A number of writers who have been working in community in PJ writing have reached a stage where they need new eyes on their manuscripts; consequently they’re looking for Beta Readers.

If you’re one of those writers, Sue has created a process whereby you can put out a request for volunteers to read your work and offer feedback.

Here are the resources:

You can fill out this form

Here is a template for your specific email or letter to your beta readers.

Here is a template for general (and specific) instructions on how to be a good beta reader.

Sue will download and distribute the beta reader spreadsheet of options to the PJ community once a month (the final Friday — the day of our extra half hour discussion).

If you are interested in being a Beta Reader for a project, please email the author directly. Also indicate what is the scope of the work you’re willing to do. (ie. you may not have time to commit to an entire manuscript, but perhaps you could read 20,000 or 30,000 words and offer feedback on the opening or the first act.)

FYI: Of course, it is expected that, given the volunteer nature of this, there will be reciprocity. i.e., if you ask people to read your 80,000 word manuscript and offer timely feedback, it is not unreasonable to expect that you will offer to beta read for others.

If you have any questions or suggestions as to how to improve this service/interaction, please let Sue know at sue (at) inkslingers.ca

Using Reflective Journaling to Banish Writers’ Block

The zoom room for that workshop is here:
Join Zoom Meeting by clicking here.

Meeting ID: 817 5683 6443
Passcode: TBurnet28

Using Family and Other Photographs to Explore Memoir

The zoom room for that workshop is here:
Join Zoom Meeting by clicking here.

Meeting ID: 817 5683 6443
Passcode: TBurnet28

If possible, please bring some photographs with you — of your younger self, of your family, or any other photographs that hold a mystery for you. It is possible to work with a remembered photograph, but your experience will be richer if you have a few actual photographs with you.

Looking forward to this time with you and your exploration of history through a visual portal.

Registration is at the bottom of the page.

I’m so delighted that Jessica has organized this. I already know Jessica’s and Carol’s brilliant writing. I look forward to being introduced to the writing of Sue & Audra as well.

Here’s a little background: In March and April of 2023, I realized that I needed a different kind of process to make headway with the novel I seem to have been working on forever. I needed:

• the accountability of writing with a group of others.
• longer periods of writing on the spot – prompted or not.
• knowing that I was going to have to read my writing to my cohort
• knowing that I would be encouraged by strengths-based feedback on this raw first draft.

The shape of one of these workshops is it’s a 2-hour workshop limited to just 4 participants and me. In the first hour we will write in longer stretches than you would in a sanctuary, for instance — 20 or 30 minutes, to two or three very open-ended prompts back-to-back. And as always, of course, you will be welcome to ignore the prompts altogether, and write self-directed work on the project that you’re there to write. The second hour we will read one of those just written pieces and offer the usual AWA strength’s based feedback on what’s already working.

With all of this in mind, I created The Headway Project – AWA method based writing workshops specifically designed to get a significant amount of work done on a particular project that each of us wanted to move forward.

The first 8 sessions (my test pilot run) worked brilliantly for me and, if you read the testimonials from the early adopters, worked well for the other writers as well. I trust it will work just as well for this group!

Registration fee is $35. plus HST. (39.55 Cdn in total).

May 10

Registration Form: