May 22nd 2005

We had our regular meeting today, May 22, at Beagle Books in Park Rapids. Present were: Sharon, Tarah, Ted, John, Russ and Sandi.

Our next meeting will be on Sunday, June 26 from 1:30 to 4:00 pm at Beagle Books in Park Rapids.

WRITING EXERCISES
Here is a good writing exercise. Have one person write one sentence. Pass the paper to the one on the left. That person writes a sentence to follow the first, etc.

Here is another good exercise. Pass around a photo. Have everyone write about the photo, start a story from the photo, etc. We will bring some photos for the next meeting.

TALKING STICK 14
We had 266 submissions fro 133 writers. We had 87 writers last year with about 215 submissions. The Editorial Board has met and made their decisions. The top choices in each of the three categories have been mailed to the three judges. Tarah is working on the layout at this time. We think that we will send out a list of the winners and honorable mentions to all the accepted poets.

WORKSHOPS
We have a writers’ workshop scheduled for early July by Chelsea Johnson. More information coming on that later. We also plan to have a poetry workshop by Mark Vinz on August 6 right before our annual celebration. The poetry workshop and annual celebration will take place in Hubbard.

ARTS COUNCIL
Marion has volunteered to go to the monthly Arts Council meetings. That group should be very helpful with advertising our workshops and our annual celebration.

MISCELLANEOUS
Tarah mentioned that two of her photographs have been entered in the art contest at New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. They have been on display for a week and they will be up another two weeks. People who view them vote on their favorites. The favorite will win a prize. The items are also for sale.

READINGS
Most of the writers present read something that they have been working on recently. We critiqued them as usual.

Several of us said that we would like to try writing screen plays.

See you next time!!

Sharon and Tarah