screen (she's got deals with Amazon Studios, Nickelodeon, and others in the works) and can answer many questions about expanding into the writing world of LA.
It promises to be another inspirational evening, so strap in, get your Zoom on, and join us! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
In other words, she knows whereof she speaks when it comes to the trials and tribulations of writing and publishing -- which is great, because on March 16th she will be speaking to us!
Cindy will be our guest at the March BVWG Meeting, where she'll discuss her own writing journey and talk about both her successes and her, well, not-so-successes. How we respond to failure, she says, will define our success. She'll also talk about how she has bridged books to screen (she's got deals with Amazon Studios, Nickelodeon, and others in the works) and can answer many questions about expanding into the writing world of LA.
It promises to be another inspirational evening, so strap in, get your Zoom on, and join us! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
February 16, 2021: The Craft of Fiction: An Evening with Bryan Reardon
Chester County (oh, and New York Times best-selling) author Bryan Reardon will be joining us on the evening of the 16th to talk about his latest novel, Let Her Lie, and about his latest experiences in the evolving world of publishing. As the blurb about Let Her Lie explains, "a dejected filmmaker lets his curiosity get the best of him and plunges into a web of depravity and danger from which there might be no escape." What's not to look forward to??? There's something in that description that sounds so much like the Writers Journey writ large....
So, fire up your Zoom app (yes, again) and plan join us at 7pm on Tuesday, February 16th! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
So, fire up your Zoom app (yes, again) and plan join us at 7pm on Tuesday, February 16th! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup will provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
January 19, 2021: An Evening with Lisa Diane Kastner of Running Wild Press
We're kicking off 2021 by spending the evening (virtually) with Lisa Diane Kastner, founder and executive editor of Running Wild Press, a publishing company providing eager fans with great stories with great writing that don’t fit neatly in a box. The topic under the spotlight tonight? Naturally, it's great stories, great writing, boxes, and the state/direction of publishing.
Running Wild Press has garnered two Best of 2019 awards from Kirkus Reviews, one Best of 2020 award, and multiple starred reviews and stellar blurbs. In a nod to her experience in industry and as an entrepreneur, Lisa has been nominated for the FORBES Next 1000, which is an initiative to “spotlight diverse entrepreneurs who are redefining business amid unprecedented uncertainty."
So, fire up your Zoom app (yes, again) and join us at 7pm on Tuesday the 19th! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup with provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
Running Wild Press has garnered two Best of 2019 awards from Kirkus Reviews, one Best of 2020 award, and multiple starred reviews and stellar blurbs. In a nod to her experience in industry and as an entrepreneur, Lisa has been nominated for the FORBES Next 1000, which is an initiative to “spotlight diverse entrepreneurs who are redefining business amid unprecedented uncertainty."
So, fire up your Zoom app (yes, again) and join us at 7pm on Tuesday the 19th! Use the RSVP button on the BVWG meetup page to indicate that you're coming, and Meetup with provide you with the Zoom meeting details.
November 17, 2020: Members Manuscript Critique Night
Our November meeting will be a critique night. Dues-paid members of the BVWG are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 3,000 words. If your story ends at 3,200 words, go ahead and send the whole thing. If your chapter runs to 7,000 words, feel free to sent it all, but know that readers will only be responsible for the first 3,000 words.
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in November. If we receive more than four submissions, those manuscripts that we do not get to in November will be first in the queue for critique at our March or April critique night.
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
On Tuesday, November 10th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
We're going to continue the critique approach we have done for the past several critique: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group).
Note that will will only be critiquing four manuscripts in November. If we receive more than four submissions, those manuscripts that we do not get to in November will be first in the queue for critique at our March or April critique night.
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please put your name in the header of the document so that it appears on each page and please include page numbers (in case anyone drops their pile of stories and has to put all the pages together again).
- Please format your submission using double-spaced lines so people have room to write notes.
- Please format your submission with left and right margins at least 1" wide so people can write notes on the page.
On Tuesday, November 10th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Read the stories and be prepared to discuss them! We'll try to record the critique sessions so that the authors can review the comments after the fact, but if you can summarize your thoughts in a 1-page summary that you can share with the author at the conclusion of the meeting that would be helpful.
October 20, 2020: Open Meeting
The October Meeting of the BVWG will be an open meeting night. Bring your questions, your concerns, your stories, your crazy ideas and we'll chase off the Pandemic Blues for an hour or two via Zoom.
September 15, 2020: Overcoming the Obstacles (or, Why Aren't You Writing?)
The September meeting of the BVWG is going to tackle that thorny question that many writers face: Why aren't you writing? Oh, we all know the litany of excuses. Not enough time. Pressing commitments. The dog ate my ideas. And so on and so on.
Tonight, we're going to talk about tricks for getting one's behind in the seat and putting words on paper. It will be an interactive panel discussion led by members of the BVWG executive board, so bring your questions and be prepared to try a few new tricks after the evening is over.
The September meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to participate. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
Tonight, we're going to talk about tricks for getting one's behind in the seat and putting words on paper. It will be an interactive panel discussion led by members of the BVWG executive board, so bring your questions and be prepared to try a few new tricks after the evening is over.
The September meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to participate. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
June 16, 2020: Literary Philly and the 215 Festival--An Evening with Joshua Demaree
In 2021, the 215 Festival is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary as Philadelphia’s premiere literary arts festival. There could not be a better time to reflect on the past two decades of literary culture in and around our city. Just as the greater Philadelphia area is steeped in a rich literary history, we are currently in the midst of a renaissance as a world-class literary city.
Join us online for an evening with Joshua Demaree, director of the 215 Festival. He'll be discussing the exciting developments taking place in the broader Philadelphia literary world, including: Blue Stoop, Literary Philly, and the Philadelphia Writers Emergency Fund.
Joshua Demaree was born and raised in central Pennsylvania. He earned an MA in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and an MFA in creative nonfiction from Rutgers University-Camden. He is cofounder of Blue Stoop, a nonprofit dedicated to Philadelphia writers, and serves on their advisory board. He is currently the director of the 215 Festival, Philadelphia’s literary arts festival founded in 2001. In 2019, he was honored by Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for his literary organizing work. He works as a medical editor and lives in West Philadelphia.
The May meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to join. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
Join us online for an evening with Joshua Demaree, director of the 215 Festival. He'll be discussing the exciting developments taking place in the broader Philadelphia literary world, including: Blue Stoop, Literary Philly, and the Philadelphia Writers Emergency Fund.
Joshua Demaree was born and raised in central Pennsylvania. He earned an MA in Visual & Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and an MFA in creative nonfiction from Rutgers University-Camden. He is cofounder of Blue Stoop, a nonprofit dedicated to Philadelphia writers, and serves on their advisory board. He is currently the director of the 215 Festival, Philadelphia’s literary arts festival founded in 2001. In 2019, he was honored by Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for his literary organizing work. He works as a medical editor and lives in West Philadelphia.
The May meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to join. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
May 19, 2020: A [Virtual] Evening with Matty Dalrymple
Are you a short fiction writer wondering what opportunities are open to you?
Are you a long-form fiction writer wondering if short fiction is worth the investment of your time?
The BVWG’s Matty Dalrymple will address these questions (and more!) at the May meeting of the BVWG. Matty’s most recent book — Taking the Short Tack: Creating Income and Connecting with Readers Using Short Fiction — co-authored with Mark Leslie Lefebvre, founder of the Kobo Writing Life author platform and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital, explores the opportunities for short form fiction and concludes that there’s no better time to seize the moment.
The May meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to join. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
Are you a long-form fiction writer wondering if short fiction is worth the investment of your time?
The BVWG’s Matty Dalrymple will address these questions (and more!) at the May meeting of the BVWG. Matty’s most recent book — Taking the Short Tack: Creating Income and Connecting with Readers Using Short Fiction — co-authored with Mark Leslie Lefebvre, founder of the Kobo Writing Life author platform and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital, explores the opportunities for short form fiction and concludes that there’s no better time to seize the moment.
The May meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. To receive the log-in information, please visit the BVWG meetup page and click the RSVP button beside this month's meeting to indicate your intention to join. Meetup will then provide the meeting details.
When and Where?
Not the usual place this month! We're virtual until we're not...
An aside: Ryan's Pub continues to remain closed while we maintain our social distancing and avoid crowds. However, a limited take-out menu is available from Ryan's on the weekends. If we can't meet upstairs in our usual haunt, the least we can do is to help them by putting some take-out business their way. Just sayin'....
Where to park? Seriously? Your own driveway. Stay home. And wash your hands.
Not the usual place this month! We're virtual until we're not...
An aside: Ryan's Pub continues to remain closed while we maintain our social distancing and avoid crowds. However, a limited take-out menu is available from Ryan's on the weekends. If we can't meet upstairs in our usual haunt, the least we can do is to help them by putting some take-out business their way. Just sayin'....
Where to park? Seriously? Your own driveway. Stay home. And wash your hands.
April 21, 2020: A Virtual Meeting of the BVWG
Okay, BVWG friends and followers, with the coronavirus keeping us housebound and with Ryan's Pub closed until further notice, we are forced to rise up and try something new. So, we're holding a virtual meeting of the BVWG for 7 pm Tuesday evening. Bring your own beer, news, thoughts, questions, even pieces to read if you feel so bold!
There's not going to be any formal program for April, but it may give you and excuse to hang out for an hour or two with friends and see some faces you have not seen in a while. We'll see how it goes and maybe this will give us some ideas on how best to meet next month if we continue to find ourselves in lock-down.
There's not going to be any formal program for April, but it may give you and excuse to hang out for an hour or two with friends and see some faces you have not seen in a while. We'll see how it goes and maybe this will give us some ideas on how best to meet next month if we continue to find ourselves in lock-down.
March 24, 2020: An Evening at Home Avoiding Coronavirus
Well, we were going to spend a delightful and informative evening with Ellen LaCorte and the winding road that lead to her novel The Perfect Fraud. But, well, something happened on the way to the entire future as we knew it.
