Westside Writers Schmooze - Finishing Out The Schmooze Year With a Bang!

Before we get started...

PLEASE NOTE (and we’re just gonna keep announcing this over and over, lest one of our dear Schmoozers falls through the cracks):  Due to circumstances beyond our control (and contrary to the info on the super-spiffy flyers we distributed), the planned moved to the Main Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library has been POSTPONED. Until further notice, we will continue meeting in our regular home at the Fairview Branch Library Community Room, 2101 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405

…now back to our regularly scheduled blog:

After months of learning about the nuts and bolts of the writing life – from dealing with failure to the specifics of different genres and formats to what social media can do for you as a writer – we finished off the Schmooze year with three powerhouse workshop Schmoozes.

First up were our two critique nights in April and May.  Schmooze critique nights are extra special because they provide a safe, friendly environment in which to hear honest feedback on your writing.  Whether you’re a brand-spanking newbie or a “seasoned veteran” (Charlie uses Tobasco heavily while Karol prefers the one-stop shopping of Mrs. Dash…ahem, where were we?) – sharing work with others can be nerve-wracking.  But the Critique Schmooze ethic dictates that we start and end on positive notes and try our best to help one another improve our work, rather than rewriting someone’s story obtrusively or crushing anyone’s dreams.

If you’ve been shy about coming – don’t be!  Join us for next year’s critique nights, and we promise, you’ll be glad you did.

Thanks to a brilliant suggestion by Schmoozer Jeffery Cox, we invited actual illustrators to join us for April’s Picture Book Critique.  It added a new dimension to the proceedings that was really fun and resulted in the largest turnout in some time, with nearly 40 people packing the room. (Not that we’re the types to count or care about that sort of thing.)

Charlie & Karol pose with some of
the Illustrators in Residence

The Illustrators In Residence (as Karol and Charlie dubbed them) were there to give general impressions about how well a manuscript might lend itself to illustration and to make suggestions on how to improve a story’s visual potential.  The night was so much fun, we’ll definitely invite illustrators again next year.

In May, writers of longer works were the beneficiaries of another great Cruelty-Free Schmooze Critique Night.  Alas, no groundbreaking new element was included – just hardworking writers bravely sharing their work and their thoughts on the work of others.  “We don’t need no fancy-schmancy, newfangled element,” the Schmooze novelists reported, claiming to get great value out of the night even though Charlie and Karol did nothing new.  Success!

Our final workshop Schmooze was the Fabulous Elevator Pitch Schmooze – SO fabulous, in fact, that we’ll be closing out the 2014-2015 Schmooze year with another one!  We spent some time discussing what makes a good elevator pitch and how it differs from book flap copy or a publisher’s description of your book.  There were some differences of opinion, but everyone pretty much agreed that your passion for your story and the tone and feel of your book should absolutely shine through in your pitch.


The real work came when the Schmoozers paired up and began crafting and practicing their pitches.  Charlie and Karol admitted to feeling a swell of parental pride when looking out at all the pairs of writers, working hard and so engaged (but don’t expect them to give you lunch money or drive you to the Sadie Hawkins dance—or make your bed!).  After working in pairs, several Schmoozers shared their elevator pitches with the room and got some of that Schmooze-patented, helpful-rather-than-hurtful feedback.  The whole evening was…in a word…AWESOME.

 Having to give your elevator pitch need not leave you HORRIFIED!

And speaking of AWESOME, Charlie and Karol have a truly exciting, experimental, CONCEPT YEAR planed for those Schmoozers intrepid (or foolish) enough to follow them. 

Starting September 10^th, thanks to YET ANOTHER brilliant idea from Jeff, they present a Ground-Breaking Year-Long Concept-Schmooze experiment:

The Journey Of Your Book – From Initial Story Spark To Your Readers’ Eyeballs.

We’re in our regular home at the Fairview Branch!

First up on Wednesday, September 10^th – The Spark…And What To Do With It

We'll look at where ideas come from, how to determine if there’s a book in your cool new idea, and some tips for flushing out your idea and turning it into a story we can all care about.

So…finish your summers off with Big Bangs (though don’t, like, restart the Universe or anything) and join us in September, ready to WORK and begin The Journey Of Your Book!

Until then, keep passing the open windows,

Charlie & Karol