Menu
Log in

Login to see member resources.


Events

    • Monday, April 01, 2024
    • 12:00 AM
    • Sunday, April 21, 2024
    • 11:59 PM
    Register


    Announcing our next Challenge

    Payoff for not achieving goal


    Challenge Registration Opens: April 1, 2024
    Submission Deadline: April 21, 2024

    About
    Write 500 words about "Payoff for not achieving goal"
    (or the topic of your choice). What's the payoff for NOT achieving the goal? 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
    • Friday, April 19, 2024
    • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
    • Zoom Online
    Register


    Announcing our next Online Lab

    Not a Heroine's Journey
    Stacey Simmons, PhD



    About Stacey Simmons

    Stacey Simmons is a writer and psychotherapist who lives and works in Los Angeles. She discovered an analog to the Hero’s Journey that is NOT a heroine’s journey by examining myths, films, sacred literature, and stories. In her practice at Hope Therapy Center she specializes in the unique needs of creative professionals. You can learn more about her writing here.


    Description of talk:

    Not a Heroine’s Journey: Don’t Tell Your Women-Centered Story like a Hero’s Tale!

    What you will learn:

    • Why a Woman-centered story fails using the Hero’s (or Heroine’s) Journey model
    • How to use the Queen’s Path to make your story connect with readers
    • Who is the Divided Woman and how do you make space for her in your stories?
    • How can you make sense of the Happily Ever After drive to help your story connect with readers?
    • How to drive home your character arcs by underlining the relevant aspects of their personal journeys along the Queen’s Path

    What you should bring

    • A character synopsis for your protagonists and antagonists
    • A beat sheet of your plot points

    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

    Unable to attend? No problem, all paid registrants will receive a video replay.

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

    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

      • Thursday, April 25, 2024
      • 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM
      • 849 Restaurant and Lounge 849 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262


      Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

      Free Write and Mingle



      Join fellow members to write and socialize!  We will have writing prompts to spark our imagination, then transition to happy hour! 
      Registration is not required for this free event, and please feel free to bring a guest!

      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 7:00 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

        • Wednesday, May 01, 2024
        • 12:00 AM
        • Tuesday, May 21, 2024
        • 11:59 PM
        Registration is closed


        Announcing our next Challenge

        What's your ending?


        Challenge Registration Opens: May 1, 2024
        Submission Deadline: May 21, 2024

        About
        Write 500 words about "What's your ending?"
        (or the topic of your choice). Write the first half the way you've planned it, then switch it around to an alternative ending.  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
        • Saturday, May 04, 2024
        • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
        • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
        Register


        Announcing Our Upcoming

        May Writers Forum



        In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! 

        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, May 04, 2024
          • 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
          • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
          Register


          Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

          Tall Tales: The Art of the Short Story
          Noel Alumit



          About Noel Alumit

          Noel Alumit is a multidisciplinary artist who wrote the novels Talking to the Moon and Letters to Montgomery Clift. He won the Stonewall Book Award from the American Library Association and the James Duggins Mid-Career Prize. He was named one of Out Magazine’s “Out 100” and was a California State Commissioner on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. His new book, Music Heard in WiFi & Other Stories was released this year by Rebel Satori Press and will be available for sale at the event.

          Description of talk:

          Whether you write novels, memoirs, or short stories, you don’t want to miss this one! Short stories do everything longer stories do, but backward and in high heels! They have to establish character quickly, often in just a few words or sentences. Plot is also condensed in short stories and, because of its small scope, it is often easier to see and understand how plot is working in a short story than in a longer work. Short stories often contain some kind of revelation or significant turning point in a character’s thought and/or action. This moment of realization is a major, defining attribute of the short story genre. Tradition and innovation meet in this unique workshop.

          Five things you'll learn:

          • To identify or create demographic factors (age, gender, race, class, etc.).
          • To define what an epiphany is and how it works in literature.
          • The purpose of secondary characters in relation to the protagonist(s).
          • To use material details to focus on the immaterial, such as a character’s emotions.
          • To your cultural background, even if you don’t find it very exotic, for inspiration and innovation.

          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

            • Thursday, May 09, 2024
            • 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM
            • P.F. Chang’s 71800 CA-111 Ste C-104 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270


            Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

            Free Write and Mingle



            Join fellow members to write and socialize!  We will have writing prompts to spark our imagination, then transition to happy hour! 
            Registration is not required for this free event, and please feel free to bring a guest!

            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 7:00 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, May 17, 2024
              • 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
              • Zoom Online Meeting
              Register


              Announcing our next Online Lab

              Is Scrivener Write For You?
              Matthew Lancellotti



              About Matt

              He is currently Professor of Marketing (Consumer Psychology) in the Department of Marketing at Mihaylo College of Business, Cal State Fullerton. Matt has published numerous research articles for academic journals and business-trade and -advice publications. At the same time he has always enjoyed writing fiction, and has done so in fits and starts since childhood. He has finally just finished writing his first novel, and is in the final editing process. Matt has found tremendous value and camaraderie as a member of the PSWG to help him through that journey. He lives in Palm Springs, a truly inspirational place for writing, with his loving husband and adorable pooch Ollie.

              Description: 

              Writing a book can be an organizational nightmare. You find yourself scribbling ideas, scenes, research notes, you name it, on napkins, in notebooks, on sticky pads, or saving stuff in myriad files you can’t find later on your computer. Scrivener is designed for writers, and lets you write, manage, and store every component of your novel all in one neatly organized file. This writing lab will cover its benefits, features, and basics on how to use the software so you can decide.


              Location:
              Zoom Online Meeting

              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

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

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

              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, June 01, 2024
              • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
              • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
              Register


              Announcing or upcoming

              June Writers Forum



              In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! 

              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, June 01, 2024
                • 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
                • The Mizell Center, 480 S Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
                Register


                Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

                All About YOU: Turning Your Life Into A Novel
                Byron Lane



                About Byron Lane

                Byron Lane is an author, playwright, and screenwriter. His latest novel, Big Gay Wedding, is a Golden Poppy Award finalist and named a Best of the Year by Audible. His debut novel, A Star is Bored, is inspired by his time as former assistant to actress Carrie Fisher and hailed by The New York Times Book Review as "wildly funny." Lane is a two-time regional Emmy Award winner from his time as a television news journalist, he wrote the acclaimed play Tilda Swinton Answers An Ad on Craigslist, and he lives in Palm Springs, California, with his husband, author Steven Rowley, and their rescue dogs, Raindrop and Shirley.


                Description of talk:

                Prepare to be inspired as award winning journalist, playwright, and author Byron Lane shares practical tips and tricks for turning your real life story into the novel you've always wanted to write.

                Takeaways:

                • Find out where to start when writing your life story.
                • How to elevate your writing style from basic to brilliant.
                • Discover the "north star" of your story so you don't run astray.
                • Turn your writing weaknesses into strengths.
                • Harness your imagination into your secret weapon. 
                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