With the imposition of a State of Emergency in West Chester and the rising rates of COVID-19, we've cancelled the March meeting of the BVWG. Ellen LaCorte has agreed to come grace us with her presence at our October meeting -- so put that on your calendar!
Stay home and stay safe. We're going to send out information later about holding a critique night in April. If we can't hold it at Ryan's because we're all still locked down, we may see if there's a way we can hold that meeting virtually instead. Stay tuned for news and updates. Meanwhile, get a stack of good books to read, polish your craft, and wash your hands a lot.
With the imposition of a State of Emergency in West Chester and the rising rates of COVID-19, we've cancelled the March meeting of the BVWG. Ellen LaCorte has agreed to come grace us with her presence at our October meeting -- so put that on your calendar!
Stay home and stay safe. We're going to send out information later about holding a critique night in April. If we can't hold it at Ryan's because we're all still locked down, we may see if there's a way we can hold that meeting virtually instead. Stay tuned for news and updates. Meanwhile, get a stack of good books to read, polish your craft, and wash your hands a lot.
February 18, 2020: Jason Hafer of Reads & Company
The February meeting of the BVWG will feature a (rescheduled) visit from Jason Hafer, co-owner of Reads & Company, a newly-opened independent bookstore in Phoenixville. In an age when independent local bookstores seem to be disappearing faster than polar ice, it's exciting to see Jason and his business partner Robb Cadigan taking the bold plunge and opening a bookstore!
What madness possessed them? What hope do they have in the age of Amazon? What can we do as writers to help them succeed? All these questions will be thrown out, turned inside out, and (perhaps) answered, as Jason and Robb are clearly not mad and have an idea how they're going to make this work in the face of Amazonian competition.
So, come on out and meet the owner of what will surely become your new favorite bookstore!
What madness possessed them? What hope do they have in the age of Amazon? What can we do as writers to help them succeed? All these questions will be thrown out, turned inside out, and (perhaps) answered, as Jason and Robb are clearly not mad and have an idea how they're going to make this work in the face of Amazonian competition.
So, come on out and meet the owner of what will surely become your new favorite bookstore!
January 21, 2020: The Writer's Journey: An Evening with Jane Butler
Jane Butler has been a part of the BVWG off and on since its earliest days. Like many, she had an idea and nurtured it into a manuscript. She passed it around, got input, and nurtured it into an even better manuscript. She attended conferences and workshops. She made calls; she sent queries. She got rejected; she got frustrated.
She rebounded and persevered.
Today, Jane has an agent and a manuscript that's making the rounds at some pretty impressive publishing houses. She's getting good feedback, and she's working on ways to transform that feedback into actions that will help her make the connections she needs to complete at least this phase of her writer's journey.
Come out on January 21st to hear about Jane's experiences and the lessons she's learned along the way!
She rebounded and persevered.
Today, Jane has an agent and a manuscript that's making the rounds at some pretty impressive publishing houses. She's getting good feedback, and she's working on ways to transform that feedback into actions that will help her make the connections she needs to complete at least this phase of her writer's journey.
Come out on January 21st to hear about Jane's experiences and the lessons she's learned along the way!
December 17, 2019: BVWG Winter Social!
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 17th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
November 19, 2019: Open Meeting
The planned meeting with Jason Hafer, co-owner of Reads & Company, has been rescheduled, due to a conflict of Jason's. The November meeting will be an open meeting.
October 15, 2019: Members Manuscript Critique Night!
Our October meeting will be a critique night. Dues-paid members of the BVWG are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 2,500 words. If your story ends at 2,700 words, go ahead and send the whole thing -- but otherwise please keep it to 2,500 words.
This fall, we're going to approach critique night in a way that is new for us: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group). In the past we have broken into small groups to discuss individual sets of stories, but that has has some unintended negative consequences and we're trying a new approach.
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
On Tuesday, October 8th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
As always, everyone -- whether a dues-paid member or a first-timer -- is welcome to attend a critique night and participate in the discussion, but we will only accept manuscript submissions from current dues-paid BVWG members.
This fall, we're going to approach critique night in a way that is new for us: Everyone will read the same set of submissions and come prepared to discuss them under the guidance of Chris Alden, who will be moderating the discussion (a role he has played many times when running critiques with the Philadelphia Writers Group). In the past we have broken into small groups to discuss individual sets of stories, but that has has some unintended negative consequences and we're trying a new approach.
Some notes for members submitting manuscripts:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please put your name in the header of the document so that it appears on each page and please include page numbers (in case anyone drops their pile of stories and has to put all the pages together again).
- Please format your submission using double-spaced lines so people have room to write notes.
- Please format your submission with left and right margins at least 1" wide so people can write notes on the page.
On Tuesday, October 8th we'll make all the stories available for readers to download and review. We'll post a notice via meetup.com about where you will be able to download the stories. So, if you're not already a member of the BVWG meetup group, sign up ASAP.
Some notes for readers:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Read the stories and come prepared to discuss them! Ideally, you'll have read them all, but that may be difficult for those with busy schedules. For the stories you do read, please bring a 1-page summary of your thoughts that you can leave with the author at the conclusion of the meeting.
As always, everyone -- whether a dues-paid member or a first-timer -- is welcome to attend a critique night and participate in the discussion, but we will only accept manuscript submissions from current dues-paid BVWG members.
September 17, 2019: Building your Author Platform (New! Improved! Updated!)
Whether you choose to go the route of finding a publisher or going independent, building your own platform is critical to your success. That work is best started well before you attempt to publish your novel.
BVWG member Gary Zenker will cover the social media and other channels that are most important, and strategies in those channels for building your profile and audience. There will be a variety of examples on screen for you to see.
BVWG member Gary Zenker will cover the social media and other channels that are most important, and strategies in those channels for building your profile and audience. There will be a variety of examples on screen for you to see.
August 20, 2019: Bring Your Own Adventure
Our August meeting is an open meeting, which is to say that everyone is encouraged to show up with questions (big and small), concerns (pressing or not), and ideas (of all kinds) to share with whomever happens to be on hand to field them. It's an evening of camaraderie and crowd-sourcing, so come join us to see what happens.
July 16, 2019: BVWG Summer Social!
It's that time of year again! We're leaving the tables scattered and bringing out the bar bites so you can mingle and chat with friends old and new. The drinks are on you, but the bar bites? The tangible evidence of your dues in action!
Consider this another opportunity for a book swap, too! Bring a book (even one of your own), leave it on the bar, and take another one home that you've been dying to read.
Consider this another opportunity for a book swap, too! Bring a book (even one of your own), leave it on the bar, and take another one home that you've been dying to read.
June 18, 2019: The Current State of Self-Publishing
It's been some time since we trained an eye on the world of self-publishing. And when we do, we realize it's all changed (again) since last time we talked about it. The BVWG's Jorgen Flood will be taking the floor during the June meeting of the BVWG to talk about what is new and what has changed in the world of self-publishing -- and how you can make the most of the opportunities this path to publishing affords. So, gather up all the loose questions littering the floor of your writing room and come on out! We'll try to address them and get you moving in the right direction!
May 21, 2019: Tips, Tricks, and Processes
A question that arises for many people trying to get their writing off the ground is, how to you make it happen? For some it's a question of finding the time or finding the discipline. For others it's a question of how to get past writer's block. Many people asking these questions feel like they're the only ones who are struggling, but the truth is that all writers struggle with these challenges.
With that in mind, the May meeting of the BVWG will be an open discussion about the writing process. Some of the members who have been writing for a long time will talk about tips, tricks, and techniques to address these challenges, but our hope is that the discussion won't be as formal as a "panel discussion" per se. Everyone is encouraged to participate – both to ask questions and to contribute new ideas, so come on out! Bring your bag of tricks and be prepared to add some new ones! If nothing else, you'll find yourself in the good company of people who've struggled with the same issues, and that's always a comfort when the writing isn't going easily.
With that in mind, the May meeting of the BVWG will be an open discussion about the writing process. Some of the members who have been writing for a long time will talk about tips, tricks, and techniques to address these challenges, but our hope is that the discussion won't be as formal as a "panel discussion" per se. Everyone is encouraged to participate – both to ask questions and to contribute new ideas, so come on out! Bring your bag of tricks and be prepared to add some new ones! If nothing else, you'll find yourself in the good company of people who've struggled with the same issues, and that's always a comfort when the writing isn't going easily.
April 16, 2019: Manuscript Critique Night!
Our April meeting will be a manuscript critique night. Dues-paid members are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 2,500 words. If your story ends at 2,700 words, to ahead and send the whole thing -- but otherwise please keep it to 2,500 words.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than Monday, April 8th. At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting.
Other notes for members submitting work:
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are four things you need to do:
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than Monday, April 8th. At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting.
Other notes for members submitting work:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please format your submission using double-spaced lines so people have room to write notes
- Please format your submission with wide margins so people can write notes on the sides
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are four things you need to do:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Tell us your reading interests! We're going to try to make sure that every writer has readers who will respond to their stories, but we'll also try to pair you up with a writer/story that is in line with your interests. So, please tell us what kinds of materials you're interested in reading. When we send out the submitted stories for you to read, we'll sending out a list of which manuscripts in particular we'd like you to be prepared to critique. You're welcome to read/critique more than that lot of manuscripts, of course, but to ensure that each author has input we'd like you to commit to commenting on at least those that we send to you. Each reader will be responsible for printing out their own copies of the submitted manuscripts.
- Send an RSVP to the invitation from Meetup.com. If we don't know you're coming, we won't send you stories to read in advance. If you're not already on it, to to the meetup.com member list and sign up. We promise not to spam you!
- Show up! There's nothing worse than a writer anticipating input from three or four people and then they don't show up at the meeting.
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
March 19, 2019: Nicole Valentine and the Craft of Fiction
Cover reveal next month!
