• Letters 2010
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• Annual Report

July 2010

Dear Members:

Toot your horns, bang the drums, and blow the vuvuzelas, our 2011 Writing Contest has begun. This year there is no set theme, so you can write about whatever you would like (except no erotica or gratuitous violence). A few other changes: the maximum word count for prose has dropped to 1500 words; students may enter at a reduced price, and please submit three copies with your entry form. Visit our Website and under the NEWS bar click on Writing Contest for guidelines and entry form. Florida Weekly has agreed to sponsor this year’s contest and will provide advertising, and print the first place winners in each category. We are still looking for additional sponsors, and if you have a contact or company that you think might provide a prize, please pass the word to a board member.

Intellectual Property attorneys Edward Livingston and Erica Loeffler’s presentation on copyright law stimulated a lot of thought, generating many questions. A word of warning, the use of “poor boy copyrights,” i.e., using the © without registration, does not provide you any legal protection. You can copyright your materials online at www.copyright.gov. It is a very easy process. The cost is $35.00.

Join award-winning novelist Robert N. Macomber for an informal discussion of one of the most difficult tasks a writer faces---how to edit one's own work. He'll explain his methods to better the product prior to an editor seeing it, most of which he learned the hard way while writing well over a million published words in nine novels and numerous magazine pieces. Some of them may surprise you. He will be an exciting July speaker.

The “Island Getaway Contest” kicked off last month. Aurelie Shuleshko and John Repa were the first to win the drawing and receive the free trips out to North Captiva Resort. After their trip, they will write a 500 to 750 word piece about their experience. These entries are posted on North Captiva’s Website and by the end of the season next year, the entry with the most and best blog comments is the winner.

If you have not checked out our Website lately, I suggest you do. There are some exciting changes, and if you have published books, see the new page “members books.” Our new photographer, Denise Holbrook, is now taking head shots of members to post on the Website, see her if you want one taken.

Hope to see you all Saturday, July 17 for our next meeting, and keep on writing.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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May 2010

Dear Members:

I don’t know about you, but I’m glad the season is over. Between January and April every organization crams in as many activities as they can, and GCWA is no exception. It is good to have breathing room, sit down to do some writing, and for me to have the golf courses all to myself.

The poetry readings by Joe Pacheco, Russ Miller, Dorothy Brooks, Marcus Billson, and Chuck Wood at our April meeting were a delight to hear. Doug MacGregor slipped into our sub consciousness and had many of us trying to decide if we were right or left brain individuals. To say the least it was a stimulating and thought provoking lecture. On the other side of the scale his presentation had a WOW factor that kept one engrossed.

Our May 15 speakers are two women from Port Charlotte who are published writers, Gwyn Ramsey and Virginia Crane. I met them at the March reading festival and was taken in by their passion for the presentation of their works. They will regale us with stories from their experience in “pounding the pavement,” or how to go from writer to published author to successful sales. Their outline includes: submitting to agent and publishers, contracts, printed marketing materials, promotion from newspapers to advertisement, internet connections, interviews and reviews, and marketing sites. It should be a bundle of useful information.

One of our missions is to help each other in the writing process. To that end, I have added a new feature to our monthly meeting, which I call “It works for me.” The idea is for members to share some trick or method they use in their writing that might help others in our association. I look forward to hearing your suggestions. We will continue our grammar minutes and readings from members. Please send along any other ideas that might benefit all of us.

Susan Brown has an exciting new contest for GCWA members only. It is called “Island Getaway Contest.” See our Web site for details or pickup a flyer at the next meeting. We are also working to organize the 2011 GCWA writing contest. If you have suggestions or recommendation please let a board member hear from you.

