The Monthly General Meeting in 2026
This note is to keep members informed of the board’s decisions regarding our new meeting format. In addition to the schedule and activities listed below, the board of directors would greatly appreciate your input as we move forward. If something is not working, let us know. If you have other activities you’d like included, let us know. Questions and comments are essential because without YOU, we don’t have a branch!
Format of New General Meetings
Registration will be from 9:30 to 10:00 at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, Dining Room. For three meetings in 2026, we will need to relocate to the Pleasant Hill Community Center, McHale Room – we will give plenty of notice and directions about these changes.
We will provide coffee, tea, and pastries or sandwiches. We will finalize the timing of these arrivals after we have had a few months’ experience. Initially, we will have them arrive during registration.
To cover the costs of the meetings, the Board proposes the following registration fees. In January, as this will be the first of this new format, we will charge members just $10.00 and guests $15.00 for the meeting. Beginning in February, we plan to charge $15 for members and $20 for guests. If members register within the week prior to a meeting (that is, AFTER 12:00 noon on the Saturday before the meeting), the charge will be $20 (see the website registration form for specifics).
Start of Meeting
Opening Hour (10:00 to 11:00) – Engagement Activities
- The President will open the meeting and welcome all. This will indicate that members should take their seats. (2 minutes)
- Engagement Activity – we will select one of the four following items for each meeting. (43 minutes)
- Two interviews of our own membership. Barry and Michael have been volunteered as the first pair (in January). Generally, we would try to find two authors from the same genre. Hold all questions until both of them have been interviewed, and then audience questions can create dialogue between the two interviewees.
- Three Minute Flash Fiction. In this exercise, each person around a table adds one sentence to what previous people wrote to create a piece of flash fiction. I call this activity “Three Minute Flash” because each writer will have two minutes to consider what has already been written, then one minute to write their ONE sentence before passing the story to their neighbor. To maintain some rhythm to this exercise, a facilitator will need to call time. At the end, people can share the amusing or better stories.
- On an as-needed basis, we can add one-off items, such as having the YWC winners join us to read their works.
- A few members bring and read passages (up to 2 or 3 pages) that have impressed or moved them, then speak about what they gained from their passage.
The above four activities are a start. I invite any member with an idea for an additional activity to contact me.
- Business and then social chatter, if time. (15 minutes)
Second Hour (11:00 to 12:00) – Main Program
- Main Presentation of the Meeting – alternates between the two following items. (45 – 59 minutes)
- External Presenter: This will continue the presenters as we have had in the past. These external presenters will join us for our meetings in February, April, and June.
- Writers Table: Members will have the opportunity to select a topic and listen to a presentation given by one of our own. Currently, we have approximately six topics to choose from at each meeting. The topics for the meeting will be announced in advance. Writers Tables will occur at the January, March, and May meetings.
- A Board member will close the meeting and announce the next meeting’s agenda. (1 minute)
End of Formal Meeting (Noon)
Post Meeting (12:00 to 1:15) – An Opportunity
This time is not considered a part of the formal meeting. It is simply an opportunity for small groups to use the space to engage in a writing activity.
- Members can bring their lunches – they can be eaten at any time (hopefully after the end of the Main Meeting). The kitchen has refrigerators and warmers. Or dash out to grab something and come back (or order a delivery). Please mark your food accordingly and leave no food or drinks behind, as we will need to dispose of everything before vacating the room.
- This is an informal opportunity for members to arrange or participate in an activity. We have the room for just over an hour with tables and chairs. The space is available, and you are gathered with writers – we invite you to use the space and time. You can arrange small groups or have more all-welcome type gatherings. If you need an announcement to invite others to join you, just let me or a Board member know. Some suggestions for this time are listed below. Think of whatever you may find helpful or enjoyable, so long as it has something to do with writing. I would accept a suggestion to play Scrabble, as it can improve your vocabulary.
To participate in any post-meeting activities, members need to have attended the main meeting – no walk-ins at noon.
- Join friends and just socialize.
- Drop-in Critique Group: Bring a piece (no more than a few pages) to review with other members. Bring a piece to any meeting and see who wishes to participate in the group.
- Drop-in Book Club: The details can be decided by the members who wish to join in this activity.
- Shut up and Write Group: Get some work on the paper/screen with accompanying writers to help you focus.
- Helpful Editor with Elisabeth.
- Take leave of your senses and go home.
The end………. Barry
