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Announcing our next Contest
Winter Writing Contest: Coachella Valley
About Submit a maximum 2,500 word short story, non-fiction essay, play or poem specific to or loosely inspired by the environs and/or denizens of the Coachella Valley. Compete for recognition or pay extra to receive edits and written feedback from a professional editor! There may be a winner in each above listed genre.
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: kvhoffman@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 $40 entry fee for each entry; you can enter up to 3 times. Submit multiple entries separately. 4. Each entry is 2,500 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. 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 kvhoffman@att.net, no hard copies accepted. 13. The subject line of your email will read PSWG Winter 2026 Contest submission. 14. Blind submission entries are critiqued by a professional editor. 15. For an additional $35.00 entries will be returned with edits and feedback on your story and presentation. 16. There are no refunds for this event.
Winners Will Receive
1. $45.00 and a digital laurel.
2. Announcement in Tuesday Tidings, PSWG Social Media and May Writers Forum.
Judging Criteria
Announcing our next Online Lab
Hone Your Craft and Edit For Success 2026! Ariella Moon, Author YA
About Ariella Moon
Award-winning author Ariella Moon draws upon her experiences as a shaman to create magical Young Adult fiction. She won the Aspen Gold Readers’ Choice Award for Best Romantic Short Story for “Covert Hearts,” which appears in Second Chances: A Romance Writers of America Collection. Discover her medieval Two Realms fantasy series and her contemporary Teen Wytche Saga novels at online book retailers and at www.ariellamoon.com.
In addition to teaching writing labs, Ariella Moon leads seminars on healing, women’s spirituality, and Defense Against the Dark Arts at local and international women's conferences. She lives a nearly normal life doting on her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and a media-shy dragon.
Description:
Start the new year with a fresh polish to your work-in progress or finished manuscript. In this interactive online lab, award-winning author Ariella Moon will show you how to scrutinize your manuscript through an editor’s eyes. We will review macro and micro edits that will help you identify common problems including structure, head-hopping, point of view, flat or AWOL characters, weak verbs, and much more.
Key Points to Take Away
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.
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
Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails
Free Write and Mingle
TUESDAYS! HOST: Eduardo Santiago
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:Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort 45000 Indian Wells Lane Indian Wells, CA 92210 (442) 305-4500
Registration is not required for this free event, but we'd appreciate it if you did.
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.
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago (323) 377-9730 (323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com
Location:Oceana Restaurant 70065 CA-111 (across from Enzo's) Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (442) 305-4500
Announcing our upcoming
February Writers Panel
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! MOUTHING OFF: FROM WRITING QUIETLY TO SPEAKING PUBLICLY
Description: No matter how brilliant your book may be, if you crash and burn at the mic, your message risks getting lost. In this lively, practical session, the Guild's very own Julia Ensley and Rick Rutherford share their secrets to success, whether you're facing a pakced auditorium a media interview, or rabid fans at a bookstore. Learn how to manage nerves, find your authentic voice, an transform public speaking into your superpower. Moderator: Eduardo Santiago
The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon.
This event is free for all members. Registration not necessary.
REGISTER
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 Santiagosantiagogo@aol.com
Announcing our next In-Person Workshop
What makes a romance? Who makes the rules? Who enforces them? Blake Allwood
Blake and his husband Shaun met on Valentine's Day in 1995, and they have been together ever since. Together, they fostered 12 children before selling their home and traveling the country in their RV with their two dogs. Blake’s books are often inspired by the places he’s visited. To date, Blake has written over twenty books.
Presentation Overview:
Most of us follow the beats that don’t fit the official criteria for a romance book, so who gets to decide what a romance is? Are they places like Amazon, Goodreads, or Bookbub? Or is it the audience? People like reviewers who can cause a book to tank in the market. In this workshop, we’ll explore questions like these and take some time for emotional writing.
Takeaways:
Meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.
Event Contact: Dak Kopec
Email: DakKopec@mac.com
Location:849 Restaurant and Lounge 849 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
Registration is not required for this free event, but it would be nice if you did.
Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m. Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m. (see below) Attend either or both.
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago (323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com
March Writers Panel
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing!
Deadlines, not Flatlines: Caring for the body that writes the books
Description: This panel explores realistic movement habits, desk setups, and mindset shifts that help writers counteract long hours in the chair—without requiring a personality transplant into a gym rat. Panelists will share the simple routines, boundaries, and hacks that keep their backs, hips, and brains functioning well enough to finish the next draft (and the one after that).
Panelists: Andy Cohen and David Parrish. Moderator: Eduardo Santiago
Pacing: The Invisible Engine Dete Meserve
Dete Meserve is a bestselling novelist and award-winning film and television producer. Her latest novel, The Memory Collectors—about four people who get the chance to spend one hour in their past—is an Amazon bestseller and Goodreads Choice Award nominee, currently in development as a TV series with Meserve as showrunner. She adapted her novel Good Sam into a Netflix film, which she also produced. She is also the author of Perfectly Good Crime, The Good Stranger, and The Space Between.
Pacing is what keeps readers turning pages—but it's not about speed. It's about controlling their experience of time, tension, and momentum. In this workshop, bestselling novelist Dete Meserve breaks down pacing techniques at the sentence, scene, and structural level, with examples from her novel The Memory Collectors and other works. You'll leave with practical tools to make your book unputdownable.
The Palm Springs Writers’ Guild invites you to Retreat to the Heat
Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting your journey, our annual retreat is designed to help you unlock your full potential in the serene desert oasis of Palm Springs, California. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Sonoran Desert, our retreat offers the perfect balance of instruction, inspiration, and relaxation.
Escape the crowds and immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of Palm Springs during the summer – the ideal time to recharge and focus on your craft. Over three enriching mornings, you'll gain invaluable insights from acclaimed writers, learning tools and techniques to help you achieve your writing goals. In the afternoons, put these strategies to work in your own writing as you receive personalized guidance and support.
Evenings are for connecting with fellow writers, whether over a delicious meal at one of Palm Springs' many renowned restaurants just steps away, or by unwinding at the pool under the vast desert sky. Let the warm breeze and star-filled nights spark your creativity, or simply relax and recharge.
Come for the writing. Stay for the inspiration.
The $1100 Retreat to the Heat registration fee includes a luxurious three-night stay at the stylish Hotel Zoso in the vibrant heart of downtown Palm Springs, daily breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks to keep you energized throughout your stay, all expert workshops, feedback, and presentations, and more.
Immerse yourself in inspiring workshops led by three acclaimed PSWG fiction authors and gain invaluable insights from a farewell keynote by husbands NY Times best-selling author Steven Rowley and Emmy Award-winning journalist and novelist Byron Lane. Learn the essential do’s and don’ts to help you navigate your writing journey with confidence.