Hope to see you all on Saturday, May 15. Oh Yes, bring in those books that need a new reader, we will raffle them off.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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March 2010

Dear Members:

Our March annual election meeting, awards ceremony, and potluck luncheon is scheduled for Saturday, March 27, please mark your calendar. This year the nonsense players will present the skit Writer’s Block. This show is written, played, and produced by GCWA members, and you don’t want to miss it. We will be announcing the nine winners of the 2010 writing contest “A Moment in Time.” A period of open discussion and networking between members is a traditional end of year event. The outgoing executive board will place the proposed budget before the membership. The final business is the election of next season’s executive board.
You are also invited to bring guests to our social potluck luncheon. You can either bring a dish to feed 6-10 or pay $5 at the door. If you bring a guest and dish, the guest is free and any additional guests are $5 each. GCWA is providing the morning coffee, tidbits, and the luncheon drinks and service (plates, napkins, plastic ware).

A reminder from the membership chair, please pay your annual $30 dues by the end of March.

The Southwest Florida Reading Festival is the largest gathering of area authors, publishers, agents, and people in the writing business on the third Saturday of March each year. This year GCWA has a table in the Fort Myers, Harborside event center, on Saturday, March 20. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to network and discuss issues with other authors from around the country. The doors open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it is FREE.

Susan Brown arranged another great free educational seminar at Barnes & Noble Thursday, February 18. The speakers, Julie Compton and Shelly Outerhout, provided excellent information on using the internet to market your product.

Joe Pacheco absolutely guarantees you’ll have a great time at ArtPoems 2010 in the Foulds Auditorium, Alliance for the Arts on Wednesday, March 3rd at 7:30 PM (Reception at 6:45). For the low admission charge of five dollars, you can experience one of the most spectacular events of this season. Foulds Theatre is at 10091 McGregor Blvd. box office 939-2787.
We need your help in sorting out what educational lecture programs you would like to hear in the coming year. Please let us know if you have subjects that are driving you crazy, and you want more information on them.

Hope to see you all on Saturday, March 20th and March 27th.

Sincerely,

Richard Georgian
President

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January 2010

Dear Members:

Are those creative juices flowing? Are those fingers flying across the keyboard? Or, are you frozen in the snow and ice of the northern territories, or the abyss of writers block? I welcome all back to our monthly meetings here in sunny southern Florida.  

Our headline speaker for the January 16th meeting is Dianna Collier, a literary agent. She suggests that members submit query letters to her at cabooks@att.net, which she will use in the discussion. “A Moment in Time” is passing, and so is your opportunity to win CASH and other prizes, since the writing contest closes on January 31, 2010.  The contest details are on our Web Site under NEWS – Writing Contest. I have one reminder; please submit three copies of your literary masterpieces.

I must admit I have been poking my nose into various writer opportunities over the holidays. I crashed a meeting of Art Walk and asked if any of the galleries would be interested in having authors in their place of business during Art Walk to sign books, or Poets to work with artists. Almost every gallery owner indicated interest. I talked with Creative Theater and Act Up, two young adult production organizations and they would be interested in working with our playwrights. I talked to the owner of Café Matisse, 2236 1st Street, Fort Myers, and she would like to sponsor open mic readings, Poets, and book signing on a Wednesday night. I called the coordinator of the Reading Festival and discovered we could sell our authors books at a table during the Festival. And, last I have opened a discussion with Allison Campbell who is working to open “The Franklin Shops” in the River District and she hopes to have a book store dedicated to Florida writers. Now, none of these queries will come to fruition unless there are members who would like to work with the board in making something happen.

The Alliance for the Arts, “Walk through the Arts” event on November 21 was a tremendous success. The participating authors sold fifty books. The skit was a rousing, inspired, dramatic, and theatrical extravaganza. Anyway, I liked it, and the cast was brilliant.  