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The March Meeting of the BVWG brings back longtime member and friend of the BVWG, Nicole Valentine, whose latest work of fiction, A TIME TRAVELER’S THEORY OF RELATIVITY, will be published by Lerner/ Carolrhoda Books in October. Regular members of the BVWG may recall portions of this upper middle-grade novel from the time Nicole circulated a chapter at one of our critique nights a few years ago – and now we all will get to see the final work in print this fall! Come on out in March to hear about the novel, the long winding road that has led to its publication, and one of her latest projects, steaMG.org.
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For those of you who may not know Nicole, she began her career at CNN, moved on to work with Sally Ride atSpace.com, and then helped found Figment.com, a website for teens to share their own writing. She has worked as Chief Technology Officer for several Internet startups, earned a Masters in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and teaches writing at the Highlights Foundation. You can subscribe to her newsletter at www.nicolevalentinebooks.com and follow her at steaMG.org and on Twitter at @nicoleva.
February 19, 2019: Michael Cocchiarale and the Craft of Fiction
Michael Cocchiarale will be joining us for the February meeting of the BVWG! Michael is the author of two collections of short fiction – Still Time (Fomite, 2012) and Here is Ware: Stories (Fomite, 2018). His first novel, None of the Above, will be published by Unsolicited Press in early 2019.
By day, Michael is an Associate Professor of English and creative writing at Widener University, where he teaches courses in American literature, fiction writing, and composition. He has co-edited several collections of scholarly essays, including most recently, Critical Insights: Flash Fiction. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio (a city to which he’s always returning), he has also spent wonderful time in Athens, Ohio; Lafayette, Indiana; and Greifswald, Germany.
By day, Michael is an Associate Professor of English and creative writing at Widener University, where he teaches courses in American literature, fiction writing, and composition. He has co-edited several collections of scholarly essays, including most recently, Critical Insights: Flash Fiction. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio (a city to which he’s always returning), he has also spent wonderful time in Athens, Ohio; Lafayette, Indiana; and Greifswald, Germany.
January 15, 2019: The Right Books on Writing
You've seen them on the shelves: Save the Cat!, Story, On Writing. Skin the Cat!, Make a Gazillion Dollars a Year as a Writer, Do Something Else with Cats! Each promises much in the way of helping you become a better, or at least more successful, writer. But are they worth reading when you could be spending your time writing? Or would your time writing be better spent if you put in the time to read some of these books?
A chicken, egg (and cat!) conundrum if ever there were one.
We're going to take on this koan at the January meeting of the BVWG, where a panel of opinionated reader/writers will talk about their experiences with books on writing -- discussing which ones they like (or at least find valuable) as well as which ones they don't like (or have found to have no value). By the end of the evening, you may have a better idea which books you might find helpful and/or which ones you feel you can avoid. Cats may be saved. Or not. We'll see.
A chicken, egg (and cat!) conundrum if ever there were one.
We're going to take on this koan at the January meeting of the BVWG, where a panel of opinionated reader/writers will talk about their experiences with books on writing -- discussing which ones they like (or at least find valuable) as well as which ones they don't like (or have found to have no value). By the end of the evening, you may have a better idea which books you might find helpful and/or which ones you feel you can avoid. Cats may be saved. Or not. We'll see.
December 18, 2018: BVWG Winter Social!
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 18th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
November 20, 2018: Manuscript Critique Night!
Our November meeting will be a manuscript critique night. Dues-paid members are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 2,500 words.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than November 13th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are two things you need to do:
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it! And please send an RSVP to the meeting invitation you receive from meetup.com. If you don't send an RSVP, we won't know to assign you to a story group and you won't know where to go to download the stories in advance of the meeting!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than November 13th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please format your submission as double-space text so people have room to write notes
- Please format your submission with wide margins so people can write notes on the sides
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are two things you need to do:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Tell us your reading interests! We're going to try to make sure that every writer has readers who will respond to their stories, but we'll also try to pair you up with a writer/story that is in line with your interests. So, please tell us what kinds of materials you're interested in reading. When we send out the submitted stories for you to read, we'll sending out a list of which manuscripts in particular we'd like you to be prepared to critique. You're welcome to read/critique more than that lot of manuscripts, of course, but to ensure that each author has input we'd like you to commit to commenting on at least those that we send to you. Each reader will be responsible for printing out their own copies of the submitted manuscripts.
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it! And please send an RSVP to the meeting invitation you receive from meetup.com. If you don't send an RSVP, we won't know to assign you to a story group and you won't know where to go to download the stories in advance of the meeting!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
October 16, 2018: Andrea Thatcher and the Role of the Publicist
You'll remember Andrea Thatcher as one of the bright lights at Chester County Books who was always on hand to help you find your next great read. Sadly, Chester County Books is gone, but Andrea's still helping people find that next great read. Today she works as a book publicist at Smith Publicity, and for the October meeting of the BVWG she's going to talk about the role of a publicist and how the services of a publicist can help you -- even if you're an an independent author -- get your book in front of readers.
As always, it promises to be a night full of insights and enjoyment, so come on out!
As always, it promises to be a night full of insights and enjoyment, so come on out!
September 18, 2018: An Evening with John Dixon (yes, again!)
Once again we get to enjoy the success of one of our own! John Dixon's latest book, The Point, hit the shelves in early August, and he's spending the evening of the September BVWG meeting catching us up on the latest installation of his Excellent Publishing Adventure. Not only is The Point the third book that John has published under his own name, but it's his first with a new publisher -- Del Ray -- which has been an exciting move professionally.
So, come on out and spend another evening with the BVWG. When John's got the floor, it's always a great night!
So, come on out and spend another evening with the BVWG. When John's got the floor, it's always a great night!
August 21, 2018: BVWG Summer Social!
It's that time of year again! We're leaving the tables scattered and bringing out the bar bites so you can mingle and chat with friends old and new. The drinks are on you, but the bar bites? The tangible evidence of your dues in action!
Consider this another opportunity for a book swap, too! Bring a book (even one of your own), leave it on the bar, and take another one home that you've been dying to read.
Consider this another opportunity for a book swap, too! Bring a book (even one of your own), leave it on the bar, and take another one home that you've been dying to read.
July 17, 2018: Open Meeting!
We were hoping that local author Bryan Reardon would be joining us in July to discuss his new book, The Real Michael Swann -- but life intervened and at the last moment Bryan had to cancel. We'll try to get him back on the boards in the fall.
Accordingly, the July meeting of the BVWG will be an Open Meeting! Bring your questions, your requests, even a few pages of something you're working on that you'd like to read aloud (if you're so inclined). Come with your thoughts about new speakers you'd like us to invite or new topics you'd like us to cover. Come stage a coup or volunteer to take a leadership position! It's going to be one of those kinds of evenings, folks, and who knows where it will go.
Accordingly, the July meeting of the BVWG will be an Open Meeting! Bring your questions, your requests, even a few pages of something you're working on that you'd like to read aloud (if you're so inclined). Come with your thoughts about new speakers you'd like us to invite or new topics you'd like us to cover. Come stage a coup or volunteer to take a leadership position! It's going to be one of those kinds of evenings, folks, and who knows where it will go.
June 19, 2018: The Rights Stuff – An Evening with Alexander Murphy Jr., Esq.
Yeah, you know the terms: Copyrights, fair use rights, reprint rights. But be honest: Do you really know what any of this means? Do you even know what you don’t know when it comes to contracts, rights, writing, and the law?
Well, we’re going to start to fix that at the June meeting of the BVWG, when Alexander Murphy Jr., Esq. brings his own special light to the darkness of our legal understanding. Alex is an entertainment lawyer and adjunct professor of entertainment law at Delaware Law School. He’ll be talking about current business and legal issues and trends for writers, including matters relating to:
If there’s interest, he’ll even touch on legal matters related to motion picture and TV agreements.
Will it be an exhaustive treatment of the law? Hardly. But you’ll get the lay of the land and a better sense for what you do and don’t know – all of which will help you check the impulse to sign your life away when those glittering contracts start showing up in your mailbox. So, bring your legal pads and your questions to our meeting on June 19th – it's sure to be illuminating!
Alexander Murphy Jr. received his B.S. in Music with Honors from West Chester University; he graduated with a J.D. from Delaware Law School (Widener University). He is a frequent panelist and lecturer on entertainment law at law schools, film festivals, film schools, bar associations, and other institutions. He has an entertainment law practice in West Chester, with affiliate offices in New York and Connecticut, and he has been an adjunct professor at Delaware Law School for more than ten years. Alexander's accomplishments also extend into the world of music, spanning the realms of jazz, classical, popular, and choral works. He has been a freelance musician and arranged and performed with a number of well known popular and jazz groups both during and after his college years. You can learn more about Alex at http://murphyentertainmentlaw.com.
Well, we’re going to start to fix that at the June meeting of the BVWG, when Alexander Murphy Jr., Esq. brings his own special light to the darkness of our legal understanding. Alex is an entertainment lawyer and adjunct professor of entertainment law at Delaware Law School. He’ll be talking about current business and legal issues and trends for writers, including matters relating to:
- Copyright Law, Law of Ideas, Trademark Law
- Agents/Self-Agenting
- Author/Publisher Agreements
- Consents/Releases/Fair Use
- Self-Publishing/Print-On-Demand
- “Too Good to Be True” Schemes
If there’s interest, he’ll even touch on legal matters related to motion picture and TV agreements.
Will it be an exhaustive treatment of the law? Hardly. But you’ll get the lay of the land and a better sense for what you do and don’t know – all of which will help you check the impulse to sign your life away when those glittering contracts start showing up in your mailbox. So, bring your legal pads and your questions to our meeting on June 19th – it's sure to be illuminating!
Alexander Murphy Jr. received his B.S. in Music with Honors from West Chester University; he graduated with a J.D. from Delaware Law School (Widener University). He is a frequent panelist and lecturer on entertainment law at law schools, film festivals, film schools, bar associations, and other institutions. He has an entertainment law practice in West Chester, with affiliate offices in New York and Connecticut, and he has been an adjunct professor at Delaware Law School for more than ten years. Alexander's accomplishments also extend into the world of music, spanning the realms of jazz, classical, popular, and choral works. He has been a freelance musician and arranged and performed with a number of well known popular and jazz groups both during and after his college years. You can learn more about Alex at http://murphyentertainmentlaw.com.
