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    • Wednesday, September 27, 2023
    • 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
    • P.F. Chang's, 71800 CA-111 Ste C-104, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270


    Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

    Free Write and Mingle



    Location:
    P.F. Chang’s
    71800 CA-111 Ste C-104
    Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

    Registration is not required for this free event.

    Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.

    Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m.
    Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.
    Attend either or both.

    We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

    Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild?
    Please
    click here.

    Event Contact: Matt Lancellotti
    pswg@geographilia.com

      • Sunday, October 01, 2023
      • 12:00 AM
      • Saturday, October 21, 2023
      • 11:59 PM
      Registration is closed


      Announcing our next Challenge

      Chat with Your Protagonist


      Challenge Registration Opens: October 1, 2023
      Submission Deadline: October 21, 2023

      About
      Write 500 words about "Chat with Your Protagonist" and get written feedback from a professional editor!

      PLEASE SEE THE RULES AND JUDGING CRITERIA BELOW.

      We look forward to reading your entries!


      Entry Submission Rules

      Be sure to comply with all requirements. As with most professional writing submissions, there is no leeway on the rules. Questions? Please contact: kathy.weyer@att.net.

      1. Must be a member of Palm Springs Writers Guild with current, active status.
      2. Entries accepted between the opening date and submission deadline posted above.
      3. Please enter contest by registering online with a $15 entry fee for each entry; you can enter up to 3 times. Submit multiple entries separately.
      4. Each entry is 500 word maximum
      5. Must be submitted as a MS Word document
      6. One inch margins, double-spaced
      7. 12-point Times Roman or Times New Roman
      8. Indented paragraphs
      9. Title must be included in the document header. You may not use the contest theme as your title
      10. Pagination must be included in the document footer.
      11. Do not include your name anywhere on the submitted document, only in the body of your e-mail.
      12. Please submit your entry as an email attachment and send it to kathy.weyer@att.net, no hard copies accepted. 
      13. The subject line of your email will read the title of your work (not the contest theme name)
      14. Blind submission entries  are critiqued by a professional editor.
      15. Entries will be returned with edits and feedback on your story and presentation.
      16. There are no refunds for this event.

      Judging Criteria

      1. Adherence to all rules above.
      2. Adherence to the theme or prompt.
      3. Compelling and original plot:
        a. Traditionally consists of a beginning (exposition), middle (development), and end (climax and resolution).
        b. However, if your piece is fiction, very short pieces often consist of a “slice of life.” The narrative should still exhibit a plot-like arc so that the story feels self-contained and complete.
      4. Compelling and original characters
        a. At a minimum, the viewpoint character has dimension, with a substantial stake in the story’s resolution, making the reader care.
        b. Dialogue is believable and suited to each character.
      5. Consistency of narrative voice:
        a. Point of view; first, second, or third person.
        b. Level of omniscience: omniscient or all-knowing narrator, limited-omniscient narrator, or non-omniscient “objective” narrator.
      6. Fundamental writing skills:
        a. Spelling. Punctuation. Grammar. Usage.       
      7. The writer’s “secret sauce” that, when blended with the above criteria, makes the story stand out. For example:
        a. Artistry and clarity of language.
        b. Creation of mood through setting, description, and detail.
        c. Distinctness of voice.
      Interested in becoming a PSWG Member? Click this button JOIN
      • Tuesday, October 03, 2023
      • 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
      • Palm Springs Public Library, 300 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
      • 20
      Register


      Announcing our next Special Event

      So You Want to Write?
      Kathy Weyer



      About Kathy Weyer

      Kathy is the Membership Chair and Treasurer for PSWG. She has published three books of Women’s Fiction and several short stories and articles.





      Description of talk:

      Free workshop open to non Guild members who want to get started writing. We will do writing exercises, have open discussions, and answer questions. Bring paper and pen or a laptop and be prepared to get energized.

      Five things you will learn:

      • How to feel the fear and do it anyway - get writing!
      • Basics of what’s expected by agents and publishers.
      • The difference between self publishing, working with an agent, and directly with publishers.
      • We will have a short but fun exercise that shows you how to get creative easily.
      • Discussion of various software to use that makes the work easy and fun.

      REGISTER

      To cancel your registration so someone else may register, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration. 

      We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

      Meeting begins at 3:00 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. 

      Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

      Event Contact: Kathy Weyer
      kathy.weyer@att.net

        • Saturday, October 07, 2023
        • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
        • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
        Register


        Announcing our

        October
        General Meeting



        Contribute to the changes and improvements that will help the Palm Springs Writers Guild better help you. Free, in-person monthly gathering.

        REGISTER


        Meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon. 
        Refunds are not available for this event.

