Calendar

In our February 3 meeting (tonight), attendees are invited to participate in a writing workshop focusing on using only dialogue to describe characters, settings, and plot. Prompts will be provided and, if desired, participants may read their drafts and receive feedback from those in attendance. After the meeting, we will discuss some R-SPEC business news, including when we're holding the R-SPEC Annual Meeting and the 2015 program calendar.

Moderator: Alan Vincent Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: February 3, 2015 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

In our January 6 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.) 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 time to read and get feedback. We'll try to go in order from shortest to longest, to ensure the greatest number of people get to read.

If there's time after the readings, we'll go around and share what we're reading.

Moderator: Alan Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: January 6, 2015 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

On Monday, March 9, R-SPEC and Writers & Books will present a selection of dramatic readings, featuring local actors, from Rochester Rewritten: Rochester in the Alternative in conjunction with WAB's 2015 'If all of Rochester Reads the Same Book.' Contributors to Rochester Rewritten will be on hand and copies will be available for purchase. Come out to meet and talk with our authors! 

Location: Writers & Books, 740 University Ave. ROCHESTER
Date & Time: Monday, March 9, 7:00-8:00pm
Admission is free. No registration required. For more information call (585) 473-2590. View the program.

November is National Novel-Writing Month, so our November 4th meeting is a great time get a boost by reading your first few day's work. Please come early so we can get an idea of how many people will be reading; if we have enough folks, we'll split off into small groups for reading & feedback. 

Presenter: Alan Vincent Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: November 4, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

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.