Write by the Rails – 6.20.13 Meeting Notes (and updates)

OFFICERS: Cindy Brookshire – President/Treasurer; Linda Johnston – Projects Manager/Liaison to Virginia Writers Club; Katherine Gotthardt – Liaison to the PWC Arts Council; Carol Keily – Membership Coordinator

WRITERS PRESENT: Richard Barr, Helen Ellis, John Ellis, June Forte, Katherine Gotthardt, June Kilpatrick, Peggy Kimmey, Nancy Kyme, Tom Ligon, Jan Rayl, Dan Verner, Val Wallace, Liz Witt-Lee.

SPEAKER: Our speaker was Peggy Kimmey of Kimmey Training and Consulting, LLC, who spoke on “Do’s and Don’ts for Book Signing, Sales and Readings.” Her main points:

· It’s not about you—it’s about your audience

· Hook prospective readers into your display. Have props, make it inviting but not too bust. Stand up to pbring people in. Assess readers’ interests.

· Develop and use an “elevator speech” about your book. Make it interesting and to the point.

· Staying connected to your audience

o Use social media

o Build e-mail and mailing lists

o Use both “push” and “pull” methods to connect

o Be a “real person” to your readers

o Honor commitments

o Use the community of writers for support


CONTINUING BUSINESS:

Several writers had displays at the Rail Fest on June 1 and managed not to melt in the heat.

Elections end July 1. Nominees for offices are: President, Cindy Brookshire; Vice President, Ressurrection Graves and Dan Verner; and Treasurer, Carole Keily. No nominees have been made for Secretary.

We received the FY14 New Emerging Arts Grant in the amount of $850. The funds will be distributed after July 1 as soon as possible after the new fiscal year begins. Among the programming we proposed is a full-day writers conference for 60 writers in the July 2013-June 2014 time frame

June Forte has secured judges for the first tier of the Golden Nib Writing Contest, including educator Lillian Orlich, who has served the PWC Public Schools for 60 years, and Poet Laureate of Virginia Sofia Starnes. Deadline for entries is July 15. Contest rules have been posted on the chapter website and the Virginia Writers Club website.

The first author announced to participate in GMU’s Fall for Book Festival event at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Sept 26 is Write by the Railer Claudia LaFeve, along with her chef husband who works at Market Salamander in Middleburg. Other authors and foodies to be announced.

Dues: Do we want to have them? If so, how much? (Survey to follow.)

WHAT’S GOING ON: Members shared progress with their writing.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

July 2 – 6 to 8 pm – WbtR reads at Tuesday Takeout at the Harris Pavilion. June Kilpatrick coordinates.

Aug 3 – VWC “Navigating Your Writing Life” Symposium at Piedmont Virginia Community College in the Dickinson Fine & Performing Arts Center, Charlottesville.

Aug 24 & 25 – Authors at Civil War at the Junction. Contact Doug Horhota, Manassas Museum, 703-257-8265.