*** Before we get to all the good stuff, would you please click Reply and just say, "Hello!" We've had some trouble with our email service marking active members as inactive - and then removing them from our monthly email. The nerve! To ensure you get our messages, please just say "Hi!" so the system understands you still want to hear from us! ***

Hello !

Ah, romance.

Lingering glances. Meaningful pauses. That fluttering feeling in your belly (or other bits) at the sight of that person.

They say there’s nothing like new love, when you first meet someone, and everything feels sparkly and has the thrill of possibility. But we also need a call out for love that has been around for a while.

The love that continues even once you know that they have the annoying habit of chewing their cereal like a cow, how their nose whistles when they sleep, or how they talk during movies.

It’s easy to fall in love with new writing ideas, too.

There is so much potential! The story feels exciting and shiny.

But this month, let’s celebrate those long-term projects. The ones where you sometimes must work to remember what you liked about them.

The novel that feels stuck in the mucky middle.

The screenplay that you’ve already revised twice and still needs work.

The short story idea that made TOTAL sense when you first thought of it and now that you’re trying to get it down on the page seems to be a hot mess.

This month let’s fall in love all over again with those stories. The ones that are beautiful, in part because we know and accept their less attractive bits. If you want to have a date night (or afternoon) with your writing, join us this month at one of our events.

“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.” ~Bernard Williams

Want ten writers' craft books?

Need some inspiration to fall in love with your long-term writing fling again?

The team over at Infostack is giving away over $500 in writing and editing software, coaching, $100 in Infostack credit (good towards their amazing bundles for writers which we'll be participating in, in June!), and these 10 books on writing!

1. The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass

2. Story Genius by Lisa Cron

3. On Writing by Stephen King

4. Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guin

5. Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer

6. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

7. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

8. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

9. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

10. The Elements Of Style By William Strunk

Click here to see everything you can win. No purchase necessary.

Fall in love with your Creative Academy friends

If you need a reminder about what's lovely about your work-in-progress, check out everything we have coming up in June.

The EVENTS tab on the home page will show you a list with dates and times. If you click RSVP, we’ll even send you an email 30 minutes before the start time to remind you.

Special event—Author readings

Saturday, June 11

Join Eileen as she hosts three of her students from the SFU Writer's Studio who will be reading from their work.

RSVP to get the time in your time zone and the Zoom link.

https://creative-academy-for-writers.mn.co/events/23463865

Your drop-in Q&A (with Steph Candiago)

Mon 6—Drop in Q&A Indie Publishing

Tue 14—Drop-in Q&A Publishing Tools & Tech

Mon 20—Drop in Q&A Indie Publishing

Tue 28—Drop-in Q&A Publishing Tools & Tech

Your author biz (with Crystal Hunt)

Wed 15—Expert Q&A: Topic and Expert TBD... watch the calendar!

Wed 22—Profit First: Just One Thing

Your story craft (with Eileen Cook or Crystal)

Wed 1—Happy Hour: Goal, Motivation, Conflict (this month's focus for the Crafty Critique Club)

Wed 8—Happy Hour: Character agency and avoiding passivity

Wed 8—Titles and how to choose them

Wed 15—Happy Hour: Character agency in action (with Eileen & Tracy)

Wed 22—Happy Hour: Blue pencil and story storm

Wed 29—Happy Hour: Craft question Round-up

Your hot seat (with Donna Barker & members)

Thu 2—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind

Tue 7—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind (facilitated by Janee)

Thu 9—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind

Tue 14—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind (facilitated by Lynette)

Thu 16—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind

Tue 21—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind (facilitated by Janee)

Thu 23—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind

Tue 28—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind (facilitated by Lynette)

Thu 30—Motivation & Accountability Mastermind

Genre meet-ups & open mics

If you're new around these parts and haven't found all your genre peers yet, find your people by joining the communities that match your interests! And then meetup with them at one of these events.

Note that several meetups will be pausing in July and August, so there's no better time to make the space in your calendar to hangout with some new writer friends.

See all the communities you can join right here: FIND YOUR PEERS!

And all the events scheduled for June right here: JUNE MEET-UPS

Wed 1—Children's & Middle Grade Writers Hangout (with Janee)

Wed 8—Children's & Middle Grade Writers Hangout (with Janee)

Thu 9—Young Adult fiction Writers Meeting (with Bonnie J)

Sun 12—Memoir Community Meet Up & Open Mic (with Vig)

Tue 14—Historical Fiction Meet Up (with Jenny)

Wed 15—Sci-Fi/Fantasy Meet Up (with Tracy)

Wed 15—Children's & Middle Grade Writers Hangout (with Janee)

Sat 18—Romance Writers Open Mic & Social (with Crystal)

Wed 22—Children's & Middle Grade Writers Hangout (with Janee)

Sat 25—Literary Fiction Group Meetup (with Lily)

Sat 25—Mystery & Thriller Meet Up (with Eileen)

Sun 26—Memoir Community Meet Up & Open Mic (with Vig)

Tue 28—Historical Fiction Open Mic (with Jenny)

Wed 29—Children's & Middle Grade Writers Hangout (with Janee)

Query/Synopsis Workshop (hosted by Bonnie J)

Each month you can workshop your query or synopsis in the Crafty Critique Club! This workshop is limited to 5 people and the first week of the month, starting on the 1st. (There was still space when this email was sent!)

Each attendee will give feedback to the 4 other participants. You can edit and request additional feedback throughout the week. Anyone in the Crafty Critique Club is welcome to help as well.

For this workshop, a query is 250-350 words, and a one page synopsis is approximately 500 words.You can only pick one to work on during the workshop. Pieces will be posted inside the Crafty Critique Club. If you are not a member of the Crafty Critique Club, message Bonnie Jacoby for access.

NOTE: The Query/Synopsis Workshop will be taking a summer break for July & August, so if you want your page reviewed before conference season gets rolling, hop into this month's workshop!

Writing sprints

The writing room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are several times every day when you can be pretty sure to find at least one other person in the room to keep you company. No matter where you are in the world, we’ve got you covered! Check out all the times here:

https://creative-academy-for-writers.mn.co/courses/2010738/events

We'd love to see you in one of our events this coming month.

xo

Donna, Stephanie, Eileen and Crystal 😁

PS — If you've gotten value from your time in The Creative Academy and are not yet a contributor... please support the space and people who make this community possible. Pay what you can. Every dollar helps keep the love flowing.