How to Do Writing Stuff
Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, Inc. ~ Newsletter 16; September 2025
Greetings, Campers! WELCOME to the Mid-September issue of our monthly newsletter. Tell us what you think in the comments. This month we’re featuring Writer Tips and Tricks, and more! The next newsletter issue comes out in Mid-October 2025. To feature your news and updates, please click here to fill out the form. Don’t worry, we won’t spam you.
In This Issue
Notes From the Director
How to Do Writing Stuff
Poll: Where Find the Best Helpful Writing Advice?
Staff Success Story!
2025 Bookcamp Stories
CWA First Chapter Contest
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Notes From the Director
by Dave Rank
Short Story Collection
Let me take a moment to announce that I signed a contract with Cornerstone Press to publish a collection of my short stories. And Night Shall Come is scheduled to be published in the fall of next year. Cornerstone Press is an arm of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. I'm excited about this opportunity. I'll share more news about the collection as it progresses.
Administrative Transition
The Novel Bookcamp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered in Wisconsin. I've been its director since its founding in 2014, for most of those years as a one-man administration. I'm 12 years older, and the Bookcamp has more than tripled in size. It's time we modernized the organization.
The 2026 Novel Bookcamp will be my last as director. The Board of Directors has reorganized and assumed Bookcamp and budget planning. Assistant Director Deborah King is stepping up admirably, taking some day-to-day duties from my shoulders. The Board is deciding what the new administrative team will look like moving forward.
I plan to stay involved in the Novel Bookcamp for many years to come, mostly as the kindly old emeritus director wandering the hall, reminiscing about the "Old Days" with anyone unable to stay out of range. It should be fun.
Staff Announcements Coming
We'll announce our 2026 staff next month. It's going to be an exciting mix of returning instructors and new faces. Stay tuned.
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
How to Do Writing Stuff
How Does Your Character Really Feel?
by Deborah L. King
We’ve all heard the admonition “Show, don’t tell!” But how’s that supposed to work when all we have to show with are words… which, by the fact of their very existence, are used to tell? The idea is to make the reader see what you’re telling or describing. Sometimes that means going big (or small) with descriptions of intangibles.
So your character is HAPPY… but she was HAPPY a paragraph or maybe only two sentences ago. She’s probably feeling more than HAPPY now. Yeah, she’s feeling JOYFUL and INSPIRED. And in the last chapter she was more than SAD… she felt POWERLESS and VICTIMIZED even!
These Emotion Wheels are good tools for describing emotions beyond the basics. They can guide you deeper and help you find the words to describe the body language and physical sensations. Of course, they’re not the last word, but they can be a good jumping off point.
How to Use the Emotion Wheel by Jason Tweed on Medium
https://flowingdata.com/2020/03/20/wheel-of-emotional-words/
https://oakmountaincoaching.com/feelings-wheel/#feelings-wheel-pdf
Tips For Reading Your Work Aloud — part 1
by Jennifer Rupp
Reading one's work aloud is an important aspect of a writer's career and, like learning to become a better writer, one can and should learn to become a better reader. I am relatively new to writing fiction, but I have considerable experience translating the written word to live performance having spent the better part of my working life in theater. I thought I might share some of my thoughts on reading work aloud. I hope you find these few tips helpful. They are given with my sincere wish that they complete your toolbox of skills and contribute to making you a successful writer.
Let Them Hear You: You do not have to be an actor to read your work. The folks who come to (or tune in to) your reading want to hear the voice of the author. They want to hear you interpret your work as only you can. Give them your voice.
Rehearse Rehearse Rehearse: If you ignore everything else I suggest, and only do this, you will be great. If you feel uncomfortable about rehearsing, or you think you are making too much of it, let those notions go. You are not doing this for you. You are doing this for the kind individuals who listen. Care for them, respect them and value them by rehearsing your reading. Make it a wonderful experience for them.
Speak Up: You might end up in a large room with no microphone. Nothing is worse than having your reading interrupted by someone in the back yelling, "Louder!" You must rehearse in full voice. You do this so that you won't be afraid of the sound of your own voice, and so that you can learn how to fill a room with your voice. Two common mistakes that hinder your ability to be heard are: 1) Holding the book up in front of your face, thus blocking both your sound and your facial expressions; 2) Bending your head down to read from the lectern, thus sending your sound into the floor while listeners get a lovely view of the top of your head. You must try to keep your head up so that listeners can both see and hear you. Therefore, the position of your reading material is key.
Try this: Stand. Let your arms hang at your sides. Look straight ahead. Now, bending your arms at the elbow, lift your hands palms up as if you were holding a tray. When you can easily see your palms by glancing down without moving your head, stop. This position is where your material should rest when you read.
