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!