The crass subject of money needs to be mentioned. Your annual dues are due starting in January, but you have until the end of March to make the payment. In March we hold our election meeting, and the nominating committee has a slate of candidates. The annual meeting is March 27th and includes our potluck luncheon and the writing contest award ceremony. Our by-laws, constitution, and policies and procedures are posted on the Web site and if you have anything you would like to see changed, the March meeting is when we will vote on those changes. Please submit recommendations to a board member before the end of January.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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November 2009

Dear Members:

Once again remember our November meeting is on the 14th (fourteenth). The speaker is Ruben Colon who will present “Memoirs – pages from the past.” He is including a brief discussion on “Defamation Law,” and he will hand out copies of his “Memoir booklet” and “Defamation Law Made Simple.” This is an example of the odd things we learn about each month.

Time is passing, our writing contest closes on January 31, 2010, and the holiday period can be a time to create something interesting or it can be a season were you just don’t have time for anything. To help tempt you into writing here are a few of the incentives: CASH, a weekend at the Marriott Fairfield Inn (across from Barnes & Nobel), a seat at the 2010 Sanibel Writers Conference ($350 value), a selection of books from Barnes & Nobel, a CD writing course from publisher Archebooks ($300 value), and more to come later. Stop wringing your hands and start stroking those keyboards, we have over one hundred members, I’d like to see over seventy-five entries in poetry, fiction or non fiction from our members.

Were you part of the amazing blogging workshop October 24th. There was a full house and the facility worked out great. Susan Brown wants to do more of this kind of activity. Why don’t you let her know what special project you would like to participate in; ideas are always welcome.

I see more Michigan, Ontario, and New York license plates, and that only means one thing, more events happening between November and April. I have attached a reminder of GCWA participation in the Alliance for the Arts, Walk through the Arts event on November 21. Please come join us and don’t miss the skit written, directed and played by GCWA members.

Some last minute business. March is our annual election meeting, and a nominating committee is now conducting a search for replacement positions on our executive committee. If they contact you please give it some thought, our organization only can function with members input. Our by-laws, constitution, and policies and procedures are posted on the Web site and if you have anything you would like to see changed, the March meeting is when we would vote on those changes. Please submit recommendations to a board member before the end of January.

Have a great end of year season, and you will hear from me again in January.

Keep writing,

Sincerely,

Richard Georgian
President

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September 2009

Dear Members:

You may notice something slightly different in this president’s letter. I am now using the email blind copy function. The Executive Board recommended it and I agreed with the potential problem of all your email addresses out there in cyber space. Remember you can always go to the members only page and look-up a members information (if they want you to have the access).

Mark your calendar for the blogging workshop on Saturday, October 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 at Edison Library (South Fort Myers). The cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. There are only 30 seats, I recommend you make your reservation at Saturday’s meeting or email Susan Brown at stpowell2000@aol.com to hold a seat. It is first come, first seated, and this is open to the public. A reminder to also mark Saturday, November 21 for the “Walk through the Arts” event at the Alliance for the Arts, come out and support our writers. DON’T forget that our November meeting is one week earlier, November 14.

Robert Gelinas conducted the August workshop and I had the impression it was thoroughly enjoyed. Robert passed out mail his publishing company had received from writers. It was eye-opening at the lack of attention to detail or understanding of what you should provide a publisher and what useless information is. Some members stated “It was better than I expected.”

Our September 19 meeting is going to be something a little different. I call it “Community Networking.” The following individuals from writer organizations will be present to inform us what their groups provide writers.
           Paul Homes and Linda Mahshie from Peace River Center for Writers
           Rayne Golay and Patricia Campbell from Southwest Florida Romance Writers
           Sandra Yeyati from the Naples Press Club
           Joe Pacheco and guest from Sanibel Island Writers
           The Southwest Florida Writers has been invited
We will also be taking note of national punctuation day (September 24) with The Grammar Granny giving us a little test. A vision committee has prepared a questionnaire we would like the members to fill out during the meeting to get your feedback on where we need to place our energy and resources in the coming season.

Remember to bring in those books that need a new reader to our monthly meeting raffle.

