Randy Hilfman opened the meeting, introducing himself and talking a little bit about his editing/writing experience. Others in attendance followed his lead.

Randy Hilfman on Constructing Erotic Crossword Puzzles

Randy’s first crossword puzzle was published in 1991 in Libido, The Journal of Sex and Sensibility, a quarterly published in Chicago; that publication is now exclusively online at www.libidomag.com. He published his only nonerotic puzzle in Tales of the Heart, a now-defunct literary magazine.

How he got started: He had published a basketball column and other writings; he liked solving crossword puzzles; he had a higher-than-average interest in sex; he thought trying to construct puzzles would be challenging and fun.

A provocative query letter convinced Libido to try a puzzle, and he was paid $50 for it.

Someone from Masquerade magazine called from New York and asked him to do puzzles for them also; he did several, for which he was paid $100 each.

He used a pen name, H.J. Randolph, for puzzles that appeared in Masquerade – using pen names is not uncommon for those who write erotica. He queried Playboy about taking a puzzle but received a rejection letter.

To construct a puzzle, you need to come up with a theme. The themes for Randy’s puzzles so far have been (a) oral sex; (b) erotic literature; (c) XXX movies and those who perform in them; (d) female genitalia; and (e) porn magazines.

There are programs to construct puzzles, but Randy doesn’t use them, though he tried one unsuccessfully once.

How does he construct puzzles? He fills in black squares on a 15x15 grid in pencil; tries to avoid using too many obscure or foreign words; and slants as many words toward the puzzle theme as possible. To construct a New York Times–quality puzzle (which he’s never been able to do), the pattern of the black squares on the grid must be totally symmetrical.

Randy passed around a packet of materials that showed his process in constructing puzzles and also several completed puzzles. It takes probably 10 to 15 hours to finish a puzzle.

Lots of reference books are needed. The most enjoyable part is actually writing the clues when the grid is completed; this allows for playfulness and creativity.

Asked whether he had considered doing a book of puzzles, Randy said he hadn’t considered it. Others wondered whether there was much of a market for crosswords on the Internet, or whether they could possibly be included in company newsletters (perhaps the nonerotic kind?).

Allison Schumacher on Acting and Editing

Allison holds a B.A. in English and theater and an M.F.A. in theater (acting), having attended the University of Louisville. She is a member of the Dickens Carolers and has sung and danced on a Spirit of Puget Sound cruise. One of her treasured memories is being in the chorus in Gypsy at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle.

Things acting and freelance editing have in common: 

·        You’re self-employed.

·        You’re always job searching.

·        You’re always wondering where the next paycheck is coming from.

Allison discussed “cattle calls” versus individual auditions for theater jobs and the “callback” process.

She performed an engaging monologue she often uses for auditions from Herb Gardner’s A Thousand Clowns, stressing that it’s advantageous to “make them laugh” at an audition.

Other things to remember with regard to both fields:

·        Always get your name out there, using any excuse you can!

·        It’s very easy to get discouraged.

·        Call yourself what you are! Do at least one thing every day to further your career; keep in touch with the business.

·        “Employers” are quite subjective in terms of what people they’re looking for to do the job.

·        Networking (getting to know people) is vital.

--Allison Schumacher, Amy Smith Bell, and Randy Hilfman, notetakers and polishers

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