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Writer's Circle Newsletter 141, 08/23/2004
To honor writers and a contest. |
** Image ID #951585 Unavailable ** Weekly Editor's Letter: Writers: Historians & Prophets The Short Version Writers are the scribes of a civilization. -- Vivian   The Long Version All Hail, The Writer Some writers play with words like a child plays with their favored toys: some entertain; some inform and educate; some trip all over themselves to blurt out a stream of consciousness; and some writers agonize over every word as if it's a choice between which body part that they are going to have to sacrifice. Still some wield words like the words are a surgeon’s scalpel, fluid because of training and experience; their words are sharply focused on a topic meant to be targeted. A writer’s words deliberately cut just so far and no more, to accomplish a greater goal. What, then, is a writer's responsibility in such a huge time of upheaval as we have now? Simply, to write. A writer with a large enough audience can stir up passion and fury enough causing people to take special notice, be alarmed, or rally their readers to take a stand or take action for or against a cause. A responsible writer will not embellish truth to make it titillating. There are writers willing to debate every little issue and bit of lint. Good for them. The free flow of every writer’s ink creates a well-documented biography of the world. Writers have, since the beginning of time, been the instruments by which future generations learn, measure, and determine the influences were brought to bear on our predecessors. Writing about the events, attitudes, beliefs, and values, which were prevalent and influenced developing and evolving societies then and now, makes writers historians. A writer’s sphere of influence has never been greater than it is now due to technology. Literally, today, all the world is a writer’s stage. Writers document the attitudes, beliefs, values, and laws of their respective times. Writers are the historians and also the prophets of the world. Their genre is simply a delivery system. Writer’s Words Who else but writers, with their arsenal of words and sphere of influence, can alert and warn a society of an impending danger? The following link is to a parable like short story that demonstrates how every one can be affected by a thing that was never considered a threat. http://ruthes-secretroses.com/Library/A/Gems/RatTrap.shtml The whole world changed on September 11th, 2001. One absolute truth emerges – it is a writer’s responsibility to tell the story. The following link is to the Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech that William Faulkner gave on December 10th, 1950. Surely his words are more eloquent and worth reading when addressing the subject of a writers responsibilities. http://www.literature-awards.com/nobelprize_winners/william_faulkner_nobel_speec... ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable **  QuoteI feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work - a life's work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. --William Faulkner (1897-1962) Sincerely, The Critic  ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable ** Featured Works From Our Members:
And I thought I was being original... what a freaky coincidence  Featured Works From Non-Members:
IN MEMORY OF AKO: The following is a link to some of the works of a "scribe of our time". It is reported that this scribe crossed over very recently. I only knew her from works and her user name, Ako, on another site. http://www.gate39.com/akoblues/ Ako's author's bio as posted on gate39.com: Chikako "Ako" Atsuta's pieces talk about her life as a first generation Japanese woman living and working in Massachusetts. Discussing a number of topics ranging from her relationship with her family to her life in American culture, Ako-san's vivid writing reflects a true-ness that allow you to share a range of emotions. Chikako Atsuta is a freelance writer and regular contributor to gate39.com, and has also written for The Gloucester Daily Times. More of her works are posted on: http://www.redpaper.com ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable **        Writing Prompt & ContestWrite an essay, poem, editorial, or short story that reflects your personal views and beliefs about writers as historians and prophets.  No more than 1200 words or 40 lines of poetry. One entry only per newsletter recipient. Judges: Holly Jahangiri  , Vivian , and The Critic  Everything matters, including but not limited to grammar and punctuation. No fancy forums to post your link in. Just send me the link to your entry. Has to be a new item created after this Newsletter goes out, which is August 23rd, 2004. You need to be a Newsletter recipient to enter and win, so it is too late to tell your friends now.  A Contest for Newsletter Recipients ONLY Send me the link as a reply or comment to this Newsletter. The newsletter will also be in my portfolio access restricted to newsletter recipients only (just in case you lose your copy).  First Prize: 25,000 gift points Second Prize: 15,000 gift points Third Prize: 10,000 gift pointsPrizes will increase accordingly, if gift point contributions received. None expected, but will be gladly accepted.  Deadline: Wednesday, September 5st, 2004 That gives all of you two weeks to get your WRITE on.This Writer’s Circle Newsletter goes out to approximately 125 people. If I have less than 20 entries the contest will be considered officially OFF, and I will keep my gift points for something else.   Winners will be announced in a future Writer’s Circle Newsletter. Hopefully the last week in September, but it totally depends on the number of entries. We reserve the right to add to the rules if necessary. ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable ** Quote: "No one is asking, let alone demanding, that you write. The world is not waiting with bated breath for your article or book. Whether or not you get a single word on paper, the sun will rise, the earth will spin, the universe will expand. Writing is forever and always a choice -- your choice." Beth Mende Conny http://www.topten.org/public/AU/AU37.html "Success comes to a writer, as a rule, so gradually that it is always something of a shock to him to look back and realize the heights to which he has climbed." P.G. Wodehouse (1881-1975) http://www.smart.net/~tak/wodehouse.html "It's an adrenaline surge rushing through your body. You have this spark of an idea that keeps threatening to burst into flames and you have to get the words out on paper to match this emotion or picture in your head. After this comes the work of cleaning up the mess that you made." Janet West Quotes were selected by: The Critic ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable ** Recommended Off Site Reading: Writers Publication Resource: http://www.everyonewhosanyone.com/index.html Y'all can thank me later. You are invited to submit suggestions to the Writers' Circle editors. To submit an item for consideration in the WC newsletter:
All comments about this and any WC newsletter are welcome! Tell your friends about our newsletter! They can sign up through the link above. Feel free to forward this newsletter (in its entirety) to your friends! ** Image ID #645128 Unavailable ** Issue #141 08/23/2004 Edited by: The Critic Rate this newsletter here: "Writers: Historians & Prophets"  Next newsletter will be edited by: My Wee Amanda |
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