Thursday March 24, 2016

We meet to hear John Demers speak about his experience writing cookbooks and novels all around the world. 

Hill Country University Center 6 pm. 

January 21st Quarterly Meeting

The Fredericksburg Writers Conference will meet at the Hill Country University Center on Thursday, January 21st, at 6:00 PM.  The featured presenter will be James Kearney, lecturer at the University of Texas and writer/translator of a series of books about early Texas.

His translation of Friederichsburg by Armand Strubberg (or Dr Schubbert, for whom Schubert Street was named) is a rip-roaring Western novel which doubles as a history lesson with 147 pages of footnotes telling the difference between the novel and the true story of the founding of Fredericksburg. 

On top of this, James also happens to be a very cool guy.  Bring your friends, this will be a good time.

Colors in Writing

Next meeting in late Januray.  Here is a brilliant piece on color by my friend Suddenly Jamie.

https://nhwn.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/short-and-sweet-advice-for-writers-color-code-your-senses/

September Meeting Bearing Down on Us!

Our next meeting is Sept 17, 6-8 PM, Hill Country University Center.  We have a speaker on writing for a magazine, Megan Willome , and writing for electronic media by Richard Zowie . 

We do have winners for the Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post Short Story Contest.  We are meeting with Editor/Publisher Ken Esten Cooke next week to make a plan for the announcement and publication of the top 3 stories. 

The primary purpose of the FWC is to support and encourage writers in the Texas Hill Country. One of the new ideas from our board is to provide a list of local groups or individuals with this same purpose.  Here is an article listing some non-local resources.  If you are interested in participating in this process as a local resource, let me know.  I'll create a tab on this blog for such information. 

As always, I am glad to have your input on programs and speakers.  The photo above is of the Durango Silverton Railroad.  Ever ridden this train?

See you at the meeting!

July Meeting a Big Hit

We had 16 entries in our short story contest and they are in the hands of the judges.  Our presentation was by Christine Granados about her career as a writer.  It definitely made me want to read her books.  Her story about the ups and downs of writing and the perseverance required to be published was much appreciated by the members of the Conference.  Following we had a panel discussion with "Lucky" Lindy Segall and Hans Bauer about screenwriting and movie making was not what I expected; it may even be trickier than writing for publication in print.

We will announce the winners of the short story contest when we have them.  Meanwhile, if you have ideas for a speaker for our next program (August or September) please let us know.  We also put together a board of directors to work with future programming.

Robert Deming
Mara Fox Moretti

Short stories are filling up the mailbox!

Keep those cards and letters coming.  I think we are going to have enough stories to have a real contest.  I now have 8 submissions, would like to have 30, 2 weeks to go.

I am not always up with current movies and popular fiction, but after reading this article I'm sure drones will be playing a major role in stories soon, and it won't be sci-fi.  This article from The Economist tells me the world is changing.  Again. Fast.

Member Jack Swanzy is reading "Writing Alone and with Others" by Pat Schneider.  "It is making me think about how to go deeper in my own writing."

Short Story Contest - max 1200 words, previously unpublished, suitable for publication in a community newspaper, some connection (however fleeting) with the Texas Hill Country.  Send 3 copies to PO Box 2024, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 with a cover sheet with your contact info and a crisp $20 bill.  Judging will be by published writers with a 'double blind' setup.  Proceeds will go to our 2016 Agent/Editor Conference.

Short Story Contest Update IV

We got two more submissions in the mail today, neither of which I was expecting.  Mara wants me to delay the contest by another three months so we have enough to have a real contest.  I say NO!  Get those stories in!  1200 words max, suitable for publication in a community newspaper,previously unpublished,  some connection (however tenuous) to the Texas Hill Country, and a crisp $20 bill.  Mail to PO Box 2024, Fredericksburg, Texas, 78624 or bring to our meeting June 25, 6-8 PM, Hill Country University Center, Fredericksburg, Texas.

Proceeds go to our 2016 Agent/Editor Conference!  Get thee to your word processor and generate 1200 words.  Top three published in the Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post.

Questions?  fbgwriters@gmail.com or me, personally, Robert Deming, co-founder, dilettante (another name for a writer). 830-992-5676