Just Write

Facilitator: Jo Ann.  The meeting began shortly after 7 PM.

Present:  Pam, Jane, Jo Ann, Muhammad, Bill and Richard.

Minutes:  No minutes were submitted for approval.

Announcements: 

• Muhammad shared information he received on the New Jersey Writer's Conference to be held in Atlantic City in September.  He passed around a brochure with conference information and a web site address.
• Pam shared information she had obtained from reading Writer's Market including the suggestion to maintain an idea log and how to prepare a query letter.
• Jo Ann mentioned the idea of offering a reading of members' works in the fall.  She had found the idea in a book about writers' groups. 
• Jo Ann sent a reminder of tonight's meeting to everyone.  Everyone appreciated that.  It was suggested that in the future the agenda be attached to the notice.

In Meeting Writing:  Jo Ann provided the writing prompt for the in meeting writing portion of the meeting.  It was, "The officer asked, 'Are you Morgan Fields?'  I answered, 'Yes, but...'"  Richard, Jane, Muhammad and Bill read their in meeting writing.

Reading and Critique of Group Members'Writing Submissions:  There were three writing submissions.  Pam submitted Finding Patterns in Astrology; Muhammad submitted Ben Franklin and the Genealogy of Writers' Groups; Jane submitted Does Marriage Really Matter.

Writers' Reports - Works in Progress, Goals, and Progress Toward Goals: 

• Richard has submitted several short stories to his college magazine.
• Pam is going to submit work to writing contests.
• Muhammad will continue work on the Ben Franklin piece.
• Bill is working on a piece about dreams and will have a submission for an upcoming meeting.
• Jane will continue working on her essay on marriage.
• Jo Ann will bring in a children's short story next time.  She is also working on the memoir and a sketch for a novel.

Meeting adjourned at 8:35 PM.  Next meeting: May 27, 2009.

Scribe:  Jo Ann