Writing Weekend

It is another retreat weekend again.YAY! We returned to Rend Lake Resort again. Apparently we like it here.

I’m writing this as I sit at the wooden table in our room. The table is moved close to the door because the light in this part of the room is the only decent light we have. However, the other two are snoozing so that light is off. But I have the bathroom door open and the light from there along with the computer light is sufficient.

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Discussing Dialogue

Often we, the Paddle Creek Writers Group, meet at St. Louis Bread Co (called Panera Bread in other areas) to write and chat and eat and pretend we are writing.

This was the case on a recent Thursday afternoon/evening.

Behind me were two young men having a conversation. I could not tear my ears away.

Live and Learn (Part II)

Today I have a great deal of compassion for the harried rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland.” He ran around all chicken-without-a-head like shouting “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date.” This entry was to have been done by 6 AM this morning and—I put it off until the last minute—and had a crisis and now I’m late. The crisis involved dog, eye, vet, medicine and hopefully—healing. However, it also has made me crazy as I cannot abide being tardy for anything.

7 Things You Should Know About Writers’ Retreats

Here are some things you might not (but should) know about writer’s retreats:

• Someone (or someones) always forgets something. It is usually a food item. It is usually a food item they committed to bringing for the meal plan for the weekend.
• The Wi-Fi never works perfectly. Never. It is a rule. Apparently.
• Something strange happens at the hotel: the staff asks to use the laundry machines in your cabin for someone else’s sheets; you ask for a basic thing like a chair and it takes a half day (if ever) to arrive; there are never enough wash cloths for three women; a creature of one variety or another pays a call; and so on.
• Non-stop snacking is part of the retreat agenda, albeit unwritten. Clearly writing so long is calorie depleting.

It’s embarrassing, really.

Writers on Retreat !!

Yay! June was retreat time again!

We’ve been to conferences and gleaned loadsof stuff from them, but for the past few years we have been taking our own weekend retreats to focus on writing. We returned to Rend Lake for the second time!

3 Best Ways To Improve Your Writing

There are books about improving your writing.

Articles.

Blog posts.

Seminars.

Conferences.

Etc.

Meet Cari

We had a lovely lady visit our writer’s group this week: Cari Schaeffer. She has published her first book, Faith, Hope, Love and Chocolate.

We listened as she shared her story. It is lovely as a writer to hear someone else’s story and see their passion for the book in their hands as well as the stories in their heart.

Cari’s book has touched hundreds of ladies and her book is being used as the study book for some women’s retreats. Exciting!!!

Here is a link to her website: http://www.carischaeffer.com. I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing what this fellow writer is up to.

Blessings!

 

Patricia Meyers
www.PatriciaMeyers.com

 

Me? A Writer?

Thirteen years ago a friend at church mentioned she and another writer were starting a writer’s group. Before I could even think I blurted “Oh, I have always loved to write.” Even though I am the only original member left in our little group and we have evolved into Paddle Creek Writers, I still remember sitting with those two dynamic women and wondering how I could aspire to being a real writer. In a couple of weeks we added Bev and Pat to our mix, followed soon by Michelle. Other members have come and gone but we four remain. If not for Pat, Bev and Michelle, my loose-leaf collection of recipes would still be sitting dormant on my lap top.

Fine is a 4-letter word

What a funny place we have reached where, at times, the word “fine” sounds like an insult. We have discussed this fact in a couple of our Paddle Creek Writer meetings. If we get a review of something we have written that states “It is fine,” we are crushed.

Now we use it as a joke answering “It’s fine” when asked a variety of questions.

We have determined that sometimes “fine” is simply unacceptable. And it is definitely, at times, not a positive or complimentary response.

No Prompt Writing Prompt VII

This is the final installment. Remember what we are doing? We are posting the work done one Saturday morning when we simply could not agree on a prompt. We each began writing with no pre-conceived starting point. We wrote for 10 minutes then moved our tablets to the left. Ten minutes each. Building on the story that was in the works. It was tricky! And fun.

Pat’s turn to begin:

It is interesting how one event, regardless of its magnitude, can completely alter the trajectory of your life.

For some it is getting married. For some it is having a child with an illness. For some it is winning a huge sum of money. For some it is a major invention.

Regardless of what else Alexander Graham Bell did with his life, one event is his legacy.

Was he kind? A good husband? A loving father? Was he witty or sarcastic or dull or rude? We have no idea.