June 2024 Minutes

Members, please review the June minutes for approval during the July meeting.

Northern Virginia Writers Club

June 2024 Meeting Minutes

06/15/2024 1:00 PM

1. Call to order – Club VP Carolyn McBride.
2. Roll call
3. Names and types of writing (length and genre)
   1. Online (only): VP Carolyn McBride (Women’s Fiction, Romance), Treasurer AJ George (Mystery-Thriller, Horror), Secretary Darius Jones (Horror, Poetry), Jason Maddux (Sci-Fi/YA), Tom Dewitt (Thrillers, Suspense), Gil Gilbert (Poetry, Non-fiction), Sharon Ritchey (Fiction), Janice Sebring (Historical Fiction), Jim Thorne (YA Sci-Fi), Julie Boland (Fiction), Lori Eaton (Suspense, Crime), Carolyn Klein (Horror, Fantasy), Eggerz Solveig (Fiction novels), Chester Damian.
   2. Guest: Scott Ellis on audiobooks.
4. Triumphs and failures
   1. Sharon Ritchey: Published her DEBUT novel “Pelican Tide.” Congratulations!!!
   2. Tom Dewitt: Halfway done with short story collection. Happy with B&N, Purcellville events where he sold books.
   3. Darius Jones: Debuted two poems at StokerCon: “Moment to Moment” and “From Corpse to God along the Black Dragon.”
   4. Maddux: Continuing his work on a series of Middle Grade books.
   5. AJ: Working on a short story collection.
   6. Jim Thorne: July 11 special event on 100^th Hubble (the person) anniversary for children.
   7. Julie Boland: Took online AARP “Write to Wellness” course on writing.
5. Approval of minutes from last meeting
   1. Moved by A.J. Seconded by Darius
      1. Approved by voice vote.
6. Officer’s Reports
   1. VP McBride
      1. Army, Navy Club has an author series.
         1. You can sign up if you’re a member.
         2. Upcoming meeting topics
            1. July 20: Annual Picnic.
               1. At Mary Riley Styles Park in Falls Church, VA. (Park across from library). Has shelter and playgrounds.
            2. August 17: Nate Brown on “Demystifying the Publishing Industry.”
               1. TBD time and activity.
            3. State Club (virtual gathering of authors).
               1. McBeth had a good time and encourages others to join.
            4. Resources page in the works
               1. We are still working on a Members-only section of website.
               2. Thanks to Laurie and Susan for gathering data.
            5. Golden Nib is open until July 15.
               1. Guidelines on our website. Get your fiction, nonfiction and poems in!
            6. Purcellville Public Library.
               1. Thanks to Lois Wren for organizing.
            7. Occoquan River Fest.
               1. There “were 8-9 of us and it went well.”
      2. Treasurer George
         1. YTD (June) Ending Net Assets: $5,900.76
         2. He’s also looking for permanent place for us to meet as a club.
      3. Secretary Jones
         1. No report.
      4. Old Business
      5. Upcoming writing resources/contests.
         1. Upcoming writing resources/contests
            1. Elaine’s in Old Town, Jennifer (a member) will be there June 19. VP McBride will attend.
            2. Lois is helping coordinate Fairlakes B&N events.
               1. Usually occurs every Saturday.
               2. Contact Lois Wren if interested in appearing at this live event. Club officers have her email information.
         2. Open Call: Space and Time Magazine opens for speculative short stories and poems, June 15-30.
      6. New Business
         1. AJ: We’re not going to do Arlington County Fair this year as a Club. (Bad parking, etc.).
7. Audio Books with Scott Ellis.
   1. Sign up your book titles on ACX now, even if you don’t intend to produce them to avoid piracy.
   2. Know your terms:
      1. PFH: Per Finished Hour (PFH) is the standard way payment is calculated in the audiobook industry. Narrators are compensated for each hour of finished recording, rather than by studio hour since studio time can vary.
      2. Pay attention to the “audio reading length” of your piece. Longer works will cost more.
      3. RS: Royalty Share contract. In this type of contract, the narrator’s fee and other production costs are not paid at the time of recording. Instead, the narrator gambles that the book will earn out and defers her fee and costs to be paid from the royalties earned by the audiobook’s sale over the term of the contract.
      4. Rule of thumb:
         1. It takes about 90 minutes to record 9,000 words. Plus, you have to add voiceovers.
   3. Adjournment – VP McBride.