News

“Where do you get your ideas?” is probably the question writers get asked more often than any other, and the answers they give are probably as varied as the authors themselves.

So, where do writers get their story ideas? Is it just inspiration and day dreaming? Is it writing about what they know (or what they don’t know)? Is it reading the news or magazines? Maybe, it’s surfing the Internet or talking with friends and fellow writers. Most likely, it’s all of the above and a whole lot of sources we don’t even consider to be “idea generators.”

In our June 4th meeting, R-SPEC’s Alan Vincent Michaels will lead a discussion on generating story ideas to help you get your stories started and finished!

Facilitator: Alan Michaels

Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: May 4, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
See our poster!

In our May meeting, Astronomicon organizer and Rochester Fantasy Fans president Wayne Brown will lead a discussion on how to integrate magical weapons and weapon systems into your work.

Presenter: Wayne Brown, Astronomicon / Rochester Fantasy Fans
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: May 7, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

In our April 2 meeting, attendees are invited to read from their current or in-progress works -- older or sold stories and poems are also welcome. Short pieces or a portion of a longer work (up to 2,000 words) are preferred, so everyone has sufficient reading time and attendees, if they desire, may provide their feedback. After the readings conclude and time permits, attendees may share with the group what they are currently reading.

Moderator: Alan Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: April 2, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

The finalists for the 2012 Nebula Awards have been announced. SFSignal has been kind enough to post the nominees along with download links, where they're aware of them. (We'll put up a poll for our visitors to pick their choices.)

Literary forms are influenced by cultural styles, historical conventions, technological innovations, and personal preferences, just to name a few. Traditional books and magazines are now making way for ebooks and online, Web-based, immersive experiences that Johannes Gutenberg and religious scribes of ages long past could never have imagined. In our March 5th meeting, guest presenters Dana Paxson and Pat Rapp will discuss how literary forms have been evolving over the last several decades, present some of their own approaches to delivering story content, and show how these new literary forms might help you better tell your own stories.

Presenters: Dana Paxson and Pat Rapp
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: March 5, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Here's our tentative 2013 program schedule.

Many works of speculative fiction aren’t hard science fiction and can’t easily be defined as traditional fantasy, including elements of technology, magic, and myth. Think rockets and dragons, robots and wizards, computers and spell books, laser guns and magical lances. That blurring between genres is often called science fantasy. In our February 5th meeting, we will solicit attendee thoughts and opinions on existing works, as well as on incorporating science fantasy themes into your own stories, possibly overcoming writing blocks you may be having trying to make your science fiction- or fantasy-only ideas work.

Moderator: Alan Vincent Michaels

Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: February 5, 2013 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

In our January 1 meeting, attendees are invited to read from their current or in-progress works -- older or sold stories and poems are also welcome. Short pieces or a portion of a longer work (up to 2,000 words) are preferred, so everyone has sufficient reading time and attendees, if they desire, may provide their feedback. After the readings conclude and as time permits, attendees may share with the group what they are currently reading.

Moderator: Alan Vincent Michaels
Location: Barnes & Noble, Pittsford
Meeting Time: January 1, 2013 from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.