September 2024 Minutes

Members, please review the September minutes for approval during the October meeting.

Northern Virginia Writers Club

August 2024 Meeting Minutes

09/21/2024 1:00 PM

1. Call to order – Club President Michelle McBeth.
2. Roll call
3. Names and types of writing (length and genre)
   1. In room: Pres. Michelle McBeth (Science Fiction), Treasurer AJ George (Mystery-Thriller, Horror), Secretary Darius Jones (Horror, Poetry), Social Media Coordinator Traci Carter, Membership Coordinator Isabelle Missud (Fantasy), Tom Dewitt (Science Fiction), Amy Thernstrom (MG Fiction), Tricia Reddicio (Non-fiction), Craig Lipman (Sci-Fi), Casey White (Fantasy), Marissa Sanaji (Fantasy), John Wren (Thrillers, Mystery, Sci-Fi) and partner Lois Wren, Hank Rush (Fiction and non-fiction), Ali (Fantasy), Elizabeth Merck (Book editor, Women’s fiction), Janice Sebring (Historical Fiction), Jennifer O’Connor (YA Sci Fi), Mary Allan Webb (former journalist), Sharon Wishnow (Women’s Fiction), Bob Scates (Sci-Fi).
   2. On Zoom: Vice President Carolyn McBride (Women’s fiction and Romance), Kay Summers (Upmarket Fiction), Roger Hammons (Speculative Fiction), Kevin Connor (short fiction), Cheryl (Hist. Fiction), Gwen Gebhard (Poetry, flash), Erika Meyers (Literary Fiction), Kevin Gilbert (nonfiction, poetry), Nicole Schultz (Cozy Sci-Fi), Jim Thorne (YA Sci-Fi), Chester Damian (Sci-Fi), Julie Boland (Thriller, Mystery), Dominique Hoffman(Non-Fiction).
   3. Guest: Michaels Crichton’s former publicist, Joe Marich, on book promotion.
4. Triumphs and failures
   1. Tom DeWitt: Published new collection (book) of short stories.
   2. Traci Carter: 2^nd novel is finalist in Historical Romance contest.
   3. Carolyn McBride: Santa Overboard, new novel, to release next week.
   4. Sharon Wishnow to speak at George Mason Festival of Books on Oct. 17 at 10:30 a.m.
   5. Darius Jones: Talking at Baltimore Festival of Books on Sept. 29 at 4:00 p.m.
5. Approval of minutes from last meeting
6. Motioned to approve meetings notes from June.
   1. So moved by AJ, seconded by Isabelle.
   2. Approved by voice vote.
7. Officer’s Reports
   1.  McBeth:
      1. Upcoming meeting topics
         1. October 26 – TBD: Will likely focus on critiquing or everyone gets 10 minutes. Michelle will send email poll out to Members to help us decide.
         2. November 16 – NaNoWriMo write-a-thon or a guest TBD.
         3. December 14 – End-of-Year Social.
            1. Bring cookies/desert for potluck.
         4. January 18 – Annual meeting and elections.
            1. Please think about running for President, VP, Treasurer, and Secretary.
      2. Website update.
         1. Working on Members-only section of website.
         2. Picking Beta Testers now.
      3. Discord server update.
         1. Club’s Discord server is now set up and select platform testers have been invited.
         2. If you have experience on Discord, please let us/Michelle know.
      4. VP McBride.
         1. No report.
      5. Treasurer AJ George
         1. YTD (Sept.) Ending Net Assets: $5,980.67
      6. Secretary Darius Jones
         1. No report.
8. Old Business
9. Upcoming writing resources/contests.
   1. Strange Horizons opens to submissions.
      1. See: http://strangehorizons.com/submit/fiction-submission-guidelines/
   2. Nate Brown joined 501(c)3 historic farm (Good Contrivance Farm)—using it for writer retreats and speakers.
   3. Arlington “Shut-up and Write” sessions.
      1. For one hour on Sunday mornings at 7:30 a.m.
   4. James Rivers Writers— Conference starting soon with free events.
10. New Business
11. Golden Nib – Suzanne Davenport led this, thanks to her. Local chapter winners are:
    1. Fiction:
       1. 1st place – Bloom by Roger Hammons
          2nd place – Daytona Beachby Kay Summers
          3rd place – The Rock Snake by Craig Lipman
    2. Non-Fiction:
       1. 1st place – If the Tree Could Speakby Caroline Crocker
    3. Poetry:
       1. 1st place – “Less of Me” by Kay Summers
          2nd place – “EAT CAKE” by Kevin Connor
          3rd place – “Extasie” by Philip Stephens
12. Talk with Joe Marich, literary publicist (Michael Crichton’s former publicist).
    1. Thoughts: “An outline is critical.”
    2. You must have two hats: As a writer AND as a small business owner.
       1. Your creativity has to be grounded in some sort of reality: Who is your market? What media targets should you seek?
    3. Ask: Is my book really DIFFERENT from other books that are already out there?
    4. Ask: Which specific group of people would be interested in your book?
       1. Please do NOT answer: “Everybody.”
       2. Think of the likely demographics for your book/genre.
    5. Your job in any author interview is:
       1. Don’t talk plot.
       2. Talk about themes instead.
    6. Social media for authors.
       1. First question he gets as a publicist for an author booking: “What are their [the author’s] social media numbers?”
       2. 5-10K are “good” numbers for social.
13. Adjournment – Pres. McBeth.