NEW VENUE FOR MARCH MEETING – JOIN US AT THE FRISCO ROOM, AT THE LIBRARY STATION ON NORTH KANSAS EXPRESSWAY, SPRINGFIELD
MARCH 25
MEG WELCH DENDLER
“What If….?” Workshop
“What-If”” Yourself Into Production Workshop
In this writing workshop, Meg will guide you through how to brainstorm and organize your ideas to develop a current writing project or create a new one from scratch. Bring your laptop or pen and paper and be ready to write!
Meg is an award-winning author in her own right, but she also works as a freelance editor and proofreader for independent authors and publishers, with over 60 novels completed. Books under her care have become best sellers and won awards through Killer Nashville and WILLA. While she personally writes about alien rescue cats, adventurous dogs, princesses who ride dragons, ghosts, and half-tiger/half-human creations, Meg edits books in nearly every genre.
Read her bio here, and see her books at megdendler.com
Come at 10:00 to join the group for Mentor Hour where writers’ works are read and critiqued. (See information below). Guests are welcome to read and comment. Only members’ works are critiqued.
MENTOR HOUR – 10:00 a.m. | SPEAKER – 11:00 a.m. | BUSINESS MEETING – 12:00 p.m.
February’s meeting was simply packed with close to 60 writers and authors! Did you miss it? See it here
January’s meeting with Synova Cantrell -“Finding Your Writers’ Vision” – Watch here!
Bring Your Written Works to Mentor Hour!
Get valuable feedback from your peers by submitting a sample of writing to be constructively critiqued.
- Up to 3 pages, double spaced, 1-inch margins, in 12pt Times New Roman font *(This allows for members to comment. You may print on both sides).
- Please email your submission to springfieldwritersguild@gmail.com by Thursday before the meeting.
- Members only
- Submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
VISITORS
ARE
ALWAYS
WELCOME!
If you decide to join, you may do so at any meeting or by signing up in the sidebar.
A WRITING TIP FROM THE PRESIDENT:
Giving Your Characters Dimension
Often the best part of a story is the characters who step across the pages of the book. The depths to which the author examines these characters are what keep the reader engaged. One way to begin to examine a character is to pick up an old photograph of an ancestor. Observe the height, weight, eyes, skin color, and body type. Examine the hairline and the shape of the nose. Search for something memorable, even plainness can be made memorable.
What Do You See?
Never tell the reader what your character looks like. This stops the action of the story and pushes your reader out to make him debate something in his mind. Rather, show the character doing something…
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COMING MEETINGS:
April – Susan Keene – Writing the Cozy Mystery
May – Kelly Henkins – TBD
June – Ruth Hunter – Writing for Kindle Vella
July – Candy Simonson – Where to Get Story Ideas?
August -Summer family picnic
September – Kevin Henderson – TBD
October – John Cawlfield – TBD
November – Holiday Party
BTP WRITERS CONFERENCE RETURNING IN JUNE 2023
REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW! Get the Earlybird price! *(Includes meals, but not hotel)
Between the Pages Writers’ Conference 2022 was such a success, we’re doing it again! Over 150 writers and authors from seven different states came together for camaraderie, inspiration, and to make new friendships. 2023 Conference promises to be even bigger and better!
William Bernhardt, Keynote Speaker
Author of over 50 legal thrillers
13 speakers / 19 workshops! Headshots, Contests, Swagbags, Door Prizes, Bookstore, Food & Entertainment! Rub shoulders with published authors, editors, publishers and agents!
We hope all who attended last year will come back.
Brought to you by:
BTP Writers Con
Ozarks Romance Authors
Sleuths’ Ink Mystery Writers
Springfield Writers Guild
SWG Genre Groups
Genre groups meet once or twice a month separate from the Springfield Writers’ Guild meeting.
Thriller Group
Leader: John Cawlfield
Meeting Schedule: 7:00 PM -2nd Tuesday of the month via Zoom
Contact Info: john.cawlfield@att.net
Nonfiction Group
Leader: Tim Ritter
Meeting Schedule: 7:00 PM – 3rd or 4th Tuesday of the month via Zoom
Contact Info: tritterman@gmail.com
Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror Group
Leader: Kim Brixey
Meeting Schedule: Second Wednesday of the month at 7pm on Zoom and immediately following the Guild meeting on the fourth Saturday of the month
Contact Info: brixey.ks@gmail.com
Inspirational Group
Leader: Ruth Hunter
Meeting Schedule: Immediately following the Guild meeting.
Contact Info: ruth.hunter72@gmail.com
Children’s Writing Group
Leader: Dayna Ault
Meeting Schedule: “Meet and Greet” TBD
Contact Info: dayna.ault.author@gmail.com
2023 OFFICERS & APPOINTED OFFICES
Springfield Writers' Guild 
Superb blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring writers?
I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally overwhelmed ..
Any tips? Thank you!
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Yes, you could begin with WordPress, Blogspot, or any of the other free blogsites. Most are simple to use and you don’t need any technical knowledge. Get your stories out there. Provide good content people want to read!
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I have read so many articles or reviews regarding the blogger lovers except this piece of writing is really a good article, keep it up.. Really plenty of great data!
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Thank you Jeffery! We appreciate your comments
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I like the helpful information you provide for your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and take a look at once more right here regularly. I’m moderately certain I will learn plenty of new stuff proper here! Best of luck for the next!
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You have a very nice and informative website. I’ve been away from the Guild for years and just joined again this evening (although I marked “new member”). I’ll be there at the meeting on August 26th–hopefully with something for critique.
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I have written what I hope to be 2 children’s books but have no idea how to go about having them published. They are written in ryhme and I know they would need illustration. I self published once but that was poetry and wasn’t very successful. I would really like these 2 books to be noticed. Any suggestions on what I should do?
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Come to our meetings. We have illustrators, editors, and publishers there who will point you in the right direction to finish your books. We meet every fourth Saturday at McAlister’s in Springfield. (See map at bottom).
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Hello I’m Mia Huskisson I’m an aspiring writing working towards becoming an author Would you allow me to observe a meeting to see if your group might be a good fit for me?
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Anyone is welcome to visit the group at no charge. If you want to become a member, you have that option. The next meeting is at McAlisters (Battlefield and Kansas) on Feb. 22, starting at 11:00 a.m.
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I am close to completing a non-fiction book. I’m 86, so I don’t expect it to be the first of many. I know zip about getting a book edited and printed. I need to engage someone who will help me these things. How should I go about finding the help I need?
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Greetings, Shirley. We will forward you to someone who can help and give some advice.
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Shirley – contact casimonson@hotmail.com
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I would like to come and what you guys can teach me about writing I’m just starting and I need all the advice I can get thanks
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You are welcome to join our writers’ group at any time. We will begin meeting again in January. Keep checking the SWG website for information, or look on our Facebook page – Look for Springfield Writers Guild forum. Our group is diversified with young, old, men, women, published, and beginners.
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My wife and I are performing Singer-Songwriters, we perform 5 to 10 gigs a month. We have a collection of songs that we believe could be the heart of a musical or musical comedy and are looking for a referral to a play writer who might like to create the book to bring it all together.
Thank you
Jan & Bob Alder
Nixa, MO
417-593-3438
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