        We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

        Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

        Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago
        santiagogo@aol.com

          • Saturday, October 07, 2023
          • 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
          • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
          Register


          Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

          Pie & Passion
          Amy Wallen



          About Amy Wallen

          Amy Wallen is the bestselling author the memoir, When We Were Ghouls, the novel, Moonpies and Movie Stars, and most recently, the delightfully delicious, How to Write a Novel in 20 Pies: Sweet & Savory Secrets for Surviving the Writing Life. 


          Description of talk:

          Recipes for a delicious life! Amy shares her secrets and insights into her writing life: her inspirations, methods, wild ideas and daily routines; on the pleasure and the pain in achieving literary goals; on how she started out and how she hopes to continue. She will outline some golden rules for staying on track and talk candidly about what goes wrong as well as right. Be ready to put pen to paper or tips to key board. And pie!

          Takeaways:

          • What writing a book looks, feels, and even Tastes like.
          • Why Revision is your friend.
          • When you can type “The End.” 
          • Who is this creature called Published? 
          • Where to always find Joy and Laughter in the process.

          Students need only bring a dream to write a book, an appetite for pie, and a sense of humor. 

          REGISTER

          To receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation processing fee, attendees must cancel their registration 5 days before the event. No refunds will be given after that time. To cancel your registration, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration. 

          We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

          Meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. 

          Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

          Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago
          santiagogo@aol.com

            • Wednesday, October 11, 2023
            • 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
            • Mélange, The Chateau at Lake La Quinta, 78-120 Caleo Bay, La Quinta, CA 92253


            Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

            Free Write and Mingle



            Location:
            Mélange, The Chateau at Lake La Quinta
            78-120 Caleo Bay
            La Quinta, CA 92253

            Registration is not required for this free event.

            Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.

            Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m.
            Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.
            Attend either or both.

            We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

            Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild?
            Please
            click here.

            Event Contact: Matt Lancellotti
            pswg@geographilia.com

              • Friday, October 13, 2023
              • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
              • Zoom Online
              Register


              Announcing our next Online Lab

              Magic and Music
              Margaret Lucke



              About Margaret Lucke

              Margaret Lucke flings words around as a writer and editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes tales of love, ghosts, and murder, sometimes all three in one book. She is the author of four novels—House of Desire, House of Whispers, Snow Angel, and A Relative Stranger (an Anthony Award finalist)—and is the editor of Fault Lines, a short story anthology from the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. She is a former president of Mystery Writers of America NorCal.

              Margaret has also published two how-to books on the craft of writing and more than 60 short stories, feature articles, and scripts for mystery weekends. For many years she has taught fiction writing classes for UC Berkeley Extension and other venues.
              Visit her at 
              www.margaretlucke.com
              and 
              https://www.facebook.com/Margaret.Lucke.Author/


              Description of talk:

              Magic and Music: How to Develop a Powerful Writer's Voice

              What’s meant by a writer’s voice? Voice is an elusive concept, hard to define, but it’s a quality that every editor seeks in a manuscript. It’s that unique combination of language, imagery, lyricism, ideas, attitude, and style that gives your fiction its own distinctive personality. Having a powerful voice will help make your manuscript more appealing to publishers and more rewarding and satisfying for your readers.
               
              This workshop will help you explore and strengthen your own writer's voice. If you are writing fiction, memoir, personal essays, or narrative nonfiction in any form, you will benefit from attending this session.
               
              What you will learn:

              • Why editors want a story with a powerful voice
              • Why no two writers have the same voice, and the elements that make each of our voices distinctive
              • Five sources of power for your writer’s voice
              • How the choices you make about characters, story structure, and point of view impact the voice of every story
              • Tips and techniques you can use to strengthen your voice today

              Location: Zoom Online

              To receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation processing fee, attendees must cancel their registration 5 days before the event. No refunds will be given after that time. To cancel your registration, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration.

              REGISTER

              You will receive an invitation to the Zoom online meeting after you have registered and payment is complete.

              Unable to attend, no problem, all paid registrants will receive a video replay of this presentation.

              We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

              Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

              Event Contact: Ariella Moon
              authorariellamoon@gmail.com

                • Wednesday, October 25, 2023
                • 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
                • 849, 849 N Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262


                Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

                Free Write and Mingle



                Location:
                849 Restaurant and Lounge
                849 N Palm Canyon Dr
                Palm Springs, CA 92262

                Registration is not required for this free event.

                Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.

                Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m.
                Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.
                Attend either or both.

                We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild?
                Please
                click here.

