The most important feature was the approximately sixty attendees, many of them not yet SCWW members, eager to learn more about writing and publishing books. These newcomers will be the backbone of SCWW in the next decade.

Each year the SCWW budget includes funds for local chapters to host simple seminars for the general public(such as a free two-hour talk by a local author)  in order to encourage interest in writing and to recruit new members. Sadly in recent years, no chapter except Rock Hill has done so.

This fall’s 2013 SCWW conference in Columbia will be an interesting experiment—a centrally located and moderately priced writing event. I hope we attract and excite many neophyte writers. The future of next decade’s SCWW depends upon it. So encourage your newbies to come.

I am itching to paint the twin rockers whose peeling arms grab my attention each time I pass, watering can in hand, headed for the basil and mint. I’ve a table full of treasures all sorted and ready to display on the tiny gilded shelves unearthed from the detritus of my storage shed.

I have missives to pen, new peas to snap, and pictures to un-frame. My linens have exploded from their shelves and wait in bleached and anxious stacks.  These projects and more seethe in the spaces where winter’s dust once slumbered.

Why would I write in spring? The world awaits me.

I must live a little now to write again when the leaves have fallen and the pool has donned its winter cover. Now, the leaves are bright and flipping their smiles at me. The cerulean water sparkles and giggles at my angst.

That’s it. I’m going outside to wipe down my harvest table after last night’s rain. I am seasoning its texture for family dinners in the lingering twilight of summer. I have my cardinal to check up on. He has not left my Garden of Eden and, I suspect, will not go for any reason. I’ve put a copper roofed house for the bluebirds just inside of the forest and it must be nailed up as well.

The hammock rocks as if crooking its finger at me. It’s covered with a pristine quilt and pillow and ready for a nap in the breezy dappled afternoon tree light.

There are lemon cookies cooling on a rack and a pitcher of iced tea sweating on the counter. This day has seduced me with the aromas, colors, whispers and rustlings of creation and dreams. I am lost.

I will get back to you a little later about writing, its obligations and constraints. Today I belong only to myself, my garden, and May.  -Teresa Burgher

Understanding what makes men and women tick is integral to realistic character development. There are human behavior references aplenty. Amy Blunt, who writes young adult/magical realism novels, shares the following two: Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldredge, which describes “the mystery of a woman’s soul”, and Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge, which examines the inner workings of men. And, yes, the latter is more than one page long.

Being male, I feel qualified to comment on the veracity of Wild at Heart. And, being male, I ask our XX-chromosome readership their opinion of the main points made in Captivating.

Wild at Heart states that men need “a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue”. I believe most men would, without hesitation, agree with the first two drivers. The third motivator, I would rephrase as “an innocent to rescue”, as “beauty” overstates the importance of appearance to most men. Most men are more interested in rescuing an innocent, thus gaining redemption and a life-partner, than that the rescued one be physically beautiful.

The most important Wild at Heart take-away for male character development is that a man can neither view nor respect himself as a man unless he has been “blessed” by another respected male, a role usually filled by the man’s father. Without this acknowledgement, a male cannot believe he is a real man. This is true. And it is cross-cultural. And it is the root of much pain in men and subsequent pain-generating behavior (such as bullying). As you develop a male character, bear in mind his relationship to his father or father figure. It is crucial to his behavior and motivation.

Captivating states that every woman longs to, “be romanced, play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty”. My male instincts tell me this and more are true. Yet I still cannot decipher female motivation.

So I ask you, ladies, for the sake of character development, what makes you tick?

Understanding what makes men and women tick is integral to realistic character development. There are human behavior references aplenty. Amy Blunt, who writes young adult/magical realism novels, shares the following two: Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldredge, which describes “the mystery of a woman’s soul”, and Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge, which examines the inner workings of men. And, yes, the latter is more than one page long.

Being male, I feel qualified to comment on the veracity of Wild at Heart. And, being male, I ask our XX-chromosome readership their opinion of the main points made in Captivating.

Wild at Heart states that men need “a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue”. I believe most men would, without hesitation, agree with the first two drivers. The third motivator, I would rephrase as “an innocent to rescue”, as “beauty” overstates the importance of appearance to most men. Most men are more interested in rescuing an innocent, thus gaining redemption and a life-partner, than that the rescued one be physically beautiful.