May 15, 2018: Member Critique Night!
Our May meeting will be a manuscript critique night (pushed out from April to accommodate Bruce Mowday, after he'd been pushed out of the March slot due to snow). Dues-paid members are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 2,500 words.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than May 8th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are three things you need to do:
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than May 8th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please format your submission as double-space text so people have room to write notes
- Please format your submission with wide margins so people can write notes on the sides
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are three things you need to do:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Send an RSVP to the meeting invitation that comes from meetup.com! If you don't RSVP, we can't send the submissions for you to read in advance.
- Tell us your interests! We're going to try to make sure that every writer has readers who will respond to their stories, but we'll also try to pair you up with a writer/story that is in line with your interests. So, please tell us what kinds of materials you're interested in reading. When we send out the submitted stories for you to read, we'll sending out a list of which manuscripts in particular we'd like you to be prepared to critique. You're welcome to read/critique more than that lot of manuscripts, of course, but to ensure that each author has input we'd like you to commit to commenting on at least those that we send to you. Each reader will be responsible for printing out their own copies of the submitted manuscripts.
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
April 17, 2018: BVWG Co-Founder Bruce Mowday on Selling Your Book
So, last February we had a visit from BVWG co-founder Therese Boyd. On March 20th, we were going to continue the homecoming theme with a visit from another BVWG co-founder, Bruce Mowday, who's newest work, Selling Your Book, was recently published by Barricade Books -- and then the weather did not cooperate and we had to cancel. So....
Bruce is coming out in April! He'll be talking about Selling Your Book and the subject thereof -- an evergreen topic with BVWG members -- as well as a new public Facebook group he's started for Authors, Writers, Artists and Musicians. As he puts it, the Facebook group is designed to enable members to "exchange information that might help us get paid what we're worth, or at least a minimum per page." As always, it promises to be an evening full of great stories and and excellent insights.
Bruce E. Mowday is an award-winning author and newspaper reporter. He has authored more than 15 books on history, sports, business and true crime. Bruce has appeared on the Discovery ID channel, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Whatcha Got, and Philadelphia and local television shows. He has hosted his own radio shows, has been editor of magazines and was chairman of the Chester County Historical Society and president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates. He is a board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance and the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. He is a frequent speaker at various civic and historical groups. For more information on Bruce, his books and his schedule of events, visit www.mowday.com.
Bruce is coming out in April! He'll be talking about Selling Your Book and the subject thereof -- an evergreen topic with BVWG members -- as well as a new public Facebook group he's started for Authors, Writers, Artists and Musicians. As he puts it, the Facebook group is designed to enable members to "exchange information that might help us get paid what we're worth, or at least a minimum per page." As always, it promises to be an evening full of great stories and and excellent insights.
Bruce E. Mowday is an award-winning author and newspaper reporter. He has authored more than 15 books on history, sports, business and true crime. Bruce has appeared on the Discovery ID channel, C-SPAN, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, Hollywood and Beyond, Whatcha Got, and Philadelphia and local television shows. He has hosted his own radio shows, has been editor of magazines and was chairman of the Chester County Historical Society and president of the Brandywine Battlefield Park Associates. He is a board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance and the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau. He is a frequent speaker at various civic and historical groups. For more information on Bruce, his books and his schedule of events, visit www.mowday.com.
March 20, 2018: BVWG Co-Founder Bruce Mowday on Selling Your Book
February 20, 2018: Therese Boyd and the "with" Role
Let's start with some history: In the summer of 2003, authors Therese Boyd, Bruce Mowday, and Carla Westermann met at a book signing at the Christian Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford. They started comparing notes on their writing and publishing experiences. When they met up again, at another book signing that year at Chester County Books and Music, they agreed that it would be useful—perhaps even fun—to meet with other writers more regularly to talk about writing, books, publishing, freelancing, or anything else.
Thus was born the Brandywine Valley Writers Group.
With that in mind, we're looking forward to Therese Boyd returning to the BVWG in February! Therese will be back to talk about her role in helping to bring out the soon-to-be-published memoir of folk-rocker Steve Forbert, Big City Cat: My Life in Folk Rock. Therese has actually been editing Forbert’s fan newsletter for the past 10 years and she has been working with him to bring out this memoir for at least two years. We don’t often get to hear about the role of the writer in the "By Joe Famous with someone-who-can-write" byline, so this promises to be a fun evening of insight and stories.
Thus was born the Brandywine Valley Writers Group.
With that in mind, we're looking forward to Therese Boyd returning to the BVWG in February! Therese will be back to talk about her role in helping to bring out the soon-to-be-published memoir of folk-rocker Steve Forbert, Big City Cat: My Life in Folk Rock. Therese has actually been editing Forbert’s fan newsletter for the past 10 years and she has been working with him to bring out this memoir for at least two years. We don’t often get to hear about the role of the writer in the "By Joe Famous with someone-who-can-write" byline, so this promises to be a fun evening of insight and stories.
January 16, 2018: Todd Harra and the Craft of Fiction
Young writers are always given the advice, "write about what you know." But what does that really mean, and how do you turn what you know well into fiction (particularly if you don't want it to sound autobiographical).Todd Harra, author of the novel Grave Matters is going to share some tips and talk about how he turns his day job into page-turning stories.
Todd Harra is a fourth generation funeral director who works for the family business, McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory, in Wilmington, DE. Todd is a graduate of Elon University and the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service. He received certification in Advanced Post Mortem Reconstruction from the Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, and is a Certified Crematory Operator. In addition to Grave Matters, Todd is the co-author of two non-fiction books, Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt (Citadel 2010) and Over Our Dead Bodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid (Citadel 2014). He has also written pieces for Delaware Communion and Southern Calls. For more information visit www.toddharra.com or connect on Facebook @toddharraauthor
Todd Harra is a fourth generation funeral director who works for the family business, McCrery & Harra Funeral Homes and Crematory, in Wilmington, DE. Todd is a graduate of Elon University and the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service. He received certification in Advanced Post Mortem Reconstruction from the Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, and is a Certified Crematory Operator. In addition to Grave Matters, Todd is the co-author of two non-fiction books, Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt (Citadel 2010) and Over Our Dead Bodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid (Citadel 2014). He has also written pieces for Delaware Communion and Southern Calls. For more information visit www.toddharra.com or connect on Facebook @toddharraauthor
December 19, 2017: BVWG Winter Social!
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 19th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
November 21, 2017: Writers at Work: Kathryn “Kitsi” Watterson
Everyone loves a story, but where do the stories come from? And how do they evolve from the barest spark of an idea into a fully-formed book? Yes, there’s a creative impulse, but there’s also research and revision, perhaps something resembling a orderly process (though this is often preceded by a period in which the idea is allowed to steep in a piquant marinade of self-doubt). And then there’s more revision, followed by a bit of refinement thrown in for good measure. Somehow, in the end, a book emerges.
Kitsi Watterson is going to talk about the writer’s journey at the BVWG’s November 21st meeting. Kitsi is an award-winning journalist and the author of nine books, three of which are New York Times’ Notable Books. Her most recent, I Hear My People Singing: Voices of African American Princeton, presents stories “intrinsic to understanding the unwritten history of America.” Other books of hers, Women in Prison, Not by the Sword, and You Must Be Dreaming, have generated documentaries, plays, songs, movies, and continuing scholarly research. Kitsi lives in Philadelphia and teaches creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kitsi Watterson is going to talk about the writer’s journey at the BVWG’s November 21st meeting. Kitsi is an award-winning journalist and the author of nine books, three of which are New York Times’ Notable Books. Her most recent, I Hear My People Singing: Voices of African American Princeton, presents stories “intrinsic to understanding the unwritten history of America.” Other books of hers, Women in Prison, Not by the Sword, and You Must Be Dreaming, have generated documentaries, plays, songs, movies, and continuing scholarly research. Kitsi lives in Philadelphia and teaches creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania.
September 19, 2017: Donna Galanti on the Five Things to start doing before you get a book deal!
Even if you don’t have a literary agent, a book deal, or a polished draft, Donna Galanti will show you what you can do right now to successfully pave the way to an author career before your book is published. Learn how to build a strong author foundation that includes creating a peer support network, forming relationships with authors in your genre, sharing the wisdom you already have (and may not know it), volunteering for industry organizations, and connecting with readers via social media (yes, before that book is out!).
Creating an author platform takes time, and building it slowly can make this overwhelming process not only easy and manageable but fun! You'll come away from this meeting of the BVWG with a great grasp on how to launch your author platform over time as you continue to seek publication.
Longtime Friend of the BVWG, Donna Galanti is the author of A Human Element and A Hidden Element (The Element Trilogy, Imajin Books) and the Joshua and the Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor to the International Thriller Writers Big Thrill magazine and blogs at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. Visit her at www.ElementTrilogy.com and www.DonnaGalanti.com.
Creating an author platform takes time, and building it slowly can make this overwhelming process not only easy and manageable but fun! You'll come away from this meeting of the BVWG with a great grasp on how to launch your author platform over time as you continue to seek publication.
Longtime Friend of the BVWG, Donna Galanti is the author of A Human Element and A Hidden Element (The Element Trilogy, Imajin Books) and the Joshua and the Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor to the International Thriller Writers Big Thrill magazine and blogs at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. Visit her at www.ElementTrilogy.com and www.DonnaGalanti.com.
August 15, 2017: The BVWG Summer Social!
Once again, we're pushing the tables aside and dispensing with all the formalities, as it's time for the annual Brandywine Valley Writers Group Summer Social. Come on out and spend the evening catching up with your friends, talking to people you don't normally get a chance to talk to, or just breathing in the rarefied air of Ryan's as the writers converge.
