Notes 27.07.2010

Anarchist Writers' Bloc - Chapitre de Montréal
Notes 27.07.2010
Étaient présents-es: Guillaume, Norman, Jude, Amélie et Bruno, dans un parc quelconque du Centre-Sud avec des paczki, de la bière et la Compagnie Créole.

A. Anthologie

Discussion sur l'anthologie. Nouvelles des maisons d'éditeurs par Norman. PM Press, seraient intéressés mais ont besoin de 'gros noms' sinon on doit acheter 200 copies (?) nous-mêmes. Constat: on a pas de gros noms, et on est trop pauvres pour acheter 20 copies chaque. Lux: peut-être intéressés, mais pas pour 2010.

Norman va regarder auprès de Roseway et AK Press.

Discussion de faire une production DIY. Avantages (controle créatif et publication assurée) versus inconvénients (fronter l'argent, plus de travail, distribution, etc.). Potentiel parce que nous avons une grande base (30+). Possibilité de faire un lancement à Montréal et un à Québec. Quels sont les coûts? Bruno va faire des soumissions à des imprimeurs pour donner une idée du prix total. Estimé 160 pages. Format 8,5 x 5,5 (digest). Quantités: 300, 400, 500. Couverture 2 couleurs et pleine couleur.

Décision de faire une première édition trilingue, et peut-être traduire les textes par la suite au lieu de faire une édition anglo, une franco, etc.

Idée de couverture: carte de tarot réversible anglais-français et peut-être autochtone sur les côtés?

Date de tombée pour les textes: 30 octobre.

Nous allons faire de la pub pour le groupe et inviter les gens à devenir membres, et ensuite nous ferons un appel à l'interne pour les contributions (nous ne voulons pas être enterrés de textes.)

Norman a fait contact avec le Black Ink de Vancouver, ils-elles sont 20 écrivains-es dans l'Ouest Canadien. Très cool. Nous les invitons à soumettre des textes.

B. Jeux anarchistes d'écriture

Premier atelier des jeux anarchistes d'écriture fixé pour le vendredi 13 août (fête de Bruno!). Amélie propose un nouveau jeu: le Ad Lib d'Amélie!

Où est-ce qu'on fait ça? Ça prend de la bière!

C. Multimedia, tech, etc.

Problèmes avec la liste riseup: on peut pas envoyer de messages avec des fichiers attachés.

Le blog: ça marche mais on s'en sert juste pour les notes.

Le site web: Bruno va hoster le site gratuitement. L'adresse sera www.awb.daemonflower.com. MJ va faire le visuel et Kayleigh se propose pour faire toute la programmation. Quel est le contenu? Six points: accueil, historique, 'statement', projets, liens, contact. Il va falloir rédiger ces informations.

D. La langue

Proposition de prendre le français comme langue de fonctionnement, et traduire tous nos messages officiels (callout, statement, notes, etc.) en anglais-français.

E. Prochaine rencontre

Prochaine rencontre 'business': 9 aoùt 5-7 à l'Escalier. 552 Sainte-Catherine Est, metro Berri-UQAM


Anarchist Writers' Bloc - Montreal Chapter
Notes 27.07.2010
Present: Guillaume, Norman, Jude, Amélie et Bruno, in some Centre-Sud park with paczki, beer and la Compagnie Creole.

A. Anthology

Talk about the anthology. News from publishers PM Press, would be interested but need 'big names' or we need to buy 200 (?) copies to cover the costs. We realize we don't have big names and are too poor to buy 20 copies each. Lux: might be interested, but not for 2010.

Norman will look into Roseway and AK Press.

Talk about making it DIY. Avantages (creative control and guaranteed publication) versus disadvantages (front cash, more work, distro, etc.). Good potential because we have a big base (30+). We could do a release party in Montreal and Quebec. How much does it cost? Bruno will look into the costs with printers. 160 pages, 8.5'' x 5.5''. 300, 400 or 500 copies. 2 color covers or full color.

We decide we'll make a trilingual edition first instead of one French, one English. Maybe translate everything afterwards?

Cover idea: reversible tarot card for french-english title and native on the sides?

Deadline for submissions: oct. 30th.

We'll try to get more people involved as members and then invite members to submit texts, this way we're not drowned in submissions.

Norman made contact with the Black Ink in Vancouver, they're about 20 writers in BC, very cool. We'll invite them to submit texts.

B. Anarchist writing games

First anarchist writing games for august 13th (Bruno's birthday!) Amélie suggests a new game Amélie's Ad Lib!

Where is that? We need beer!

C. Multimedia, tech, etc.

Problems with Riseup list: can't post messages with attached files.

Blog: works fine but we only use it for notes.

Website: Bruno will host the thing for free. URL will be www.awb.daemonflower.com. MJ will do the visuals and Kayleigh agreed to take care of all coding. What's the content? We suggest six sections: news, history, statement, projects, links and contact. We'll have to make that content.

D. Language

Motion to use French as working language and translate just the official texts (callouts, statements, notes, etc.).

