Russell Literary Groups

Russell Writers

Russell Writers meet on the second Saturday of the month, from 9:30 a.m. until noon, in Meeting Room 1.

Bring your poem, essay, short story, or a few pages from your manuscript, along with copies for each member. After a reading, the Russell Writers will gently critique your piece. In turn, you will have the opportunity to assist others with your input. Please try to keep your pieces to three double-spaced pages so that there is time to review the work of all participants.

Bring a new writing sample to each meeting, or work on the same piece month after month, improving it throughout the year. Please join us!

For more information, contact Michele Rousseau at 860-344-8136 or ShellyWriter@sbcglobal.net, or call Russell Library's Community Services office at 347-2528, ext. 135.

2008 Schedule

Jan 2008 - You are striving to be a successful writer, but your family isn’t being cooperative with your writing career. Therefore, you have decided to go on strike. Write about the demands that must be met in order for you to resume your family and household responsibilities. Your family can be composed of the individual and number of persons you wish to make it. Hint: In order to speed up the negotiations, you probably will have to make one or more concessions.
 
Feb 2008 - Write a story or poem in which at least one line begins with: If only I hadn’t....
 
Mar 2008 - You are running for the office of president of a writing community. What promise(s) do you make in order to swing the vote in your direction? For example, you might promise to establish a new punctuation mark, called a _________, to be utilized in situations where/like _________. Let your imagination lead you.
 
Apr 2008 - Write a story or poem in which, somewhere, you complete the sentence: I’m grateful that I am a writer because....
 
May 2008 - Even if you do not believe that The Bible is the literal word of God, for this exercise assume that it is. In The Bible, in the Book of Genesis, in chapter 1, after having created man–male and female–in His own image, in verse 28, it says that to them God stated, in part: "...and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." Write a piece about what you think God meant by the words "have dominion over." Also, being explicit, tell your readers whether or not you feel that humankind has achieved, or is achieving, or will ever achieve, that intent.
 
Jun 2008 - Write about the topic of mystery; or a mystery in your life; or one in the life of someone you know.
 
Jul 2008 - Someone that you know, either well or only slightly, admitted to committing an atrocious crime and has been sentenced to death. Tell your readers: where the crime occurred; what the crime was; who the criminal is; and in what way the two of you are associated. Relate the details about the heinous act; identify the victim(s); and state the method by which the perpetrator is to be executed. Write of your feelings while you watch, as the criminal had requested, his or her execution. Note: That is considerable content to be included in a story limited to three double-spaced pages. Therefore, keep in mind that you must be precise and concise.
 
Aug 2008 - Open a newspaper to any page, close your eyes, and point to a spot on the page. Open your eyes and select the headline for the article closest to where you’re pointing. Don’t read the accompanying news article, but create your own humorous, fictitious story around the headline. Bring xerox copies also of the original news story to distribute to the other participants.
 
Sep 2008 - Write a poem or story–truth or fiction, funny or serious--about a trip you made to a cemetery.
 
Oct 2008 - There are three television commercials which have been your favorites for years. (Even if your favorites are commercials from the past, assume that they have been in use until recently. For this writing exercise, just assume that each of the three products or services advertised in these commercials are available from the NoName Company, at 999 NoName Street, in NoTown, Nebraska, 99999.) Recently, however, each commercial has been removed from sponsorship of various television programs, and has been replaced by another commercial for the same item or service. You do not like any of these three new commercials. Write a letter to Mr. Noble NoBody, Head Honcho of the company, proclaiming your admiration for the each of the original commercials and your disdain for the replacements, and urging him to resurrect the originals.
 
Nov 2008 - Write a story or poem in which you use, in one form of another, the words: love me enough more to let me go.
 
Dec 2008 - There is a department store in existence that has everything you could possibly desire–no matter how huge or tiny, no matter how exorbitant or minuscule the price, no matter how practical or outlandish. You may go in and take one thing that you want, but you must leave something in its place. Write about what you will take and what you will leave behind. Make it clear to your reader why you have left that particular item.