President’s Page

OUR PREVIOUS/MOST RECENT MEETING

Information about our most recent meetings is available via a link on the “Welcome” page. (To the left)

Visit the “Programs” page (to the left) to learn about our next meeting and other writer related events.

FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Spring has sprung. I can tell by how big the garlic and crocus' are and the fact that all the snow is gone. Spring is when the earth renews itself with bright colors, fresh air and promise.

I hope it also brings new life and fresh ideas to the vibrant minds of our SASP members. Speaking of which...we have stories to tell this Friday the 12^th and Saturday the 20^th. I am so looking forward to hearing all of them.

I have heard that a few writers have heard only crickets when sitting down to write their stories. So Jimminy Crickets, write about crickets! Also, at this meeting we will be voting on where we want to move to for our Friday meetings. Currently we have two options, and I may have a third by the time we meet. Let's face it, we have outgrown the room we're in. Yaaaaaaaaay! We're growing! See you all on Friday.

Carl/Nathaniel

The Prez.

Author of The Ant Doctor

and three other books that will be out soon.

FROM OUR VICE-PRESIDENT

I have been thinking about the Events Calendar for this Summer and Fall. I know there are many events around the Spokane and North Idaho area that provide opportunities for us to show our writing talents and sell our products, books. If we don’t take advantage of these opportunities, then I would assume we don’t care. I don’t believe that. As I look around the room at our meetings on Friday and our extra meeting at St. Francis on Saturdays. I see writers that are interested in getting their books out and into the readers hands. I suggest each of us who knows about an event opportunity for book selling, take a few minutes and write them down or send the information to Dave for inclusion in the Newsletter via an attachment. I know this puts more ‘to do’ on Dave to keep the event calendar updated. But it is up to each of us to provide the information. The Event Calendar is an invaluable tool for us. Hopefully, it will also bring us closer together in writing, publishing, and selling out products.

As an added proposal, I would like to hear from you. If you have an idea, let Carl or me know. Bring your idea to our meeting and present it. There are very smart members with innovative minds, let’s hear from you. Aunt SASP wants you! So Speak Up!

Bob Manion Vice-President

FROM YOUR EDITOR, WEB-MASTER, TREASURER

No doubt you have noticed a change to the front cover of the newsletter. I figured it was time to incorporate the new logo, and in doing so some changes in arrangement came about. As always, it’s subject to change. And sometimes the overall layout depends on who many books the author who is featured on the cover has.

If you look closely at the roster that should accompany this issue of SPOKANE AUTHORS GAZETTE, you may notice that it is a little shorter. I’ve taken everyone off who last paid dues in 2021. Additionally, any books they had published are no longer listed on our list of books available on Amazon. (They are still listed on the AUTHORS BOOKS page of our web site, which is now for past members’ books. In addition, the MEMBERS page on our website now lists only those paid for this year. Again, it isn’t about the money, but paying dues does indicate an interest in or organization. At the same time, we do have expenses and the dues help pay for them. It isn’t fair to those who pay their dues regularly for those who don’t to have the same benefits. That is why, if a person hasn’t paid for the current year, they are not listed on the MEMBERS page and why there is no link to their MEMBER WEB Page.

As we move forward, I hope to provide a more comprehensive “Upcoming Events” section in the newsletter. Ideally it will be parallel to the PROGRAMS page on the website, although it won’t extend out as far. Ideally it should list or show events for the next two months. Of course, that means I need to know about the events, and I need to know in time to get them listed and published, both in the newsletter and on the website. I would also like to include writer-related events from the local writing community, even if they do not directly involve our members. So, if you know of a writer somewhere having a signing or a book release, let me know and I’ll try to get it listed.

You may also notice that the write-up for last month’s meetings is somewhat longer than usual. I don’t know if that is a sign of our changing approach to how we operate or if I just took a more detailed set of notes. Assuming it is because of our new practices, I expect that portion of the newsletter will me longer. If the “Coming Events” section grows, we will have less space for reviews. While we only send out a handful of hard copies or printed editions of the newsletter, I limit the length to what can go for a single postage stamp. Typically, that is five sheets of paper, or a cover and eight pages. Just remember, you can find the reviews published here on the REVIEWS page on the website.

FROM OUR PRESIDENT (Previous)

Greetings to All,

As we March into spring. I have some good news, maybe, sorta. I have some new leads on other possible places we can meet. I will be checking out some of them just before our meeting and hope to have a report for you then, and maybe a selection to talk about.

I am looking forward to hearing about any new projects or ones that are nearing completion. I am also excited for our guest this month. He tells me he has some fun stuff to share. Sorry no spoilers!

