Five Scribes: No Limit For Better

Five Scribes: No Limit For Better

Musings on writing

Ten rules for writing fiction

Get an accountant, abstain from sex and similes, cut, rewrite, then cut and rewrite again – if all else fails, pray. Inspired by Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing, we asked authors for their personal dos and don'ts 

"Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand."  Anne Enright 

"It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style."  PD James

From the Guardian Newspaper 

! ! ! Inkster Calgary Launch ! ! !

Amazing Flights & Flyers

by Shirlee Smith Matheson

Sunday, February 28
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
at the Aero Space Museum
4629 McCall Way NE, Calgary


Bring your invite to the launch and you will receive free admission to the Aero Space Museum Razzzama Jazz will perform big band and swing
music to make it a “really big shew.” Light refreshments will be provided.

Come and meet some of the people whose stories are
featured in the book:

• The “Rev” Hal Tetz, helicopter pilot and engineer who has clocked over 11,000 hours in the air – “9,500 of those hours on rotary, involving lots of sweat time.”

• Jeff and Brenda Collins whose family founded and operated Air Transit Ltd. in Newfoundland, where the weather can differ completely and drastically on three sides of the island at the same time.

• Kenn Borek Air personnel, whose motto “Anytime – Anywhere” sent an intrepid crew on two incredible journeys in mid-winter to the ends of the earth -  the dark Antarctic - on life-or-death missions.

• Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) people who volunteer their time,
talents and machinery to search for the lost, “so others may live.”

For further information, contact the Aero Space Museum at 403-250-3752
or see their website at Aerospace Museum

Bloody Words 2010

Bloody Words 2010 - Toronto

Canada's Crime and Mystery Conference May 28-30, 2010

Not only are there will be great author guests and social/networking opportunities, but there's also the Boney Pete Short Story Contest, open only to conference attendees. The deadline for Boney Pete is  April 15, 2010

Mystery Writers' Retreat

One week. Salt Spring Island. Mysteries. Start writing.

Imagine spending a week with some of Canada’s top mystery writing minds: picking their brains, learning their techniques, and getting the how to’s of writing a successful mystery novel.
In this inaugural residential workshop, some of Canada’s best mystery experts will guide you through the crafting of writing crime fiction. You will work on your own manuscript in progress in one-on-one sessions with faculty advisers and attend group presentations by faculty and guest speakers.

You will be paired with a faculty adviser, who will have seen a sample chapter and outline of your manuscript. The adviser will act as your editor and guide, providing you with daily feedback and work assignments.  


Faculty will include authors Gail Bowen & Linda L. Richards, columnist and lecturer Margaret Cannon, and Dinah Forbes, head of McClelland & Stewart's crime fiction program, as well as guest speakers.

 More information here

[Rumour has it that not only is Gail headlining the faculty at the Salt Spring Island Mystery Retreat, but she will be writer-in-residence for Calgary Public Libraries next fall. If you can't get to the retreat, you may still submit work and get feedback from Gail then.]]

DEADLINE EXTENDED!!!! Postcard Perps

POSTCARD PERPS deadline has been extended

to 10 p.m. on March 11th (regular meeting night).

For complete contest rules, see our previous post

Postcard Perps 2010: Fatal Family Reunion

Mystery Writers Ink Meeting on Thursday, February 11

Mystery Writers Ink Meeting on Thursday, February 11, 

7:00 pm. Owl's Nest Bookstore, 815A 49 Ave. SW

Write on the Wing, Feedback on the Fly

Bring your notebook, sharpen your pen, and let your creative spirit soar with a short writing exercise led by Garry Ryan, followed by group feedback session on the in-flight results of anyone who wants to share.

The focus of this sweatshop will be on the integration of character development and dialogue.

Garry will be leading our workshop series on mystery writing his spring. He is the author of three Detective Lane mystery novels, which are set in Calgary. He has taught creative writing for many years at the Calgary Board of Education.

See You Thursday!

Calgary Mystery Writer Launch

 

Linda Kupecek, author of Deadly Dues (TouchWood Editions), will be reading

from and signing her book at the launch party on  

Thursday, February 18, 7:30 p.m. 

Pages Books on Kensington, 1135 Kensington Road N.W., Calgary. 

No admission charge. Open to the public. 

Wine, cheese, garlic stuffed olives, shoes and more!

Writing- and/or Mystery-related Classes

MYSTERY WRITERS INK PRESENTS: 

4 Sweatshop Sessions with Garry Ryan

The workshop series will be open to all members of Ink, without additional charge. You must submit some writing for critique and put your best effort into critique of other participants' writing (minimum and maximum page limits will apply).

Time: Saturday afternoons, April 17, 24, May 1, 8. Venue: Lousie Riley Library.  More details at the meeting!

University of Calgary Extension Winter Session Classes:

WRI 203 Intensive Grammar and Style Clinic 
Sat 9:00AM - 12:00PM     6 Feb 2010 to 13 Mar 2010

WRI 210 Travel Writing 
Wed 7:00PM - 9:30PM    17 Feb 2010 to 24 Mar 2010

WRI 106 Novel Idea: From Idea To Novel
Sat 9:00AM - 4:00PM       20 Feb 2010 (1 day only)

WRI 211 - 002 Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel 
Sat 9:00AM - 4:00PM      20 Feb 2010 (1 day only)
http://conted.ucalgary.ca/

ONLINE CLASS: Web Design on the Skinny

Do you need a website, but have no clue, and little or no budget? In this four week class Wilburta Arrowood will guide you to free online tools and teach you how to use them so you will have a basic website up in no time.
Story Stew University

ALBERTA PLAYWRIGHTS NETWORK: 

Calgary Playwriting Circle with Gordon Pengelly

Are you struggling to complete that next play (or even that first play)? Are you seeking constructive feedback and criticism? Would you benefit from the support and encouragement of your peers? Perhaps a Playwriting Circle, run by APN, is what you're looking for. 
 
Each Playwriting Circle runs one night a week for 8 weeks. You bring the piece you're currently working on, or would like to start working on. You set your own goals for the process. 

For more information or to register in an upcoming playwriting circle, contact Johanne Deleeuwor call (403) 269-8564 or toll-free 1-800-268-8564

Looming deadlines: contests and a grant

THE 2010 DAPHNE DU MAURIER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN
MYSTERY/SUSPENSE is closer than you think: The Contest begins January 15,
2010 with an eye-blinking deadline of March 15, 2010.  Published and unpublished categories.
Further Details Here
Questions to Coordinator Donnell Bell

LESS THAN 30 DAYS LEFT TO SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT TO THE

ALBERTA PLAYWRITING COMPETITION 2010!!!

Deadline for submission March 1st 2010

Grand Prize $3500

Discover Prize $1500

Full Details Here 

BRENDA STRATHERN "LATE BLOOMERS" WRITING PRIZE
Brenda was a native Calgarian who began writing after turning forty. She was a mother of two, and a loving wife. She died prior to publishing any of her work, in her late forties. She would be delighted to know, that with the support of this $ 5000.00 financial award, she would be helping writers accomplish their writing goals.

  Brenda Strathern "Late Bloomers" Writing Prize" in pdf