Calendar

Love it or hate it, creating believable, interesting dialogue is one of the most important skills to learn as a writer —and it can be one of the most challenging. Meredith Carroll and Ted Wenskus will lead a lively presentation focused on helping writers give voice to their characters and hone their dialogue-writing skills whether for fiction, plays, or audio dramas. We’ll share important tips on the uses of dialogue, examine its construction, and touch on some of the unique challenges that face writers of speculative fiction. We’ll also share examples of good and bad dialogue (feel free to bring your own examples, too) and run a brief workshop to see these tips in action.

Moderator: Ted Wenskus + Meredith Carroll
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: October 7, 2014 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

What is flash fiction and microfiction? How do I start? What about character and plot development? What do I leave in? And what must I leave out? This is a fun opportunity to write a really short story from scratch using speculative fiction prompts we will provide. Then, if you desire, you'll read your flash story aloud to receive feedback. Bring your favorite (but quiet) writing system – quill & ink, pen & paper or electronic tablet. (Please, no typewriters.) After describing the exercise process and selecting prompts, the Writing Phase begins.

Moderator: Alan Vincent Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: September 2, 2014 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

In our August 5 meeting, Frank Glover will return to follow up on his earlier talk about the manned space program.  This time, he'll focus on interplanetary exploration. Frank always brings great visuals and a profound interest in this subject matter. 

If there's time after the presentation, we'll go around and share with the group what we're currently reading.

Moderator: Frank Glover
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: August 5, 2014 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

In our July 1 meeting, attendees are invited to read from their current or in-progress works. (Older or sold stories and poems are also welcome, especially if you'd like some kind of feedback on it.) Please try to arrive before 7 to put your name on the list for reading. Bring a short piece or a portion of a longer work -- fewer than 1,000 words if you can, but up to 2,000 words if you can't break the scene -- so everyone has sufficient reading time and attendees have time to provide their feedback. We'll read works in order from shortest to longest, to ensure the greatest number of people get to read.

Moderator: Alan Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: July 1, 2014 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Join us for the official public launch of our second anthology, Rochester Rewritten, on Monday, May 5th, 7:00-9:00 pm @ Fairport Brewing Company Tap Room! Many of the regional authors will be on hand—along with books a-plenty and food for all—so come on out, celebrate with us, and enjoy a pint or two of local beer (non-alcoholic beverages are also available). More…

Don't forget to come and read your own work (or give feedback on someone else's) at our May 6 R-SPEC meeting. 

R-Spec meets eleven months of the year on the first Tuesday of the month. (We don't hold a regular meeting in December.) Normally we meet at the Barnes & Noble in Pittsford (3349 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618), from 7 to 9 p.m. For 'Reading' meetings, please show up early so we can put your name on the list to read. This calendar is also available as a PDF. Please contact us if you have any questions. 

We have extended the submissions deadline for our next anthology, Rochester Rewritten: Alternative Rochesters, to 31 March 2011. More after the break.

This Saturday, 4 December 2010, the Fairport Public Library will be holding a Festive Book Fair from 2pm-4pm. There will be local authors

Jack Garner devotes the first half of his column to us! Click the title for more.

R-SPEC will be on local talk radio on 30 July 2010!