E. Next meeting

Next business meet: august 9th 5-7 at l'Escalier. 552 Sainte-Catherine Est, metro Berri-UQAM

ANARCHIST WRITERS BLOC (AWB) - MONTREAL CHAPTER Meeting 12/7/10

ANARCHIST WRITERS BLOC (AWB) - MONTREAL CHAPTER

Meeting 12/7/10 au Vivres veggie resto overpriced juice place

7 writers present: Bruno, Layla, Yanick, Jude, Guliaume, Marie-Josée, Norman

We delved further into the last 3 propositions/suggestions, refined them, and will once again, submit them to the whole group for rapid thought and discussion.

A. To publish two anthologies of anarchist fiction: one English, one French:

1. Norman will submit the proposal to PM Press first for the English one,

and to LUX Editeur for the French one.

We will be seeking original writing from within the AWB, in both languages

and in First Nations languages. Undecided where to place the pieces written in First Nations languages

The Montreal chapter of the AWB will coordinate the project.

2. Yanick has volunteered to be Production Coordinator for both books?

Layla will help after October, 2010.

3. We will invite the 35 people currently on the AWB mail list to submit to these first two volumes.

Each will be given a max of 5 book pages, no more than 1,200 words max of text in the language

of their choice. We will cap the list at 35 writers for now. Any extra text submissions will

go onto our website. Marie-Josée will provide the graphics for the website.

Not sure who will do design and maintain the website.....

We are currently seeking designs for a LOGO for the AWB - the name still to be translated into French, eh?

There is a 2 week deadline for design submissions.

4. We will form two Reading Selection Committees to review all the submissions for each anthology.

Criteria for submissions: we discussed this at length, and came up with the following.

We are looking for pieces that:

- are anti-authoritarian

- clearly demonstrate the author's intentions

- is quality writing, well written

- holds together

- is coherent

- is intelligent

- shows us the link between the artist's statement and the piece itself

We will post all the criteria on-line in advance for everyone to read.

We will ask for an Artist Statement of one paragraph from each writer.

We will accept work that already appears online.

5. We are looking for a neutral title for the book, one that works in English and if possible, in French, too.

Please send in all suggestions. So far we have: DARMA MEETS THE DEVIL: an anthology of anarchist writing, (vol 1)

6. We want the publishers to keep the money from the sales of the book to help promote each book.

7. No MySpace, but possibly a Facebook page for the books. MJ will handle it. We want a website too, Bruno can handle the coding & hosting and MJ will do the visuals.

8. We will aim to organize a Writers of Anarchist Fiction festival for the launch of each book.

9. There are First Nations anarchist writers on the west coast of Canada, in Victoria, BC.

Norman will contact comrades in Victoria to invite them to contribute to the anthology.

Norman will also contact a new anarchist writers group in Vancouver.

10. Our production deadline: Feb, 2011.

12. We discussed the possibility of putting anarchist writers into a bus and touring north america to spread the word.

B. THE WORKSHOPS:

We are all agreed to pursue the creative writing workshop proposals from the last meeting.

C. YEAR ROUND GAMES FOR THE AWB:

We are all agreed to pursue these proposals as well, including a new one: the roundtable 'Smorgasmboard' exercise.

NEXT MEETING, Montreal chapter:

Monday, July 26, 5pm-7pm, Cafe Touski, 2361 Ontario est

FIRST AWB GAMES ENCOUNTER: Friday Aug 13. Place and time, TBA.

- norman

-

-

Notes from MJ

1- We should post the tasks of everyone from the core on the blog, as well as the core itself being people that show up. It is simply fair.

2- Who actually posts our meeting notes on the bog? Could they do it all at the same time as sending the emails out?

3- Do we still want the launch to include the visual art happening? (thing that I did not have time to discuss at the last meeting)

4- Are we planning on launching in May since the deadline would be in February?

5-I said I would take care of the Facebook. Any final resquest before I dig in?

6-Bruno, we need to meet for the website so we get on the same page!! And we need to give ourselves a deadline!!

7- I want to emphasize on the Logo, because it is something that people will or not remember depending on its strength. People NEED to recognize it and appreciate it more than just a ``Ouh! It’s Figurative.`` I am working on some things.

8- Title: DHARMA MEETS THE DEVIL (with an H) the only thing I found was a simili-blog called dharmadevil and there isn’t much on it. For the French version: Dharma rencontre le Diable. On the website we could have Dharma in big and than meets the devil, rencontre le diable both under Dharma. Simple. We don’t need to go into language issues. It will only 1- drag us down 2- We already tackle it when we publish is frend and English. The deal with this project, I hope is not to be perfect because nothing is and as people of free will, we should choose to do what we do best: write and progress knowing very well that we all know about such issues and we do change something by having this project. THE OFFICIAL MEANING OF DHARMA:

9- I think that we would need to really set sailing for the next meeting and really pin point out the actual physical tasks that everybody needs to do and set deadlines for each tasks.

Thank you,

MJ

Anarchist writers bloc meeting notes, 28/6/10

ANARCHIST WRITERS BLOC - MONTREAL CHAPTER

Anarchist Writers of Fiction

First meeting and beer tasting, 28/6/10, Bar L'Amerie a Boire

Four writers present: Bruno, Layla, Yannick and Norman

WE agreed to 3 propositions/suggestions to submit to the whole group for rapid thought and discussion.

A. To publish an anthology of new anarchist fiction:

1. let's first shop it to PM Press, and other potentially interested

publishers, such as Roseway (via Fernwood Press), Arsenal Pulp Press, AK Press;

if no one is interested, we can do it via Print On Demand or as an Ebook;

2. we would need a Production Coordinator to help bring it together

3. we suggest keeping it short for a first effort, and inviting the first

30 or so members of our organization to submit 5 pages of text each

for a total of say, 150 pages......keep in mind, our group seems to grow online each week!

4. this obviously has to be discussed to determine the most efficient

way to make it happen - who chooses the texts, on what basis, do we

establish criteria for the process, how to keep it egalitarian/anarchist, in terms

of process, etc......

5. one suggested title for the anthology:

DARMA MEETS THE DEVIL - an anthology of new anarchist writing (Vol 1)

(suggested by Marielee Maynard, via Yannick.)

6. any money made from the sale of the book would be kept by the publisher

to be used specifically to help promote the sale and distribution of the book.

Our aim is to spread The Idea, through the book

7. set up a Facebook page for the book, and a MySpace page, too.

8. organize an annual Writers of Anarchist Fiction festival to celebrate/launch each edition

of the book - because we will aim to publish it yearly, different authors each edition, eh?

9. we should make an effort to secure anarchist first nations writers to include their texts in their original language

10. we want original, unpublished work, but material that appears on-line already would be acceptable

11. a suggested timeline: aim for a February 2011 publication date, in time for the next Montreal @ bookfair

12. we need to agree on a decision-making process for the 30 or so writers involved

13. how about, 'YES' or "NO' answers to simple questions about the project, with a 2 week waiting period in between

for correspondence?

B. To organize, present and facilitate creative writing workshops for each anarchist bookfair, wherever it may be:

1. for example, these would cover fiction, drama, poetry, documentary scripting (interviewing, narration, questions, etc.),

the creative process, DIY publishing, translating, etc. More suggestions?

2. to inject something other than just book buying at each bookfair, the workshops would help support and encourage more writers of anarchist fiction

3. whatever gets written at each workshop, goes into a commemorative zine at the end of each bookfair, and is sold, profits

to go towards funding the next series of workshops at the next bookfair

4. we encourage each anarchist bookfair, here and abroad, to contact anarchist writers of fiction to give the workshops;

we also encourage all our comrades to contact each bookfair they attend, and forward this suggestion

5. we can act as a clearing house eventually, compiling a list of what writers are available, which workshops they can give,

etc.

C. YEAR ROUND GAMES FOR THE ANARCHIST WRITERS BLOC:

In between our mega-assemblies at bookfairs, and our beer/wine/tea tasting, we strongly encourage all members to think about how we can continue to have fun in our own local chapters when we meet on a regular basis:

1. round-table 'exquisite corps' smorgasboard exercise/game timebomb: we each write a legible short paragraph of fiction, the alarm clock sounds, we pass our work to the person on our left, and add another paragraph, continuing the process until your original piece of paper with your beginning paragraph at the top returns to you.

2. someone reads from their newest work, we give feedback, and continue the process

3. we read and or dramatize our work for the public - small events

4. we exchange information about new books with each other

5. we have nights of thematic improv writing, and we explore different forms, challenge ourselves and each other

6. Anarchist Writers Bloc retreats - we all meet outside the city for eating, drinking and merry making, like giving creative workshops, but for a whole day, or even a weekend together

7. we organize nights where writers and musicians come together, and present collaborative works, or on-the-spot

improvised music for written work

D. FACEBOOK PAGE

1. we set one up

E. BENEFIT NIGHTS

1. we organize benefit nights for local anarchist projects, to lure the non-writing comrades to come and experience our work, and contribute to a good cause, e.g, to raise money for the Montreal International Anarchist Theatre Festival,

to raise money for the G20 arrested, etc.

F. WE AGREE ON A MONTHY DATE TO MEET EACH MONTH,

1. For example, for Montrealers, we propose the 13th of each month, between 5pm and 7pm, at a different gathering place each time, to sample their refreshments and get acquainted with other parts of the city.

G. READING LIST

1. to start compiling a list of anarchist works of fiction, to go online

H. CLEARING HOUSE?

1. something about we will act as a clearing house for anarchist works/writers of fiction, poetry, theatre, etc.....?

This was the end of our meeting, and everyone agreed, the beer was great!

Welcome! Bienvenue!

Welcome to the newly minted Montreal anarchist writers of fiction blog!
This site can be a resource list, a place for letting others know about calls for submissions, a place to publicize meetings and reading nights and much more.

Bienvenue au blog tout neuf des ecrivainEs anarchistEs de fiction de Montreal!
Ce site peut se servir de liste de ressources, lieux ou on peut se notifier des appels de soumission, un lieux pour attirer de l'attention sur les reunions ou des soirees de lecture et beaucoup plus.