Sincerely,

Richard Georgian
President

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July 2009

Dear Members:

Anyone interested in earning a little money on the side should contact Scott Guelcher, the education coordinator, at the Alliance for the Arts. He is putting together the fall lecture series, and wants to add literary art education to this year’s program. Contact Scott at (239) 939-2787 ext. 27, or email: education@artinlee.org. The deadline is July 24. The lecturer receives 70 percent of the course fee.

Susan Brown arranged a fantastic free mini-seminar at Barnes & Noble, Thursday, June 25 titled Opening Doors the “Write” Way. The speakers were: Carol DeFrank, Artis Henderson, and Dayna Harpster, and they gave inspiring lectures. There were 63 in attendance. When you see Susan, Carol, Artis, and Dayna give them a pat-on-the-back. Let’s do it again, and Barnes & Noble wants us to return. By-the-way, I had a discussion with Niska Gazlay, the Barnes & Noble
community relations manager, and she is going to help us as a sponsor of our writing contest and provide gift baskets to the winners.

James Abraham our June speaker gave a historical perspective of publishing from the Elizabethan era to present. He urged potential self-publishers to carefully determine the unit cost of their books and to pay attention to the editing quality. The question and answer period following the session provided some of the more useful tid-bits of information. Everyone seemed to agree it was a great presentation.

Calling all published authors, we are going to be represented at the Alliance of the Arts Walk through the Arts, on November 21. We will have tables inside the art gallery and our programs will be presented on the inside stage. Ruben Colon is working on the details, so please see him if you are interested in having a table or reading from your work as part of our program. The Executive Board has voted to move the November general meeting to Saturday November 14 to accommodate the Walk through the Arts event, mark your calendar.

Our July speaker is Bob Massey. He is an award-winning journalist and copywriter, who has also been an editor and writing coach. He is the editor of Southwest Florida Business Today. He said: “Writing is not just my occupation, it is my preoccupation, my mission and my passion.” Bob has a power point presentation and he has titled his program, The Single Most Important, Absolutely Essential, Irrefutably Indispensable Trait of a Good Writer.  With a title like that I wouldn’t miss it.

Remember to bring in those books that need a new reader to our monthly meeting.

Sincerely,

Richard Georgian
President

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May 2009

Dear Members:

Our scheduled May speaker, Ken Baker, has moved out of the State and will not attend. We are fortunate that Sandy Lender has agreed to speak. In keeping with this year’s business-of-publishing theme, local author Sandy Lender will tell the entertaining story of how she got published, including commentary from her publisher. Sandy is the author of the full length novel Choices Meant for Gods and its supporting chapbook of short stories What Choices We Made. The upcoming novel Choices Meant for Kings is the second fantasy novel in the Choices trilogy with ArcheBooks Publishing out of Cape Coral, Florida. Sandy will also discuss some finer points of the business end of the industry, as well as how simple marketing gets woven in even before Day One. Bring your pen and paper because she provides excellent resources and ideas.

I think we all owe Dayna Harpster a “Thank You” for the cover story article in Sunday’s, May 3rd Tropicalia. It listed many of our members as local authors and a nice box with GCWA information.

Chris Angermann’s presentation of “Red Pencil Tales” was an excellent presentation of editing, rewriting and copy editing. Everyone who was there learned something. He provided a handout describing the essentials of a good story. We have it posted on our web site under lessons learned.

I recommend you keep in touch with our web site for news that might be of interest to members. We have an opportunity for unpublished writers to submit a story to NPR by May 8th. (Note: please go to NEWS – EVENTS for more information, for some reason the (more) link on our home page is not working). Look for a Comedy Script Contest with submission dates June 1 to June 15 that will be posted on our web site under announcements by May 6th.

We are hoping to kick-off our 2009 writing contest by June, but we are still looking for a theme. Please send in your ideas to any board member (email addresses on our web site under members – board members). Susan Brown, special projects, would like to hear from you if you are interested in a special workshop such as: query-letters, platforming and blogging, grammar, or anything else. If there is enough interest we can set up a special workshop in addition to the normal Third Saturday meeting.