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (see your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (see your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
July 18, 2017: An Evening with Pete Schiffer of Schiffer Publishing
What do publishers think about when looking for books? How do they make decisions and work with writers? Where do readers, particularly passionate readers, come into the calculus? Come on out to the BVWG's July 18th meeting and find out. We'll be spending the evening with Pete Schiffer of Schiffer Publishing, which has more than 6,000 titles in print across a diverse range of subjects.
Pete Schiffer was born into the business of independent publishing, it was not just an occupation for the family, rather a lifestyle. The family’s house was on the ground floor of the office building and family trips were to visit authors and prospect new ideas where the entire family was involved in creating new works. Pete officially joined the team as a sales representative in 2004 and began visiting Cape Cod looking for new ideas. In 2008, Pete became Publisher and continues to evolve the family business in the ever-changing landscape of publishing.
Pete Schiffer was born into the business of independent publishing, it was not just an occupation for the family, rather a lifestyle. The family’s house was on the ground floor of the office building and family trips were to visit authors and prospect new ideas where the entire family was involved in creating new works. Pete officially joined the team as a sales representative in 2004 and began visiting Cape Cod looking for new ideas. In 2008, Pete became Publisher and continues to evolve the family business in the ever-changing landscape of publishing.
June 20, 2017: Gary Zenker on Flash Fiction and WritersBloxx
Regular attendees of BVWG meetings will recall a evening a few months ago when member Gary Zenker talked about a kickstarter campaign he was planning to help fund the production of WritersBloxx, a writing prompt board game he'd developed.
During the June meeting of the BVWG, we're going to get more than an update on that project: Gary will lead the group in a discussion of flash fiction and a live interactive writing exercise using WritersBloxx. Members will be able to share their work on the spot to compare and contrast character, plot and conflict elements within a flash fiction context.
A longtime member of the BVWG, Gary also facilitates two sister groups: The Main Line Writers Group, which meets in King of Prussia, and the Wilmington Writers Group, which meets in Glen Mills. The WritersBloxx campaign will be hitting Kickstarter in the next 30 days and you can learn more about the WritersBloxx pre-launch at www.WritersBloxx.com.
So, grab your pads and pencils and come on out for an evening of spirited gaming and flash fiction production with the BVWG. We've never tried anything like this before, so we have no idea how it's going to play out. You'll get a first-hand look at Gary's game (and Christmas is coming, you know, so this could be just the thing for some people on your gift list) and perhaps someday you'll look back and say you were one of the first to participate within a long tradition of gaming with the BVWG (or not -- we'll see)!
During the June meeting of the BVWG, we're going to get more than an update on that project: Gary will lead the group in a discussion of flash fiction and a live interactive writing exercise using WritersBloxx. Members will be able to share their work on the spot to compare and contrast character, plot and conflict elements within a flash fiction context.
A longtime member of the BVWG, Gary also facilitates two sister groups: The Main Line Writers Group, which meets in King of Prussia, and the Wilmington Writers Group, which meets in Glen Mills. The WritersBloxx campaign will be hitting Kickstarter in the next 30 days and you can learn more about the WritersBloxx pre-launch at www.WritersBloxx.com.
So, grab your pads and pencils and come on out for an evening of spirited gaming and flash fiction production with the BVWG. We've never tried anything like this before, so we have no idea how it's going to play out. You'll get a first-hand look at Gary's game (and Christmas is coming, you know, so this could be just the thing for some people on your gift list) and perhaps someday you'll look back and say you were one of the first to participate within a long tradition of gaming with the BVWG (or not -- we'll see)!
April 18, 2017: Sam Lemon and The Case that Shocked the Country
Our own Sam Lemon is going to take the lead for our April meeting and talk about his new book, The Case that Shocked the Country. This is an evening you won't want to miss because it really has everything: A murder, a wrongful conviction and execution, a grandfather's attempt to exonerate the innocent, and a grandson's 30-year effort to succeed where his grandfather could not.
And, in this case, it's all real.
Sam Lemon is the grandson, and he's spent more than 30 years researching a 1930 Chester County murder case, in which his grandfather, William H. Ridley -- the Delaware County Bar's first attorney of color -- represented a 16-year old youth named Alexander McClay Williams. Williams was only 16 when he was accused of murdering a white woman at the Glen Mills School for Boys, where he was enrolled. Sams' grandfather was unable to convince the all-white jury of Williams' innocence and so, at 16, he became the youngest person to die in Pennsylvania's electric chair.
But Sam's research, collected in The Case that Shocked the Country, has uncovered a wealth of material that points to Williams' innocence. It's compelling enough that, today, the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas is scheduled to hear arguments that may result in a posthumous exoneration for Williams.
So come on out! What Sam has done will inspire you to keep working, keep digging, and keep writing.
Dr. Sam Lemon is a local writer, researcher, historian, educator – and member of BVWG – who earned a doctorate in education in at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong resident of Media, PA, where his maternal ancestors arrived as runaway slaves during the Civil War. Sam writes on a range of topics including current events, science, history, and animal intelligence. His doctoral dissertation – The Construction of Ethnoracial Identity within Situational Contexts (2007) -- an exploration of race, culture, and identity. He is the author of Go Stand Upon the Rock (2012) -- a fact-based historical novel that recounts his ancestors' escape from slavery and how their arrival in Media.
And, in this case, it's all real.
Sam Lemon is the grandson, and he's spent more than 30 years researching a 1930 Chester County murder case, in which his grandfather, William H. Ridley -- the Delaware County Bar's first attorney of color -- represented a 16-year old youth named Alexander McClay Williams. Williams was only 16 when he was accused of murdering a white woman at the Glen Mills School for Boys, where he was enrolled. Sams' grandfather was unable to convince the all-white jury of Williams' innocence and so, at 16, he became the youngest person to die in Pennsylvania's electric chair.
But Sam's research, collected in The Case that Shocked the Country, has uncovered a wealth of material that points to Williams' innocence. It's compelling enough that, today, the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas is scheduled to hear arguments that may result in a posthumous exoneration for Williams.
So come on out! What Sam has done will inspire you to keep working, keep digging, and keep writing.
Dr. Sam Lemon is a local writer, researcher, historian, educator – and member of BVWG – who earned a doctorate in education in at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong resident of Media, PA, where his maternal ancestors arrived as runaway slaves during the Civil War. Sam writes on a range of topics including current events, science, history, and animal intelligence. His doctoral dissertation – The Construction of Ethnoracial Identity within Situational Contexts (2007) -- an exploration of race, culture, and identity. He is the author of Go Stand Upon the Rock (2012) -- a fact-based historical novel that recounts his ancestors' escape from slavery and how their arrival in Media.
March 21, 2017: Members' Manuscript Critique Night
Our March meeting will be a manuscript critique night. Dues-paid members are encouraged to submit a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Manuscripts can be any length up to approximately 2,500 words.
We're going to try to organize the critique in a new way this month:
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than March 14th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are three things you need to do:
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
We're going to try to organize the critique in a new way this month:
If you're submitting a piece: Please send an electronic copy of your work to the email address specified in the meetup.com invitation no later than one week in advance of the meeting (in other words, no later than March 14th). At that point, we'll figure out how many manuscripts we have and assemble them in something resembling an orderly manner. Then, we'll send all the stories out in batches to everyone who has sent an RSVP for the meeting. Other notes for members submitting work:
- Please send us your submission formatted either as a Word document or a PDF.
- Please format your submission as double-space text so people have room to write notes
- Please format your submission with wide margins so people can write notes on the sides
If you're coming to offer input as a reader: There are three things you need to do:
- Watch the How to provide input at a critique session video that our own Gary Zenker put together. It's short (less than 3 minutes), entertaining, and critical for getting the tone of your comments right.
- Send an RSVP to the meeting invitation that comes from meetup.com! If you don't RSVP, we can't send the submissions for you to read in advance.
- Tell us your interests! We're going to try to make sure that every writer has readers who will respond to their stories, but we'll also try to pair you up with a writer/story that is in line with your interests. So, please tell us what kinds of materials you're interested in reading. When we send out the submitted stories for you to read, we'll sending out a list of which manuscripts in particular we'd like you to be prepared to critique. You're welcome to read/critique more than that lot of manuscripts, of course, but to ensure that each author has input we'd like you to commit to commenting on at least those that we send to you. Each reader will be responsible for printing out their own copies of the submitted manuscripts.
Get on the meetup.com member list if you're not already on it!
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
February 21, 2017: StoryADay Live! Draft In a Day with Julie Duffy
Most writers don't need inspiration. They don't need a long heart-to-heart with The Muse. What they need is to sit their butts down in the chair and write, which is sometimes really difficult.
That's where Julie Duffy, host of StoryADay, can be really helpful. Julie writes articles and offers courses designed to help other writers get their creative groove on -- and on Tuesday the 21st she's going to be here with the BVWG! Her presentation tonight is entitled StoryADay Live! Draft In A Day, where she'll talk about short stories and what they can do for us creatively and professionally. She'll discuss several ready-to-use story structures and prime us to draft a short story in a single sitting. Some of us may hang around at Ryan's and bang out a story after the conclusion of the meeting; others can take Julie's tips and worksheets and whip up a story at home later that evening. Up to you -- but show up! It promises to be a great evening!
That's where Julie Duffy, host of StoryADay, can be really helpful. Julie writes articles and offers courses designed to help other writers get their creative groove on -- and on Tuesday the 21st she's going to be here with the BVWG! Her presentation tonight is entitled StoryADay Live! Draft In A Day, where she'll talk about short stories and what they can do for us creatively and professionally. She'll discuss several ready-to-use story structures and prime us to draft a short story in a single sitting. Some of us may hang around at Ryan's and bang out a story after the conclusion of the meeting; others can take Julie's tips and worksheets and whip up a story at home later that evening. Up to you -- but show up! It promises to be a great evening!
January 17, 2017: Novelist Ken Lozito on Success with Self-Publishing
The BVWG's ow Ken Lozito has published seven novels in the past three years -- and sold more than 60,000 books! Ken will talk about what he's learned, how he works, and how publishing on Amazon has helped him build a dedicated fan base.
