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Wordsowers Monthly Meeting
More Strong Starts
Thursday May 26, 2022, 7:00-8:00 pm CST

Is your opening paragraph a hit or a turkey? We’re continuing April’s FUN INTERACTIVE meeting. We’ll share our first lines with each other, and hone them for the “oomph” needed to catch readers–and editors–eyes.
Working together, we’ll polish those opening hooks. Bring your book, devotional, article, or anything else you’d like to share, even if it’s just one sentence.

Along with your own opening lines, please bring a favorite book with an awesome first sentence, as well as one that, shall we say, reeks.

Hope to see you Thursday May 26th at 7:00 pm CST!
Please join our private FB group if you would like to be a part of this informative meeting.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/261653995038722/

We meet online on the 4th Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:00pm. For the health and safety of our Wordsowers family we’ll continue meeting on Zoom for the time being.

We welcome you to explore our Facebook page.

Starting in May you’ll find exciting changes here on the Wordsowers blog.
I don’t want to give it all away, but here’s a quick overview:
  • 1st Monday of the month. David Williamson, Grammar Nazi, helps hone your writing skills.
  • 3rd Tuesday of the month: Kat Crawford, Super Resource Woman.
  • 2nd Wednesday of the month: Angela D. Meyer, Technical aspects and more.
  • Thursdays: Fun flex day. Check in for our surprise guest and topic.
  • 4th Friday of the month: Jeanie Jacobson (me). Encouragement and humor on platform building.
I’ll share the fun stuff from a rookie perspective. (You’ll still learn about technical aspects through Angela and others.)
Friday’s will be our kick back time. We can laugh together over my goof-ups, and help you avoid the same pitfalls.
Plus I’ll share super-secret tips so you won’t be spotted as a new writer. (Ok, they’re not super-secret. But doesn’t it sound more fun that way?)

In most TV shows the rookie stands out. Whether it’s a detective or medical series, we spot the newbie right away.

When I first joined a critique group I thought my book was ready to go. Bzzzt. Wrong. It was worse than Sister Mary Catherine hip-hopping at a rave.

Learn from my mistakes so you don’t make the same ones. We’ll erase the giant overhead “ROOKIE!” finger earmarking you. You’ll feel more confident going into critique groups and meeting editors.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles@freedigitalphotos.net

For example, I learned this the hard way:
Watch out for it! Top of the list! The exclamation mark!

  • Exclamation marks scream, “Newbie!”
Editors can spot a new writer at a thousand yards by the number of exclamation marks in the submission. Find the exclamation marks and eradicate them.
Next week’s super-secret insider reveal: Adverbs. Beware! Oops. Exclamation mark.