Remember to bring in those books that need a new reader.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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April 2009

Dear Members:

We begin our 15th year with three new Executive Board members: Larry Stiles, Treasurer, Alma Bush, Secretary, and Susan Brown, Special Projects. I wish to thank our outgoing Secretary, Jan Nieman, for her superior work, and our Treasure, Steve Cafaro, for keeping excellent financial records.

It was a pleasure to announce the winners of our writing contest at the March meeting.  In poetry the winners were: Larry Stiles, 1st place, Mary Beth Lundgren, 2nd place, and Carol Drummond, 3rd place.  In fiction the winners were: Fay Graetz, 1st place, Artis Henderson, 2nd place, and Lew Knickerbocker & Fanci Shipp, 3rd place. You may read their work on our web site under members prose or poetry. I regret, I had to announce there were no winners in the nonfiction category.

Exciting news! Our GCWA poets in partnership with Sanibel ArtPoems and the Alliance for the Arts is honoring National Poetry month with a program of ArtPoems and Poetry reading. This event is happening Friday, April 3rd at the Alliance for the Arts, Foulds Theater. There is a reception at 6:30 pm with the readings beginning at 7 pm. for a nominal fee of $3 for individual or $5 per couple. This is GCWA’s first partnership with the Alliance and it would be wonderful if our membership showed their support.  See you Friday night?

As the 15th year begins your executive board will be planning events for the session. We would appreciate member suggestions and comments as we develop activities.  At the March meeting, members recommended a new writing contest and a mentor program. What about a round-robin from our poets, fiction writers, and playwrights and screen writers for the September networking meeting? Are there ways to promote our published authors? Let us hear from you during the year.

We kick-off the new educational speaker program this month. Our speaker at the April 18th general meeting is Chris Angermann who will enlighten us with “Red Pencil Tales.” He will explore the three stages of editing – story editing, rewriting, and copyediting.

Remember to bring in those books that need a new reader.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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March 2009

Dear Members:

March is the annual election meeting.  You have the opportunity to elect the Executive Board for the fifteenth year of the Gulf Coast Writers Association. You will also confirm the three Corporate Board members who have volunteered to serve. We will announce the winners of our Writing Contest and hear the winning entries.  Genre networking is an important activity during the annual March meeting. You can discuss issues with those who are working in the same genre that you write in. The outgoing Executive Board will present next years proposed budget for your approval, and our Program Chair will present next years educational program. The social event is our Pot Luck luncheon that is your ticket for entry.  We are asking you to bring a food dish to serve 6 to 10 members or pay $5.00 per person. You are encouraged to invite a family member or guest to enjoy the meeting with us (you bring a dish and your guest enters free, or $5 per person).

Our April 18 speaker is Christopher Angermann whose topic is Red Pencil Tales or the 3 stages of editing: story editing, rewriting, and copy editing. He says all three are critical to the creation of a good book; and while they overlap, they represent different skill sets. He will also address how these aspects of editing process relate to what publishers are looking for in an author’s manuscript.  He should know as he is a publisher and Editor-in-chief of New Chapter in Sarasota. During his 20-year career as a professional theater director, he worked primarily with new American playwrights and learned what it takes to tell a good tale.  He uses that knowledge and experience as an editor, narrative analyst and expert on book publishing to help others realize their stories.

I have conducted several meeting with Lee County’s Alliance for the Arts, and I’m happy to report that the new Executive Director, Lydia Black, is interested in the Literary Arts.  She wants to partner with GCWA.  The Alliance, GCWA, and ArtPoems will present ArtPoems and Poetry Readings at the Alliance from 7 pm to 9 pm on April 3rd.  It should be a great evening for $3 per person or $5 for a couple.  Come out and support our Poets during National Poetry Month.

If you don’t want a call or email from our membership chair, please forward your $30 annual dues before the end of March.

