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December 2022 Message from the President ESCAPED ELF: STATUS OF MAGIC UNKNOWN Last year, our Elf on the Shelf disappeared in Florida while we were on a pre-Christmas trip with my dad. I now have a flash fiction piece about an elf named Patrick Henry who is desperate to escape his life of indentured-scout-elf-servitude. He plots an escape plan consisting of giving up his magic and hitchhiking to Florida.   Don’t all stories bear traces of our real-life adventures?   Something about this time of year and an inevitable sense of urgency – make the most of the holidays, finish out the year strong, get all that shopping done, those cookies baked, those words on the page. And beyond the urgency is the instant-nostalgia – make memories you’ll keep, have good times you’ll remember, take photos, send cards, attend parties, tell stories, spread cheer.   Why do we expect so much from ourselves during the holidays? Why can’t my Spotify Wrapped just be quiet Christmas music instead of Taylor Swift’s example of what the achievement of totally awesome actually looks like?   As our organization looks toward 2023, using your membership survey input as our guide, we are mindful of the ambitions, expectations and obligations of our writing family. We have BIG ideas for 2023 we can’t wait to share, and we’ll be voting in new board members we can’t wait for you to meet.   But, before all that, on Dec. 8, the Pat Conroy Literary Center will co-host with SCWA its last Virtual Open Mic of the year with author Juan Eugenio Ramirez, author of The Man with Wolves for Hands, winner of the Nilsen Prize for First Novel. Learn more here.    Then, on Dec. 14, our radio show, Write On SC, will host its first Holiday Party at The Aristocrat on Washington Street in Columbia. You’re all welcome to come and hear eight short stories, including the one about Patrick Henry’s Florida fantasies. Learn more about that here.   In the midst of the holiday crush, I imagine a little escape is welcome. Just don’t give up your magic to get it.   Kasie Whitener President, SCWA Board of Directors Membership CELEBRATING A GREAT YEAR; LOOKING AHEAD This year will soon come to a close, and Membership is celebrating a great year! One reason is that since this time last year, we’ve added 87 new members since the renewal period ended on May 1, 2022, an increase of 24%. We are able to attract new members because of our current members — writers like you. Thank you for helping us spread the word and grow our amazing network. We also are in the process of analyzing the recent Membership survey. You gave us a lot of information, and as we promised, we're reviewing the results and considering every comment you provided. Thanks to everyone who participated. You'll be hearing more about the survey later. Since January 2021, I've had the honor of facilitating the Short Fiction Virtual Chapter, which focuses on short stories, micro-fiction, flash fiction — any complete fiction under 10,000 words. Reading the work of the wonderful writers in our group certainly has improved my own writing, but it's time for a new leader. Effective Jan. 1, Michael McIntyre will become the leader for the Short Fiction Virtual Chapter. He is a lifelong resident of the Charleston area and a graduate of the University of South Carolina Beaufort. He got his start writing songs then transitioned into fiction, non-fiction, plays, comics and poetry. He has had pieces published in The Pen, Humanitas and Charleston's Free Time. He currently lives in downtown Charleston with his wife, Amy, and their Australian shepherds, Bruce and Bowie, named after Springsteen and David, respectively. We appreciate Michael's willingness to assume this role. If you have any questions about your SCWA Membership, please contact us at SCWAMembership@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you. Wishing you and your families and loved ones and safe and joyous holiday season! Raegan Teller SCWA VP/Membership Questions or suggestions about SCWA membership? Email SCWAmembership@gmail.com. A Special Note FROM THE PAST PRESIDENT Serving on the SCWA board during the past five years has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences of my life. I've had the pleasure of meeting wonderful writers and those involved in writing across South Carolina, which helped me appreciate the tremendous capability in our literary arts. I've had the opportunity to see our organization find itself and grow to new heights thanks to the groundwork laid out by previous board members and the innovation and dedication of those with whom I served. I've met new friends and have marveled at the depth and breadth of the talent of our members, board members, staff and affiliates. I've learned a lot about writing and myself, and I leave as a better person.    So, I thank everyone and wish you new and continued writing success as I step away from active board work to be a resource where needed and rededicate myself to my personal growth in other ways. I am excited about SCWA's future. Thank you for accommodating me and giving me the pleasure of being part of the leadership of SCWA. Mike Lee Immediate Past President RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP Not an SCWA member? JOIN HERE Not ready to join? Subscribe to The Quill newsletter. Visit SCWA's Calendar for Updated Events Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? 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