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.

February 2010 Meeting

February 1, 2010
7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Park Meadows

Speaker: Kristine Pratt

Topic: “Gap Publishing: Written World Communications & Publishing into the Future”

Kristine Pratt has rattled around the publishing industry for a few years now. She started out as a writer, like most do. But it quickly became evident that helping others to get published was a great deal more fun and rewarding than seeing her name in print. She's apprenticed to Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency, and from there started pestering Jeff Gerke of Marcher Lord Press to teach her everything he knows. Throughout this all, she's worked as freelance editor and writing mentor. In the fall of 2009 with the support of her husband and five children, Kristine banded together a dozen individuals and formed Written World Communications, a traditional publishing house with an emphasis on what she calls gap publishing. In 2010 expect to see several books and magazines going into print, as WWC explodes onto the publishing scene.

Monthly Meeting

January 4, 2010

7 p.m.

Barnes & Noble

Park Meadows

Speaker: Chris Richards

Writing God's Words

God has called all people to join him in creation. Our special part of creation is the world of writing. Some of that writing is fiction or non-fiction to share with others. Some is the writing of words to lift our souls closer to Him. This writing can be strictly for ourselves or it can be to share with others. This program will begin with my journey of writing the things God has shown me in His Word and how that journey has grown. This will be followed by a time to share the words God has given each of you along with discussion of how these words can be used to benefit others. Please bring something you have written to share.

Mile High Scribes Monthly Meeting

November 2, 2009
7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble - Park Meadows

Special Speaker:
Megan DiMaria

A Writer's Journey

Megan DiMaria is an author and speaker who enjoys cheering on other writers in their pursuits and encouraging women to embrace life’s demands and delights. She is an active member of several writers groups and is the author of two women’s fiction novels, Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands.

A New Journey, Writing Included

The sun warms my face as I listen to the soft rustle of autumn leaves and the faraway bark of a dog while I sit on my back porch. I sigh in pleasure at the musty smell of leaves and the brightness of the clear blue sky. This moment of peace and tranquility is something new for me. My world has been the scream of an electric guitar playing the same lick over and over as I stifle the urge to knock on my son’s door one more time and ask him to please find some headphones. Or the mindless entertainment of the latest reality TV show that my daughter has on. But for now, all I hear are the sounds of my Creator’s music. This is a good thing, I tell myself.

I am adjusting to a new season in my life. This isn’t something that I can try on like a new pair of pants at the store and discard if I don’t like them. This season is here to stay. I’ve passed the “raising my children” season and am on to the “empty nest” season of life. No more running after a toddler to wipe his runny nose or waking up in the middle of the night to soothe a crying child. No more cleaning out the Big Wheel that someone decided to use as a toilet since he couldn’t be bothered to stop playing and make it to the bathroom. No more listening to a teen complain about the social injustices of high school or even youth group. This is a good thing, I tell myself.

I know that many women might think that I am crazy to not embrace this new season with abandon. Isn’t it the goal of every parent to have finished this stage of the race? I never thought I would feel like I was 18 again struggling with what to do with the rest of my life. I had already answered that question and now I am faced with it once more. Is this a good thing, I wonder? Now I can act on my interests and desires like writing and speaking. Things that have been carefully stuffed in the back of the closet like clothes that don’t fit anymore but are kept because we just know that someday we’ll be able to pull them out again.

So now it is someday. I will dust off my dreams and sit on the porch to spend time reading the Word and hearing from the One who made me and knows the desires of my heart. I will take joy and pleasure in seeking Him as I start this new season that is the next step on life’s journey. And while I grieve for what once was, I look forward to experiencing all that He is setting before me. Obedience will bring fresh awareness of His long-term plan. This is a good thing, I know.