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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February 2009

Dear Members:

Our March election meeting has been rescheduled to the original date, the third Saturday of the month, March 21. This is an important meeting and the Executive Board hopes you can attend. By tradition the entry fee for the March 21st meeting is either a pot luck dish or $5.00. We are inviting your spouse or a guest to attend and participate in the luncheon and events planned for the day.

Our February 21st lecturer is Mr. James Brock who is conducting a three hour workshop, “The Craft of Writing.”  Mr. Brock is an Associate Professor of English at FGCU and is a Poet. To enhance the educational experience he has consented to have members forward either a draft poem or a single paragraph of narrative description to him in advance.  This will provide him an opportunity to provide analysis of the work and use them as points of instruction.  You can forward your piece to: jbrock@fgcu.edu.  After the workshop Mr. Brock will make himself available for a one-hour discussion about the business of poetry with interested participants.

Last month’s meeting was really special.  Sixty-one souls walked though our door and we were only missing one, our speaker. The depth of knowledge that could be called upon from the membership was astounding. The discussion on self publishing pitfalls was universally appreciated and we owe thanks to Donald Vedeler and Maynard Poland.

We have added the Peace River Center for Writers monthly newsletter to our web site under the links navigation bar. The members only page now has an operating services section where you can post notices concerning a service you provide. Please forward your information to me at rgeorgian@embarqmail.com. GCWA reserves the right to limit types of services listed.

I continue to receive requests from various organizations for different types of writers.  To improve my ability to contact specific genre writers I have asked the membership chair to add a column to our membership list. This column is to identify your primary genre. I have made contact with Lee County’s Alliance for the Arts and they are very interested in a partnership with us. We are discussing a Poetry Fest in April as part of National Poetry Month, and are looking to have our playwrights read their plays on Alliance’s stage. I hope to have more information by the February meeting. One last note, our treasurer and membership chairs remind you that your annual dues can be paid January through March.  They would appreciate if you wrote a check or have exact change ($30). Remember our raffle and bring along those books that need a new reader. 

Sincerely,
Richard Georgian
President

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January 2009

Dear Members:

I’m struggling to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, especially since I gained six pounds from Thanksgiving to January.  I hope everyone has survived and is ready to get back to work on those writing projects. Has the winner of the writing contest finished a masterpiece yet?

We have three exciting months ahead of us. Prudence (Prudy) Board is our January 17th speaker. She will discuss the “Final preparations before a writer submits a novel to a publisher or an agent.” Prudy is a native Fort Myers resident who has worked for the News-Press, Lee County Sheriff’s Department, NBC and CBS affiliates, as a freelance journalist, and as managing editor of regional magazines. The February 21st workshop, led by Jim Brock, will close out the educational program of GCWA’s fourteenth year. Phyllis Kaye (Special Projects) has been busy over the holidays and should have some news about a special workshop on “Blogging to market your book” to be led by Sandy Lender.

The March meeting has been pushed back one week to March 28th to allow our authors to attend the Lee County Reading Festival that is held the third Saturday in March.  The Executive Board has decided our annual March election meeting should be a family affair. We are inviting your spouse or guest to attend the March meeting and share the annual luncheon. The annual meeting is also when you elect the new officers and vote on any Constitution or Bylaw changes.  If you have a change you want considered you must submit it to the members in writing 30 days before the March 28th meeting.

Jim Brock will lead the February workshop on the revision process, focusing on elements to sharpen the craft, to provide both heft and light to your writing. He asks that you bring a workable work-in-progress, either a draft of a poem or a single paragraph of narrative description. Mr. Brock is an Associate Professor of English at FGCU and is an American Poet.

The fifteenth GCWA season begins in April and we are programming another year of interesting speakers. One last note, our treasurer and membership chairs remind you that your annual dues can be paid January through March.  They would appreciate if you wrote a check or have exact change ($30). 

Remember our raffle and bring along those books that need a new reader. 

Sincerely,

Richard Georgian
President

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