Ken graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in English and Anthropology. Being a computer hobbyist led to him working in the field of IT Security for almost 20 years. He resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two boys. He enjoys hiking, reading, playing with the dog, and binge-watching shows on Netflix, but enjoys writing stories most of all. His fantasy and science fiction books include: The Safanarion Order series (epic fantasy) and the Ascension series (space opera adventure). Check out Ken's website at kenlozito.com -- and come on out on Tuesday night!
Ken graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in English and Anthropology. Being a computer hobbyist led to him working in the field of IT Security for almost 20 years. He resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two boys. He enjoys hiking, reading, playing with the dog, and binge-watching shows on Netflix, but enjoys writing stories most of all. His fantasy and science fiction books include: The Safanarion Order series (epic fantasy) and the Ascension series (space opera adventure). Check out Ken's website at kenlozito.com -- and come on out on Tuesday night!
December 20, 2016: The BVWG Winter Social!
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 20th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
November 15 , 2016: Novelist Kelly Simmons & the Changing World of Publishing
Over the past eight years, Kelly Simmons has published three critically acclaimed novels (Standing Still, The Bird House, and One More Day), and, audaciously, she's about to publish her fourth. Much has changed in the world of traditional publishing during this period, and Kelly is going grace the BVWG with yet another visit to talk about those changes, where she sees things going, and why things these changes are good – so come on out!
A longstanding Friend of the BVWG, Kelly Simmons is a former journalist and creative advertising director who started writing fiction over fifteen years ago, while studying creative writing and screenwriting at Temple University and University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her critically acclaimed novels, Kelly is developing a TV series and has been writing a memoir for what seems like her entire life. Visit Kelly's website here.
A longstanding Friend of the BVWG, Kelly Simmons is a former journalist and creative advertising director who started writing fiction over fifteen years ago, while studying creative writing and screenwriting at Temple University and University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her critically acclaimed novels, Kelly is developing a TV series and has been writing a memoir for what seems like her entire life. Visit Kelly's website here.
September 20 , 2016: From Pixels to Platform – Marketing for Creative People
It’s hard enough to write a book, but when you finally type those words “THE END,” the work has only just begun. To make an impact in this digital age, you have to know how to market yourself and build an online platform.
I know, I know: I can hear your sigh from here.
But stress not: Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, a writer, teacher, and self-proclaimed word nerd – our favorite type! – is going to make this a lot clearer and easier. All you need, she says, is a strategy.
So, during September’s meeting of the BVWG, Gabriela will help you will learn concrete steps for building your online brand and using digital marketing techniques to forge meaningful connections with your readers (and not just the other writers you know). You will discover how to build an online hub for your creative work, and learn which pathways you should use to increase your readership. When you leave this session you will have strategic techniques that you can implement right away and customize to fit your own unique goals.
As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, Gabriela’s mission is to empower writers to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth. She earned her MFA in creative writing from The New School and teaches at national conferences, regional workshops, and online. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast in which she interviews bestselling authors and offers short audio master classes. Her book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community is out now from Writer’s Digest Books. To join the word nerd community, go to: DIYMFA.com/join.
I know, I know: I can hear your sigh from here.
But stress not: Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, a writer, teacher, and self-proclaimed word nerd – our favorite type! – is going to make this a lot clearer and easier. All you need, she says, is a strategy.
So, during September’s meeting of the BVWG, Gabriela will help you will learn concrete steps for building your online brand and using digital marketing techniques to forge meaningful connections with your readers (and not just the other writers you know). You will discover how to build an online hub for your creative work, and learn which pathways you should use to increase your readership. When you leave this session you will have strategic techniques that you can implement right away and customize to fit your own unique goals.
As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, Gabriela’s mission is to empower writers to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth. She earned her MFA in creative writing from The New School and teaches at national conferences, regional workshops, and online. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast in which she interviews bestselling authors and offers short audio master classes. Her book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community is out now from Writer’s Digest Books. To join the word nerd community, go to: DIYMFA.com/join.
August 16, 2016: Brandywine Valley Writers Group Summer Social!
Once again, we're pushing the tables aside and dispensing with all the formalities, as it's time for the annual Brandywine Valley Writers Group Summer Social. Come on out and spend the evening catching up with your friends, talking to people you don't normally get a chance to talk to, or just breathing in the rarefied air of Ryan's as the writers converge.
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (see your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (see your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
July 19, 2016: James Esch on the Turk's Head Review and Spruce Alley Press
Jim Esch is the founder of Spruce Alley Press, an indie micro-publisher of print-on-demand titles. He also founded and edits the literary website Turk's Head Review. Jim has published numerous poems, stories, and creative nonfiction essays in journals, and he blogs semi-regularly at eschorama.com. For the past 12 years he has taught full time at Widener University as a senior lecturer in English and Creative Writing. He is a co-advisor of Widener's online magazine for undergraduate writers, The Blue Route. Jim is also part of the team that coordinates the State Street Reading Series at the Media Art Center.
Come on out for another great night of insights at the BVWG!
Come on out for another great night of insights at the BVWG!
June 21, 2016: Peter Moore on the Magazine – the Do-Over!
Remember our visit last January from Peter Moore? No, of course you don't! Peter's trip to West Chester was mooted by an overturned fruit truck that shut down the Northeast Expressway -- and, thus, virtually all roads between here and the Fortress of Solitude that Peter calls home.
However, he's graciously agreed to venture forth in June for a do-over!
So, a recap: Peter recently stepped down as the editor of Men's Health magazine and he's going to join us to talk about The State of The Magazine today, how it's changing, and how you can best prepare yourself if you're interested in developing content for the world of print and online publications.
To say that Peter knows this space is an understatement. Prior to his 20-year stint at Men's Health, Peter spent 9 years as an articles editor at Playboy and, before that, several years on the staffs of a variety of magazines published out of Knoxville and New York City. In 2004 he won a National Magazine Award for his article on heart disease, “A Tale of Three Hearts.” He’s also the co-author of several books, including The Lean Belly Prescription and The 8-Hour Diet.
However, he's graciously agreed to venture forth in June for a do-over!
So, a recap: Peter recently stepped down as the editor of Men's Health magazine and he's going to join us to talk about The State of The Magazine today, how it's changing, and how you can best prepare yourself if you're interested in developing content for the world of print and online publications.
To say that Peter knows this space is an understatement. Prior to his 20-year stint at Men's Health, Peter spent 9 years as an articles editor at Playboy and, before that, several years on the staffs of a variety of magazines published out of Knoxville and New York City. In 2004 he won a National Magazine Award for his article on heart disease, “A Tale of Three Hearts.” He’s also the co-author of several books, including The Lean Belly Prescription and The 8-Hour Diet.
May 17, 2016: Publishing Update! New Opportunities on Amazon and Other Platforms
Every time you turn around, self-publishing platforms such as Amazon, Smashwords, and others have made a change, added a feature, or incorporated some new element that may open up new opportunities for you. How can you keep up?
Well, start with a visit to the May meeting of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group, where we’ll be having a panel discussion by authors actively using these platforms. They’ll tell you what’s new, answer your questions, and help you make the most of your efforts.
Well, start with a visit to the May meeting of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group, where we’ll be having a panel discussion by authors actively using these platforms. They’ll tell you what’s new, answer your questions, and help you make the most of your efforts.
April 19, 2016: Manuscript Critique Night!
Our April Meeting will be a manuscript critique night. Dues-paid members are encouraged to bring a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Length should be in the area of 2,500 words. Other notes:
As a matter of process, we'll break out into small groups and read each others work silently. Once everyone at a table has had a chance to read a submission, the group will provide input to the author. Not that we will not be reading works aloud at the tables, as that becomes too distracting for people reading at other tables.
Readers? Bring an implement with which to make notes in the margins of the pieces you're reading. But you already knew that, right?
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
- Please bring no fewer than five copies to share with your critique table.
- Please use paper clips rather than staples to bind your pages, and please number your pages.
- Please print double spaced and provide wide margins so that readers can write notes or comments.
As a matter of process, we'll break out into small groups and read each others work silently. Once everyone at a table has had a chance to read a submission, the group will provide input to the author. Not that we will not be reading works aloud at the tables, as that becomes too distracting for people reading at other tables.
Readers? Bring an implement with which to make notes in the margins of the pieces you're reading. But you already knew that, right?
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues -- or if you are joining officially for the first time (and you are welcome to do so that night -- please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
March 15, 2016: An Evening with HippoCampus Founder Donna Talarico
Come on out for an evening of Creative Non-Fiction! Donna Talarico is a writer, an editor, and the founder/publisher of HippoCampus Magazine, an online journal dedicated to "memorable creative non-fiction." In 2015, she debuted the first ever HippoCamp, a three-day conference held in in Lancaster, PA, for creative non-fiction writers. The conference included impressive panel discussions, breakout sessions, and a keynote speech by "the Godfather of creative non-fiction," Lee Gutkind. HippoCamp 2016 will feature best-selling memoirist Mary Karr.
In addition to her creative non-fiction pursuits, Donna is a freelance writer and social media expert. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Read BVWG Vice President Jim Breslin's interview with Donna here and plan to join us for another great evening with the BVWG!
In addition to her creative non-fiction pursuits, Donna is a freelance writer and social media expert. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Read BVWG Vice President Jim Breslin's interview with Donna here and plan to join us for another great evening with the BVWG!
Febuary 16, 2016: Fran Wilde and The Craft of Fiction
Fran Wilde's debut fantasy novel Updraft appeared last September and life has been something of a whirlwind for her ever since. She's been getting great support from her publisher, Tor, which is scheduled to publish her second novel Cloudbound later this year. Tor's online arm, Tor.com, will be publishing her novella “The Jewel and Her Lapidary” in May 2016. Her short stories appear in Asimov’s, Tor.com, and Nature. She has also written for The Washington Post, SFSignal, Clarkesworld, iO9.com, and GeekMom.com. And as if all that were not enough, Fran has an interview series called Cooking the Books, which lives at that delicious intersection of food and genre fiction and which is available on feedburner and iTunes.