Not much to add other than looking forward to seeing a full house of smiling faces this Friday. Shout outs to our newer members and missing some we haven't seen for a while.

All for now. unless I think of something else.

Carl Northrup/Nathaniel Bennett President

Author of:

The Ant Doctor and A Penny for Your Thoughts

FROM OUR VICE-PRESIDENT (Previous)

COMMUNICATONS:

On many occasions we assume we and the other guy are on the same page in understanding, and we aren’t. Have you ever experienced that? You both say you understand, but in actuality you are on different pages.

It just happened to me in my attempt to set up a book signing and adding two more writers to the event. After meeting with the store manager responsible for book signings, we still hadn’t had a meeting of our minds. I didn’t realize an email was required. I had already set up a signing of my own and had verbal permission to add writers to the signing. I was wrong. Notification not just verbal, but in writing, via email. I have since worked through that particular event and hope there isn’t anything hiding in the shadows.

Communication: having been in the communication end of events both as a manager within a Fortune 100 company, and in the military, I should have made a TO DO LIST. I didn’t even think about the SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) of the store. I relied on the store manager helping me to do what she expected of me. I could have avoided a mix-up simply by using my head and asked if there was anything I needed to do to add the writers for an event. Therefore, the big thing was to use my head. A couple of questions would have eliminated the problem.

Verbal communications can easily lead to confusion. Listen to that little voice that has a question. Remember the KISS formula, “Keep It Simple Stupid!!” Got a question and don’t understand, ask. I use, “So What?” and “What If?” a lot. I should have done that here. Think of communications and what it means to you and to the person you are communicating with.

It can also apply to your writing: the “So Whats” and the “What Ifs.” They will make your writing stronger! Listen more, talk less! Think and ask if you don’t fully understand, have a doubt, or have a question or a point of confusion. I learned something, so my day wasn’t wasted.

Bob Manion Vice-President

FROM YOUR EDITOR, WEB-MASTER, TREASURER (Previous)

Every now and then I get word from someone who wants to send in their dues and needs the organization’s mailing address. I am always glad to provide it to them, but it also surprises me they would ask, because the address is available in several places. First of all, it is on the front page of each and every copy of the newsletter, whether mailed, e-mailed or posted to the website. There is also a chance it may be included elsewhere in the newsletter as well. Additionally, it can be found near the bottom of the website’s Welcome Page and on the Membership Forms Page. Finally, it’s now included on the bottom of the roster which is also sent out monthly. And just so you know, that is the only address we have. We don’t have different mailing addresses for different functions like many big corporations do. So, if you need the address, I hope the preceding will help you find it. As always, if you do need it and can’t find it, ask and I’ll send it to you.

I’ve contacted our officers and advisory board to find out if we want to change over to the new, proposed logo. Depending on what they decide, we may put it up for a membership vote. Or we might just go ahead and make the change if we don’t have a lot of objection. You are certainly welcome to let me or any board member know your opinion on the matter.

I’ve been referring to this newsletter as SASP NEWS for some time now, but perhaps if the logo changes and we deemphasize the “self-publishers” part, a new name would be applicable. I’m thinking of something like SPOKANE AUTHORS GAZETTE. I’d welcome any suggestions.

Dave McChesney

FROM OUR MEMBERS (Previous)

A bit of a revelation from me:

I employ Beta Readers, a cabal of about 45 individuals of widely varying back- ground, experience, and education.  These kind people are my revered Betas that read ALL my work well before I consider publication.  They catch plot missteps, grammer, punctuation, and a lot more.  A lot more.

I rely on the Betas to comment freely, and at length if needed, to set the course of the paragraph, chapter, and entire book on the right path.

Betas, don't write without them.

Russ Ford

(Editor’s note: Other than changing font and font size, I tried to leave this just as received. You may notice an error or two, and to me they serve as a good example of why we should aways have someone, Betas, perhaps, go over our work.)

A Recent Note from Cindy Silliman

I was just talking to a neighbor lady today and she said that she's writing a play. She says she's kind of to the point where she needs some advice and some help etc. and I was telling her about our group, and I told her that I would ask you if please or something that she could come and get some pointers on or whatever. So let me know if that's something that would work. Or if there's a specific group of people for something like that.

Thank you,

Cindy

My (Our) Reply

I don't know of anyone in the group that's into writing plays, etc., but there might be someone who knows someone, or knows of a group that focuses more on that than we do.  I'll keep a lookout for such, and certainly your neighbor is always welcome to come and check us out...

Dave

If anyone knows of anyone or any group that focuses on writing plays or screenwriting, let Cindy know.

Spokane Authors

Page revised 04/06/2024 DAM

©2005 www.spokaneauthors.org