A word about microphones: I hate them. They suck. But they are a necessary evil. If you read for radio, there will be producers on hand to coach you. Just do what they say. Be aware of the mic, but also try to forget it. I can't explain it any other way. If you will be reading at a venue using a mic, arrive early and work with it if you can. All mics are not created equal. Some are good. Some are bad. Some require you to keep your mouth near them at all times. Some like you to back off. If you are given a body mic, remember: every time you adjust your clothes, flip your hair, or put your hand to your chest, you will jostle the mic and your audience will wince in pain.
To be continued…
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
…and the Winner is SJ Rozan!!
Novel Bookcamp is pleased to announce that our own retreat mentor and clinic instructor SJ Rozan, along with her co-author John Nee, has won the 2025 Anthony Award for their novel The Murder of Mr. Ma. The story features a pair of Chinese detectives in 1924 London.
The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America.
Congratulations SJ and John!
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Bookcamp Experience Story Contest
One of the fun things that happen at Bookcamp on Thursday evenings is the Bookcamp Experience Story Contest. Bookcampers get a chance to submit a 500-word story telling of their thoughts and adventures. The winner, chosen by applause, received a selection of thrillers about murders at a writing retreat! Over the next few newsletters, we’ll share a few of the stories. Please enjoy this entry!
THE WEEK BEFORE BOOKCAMP
By: Jenna DicksonThe week before Bookcamp, all my notes were prepared.
My schedule was color coded and my files were shared.
I was ready to go! Time to succeed.
There was nothing else I would need.The Monday before Bookcamp, my dog got high at the dog park.
“He ate someone’s edible,” the vet explained. All my dog did was bark.
“It wasn’t mine!” I decreed.
“Sure. Sure.” The vet rolled her eyes and agreed.The Tuesday before Bookcamp, a ringing started in my ear.
The doctor said: “The specialist is six weeks out, never fear.”
“But what if it’s an inner ear bleed?
Shouldn’t we be treating this with more speed?”The Wednesday before Bookcamp, I packed my bags.
I sat my dog down for a serious talk and was greeted with tail wags.
“You must take heed.
No talking to strangers and no more weed!”The Thursday before Bookcamp, the garden hose sprung a leak.
The repair resin stuck to my hands, it was not for the weak!
It would not wash off, no matter how much I scrubbed and I knead,
everything I touched stuck to my fingers, guaranteed.The Friday before Bookcamp, my neck went out.
That something was wrong, there was no doubt.
I could not turn my head — not slow, nor fast, not any speed.
I feared my stuck spine would never be freed.The Saturday before Bookcamp, I developed a rash.
I complained to the dog, “This week has been trash!”
Time was running out, I had to concede.
But there was still enough for me to proofread!Bookcamp arrived whether I was ready or not.
My rash went away, the ear ringing could get shot.
The dog was behaving and I could kind of turn my head,
my hands were no longer acting like glue sticks and I was starting to look ahead.The great thing about it? All that stuff went away,
the second I walked up to Dave and he said “Hey.”
Bookcamp commenced and the real world was held at bay,
it was time to talk books and write all day.
Please share your 2025 camp stories & photos! Click here to fill out the form.
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
CWA's 10th Annual First Chapter Contest will open for entries on August 15th - Deadline is October 5th, 2025
Are you writing a novel? Submit the FIRST CHAPTER of your work, up to 10 pages, to CWA's 10th Annual First Chapter Contest.
First prize is a full scholarship to attend either the All-Genre Novel-In-Progress (NIP) Bookcamp & Writing Retreat or the Speculative Fiction NIP Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, both being held June 21-27, 2026, at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin (value: $1740). Second and third place winners will receive cash awards of $150 and $75, respectively.
This opportunity is open only to dues-paying members of Chicago Writers Association. You may join CWA here.
Click here for contest details!
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
NEXT ISSUE: Meet the 2026 Novel Bookcamp Staff
Please share your NIP camp stories and photos! Click here to fill out the form.
Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, Inc. Supportive Friends
Members of each Supportive Friend organization can enroll in a Novel Bookcamp Workshop or Writing Retreat at a discounted rate. Discount is not available for the Book Coach program.
Chicago Writers Association (CWA)
HerStry, LLC
Off Campus Writers’ Workshop (OCWW)
Wisconsin Writers Association (WWA)
Chippewa Valley Writers Guild
Watch This Space for the 2026 Bookcamp Details…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Glad to see Bookcamp continuing and expanding the board. It’s great to see a successful program like this prepare for a long and successful future.
Attended in 2024. An excellent camp! Congrats to SJ Rozen.