Virtual Writing Group Meeting

A Virtual meeting will be held online on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at 4:00 pm.

Details concerning online connection will be sent to Members of MCGS by email within one week before the meeting.
You do not need to use the link below to get the link to connect to the meeting if you are a MCGS Member.

Request to Access MCGS Writing Group Meeting

Send in reading pieces before meetings so that people can offer feedback immediately during our meetings. Send to Laurel Hilton via the Writing Group Google Group or privately. For the July meeting, submit by Friday, July 3rd, if possible.

Assignments for July

1. Write yourself into your story. You have been writing about your ancestor and often you may have gaps in the history where you have to "guess" what might have happened. If you haven't already done this in your writing, try using those gaps as a space to insert your own thoughts about what might have happened- to speculate. OR, another approach could be to insert an anecdote into the ancestor story, such as  "talk about where your ancestor was buried, and then you go to where they are buried, and you have learned something interesting by going there. Using this concept, write a 1-3 page story.

2. Ask one of your relatives (your sibling, child or grandchild, perhaps) what one thing they would like to know or learn about their family history and why they want to know that piece of information, and write 1-3 pages.

-Do you already have the answers in your family history research? 

-Are your relative's questions based on facts or a reason for the ancestor's actions? 

-Now write an essay based on your relative's questions. 

-How would you answer their questions based on your research and speculation.

3. If you are feeling comfortable where you are at with the flow of your ancestor's story already, just keep going and writing!

If you have questions, or want to give private feedback, please email Laurel. You can find her email address by logging into the website and clicking on Members Directory under Members Content. Non-members can send a request for Laurel's email address to info@maringensoc.org

Laurel Hilton is an award-winning author, journalist and 4^th generation Californian. She is a writing coach and founder of a 501 c 3 organization for writers called Write on Mamas, and has had her writing featured on stage, radio, in print and online.