N Austin Weekly Writers' Tea (Memoir, Creative Non-Fiction, Personal Essay...)

SECOND MEETING
MINUTES from 9/15 Meetup:

1. We explored style & plot with French Author Raymond Quineau's "Exercises in Style" (a.k.a. 99 short versions of the same story) translation available free online https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mw-mediadesign/images/a/a2/Raymond_Queneau_Exercises_in_Style.pdf
2. Guidelines for critiquing within our group were reviewed together. Please see "A Workshop Checklist" in "Tell It Slant" by Miller & Paola (p.210 & 211 in the 3rd Edition)

UPCOMING SEPTEMBER 22 MEETUP
THEME Plot
BRING Something with which to write (laptop, paper & pen, napkin & lipstick...)

AGENDA
10:00 Self Introductions & Elevator Pitch Presentations of Current Work

10:10 Warm Up Plot Focused Writing Prompt inspired by the Six-Word Memoir commonly attributed to Hemingway & Discussion what are the bare essential elements of a plot?

"FOR SALE: BABY SHOES, NEVER WORN."

10:25(ish) Volunteers Read Warm Up Piece (and/or several published examples are read from Smith Magazine) & Group Discussion: what elements make a plot compelling?

10:45(ish) Writer's Critique.
*Volunteers have submitted 1-3 pages of a work in progress which the group leader will distribute to the other RSVPed members 48 hours before the meeting. *
Please READ SUBMISSIONS BEFORE ARRIVING and be prepared to:

1. Give a short summary of the work
2. Read back two or three of scenes/lines/ descriptions/images that stuck with you.
3. Talk about the emotions evoked by the piece
4. Identify anything you were curious about --places the writer might chose to expand on in future drafts
5. Any of the content, form or diction related suggestions elaborated in "A WORKSHOP CHECKLIST" in Miller & Paola's "Tell It Slant"

11:30 CLOSING Opportunity to Volunteer to share work for next week's group critique. Affirmations

(Writers are encouraged to hang out and chat informally afterwards).