How does she do it? Come find out for yourself at February's meeting of the BVWG.
How does she do it? Come find out for yourself at February's meeting of the BVWG.
January 19, 2016: Peter Moore on the Magazine
We're kicking off 2016 with a visit from Peter Moore, who recently stepped down as the editor of Men's Health magazine. His topic? The State of The Magazine today, how it's changing, and how you can best prepare yourself if you're interested in developing content for the world of print and online publications.
To say that Peter knows this space is an understatement. Prior to his 20-year stint at Men's Health, Peter spent 9 years as an articles editor at Playboy and, before that, several years on the staffs of a variety of magazines published out of Knoxville and New York City. In 2004 he won a National Magazine Award for his article on heart disease, “A Tale of Three Hearts.” He’s also the co-author of several books, including The Lean Belly Prescription and The 8-Hour Diet.
To say that Peter knows this space is an understatement. Prior to his 20-year stint at Men's Health, Peter spent 9 years as an articles editor at Playboy and, before that, several years on the staffs of a variety of magazines published out of Knoxville and New York City. In 2004 he won a National Magazine Award for his article on heart disease, “A Tale of Three Hearts.” He’s also the co-author of several books, including The Lean Belly Prescription and The 8-Hour Diet.
December 15, 2015: The BVWG Winter Social!
Yes, kids, it’s time for the annual BVWG Winter Social! Come one and all to the second floor of Ryan’s Pub on Tuesday, December 15th, for an evening of pure fun and socializing with your writerly friends. Spouses and friends are welcome. We’ve invited past speakers, a long list of Friends of the BVWG, and more, so it promises to be a fun evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Finally, by popular demand (or, really, by Presidential Order, as Mark is the only one who's nuts about this kind of thing), we're going to have another Limerick Contest!
The prompt for this year? Write a limerick that references a writing genre. It need not be your genre; it just needs to reference a genre.
Write your verses on an index card (or whatever), put your name on the bottom, and drop 'em in the jar on the bar. We'll read them aloud and vote on the best one over the course of the evening.
Bar bites are on us (and we promise to keep ‘em coming); drinks are on you.
As in the past, we’ll have an informal book swap – so bring a book, leave it on the bar, and take another one home. And don’t hesitate to bring one of your own if you want to share that!
Finally, by popular demand (or, really, by Presidential Order, as Mark is the only one who's nuts about this kind of thing), we're going to have another Limerick Contest!
The prompt for this year? Write a limerick that references a writing genre. It need not be your genre; it just needs to reference a genre.
Write your verses on an index card (or whatever), put your name on the bottom, and drop 'em in the jar on the bar. We'll read them aloud and vote on the best one over the course of the evening.
November 17, 2015: Novelist Donna Galanti on Getting Past the Gatekeeper
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Long before she became an award-winning novelist, Donna Galanti was a lowly intern in a literary agency. Her responsibility? Managing the slush pile. Yes, that slush pile, the one where earnest query letters and innocent manuscripts go to gain life experience, grow old, and die a sad, lonely death.
Do all manuscripts need to end up in such a sad state? No! And what Donna will share tonight will help you understand how to get your manuscript past the gatekeeper (the intern!) and into the hands of the agent, who will doubtless see it as the nugget of literary brilliance that it is. Donna may also get practical with us and teach us some revision techniques that will help hone those manuscripts to perfection so that the agent will positively glow with the joy of discovering you -- so bring something to write with and something to write on (but, then, you always have the tools of your trade with you, right? Right??). Put the date on your calendar and come on out! It's another evening with the BVWG that you won't want to miss. Donna Galanti is the author of the award-winning and bestselling novels A Human Element and A Hidden Element of The Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). She is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers' The Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Mayhem. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com. |
October 20, 2015: Manuscript Critique Night
The October Meeting will be a manuscript critique night. Members are encouraged to bring a piece of work upon which they'd like constructive input. It can be any genre or form. Length should be in the area of 2,500 words. Other notes:
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues or if you are officially joining for the first time, please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
- Please bring no fewer than five copies.
- Please use paper clips rather than staples to bind your pages, and please number your pages.
- Please print double spaced and provide wide margins so that readers can write notes or comments.
As always, everyone is welcome to attend a critique night but we will read only materials presented by BVWG members. If you are not current with your dues or if you are officially joining for the first time, please see Jorgen Flood at the start of the meeting and settle up with him.
October 12, 2015: An Evening of Readings by Local Authors at Chester County Books
Come on out to Chester County Books on Monday, October 12th, at 7 p.m. for an evening of BVWG members and friends reading from new work in progress. We're sorting out the line-up as of this writing, but put the date in your calendar!
As always, we'll be running the gamut from short stories and flash fiction to selections from longer novels and memoir. Readings at Chester County Books are always a good time and a great way to find out what other writers in the group are doing.
As always, we'll be running the gamut from short stories and flash fiction to selections from longer novels and memoir. Readings at Chester County Books are always a good time and a great way to find out what other writers in the group are doing.
September 15, 2015: John Dixon, author of Phoenix Island & Devil’s Pocket
Talk about a BVWG success story! West Chester’s John Dixon joined the group with scads of short story credits already under his belt, then (modestly) revealed that his debut novel, Phoenix Island, was being prepped for publication and adapted into the CBS action thriller Intelligence.
Phoenix Island went on to win the prestigious Bram Stoker Award, which honors superior achievement in dark fantasy and horror writing. The sequel, Devil’s Pocket (Simon & Schuster), was just released, and continues the story of Carl Freeman, a troubled young boxer sent to a most unusual juvenile detention center. John, a former boxer, teacher, and stone mason, will join us to discuss his writing journey and experiences with the publishing industry and TV development.
Phoenix Island went on to win the prestigious Bram Stoker Award, which honors superior achievement in dark fantasy and horror writing. The sequel, Devil’s Pocket (Simon & Schuster), was just released, and continues the story of Carl Freeman, a troubled young boxer sent to a most unusual juvenile detention center. John, a former boxer, teacher, and stone mason, will join us to discuss his writing journey and experiences with the publishing industry and TV development.
August 18, 2015: Brandywine Valley Writers Group Summer Social
We're pushing the tables aside and dispensing with all the formalities tonight, as it's time for the annual Brandywine Valley Writers Group Summer Social. Come on out and spend the evening catching up with your friends, talking to people you don't normally get a chance to talk to, or just breathing in the rarefied air of Ryan's as the writers converge.
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (See your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
We'll be providing finger foods, munchies, and appetizers from the finest chefs that Ryan's can hire (See your dues in action!) but, as always, the drinks are your responsibility.
So, come on out and have a merry time! See you there!
August 7, 2015: Devil's Pocket book launch at Chester County Books
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You know you've been waiting for it, and the day has finally arrived! Devil's Pocket, John Dixon's follow-up to Phoenix Island is finally hitting the shelves. Come on out and celebrate the book launch at Chester County Book Company. The event starts at 7 and carries on till they close down or carry us out.
Learn more at the Chester County Book Company website or on John Dixon's page. |
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July 21, 2015: An Evening with Author Curtis Smith
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Curtis Smith's stories and essays have appeared in over seventy literary journals. His work has been named to the Best American Short Stories Distinguished Stories List, The Best American Mystery Stories Distinguished Stories List, and the Notable Writing list of The Best American Spiritual Writing.
He is the author of the novels An Unadorned Life, Sound and Noise, and Truth or Something Like It on Casperian Books. March Street Press has released two collections of his flash fiction, Placing Ourselves Among the Living and In the Jukebox Light. Press 53 has published his last two story collections, The Species Crown and Bad Monkey. His latest book is Witness, an essay collection from Sunnyoutside Press. Learn more at his website: http://www.curtisjsmith.com/index.html |
June 16, 2015: An evening with Matthew Kabik
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Matthew Kabik will be our guest speaker in June. Matthew is the Founding Editor of Third Point Press, an online literary journal which launched in Spring 2015. He is also the author of numerous short stories and flash pieces that fall into the category of PA Gothic. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Arcadia University. In 2013, he was nominated for The Pushcart Prize by Structo Magazine for his story “A View of the Moon from the Moon,” and then again that same year by Pea River Journal for “In the Orchard, in the Field.” In 2014 his story “We Get To Where We Are Going” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Wyvern Lit. He is also the first ever Lancaster Story Slam winner.
Matthew lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which has a very cool literary and arts community. |
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June 7, 2015: BVWG Reading Road Trip to Oxford (PA, that is)
We're going on the road to Oxford PA, home of BOOKPLACE, acclaimed to be the best little used book store in the east (and west and north and south, for that matter). Amidst more than 12,000 pre-loved books (that are just waiting to find their way onto your shelves), longtime member of the BVWG and BOOKPLACE proprietor Ginny Beards is hosting the first annual Writers-Reward-Summer’s-Almost-Here-Bash/Inspirational Event of the Year!
In short, we're throwing a party. At a bookstore! Do you need any further excuse to come out? We’ll have wine, beer, snacks (some with an Amish touch), conviviality, drawings for books, and a bookstore scavenger hunt. Jim Breslin, founder of West Chester Story Slam, will be on hand to host a writers-only Story Slam on the topic: WHY I WRITE! Best of all, you get to spend a few more hours enjoying the company of others who share the same compulsion to get it down on paper.
Writers and others who love to read have congregated at BOOKPLACE since its founding in 1990. One never knows what treasures are waiting to be discovered on its shelves--or what writers, whether national, regional, or local, might pop in. So come on out!
Bring a friend. Bring two friends! And if you've written a book and that you'd like displayed at BOOKPLACE, have one of your friends hold it in the car and bring it along!
Get the date on your calendar now: Sunday June 7 from 4 to 8.
Besides, when’s the last time you visited Oxford? And what better time than this to check that item off your bucket list?
