August 2010 Meeting

Monday, August 2, 2010

7:00 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
Lone Tree
Speaker: Jan Parrish

Social Media Marketing for Writers
How to Expertly Manage Your Social Media in Twenty Minutes a Day!

Jan is a social media expert who runs her own consulting business. She will walk you through the basics of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and teach you how to make them work for you. Bring your laptop! There will be time for questions after the presentation.

Visitors welcome!

June 2010 Meeting

Monday, June 7, 2010

7:00 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
Park Meadows
Speaker: Jeff Gerke
Topic: "The Last Show vs. Tell Class You'll Ever Need"

You've heard "Show, don't tell" so many times...but what does it mean? How can you know if you're doing it? How can you stop? What's so bad about it? Is it possible to convert telling to showing? Is telling ever okay? Jeff's clear and memorable teaching on this topic will finally give you the handle you've needed on this fundamental fiction skill.

Jeff has been called the de facto gatekeeper of Christian science fiction and fantasy. From his own published fiction to his days at three major Christian publishing companies to his current endeavor as publisher of Marcher Lord Press, Jeff has been an unfailing champion of Christian speculative fiction. The weird stuff. Jeff's The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction has become a conference favorite across the country. His new fiction craft book from Writer's Digest Books, Plot vs. Character, releases in October of this year. He and his wife of 20 years live in Colorado Springs with their daughter and son and a special needs baby girl from China who they adopted.

One Sheet Contest Update

Thank you to all who entered the Mile High Scribes’ one sheet contest! We were very impressed with the quality of the entries we received.

After careful deliberation, Anne Lang Bundy was selected as our winner. Her one sheet for Beside the Throne stood out in each of our three categories: creativity, visual impact, and ability to communicate a message.

Anne Lang Bundy’s debut fiction work caps 25 years of Bible education and 30 years of professional writing. She's received recognition for astute biblical insights (published on two blogs), for drama ministry, and as speaker and teacher to women and children (including preaching as a jail lay minister). Anne and husband John live in Michigan with their five children.

Congratulations, Anne! And thanks to everyone who helped make this contest a success!

May 2010 Meeting

Monday, May 3, 2010

7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
Park Meadows

Speaker: Elaine Clampitt
Topic: A Writer's Vision

Whether in writing or other areas of life, have you ever plunged in feet first without having a clear idea of your vision or mission? Is your vision God-given or about self-fulfillment? Is perfectionism halting your progress? What do you do when obstacles come up that seem to prevent you from fulfilling that vision? Join Elaine on May 3rd as she shares how to “write the vision” (Habakkuk 2:2) and discover how this can impact your writing journey.

Elaine Clampitt has owned her own company, worked for a well-known Christian singer/songwriter and fulfilled her love for numbers as treasurer of a local, private high school and helping with a local hockey organization. Her interests are encouraging others and watching as many Avs games as possible. A recent “empty-nester”, she is now pursuing her passion for writing and ice hockey through her website www.thewomenofhockey.com. She belongs to ACFW and is Mile High Scribes Secretary/Treasurer.

April 2010 Meeting

Monday, April 5, 2010

7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
Park Meadows
Speaker: Denise Holmes
Topic: The Moral Premise

If you've been writing fiction for long, you've run into the words "theme" or "premise." What is a theme or premise of a story? How does a writer weave this premise into fiction? Should it be subtle or obvious? The fact is, all good stories have a premise, and the book, The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue and Vice for Box Office Success by Stanley D. Williams teaches a unique method for creating premise for your stories. Don't let the word "box office" fool you. This book applies to all stories, and on April 5, Denise will lead us in exploring building the correct premise for your fiction--a premise that will bring fire to your story and relevance to your audience. Premise is the foundation of all storytelling!

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Denise Miller Holmes enjoys researching and communicating writing techniques, and teaching biblical topics--especially what Christians believe about the world around them. She sometimes turns established viewpoints on end. A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Journalism, Denise also has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology. A Christian for over 35 years, she writes for Examiner.com as the Denver Christian Perspectives Examiner, and for her own website www.RedHotRead.com. She belongs to the writers’ groups Words for the Journey and American Christian Fiction Writers, and speaking guild Toastmasters.

One Sheet Contest

Mile High Scribes’ One Sheet Contest
Guidelines and Rules

This is your opportunity to prepare for conference season! Mile High Scribes, the South Denver Chapter of ACFW, is hosting a one-sheet contest. Use your creativity to develop a one-sheet that communicates the heart of your story, and you will be eligible to win a full manuscript edit!

PRIZE
One winner will be selected from the pool of entrants to receive a substantive edit of their full manuscript by Kristine Pratt of Written World Communications.

SELECTION PROCESS
All entries will be evaluated by the Mile High Scribes board members based on the following criteria:
- Creativity
- Visual impact
- Ability to communicate a message

Five finalist entries will be chosen. One winner will then be selected by Agent Andrea Heinecke of Alive Communications. (Please note that Andrea will not be considering any of the submissions for representation.)

RULES/ELIGIBILITY
- The contest is open to both published and unpublished authors.
- This contest is open to fiction manuscripts only.
- Each entry must be accompanied by a $15 entry fee.
- Entrants will not receive any feedback or advice on their entry.
- All proceeds from the contest go to Mile High Scribes.
- Your novel does not need to be complete in order for you to be eligible.
- Each entry will receive a confirmation e-mail shortly after their one sheet is received. If you do not receive an email, please contact us at contest@elaineclampitt.com to see if your entry was received.
- Multiple entries are permitted. Each entry must be accompanied by the $15 fee.

TO ENTER:
- Create a one sheet for your fiction manuscript that communicates the uniqueness of you and your story.
- To email your submission: Send the one sheet as an attachment to contest@elaineclampitt.com. In the e-mail, please include your name, e-mail address and phone number. To complete your entry, you must go to www.milehighscribes.blogspot.com and submit your $15 entry fee through the PayPal "Buy Now" button in the upper right column.
- To mail your submission: Print your one sheet and a coversheet with your name, e-mail address and phone number, and mail it along with your entry fee to Mile High Scribes, P. O. Box 271125, Littleton, CO 80127.
- All entries must be received (not postmarked) by April 9, 2010.
- Finalists will be notified by May 1, 2010 and the winner will be notified by May 5, 2010.

For questions please email contest@elaineclampitt.com

March 2010 Meeting

March 1, 2010

7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble
Park Meadows

Speaker: Sara Richardson
One-Sheet Workshop

Drawing upon her professional experience in public relations and marketing, Sara will teach writers how to create a one sheet that sells an author and their story. The first half of our evening will be devoted to learning about the critical elements of a one sheet. We’ll also discuss options for layout and design that communicate both professionalism and a unique sense of style. The second half of the evening will be spent working on our one sheets together as a group. Feel free to bring your laptops and/or printouts of your one sheets.

During this workshop, the Mile High Scribes board will also announce the details of a one sheet contest that will run through March.

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A lifelong storyteller, Sara Richardson is passionate about communicating reasons for hope. Previously she has been an advertising copywriter, an Internet communications manager, and a whitewater rafting guide. In addition to writing fiction, Sara has published nonfiction articles in parenting and family magazines. As a member of MOPS International, Sara enjoys speaking to moms’ groups. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from Regent University and a bachelor’s degree in writing from Bethel University.