The writers group was publicized in the events column of a local newspaper. I passed the copy around (and later gave it to the owner of the Coffee Bean Café---who seemed very pleased with it). We discussed three possibilities for an author speaker for the March 9 anniversary meeting: writers of 18 Seconds, Clipperton and Archie & Mehitabel. We decided to go with George, author of 18 Seconds, because he prefers speaking to small groups---and we are a small group! As of Feb. 6 the blog is in the number two position on the ProBlog website with 11,700 hits on Feb. 8. The blog site’s usefulness was discussed. I said a website newsletter claims 75 hits a day. Our hits averaged at 61 all fall, 96.6 in January and 120 so far this month. I liken it to writing for a publication, eg. a newspaper: one really doesn’t know how many readers there are, or who they are (although some can be identified in a local geographical area) publications when someone tells you they look for your items in the paper, or, if you don’t publish for a while, they ask you if you are still writing). Circulation means readership. I goofed up the site and it was bad for several days. It’s now fixed. If anyone wants to, go to the E-mail and thank Parker for all his help it would be a nice gesture. His E-mail address is in the “questions asked” folder on the beaneryblog E-mail. We discussed changing the password and I said when it was changed I would E-mail members the new password. We need to change it because I gave it to the password to the site manager so he could repair the damage I did to the site. I asked if members wanted me to sign up for E-mail publications on writing, eg., the Writers Digest newsletter. That way the material would be accessible to the group. This tactic was considered a good idea. Sal, Joe and myself had items to be critiqued. I said I wanted to be critiqued first because my article had a deadline of “tomorrow.” I didn’t read the eight pages on the Holocaust survivor (Bob Mendler) article to critique and I limited the time to a half hour so as not to take up the entire meeting. (Note: cleaned up notes on Bob Mendler’s story are being posted on the www.ProBlogs.com/beanerywriters site filed under Holocaust Survivor---there is now a delay in further posting because Bob is in great pain from knee replacement surgery.) I made necessary corrections and adjustments on my computer as the critique progressed. We managed to do about 90% of the article in that time (a couple of people stayed after the meeting to complete the job). I was pleased with how well the group effort at critiquing went. Many mistakes were corrected and areas where clarification was needed were pointed out. We reviewed Sal’s piece taken from her 1750s family history. Joe read a piece, a parable titled The Dream, and asked if it sould be classified as poetry or prose. A comment was made that it flows like poetry and the language was handled beautifully. Sal said the language slows the pace of reading, allowing for thought---it makes you think about what you are reading and you can appreciate the words that move along with a kind of cadence. Joan told Joe he is an excellent writer. Pat said this is the way they write poetry nowadays. The consensus was: two votes for prose, three for poetry and one undecided. Joe shared an editorial letter he had published in the Post Gazette. He also said Ruth from the Ligonier Valley Writers told him writers should be notified about any editing that is done for items published in The Loyalhanna Review. Joe was not notified that his piece was edited. He noted they have corrected it on the Ligonier Valley Writers web site. The situation brought up the following question: If a piece is edited (to your dissatisfaction) can it be used as a clip when querying other publications? The conclusion was that the original unedited piece, or perhaps BOTH edited piece and the original submission, could be used for the clip. We looked at a page printed from another ProBlogs writing site. All agreed it was “awful” writing, and I noted it was more like venting. I added that perhaps that’s why we are doing so well---we are attempting to put out quality writing. Pat passed around copies of Small Town Life Magazine. Announcements included the devotion writing workshop coming Monday, February 12, in Ligonier and the Ligonier Valley writers Group annual Hot Dog picnic, February 11. I told the group I had burned the children’s poems I’d shared with them at a previous meeting. They were from a school contest I had judged a decade ago in another community. There was no time to write a prompt. Joe passed out one for us to take home to do. Do as many of the following as you can within the allotted time limit (15 minutes): Describe something that is beautiful without using that word or a synonym Do the same thing with something that is--- Dangerous, Frightening, Peaceful, Sad, Awesome, Inspiring, Tedious, Sensual, Exciting, Alarming, Surprising, Fun, Entertaining, Rewarding, Comforting, Etc. After the meeting we were informed the room costs $5 per hour, not $5 per meeting. They allowed us to pay $5 this meeting. I will try to talk with the owner to alter this situation. Weather permitting, the next meeting will be at the Coffee Bean Café on Friday, February 23, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. See you there! Carolyn | 
