Meeting - 8 February 2024

Review of meeting

West Sussex Writers Meeting 8th February

We began the new season of West Sussex Writers with the speaker, Daisy White, whose talk gave us useful information about her path to publication. Daisy has had a varied career from cabin crew with British Airways, to first responder for the ambulance service. She is now a crime and thriller writer with nine books published. People in the audience asked questions on subjects connected with self-publishing and traditional publishing routes, how to go about getting an agent, and the copyright on ideas. We received practical and helpful advice in response.
We were then set a task to write the first line of a short story or novel. We shared them aloud around the room, with Daisy commenting on each one. Later we considered story and novel endings and had a go at writing the important last line. Both were useful exercises, which will stimulate many people in their writing. There was no shyness; everyone felt they could read what they had written to the audience, since Daisy had created an atmosphere of trust which was matched by the enthusiasm of the writers.
After the interval, when people chatted and got to know each other, (we had many new guests and welcomed several new members), Roger announced the raffle winners.
Then Ted Gooda thanked Liz Eastwood for all the years of service as treasurer and other roles she had undertaken in the club, and presented her with a small gift and a bouquet of flowers.
We went home stimulated, resolving to write that story!
Daisy has agreed to judge the short story competition (genre crime) 1500 words) with the closing date of the 11th of April.

Rose Bray