                Event Contact: Matt Lancellotti
                pswg@geographilia.com

                  • Saturday, November 04, 2023
                  • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
                  • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
                  Register


                  Announcing our

                  November
                  General Meeting



                  Contribute to the changes and improvements that will help the Palm Springs Writers Guild better help you. Free, in-person monthly gathering.

                  REGISTER

                  Meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon. Refunds are not available for this event.

                  We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                  Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

                  Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago
                  santiagogo@aol.com

                    • Saturday, November 04, 2023
                    • 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
                    • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
                    Register


                    Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

                    Book To Film
                    Stephen Molton



                    About Stephen Molton

                    Stephen Molton is a screenwriter, author, librettist, producer, professor, and former film executive.  He has written movies and miniseries for Showtime Networks, New Line Cinema, Paramount Television and Viacom Productions. 

                    Among his many accomplishments is the adaptation of the novel, Border Crossing, by Pat Barker into the film, The Drowning, starring Josh Charles and Julia Stiles.


                    His books include Brave Talk (Harper/Collins) and Brothers in Arms: The Kennedys, the Castros and the Politics of Murder (Bloomsbury USA), co-written with Gus Russo and nominated by its publisher for the Pulitzer Prize.  

                    He lives in Rancho Mirage and New York City. 

                    Description of talk:

                    Book To Film:  The Art & Craft of Literary Adaptation

                    Takeaways:

                    1. You will learn the process of finding your personal connection with any given story.
                    2. You will learn to identify themes and the story’s essentials when adapting one literary form to another.
                    3. You will learn the unique challenges of adapting various forms (whether a play, a novel, a short story, a news story, etc.) into a screenplay.
                    4. You will learn the parameters of adaptation, the degree of “poetic license” a writer can take while still preserving the original work.
                    5. You will learn to structure the original story as a screenplay in 7 Acts.

                    REGISTER

                    To receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation processing fee, attendees must cancel their registration 5 days before the event. No refunds will be given after that time. To cancel your registration, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration. 

                    We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                    Meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. 

                    Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

                    Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago
                    santiagogo@aol.com

                      • Wednesday, November 08, 2023
                      • 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
                      • P.F. Chang's, 71800 CA-111 Ste C-104, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270


                      Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

                      Free Write and Mingle



                      Location:
                      P.F. Chang’s
                      71800 CA-111 Ste C-104
                      Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

                      Registration is not required for this free event.

                      Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.

                      Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m.
                      Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.
                      Attend either or both.

                      We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                      Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild?
                      Please
                      click here.

                      Event Contact: Matt Lancellotti
                      pswg@geographilia.com

                        • Thursday, November 09, 2023
                        • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
                        • Zoom Online
                        Register


                        Announcing our next Online Lab

                        Kindle Vella
                        Krissi Dallas



                        About Krissi Dallas

                        Krissi Dallas' Kindle Vella spy thriller, Icarus Flight School, spent eleven weeks as the #1 Top Faved story in Teen and Young Adult and just released in paperback and hardcover. Her ongoing serial romantic comedy, Wish Upon A Streaming Star, is a consistently Top 25 Faved story on Kindle Vella where new episodes release every weekend.



                        Description of talk:

                        Kindle Vella: Growing Your Readership One Episode At A Time

                        Attendees will discover how serial fiction is different from novel writing and how you can grow your readership through Kindle Vella whether you're a bestseller or a debut author.
                         
                        What you will learn:

                        • The difference between serial fiction and novel writing.
                        • Everything you ever wanted to know about Amazon Kindle Villa
                        • How to keep readers engaged and eager for your next installment.
                        • How you can grow your readership using Kindle Vella whether you're a bestseller or a debut author.
                        • What you need to know to start your own Kindle Vella fiction series

                        Location: Zoom Online

                        To receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation processing fee, attendees must cancel their registration 5 days before the event. No refunds will be given after that time. To cancel your registration, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration.

                        REGISTER

                        You will receive an invitation to the Zoom online meeting after you have registered and payment is complete.

                        Unable to attend, no problem, all paid registrants will receive a video replay of this presentation.

                        We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                        Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.

                        Event Contact: Ariella Moon
                        authorariellamoon@gmail.com

                          • Wednesday, November 22, 2023
                          • 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
                          • Mélange, The Chateau at Lake La Quinta, 78-120 Caleo Bay, La Quinta, CA 92253


                          Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

                          Free Write and Mingle



                          Location:
                          Mélange, The Chateau at Lake La Quinta
                          78-120 Caleo Bay
                          La Quinta, CA 92253

                          Registration is not required for this free event.

                          Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.

                          Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m.
                          Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.
                          Attend either or both.

                          We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.

                          Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild?
                          Please
                          click here.

                          Event Contact: Matt Lancellotti
                          pswg@geographilia.com