Welcoming A New Year

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

We enter the new year looking for a fresh start, moving on from what has been a historically horrible year in so many ways. I hope 2021 allows you the opportunity to write many chapters in your book. And I will continue to bring you meaningful workshops to assist you in becoming a better writer. Here's what's in store for this month:

• Have you ever thought about the sound and shape of the words you're writing and the impact they make on the reader? You'll gain a whole new appreciation for language when you attend Shutta Crum's Zoom presentation on Saturday, January 23 at 10:30 a.m. In "Sound, Shape & Sense: The Work of Our Words," Shutta will lead us in the study of creating soundscapes (music) with our words by taking a deep look at literary techniques and mentor texts. Sound will be explored in terms of how
  
  it intensifies voice, enhances characterization, and expands setting. Shape will be looked at in terms of how words and white space grace the page to further understanding. And sense will be studied in the way word choice amplifies the historical and cultural aspects of our work. Shutta Crum is the author of three novels, thirteen picture books, one volume of poetry, numerous individually published poems, and many magazine articles. And, currently, she is a regular blogger for the Florida Writers Association website. Here's the link to join the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86784512085
• Rik Feeney offers another fascinating workshop on Wednesday, January 13 at 7:00 p.m. "!0 Ways to Know You're About to Be Hacked" is the topic of computer expert S. Lamar Barnett. He says the three things to be learned by his presentation are 1) How can I prevent system breaches? 2) Can I rely on my antivirus software to prevent malware infection? And 3) How can I tell if my system has been breached? Join Rik and Lamar with this link:
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87066056351?pwd=WHg2ejNkQlU3bjhaV3h4Tms3UGx5Zz09 Meeting ID: 870 6605 6351 Passcode: 610223
• Next month, on Saturday, February 27, we'll share virtual space with RPLA Book of the Year winner E. J. Wenstrom who will present "Newsletters for Writers." More on that next month.

And in other news ...

• The Amelia Island Writers group has announced it will hold quarterly meetings this year instead of its usual monthly meetings. They will still be held at the Story and Song Bookstore and begin at 3:00 p.m. The first meeting will be on Tuesday, March 30, and discuss choosing a title. Visit the group's website for more information.
• Tonight at 6:30 p.m. the Tampa Writers Alliance presents bestselling author Steven James discussing "Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules." You may join his workshop by following the link on this page.
• On Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m. the Jacksonville Public Library presents an online chat with historian and New York Times bestselling author Taylor Anderson. Anderson is the author of the Destroyerman series, a series of alternate history novels. You must register in advance to participate in this Lit Chat by clicking here.
• And finally, Margaret Nicholson is seeking another writer to join the online critique group she facilitates. The group is open to all genres and had been meeting in person until Covid-19 reared its ugly head. For more information contact Margaret at mysurprisefamily@gmail.com.

Here's to next chapters. Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti, FWA Regional Director