Abilene Writers Guild Meeting Minutes
Center for Contemporary Arts Building
May 22, 2003
President Rollins called the meeting to order.
The minutes were approved as written. Treasurer Gail McMillan reported a balance of $3,629.91 and 103 members.
Members introduced their guests and shared brags and sags.
President Rollins announced that Mary Craig is taking over as editor of the AWG Newsletter. Anyone wishing to submit information should send it to Mary at marywcraig@earthlink.net. President Rollins announced that Yvonne Nunn won the contest on the Sharpwriters.com webpage.
Bettye Martin-McRae announced her book signing for June 3, as well as writers' ongoing workshops in Sweetwater. All AWG members get half-price tuition.
Barbara Rollins gave an interview to WFAA-TV regarding a book she is writing on early Texas women judges titled She Who Must Be Obeyed.
Mary Craig made her monthly report on her rodeo book proposal; she has a new editor but has not heard from him.
The Nominating Committee nominated Gail McMillan as Treasurer; Elaine Coleman as a member at large; Barbara Darnall as a member at large; Millie Sayre as a member at large; John Busby as Vice-President; Nancy Robinson Masters to fill out John Busby's unexpired term. There were no nominations from the floor, and the recommended Board members were elected by acclamation.
Robyn Conley, the Book Doctor, presented the program: Self-Editing Without Self Destructing, and introduced the membership to her new book Be Your Own Book Doctor. She discussed writing the rough draft; reading all work out loud; killing redundancies and wordiness; choosing better verbs for a stronger pace; avoiding dialogue disasters; and prettying up the prose without leaving ugly bruises. Her program was interrupted by the alarm system. We were all glad to know how well the alarm system works.
The meeting adjourned.
Following the program, the Guild celebrated its 33rd birthday with cake cut by Shirley Strawn, the AWG member present with the longest tenure in the organization.
Mary W. Craig, Secretary
June 24, 2003