The most important Wild at Heart take-away for male character development is that a man can neither view nor respect himself as a man unless he has been “blessed” by another respected male, a role usually filled by the man’s father. Without this acknowledgement, a male cannot believe he is a real man. This is true. And it is cross-cultural. And it is the root of much pain in men and subsequent pain-generating behavior (such as bullying). As you develop a male character, bear in mind his relationship to his father or father figure. It is crucial to his behavior and motivation.

Captivating states that every woman longs to, “be romanced, play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty”. My male instincts tell me this and more are true. Yet I still cannot decipher female motivation.

So I ask you, ladies, for the sake of character development, what makes you tick?

See the Calendar Page for more details or go to http://rockhillscww.org/

Normally we introduce our conference faculty at our Friday evening dinner. That isn’t possible with this year’s format, so I’d like to introduce them to you here:

            SCWW favorite, Michelle Johnson has launched her own agency, Inklings Literary, since we last saw her. We’re excited to have her back with us. Michelle will speak on writing realistic and compelling stories in fantasy and science fiction as well as a session on creating well-rounded and compelling characters.

             Local authors Fred Fields and McKendree (Mike) Long were crowd favorites at our 2012 conference. We had to invite them back so they could wow everyone once more. They are teaming up with marketing guru Shari Stauch for a session, the details are coming soon.

             Holly McClure has lots of friends within SCWW and thought it time to introduce her to all of our members. Her agency, Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency, is based in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Holly will lead sessions on Polishing to Publish: How to Make Your Manuscript Marketable.

             Cindi Boiter is the editor of arts magazine Jasper. She will lead two sessions for us, one called Writing with a Sense of Place.

             Betsy Teter is the head of Spartanburg’s Hub City Press. Hub City is a success story and Betsy will be sharing the Hub City story with our attendees in a session called The Hub City Story: From One Book to 100,000.

             Sessions start at 9:30 on Saturday, October 26, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center at 1101 Lincoln Street. Free parking is located next to the Convention Center. (Directions can be found here: http://www.columbiaconventioncenter.com/maps/)

             Registration opens on June 1. There will be a link on the SCWW homepage.

Thank you to our members who have donated so generously (see www.myscww.org/sponsors/)!!! And I extend an invitation to those who haven’t to please do so. You may use PayPal at the “Donate” link at the News button found on the bottom of our home page (www.myscww.org)  or send your check to SCWW, 4840 Forest Dr., Ste. 6B, PMB 189, Columbia, SC  29206. All monies are tax-deductible, and you will receive a thank-you letter for your records.

In light of our financial situation, SCWW will not be able to present our regular three-day conference in Myrtle Beach this year. We will host a one-day event on October 26 at the Columbia Metropolitan Conference Center, entitled “Writing for Publication.” Faculty will be limited by number and geography. We are planning to offer professional critiques via email and phone or video-chat appointments. As plans solidify, you will hear more from Kia Goins, 2013 Conference Chair. Even though we have had to drastically scale back our 23^rd annual conference, I am excited about the instructive, informative and symbiotic climate Kia is putting together. Columbia was chosen for the location this year so that our state membership could easily make this event a day trip. Without the cost of a hotel room for two or three nights and a much reduced registration fee, I hope this will be an opportunity you won’t miss.

Editor, M. Scott Douglass at our table at AWP

It was my great pleasure to attend the conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs two weeks ago.  This annual event was attended by about 12,000 people, so it’s a great opportunity for networking, but it can be overwhelming.  Here are a few things I learned from the experience:

1. Choose your panels by the people presenting them, not by content.
2. Plan to use the ladies’ room while panels are going on.
3. Allow several hours to peruse the exhibits.
4. Unless you are a night person, avoid the late-nite parties.
5. Get people’s contact information in writing and make notes.

The organizers of AWP have done a remarkable job of making this conference the very best it can be.  The exhibits are a gold mine of resources and information for writers of all kinds.  Opportunities abound for meeting people and for talking about our favorite things, books.  The most important lesson I’ve learned at this and other writing conferences is that there are lessons to be learned at odd times, like in the elevator (yes, really) or in the line for the ladies room (sorry, guys) or while browsing the exhibits.  Workshops and panels can be extremely helpful and valuable, but you might also enjoy ongoing help and encouragement from that blogger you met on the registration line and you might find a new market for your writing from the editor waiting for his coffee at Starbucks in the lobby.  If you keep your eyes and ears open, help will come to you.  And goodness knows in this crazy changing world of writing and publishing, we need all the help we can get.