My Journal #2

The end of June

Here it is the end of June and I've fallen behind on posting. Truth be told, I relied on the prompts to inspire me and lately nothing tripped my trigger.  I've attended a couple of critique groups listed on MEETUP. If you want a good format, look up Coffee House Writing Groups. There are a number here in Portland and I've seen them listed in other states as well. The two I attended had good writers, great stories and very competent reviewers. They do limit the readings to 3 pages double spaced. If there are fewer readers they might go to 5. Still it gives a flavor and if you only write that much in a week you're good. If you have a novel already written, this kind of critique will take you for ever to get through 100K. I found both groups to be very good. Neither are real close to my area, but I liked the Saturday group the best.

I just received my author/publisher contract. I'm staring at it and have no idea what to do. I can read it, but understand it all, I'm not sure.  Now, I wish I had that cheap legal aid service. Who wants to pay $15.00 a month and use it once? Kind of over kill. It isn't a hard contract. I just don't know enough to plan for unforeseeable situations.  Maybe I'm over thinking. This probably isn't going to be a BEST SELLER, but then I can hope.

I'm looking forward to the next two weeks. Our Campmeeting starts this Sunday and the big Midsummer Concert is on Monday. We are singing, Witness, Down by the River (Oh Brother Where Art thou) What Wondrous Love, and one other, I can't remember. The Brass are playing my FAVORITE  FANFARE TO THE COMMON MAN! I love this piece.
The strings are playing a type of medley of songs and will accompany a couple of soloist. One singer one violinist from Africa. Their poor arms by the time they finish practicing two full nights this week and on Sat. Then play on Sunday for the opening of Camp.

Our director is more of an orchestra/band person. He's had to learn about directing a Choir. I think that's why he's premiering the instrumentals over the singing. We have four songs and that's it.  I wish we could do Somebody's Praying again. I love that song.  I have it posted on youtube, but its a pretty poor video. My Brother-in-law did it and he isn't much of a video person. Its hard to do it when your eyes aren't in the camera, seeing what the viewer will see.

Its like writing. When you have the whole story in your head, you have to get out of it and write like a reader. What does the reader need to know at this point? What will enhance their experience and keep them turning pages? You can't put the whole setting on on page and expect the reader to see the details that lead them to the next page. They might not turn the page.