In short, we're throwing a party. At a bookstore! Do you need any further excuse to come out? We’ll have wine, beer, snacks (some with an Amish touch), conviviality, drawings for books, and a bookstore scavenger hunt. Jim Breslin, founder of West Chester Story Slam, will be on hand to host a writers-only Story Slam on the topic: WHY I WRITE! Best of all, you get to spend a few more hours enjoying the company of others who share the same compulsion to get it down on paper.
Writers and others who love to read have congregated at BOOKPLACE since its founding in 1990. One never knows what treasures are waiting to be discovered on its shelves--or what writers, whether national, regional, or local, might pop in. So come on out!
Bring a friend. Bring two friends! And if you've written a book and that you'd like displayed at BOOKPLACE, have one of your friends hold it in the car and bring it along!
Get the date on your calendar now: Sunday June 7 from 4 to 8.
Besides, when’s the last time you visited Oxford? And what better time than this to check that item off your bucket list?
May 19, 2015: Novelist (and Geek Expert) Eric Smith joins us...
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Eric Smith—author, blogger, gamer, and publishing geek living and writing in Philadelphia—will be our guest speaker in May. His book, The Geek’s Guide to Dating, was published by Quirk Books in December 2013, and was an Amazon 2013 Best Book of the Year selection in Humor. His first Young Adult novel, Inked, was published by Bloomsbury Spark in January of 2015.
His writing has appeared locally in the Philadelphia Weekly, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and on Philly.com. He’s also written for BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, Boing Boing, and Geekosystem (now part of The Mary Sue). He’s a regular contributor to BookRiot and of course, his own blog, Geekadelphia. His essays have appeared in Philadelphia’s Apiary literary journal, the Bygone Bureau, and in The Head & the Hand Press’ Asteroid Belt Almanac. |
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May 18, 2015: An Evening of Readings by Local Authors at Chester County Books
Come on out to Chester County Books on Monday, May 18th, at 7 p.m. for an evening of BVWG members and friends reading from new work in progress! Scheduled readers include (but are not limited to):
- JOHN DIXON, the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Phoenix Island, as well as soon-to-be-released Devil's Pocket, both from Simon & Schuster.
- NICOLE VALENTINE, a technologist and author of children’s books.
- ROBB CADIGAN, author of Phoenixville Rising and other works.
- SARAH CAIN, a former Inquirer reporter with a multi-book deal for mystery novels. Her first book, Inferno, will be released soon.
- ELI SILBERMAN, one of the original New York Mad Man and the author of E Train to Masada.
- TONY CONAWAY, a short story writer whose work has appeared in Chester County Fiction and many other anthologies; he also writes for the Chester County Day Newspaper.
April 21, 2015: Novelist David Chauner -- Fact, Fiction, and High Road
David Chauner knows a thing or two about the world of professional cycling. As a cyclist he competed internationally, medaled in the U.S. championships six times, and was a member of the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Teams. Since he retired from racing in 1975 he has remained engaged in the sport as a writer, commentator and professional event organizer.
Now he’s engaged as a novelist.
High Road is Chauner’s first novel, an intriguing tale of behind-the-scenes characters who make up the pro cycling world and the choices these characters make when caught up in the challenging environment of the Tour de France. Come on out and hear him talk of his experiences and the novel that has arisen from them.
Now he’s engaged as a novelist.
High Road is Chauner’s first novel, an intriguing tale of behind-the-scenes characters who make up the pro cycling world and the choices these characters make when caught up in the challenging environment of the Tour de France. Come on out and hear him talk of his experiences and the novel that has arisen from them.
February 17, 2015: Poet Virginia Beards on The Craft of Poetry
The BVWG’s own Ginny Beards is going to talk about the intersection of poetry and fiction, about where her poems come from, about how they work their way on to the page, and about what makes a poem a poem (and not just fancy typing).
Ginny’s collection of poems, Exit Pursued by a Bear and Others, was published in 2014; her poems have also appeared in Writing on the Edge and her short stories have appeared in Chester County Fiction. She was a member of the Penn State English Department for 23 years, and her criticism has appeared in The Journal of Modern Literature, Twentieth Century, Views of Women Writers, and other publications.
And, yes, a friendly reminder: It is a new year, so once again it's time to pony up and pay your dues. The rate for 2015 remains unchanged at $30 for the year and, since the BVWG is registered as a 503(c) organization, your hard-earned contribution is tax-deductible. For that fee you get to post your picture and a link to your blog or website on the bvwg.org members page. You can also have your work read and reviewed when we have our BVWG critique nights in April and November. You get to enjoy the stout-hearted feeling of noblesse oblige that arises from the knowledge that your dues have helped to put a fine pub meal (perhaps the first in days) into the stomachs of our guest speakers. Finally, and perhaps most rewardingly, you also get to say -- without experiencing the shame you've felt in the past when you've prevaricated about such matters -- that you are a dues-paid member of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. And that, as they say in the Mastercard ads, is priceless.
Checks can be made out to the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Jorgen Flood will be standing by to accept them throughout the evening.
Ginny’s collection of poems, Exit Pursued by a Bear and Others, was published in 2014; her poems have also appeared in Writing on the Edge and her short stories have appeared in Chester County Fiction. She was a member of the Penn State English Department for 23 years, and her criticism has appeared in The Journal of Modern Literature, Twentieth Century, Views of Women Writers, and other publications.
And, yes, a friendly reminder: It is a new year, so once again it's time to pony up and pay your dues. The rate for 2015 remains unchanged at $30 for the year and, since the BVWG is registered as a 503(c) organization, your hard-earned contribution is tax-deductible. For that fee you get to post your picture and a link to your blog or website on the bvwg.org members page. You can also have your work read and reviewed when we have our BVWG critique nights in April and November. You get to enjoy the stout-hearted feeling of noblesse oblige that arises from the knowledge that your dues have helped to put a fine pub meal (perhaps the first in days) into the stomachs of our guest speakers. Finally, and perhaps most rewardingly, you also get to say -- without experiencing the shame you've felt in the past when you've prevaricated about such matters -- that you are a dues-paid member of the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. And that, as they say in the Mastercard ads, is priceless.
Checks can be made out to the Brandywine Valley Writers Group. Jorgen Flood will be standing by to accept them throughout the evening.
January 20, 2015: Promotional Ideas for the Independent Author/Publisher
Matty Dalrymple
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At the January meeting of the BVWG we're going to hear from two our own on the subject of book promotions and reader engagement.
Matty Dalrymple, author of the supernatural suspense novel The Sense of Death is going to talk about her experiences promoting her novel through a BookBub campaign. We'll leave her to tell the tale in more detail, but the highlights are these: over the course of a three day campaign she succeeded in selling more than 1,300 copies of her novel -- to readers as far afield as the UK and Australia. |
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Scott Pruden will also be holding forth, talking about his experiences promoting both his novel Immaculate Deception and other titles published by Codorus Press through both Amazon and Goodreads promotions. We'll let Scott detail the successes in terms of sales and outreach.
Whether you're about to publish or still rearranging words on the page, it's never the wrong time to take in ideas on how you can connect with readers more effectively. It's all part of marketing your work, and increasingly that's a task that's falling squarely on the shoulders of the writer. So come on out! January promises to be a great start to another great year with the BVWG. |
Scott Pruden
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November 18, 2014: Building a Writing Platform (Part 2)
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Don Lafferty was going to join us in September when we talked about websites and talk about how you can build on your web platform to attract viewers and expand your social media presence. But life intervened at the last minute and Don had to miss that meeting. He’s agreed to come back in November to pick up where we left off.
Apropos the web platform that Erik Flood discussed in August: Once you build it, how will people know to come to it? Don's going to put on his Social Media Guru hat and share insights into how you can make people aware of your new website. There are "search engine optimization" or "SEO" considerations, which get into details about what wording you use, what sorts of "tags" you include, how you register your site, and more. The picture here is constantly changing, and nobody stays on top of these changes like Don. Don is a regular contributor to the global conversation about marketing through social media. He is the Chief Marketing Officer of the digital marketing agency, Mingl Social. He’s a member of the Philly Liars Club whose short fiction has appeared in Needle Magazine, Crime Factory Magazine, and other publications. He is also the social media director of the Wild River Review, and serves on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference. So come on out! You'll see how easy it is to build -- or expand -- your writing platform. |
September 16, 2014: Building a Writing Platform
Do the words "writing platform" make you think of something precarious involving a podium or very tall stool? Time to move into the 21st century! A writing platform is all about your online presence, and at the heart of that platform is your website.
Tonight, Erik Flood, who designed this very website, will talk about the ease with which writers can create and maintain a website. Yes, you can get very fancy and creative, but you can also build an inexpensive site that looks good and is very easy to maintain. And no whining about lack of HTML expertise: With today's tools, you don't even have to know what HTML stands for.
Building your web page is just part of building your writing platform, though. Once you build it, how will people know to come to it? To help answer that question, Liars' Club member and Social Media Guru Don Lafferty will round out tonight's discussion with some insights into how you can make people aware of your new website. There are "search engine optimization" or "SEO" considerations, which get into details about what wording you use, what sorts of "tags" you include, how you register your site, and more. The picture here is constantly changing, and nobody stays on top of these changes like Don.
So come on out! You'll see how easy it is to build -- or expand -- your writing platform.
Tonight, Erik Flood, who designed this very website, will talk about the ease with which writers can create and maintain a website. Yes, you can get very fancy and creative, but you can also build an inexpensive site that looks good and is very easy to maintain. And no whining about lack of HTML expertise: With today's tools, you don't even have to know what HTML stands for.
Building your web page is just part of building your writing platform, though. Once you build it, how will people know to come to it? To help answer that question, Liars' Club member and Social Media Guru Don Lafferty will round out tonight's discussion with some insights into how you can make people aware of your new website. There are "search engine optimization" or "SEO" considerations, which get into details about what wording you use, what sorts of "tags" you include, how you register your site, and more. The picture here is constantly changing, and nobody stays on top of these changes like Don.
So come on out! You'll see how easy it is to build -- or expand -- your writing platform.
