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The Kansas City Writers Group was founded in 1965 and has met continuously since that time. We average around 40 members per semester and have several charter members who still attend. We celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2005.
Our leaders are well-published, professional writers and editors, who are willing to share what they know with other writers regardless of
experience or achievement. Leaders for the critique workshops are Deborah Shouse, Mary-Lane Kamberg and Dawn Downey. Critique Group We use a workshop critique group format for works in progress.
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Spring 2009 semester No pre-registration necessary
Spring 2009 semester No pre-registration necessary Critique Group Contacts: ------------------------------ Summer 2009 semester "Critique Group" (10 weeks) Cost $60 Begins June 4, 2009 St. Garabed Armenian Church 4400 Wyoming, KC, Mo. 64111 No pre-registration necessary
Summer 2009 Critique Group
816-674-0330 E-mail
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The Kansas City Writers Group Presents
2009 - I Love To Write Camp for students entering grades 4-8
Explore the creative writing process without worrying about your grade! This workshop includes experience with peer review, free writing and techniques to help your writing come alive. Camp leader is award-winning professional writer Mary-Lane Kamberg. Session I: July 7-10, 2009 Session II: July 14-17, 2009
10 a.m. to 12 noon Cost: $65 6000 Lamar, Meeting Room C Bring: a spiral notebook, pens or pencils, change for vending machines.
~ New this summer ~ Session III: Advanced Critique Camp: July 21-24, 2009 10 a.m. to 12 noon Cost: $65 6000 Lamar, Meeting Room C
This camp session is for young writers with work in progress. Instructor will provide critique including positive impressions,
as well as suggestions for improving the work. Peer review encouraged. Space limited. Please submit 10 pages hard copy typed and double-spaced prose or 3 to 5 single spaced poems by July 10. To: Mary-Lane Kamberg, 2128 E.
144th St. Olathe, KS 66062-2355 or e-mail Word attachment to MLKwriter@yahoo.com 6062SWord Format or ► PDF Format ------------------------------------------------------------
Now Available! The I Love To Write Book: Ideas and Tips for Young Writers by camp director Mary-Lane Kamberg, $16.95
Questions? (913) 764-4950 or e-mail: mlkwriter@yahoo.com
“When (my daughter) was telling friends about her summer, I was surprised to hear her say the most fun thing she did was writers camp! After all, we took her to Mexico, climbed ruins, played in the water, bought her stuff...” Elizabeth Uppman
“I am hoping we see you next summer for your youth writers camp. As a teacher, you are such an inspiration. Your workshop fits so much with my idea of learning, which is that education should be about the love of learning, not a grade or test score. Furthermore, I am impressed with how much you focus on children’s strengths and foster a very positive learning environment so that your students feel more inclined to work hard, as well as to create.” Valerie Gabrielli
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Members
turn in 3 to 5 poems, one chapter of a book, a short story, article or essay to the leaders via e-mail or regular mail, or drop it off at class. We also critique query letters and book proposals. The leader then does a line edit and comments in writing on the piece.
At a subsequent meeting, the leader reads the piece aloud to the group. We have found that it benefits the writer to hear someone else read the piece aloud. The writer often catches things he/she did not notice in written form. For longer pieces, we limit the
amount read aloud to about 10 pages (double spaced).
The class then comments on the piece with the goal of helping it become more publishable. Comments may address grammatical or factual errors, comments on structure, characterization, etc., or just how the piece “hits us” as readers. Sometimes, the class even
suggests a different plot twist. Other times, someone may suggest a market for the piece. It’s pretty much up for grabs. Comments usually include both positive and negative points. But we don’t attempt to change content. We are trying to help the author say what he
or she is trying to say. 
awards, acceptances or rejections, signing with an agent, sales of books, articles, stories, or poems. It’s also a time for such general announcements as when someone is doing a poetry reading or appearing on TV or on the radio or passing around an article in the
newspaper about one of us. Also during Market News, we pass around guidelines or Web sites for markets we have found. It’s sort of a show and tell time. This time varies, probably about 15 to 20 minutes each meeting. However, on the first day of each semester, it
takes most of the meeting, since we’ve been apart so long and lots has usually happened. 
We like to try to read pieces by authors
whose work hasn’t yet been heard that semester before we repeat an author. (Some people never turn in anything!) Also, the author must be in class the day the piece is read. If he/she isn’t there, we just save it ‘til the next time he/she is. 
