News

From the President’s Desk,

Summer time and the living is easy… well, sometimes.  With the season fully underway, and all those wonderful summertime fun events and vacations, sometimes it’s hard to get motivated to write.  Sometimes summer life is just so hectic that you don’t want to get motivated to write. Actually, sometimes you just plain don’t want to write – AT ALL.  And of course we all feel that way – sometimes.

So why not plan a personal writer’s retreat in your own back yard. Find a hidden corner and tuck yourself away for the day. Invite your family to treat themselves to an outing without you – a chance for them to also get away from it all.

DO NOT take your cell phone to your retreat.

DO NOT do one more thing around the house or in the office before the retreat.

DO NOT log on to check email, Facebook, or Twitter, etc.

DO NOT make plans for any other events that day.

When you arrange your day, plan to jumpstart your creativity and get those characters doing things they should (or shouldn’t) be doing. Here are a few Dos to do:

DO TELL EVERYONE NOT TO CALL YOU OR STOP TO VISIT

DO prepare your location so that you are comfortable and ready to go.

DO take your laptop or other writing tools with you.

DO pack a lunch, a cooler, morning coffee, snacks, etc. and take it with you.

DO take your characters with you and reconnect with them.

DO pray for good weather.

Use this day to do whatever it is your story needs: brainstorming, editing, a read-through, a scene or two that needs help, dialogue, or outlining. My philosophy is that it all needs doing anyway, so it doesn’t matter which aspect you work on first – it’ll all get done in the end. Which is key – completing your novel, polishing, and submitting?

As for the business end of writing, the STAR Board is meeting in August. It is program planning time again, including scheduling our 2011 On-line Workshops.  So think about what it is you would like to get out of our Chapter, our meetings, our workshops, our retreats.  Do you have a speaker in mind? A topic to be covered? Things you simply don’t want to hear or do again in 2011? It’s your Chapter, we need to hear from you. Send me your ideas, suggestions, and general feedback during the month of July, or at our July 19 meeting.

We have a strong chapter, but there is room for growth and improvement as we start making plans for 2011 (I know, I know, it’s a long way off – sort of).  The Board meeting will be at Jen Bokal’s house on August16 (it’s an open meeting so anyone who wishes may attend – but let Jen know you’re coming). Our meeting will include updates on all the RWA bells and whistles that we’ve had to put in place, or that is coming down the pike. We’ll start to work on appointments for 2011, go over our committee appointments, discuss the Membership Tea, and discuss where we want to be in 2011. Those interested in holding an office, who do not already hold one, need to submit a Bio to the board by September 1 to be considered.

I hope that your summer continues to be enjoyable. For those with children (or grandchildren) September is just around the corner and quiet days are ahead. In the meantime, remember…

All you need is love,

Carol A. Henry, President