Palm Springs Writers Guild upcoming events

Why Most First Pages Fail and How to Fix Yours (Friday, April 17, 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Announcing our next Online Lab

Why Most First Pages Fail and How to Fix Yours

Jayce Carter is a romance author who writes emotionally intense stories filled with morally questionable characters, sharp tension, and relationships that probably wouldn't survive a background check. Her work focuses on voice, character depth, and the kind of storytelling that keeps readers up far past their bedtime. As a workshop instructor, Jayce Carter blends practical craft advice with humor and clear, actionable strategies--helping writers understand not just what works, but why it works. Her goals is simple: help writers create stories readers can't put down (and maybe ruin a few sleep schedules along the way).

Description: Most readers and editors decide within a page whether to keep reading. Learn the five mistakes that kill first pages--and how to write an opening that hooks immediately.

Five Key Points to Take Away

The three questions every reader asks on page one.
The five most common first page mistakes.
How to create tension, curiosity, and momentum immediately.
Simple techniques to revise and strengthen your opening.
A clear checklist to evaluate your own first page.

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

Free Write and Mingle (Tuesday, April 28, 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:30:00 GMT

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:
California Bistro
69820 CA-111 (behind Willy's)
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
(760) 656-7300

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.

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 (323) 377-9730
(323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com

HOW TO WRITE A MEMOIR: Without Losing Your Mind (Saturday, May 02, 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Announcing our upcoming

MAY Writers Panel

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

HOW TO WRITE A MEMOIR:
Without Losing Your Mind

Description:

Writing a memoir means returning to the moments we might rather forget—and finding meaning in them. But how do you revisit the past without getting lost in it? In this candid and insightful panel, we’ll explore how to navigate difficult memories, protect your emotional well-being, and write with honesty, clarity, and courage.

Panelists: Joe McCormac, author of Things We Cannot Change, and David Stern, author of Elevator Boy. Moderator: Luciano Ramirez, author of One Boy's Story.

The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon.

This event is for all members. Registration not necessary.

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

Living the Story (Saturday, May 02, 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

LIVING THE STORY

By: Andy Harmon

ANDY HARMON is an American theatre director, writer, and creativity coach. He has worked extensively in Europe and the US, helping to develop professionals in both business and the arts. His book, Change Journey: Voices of the Creative Quest, about the drama of the creative process, is available on Amazon.

Presentation Overview:

Great stories are ultimately about how conflict leads to change. Great characters are those who try to change things and end up changed themselves: win, lose, or draw. We love stories because, on the deepest level, they reflect this truth. Living changes us. Stories do more than entertain. They prepare us. Inspire us. Affirm and enlighten us for the changes we face in our own lives.

Takeaways:

Gain a new perspective on a current writing challenge.
Tap into the creative resources you have to meet it
Use the motifs and lessons of mythic stories to support your writing
Use change as a lens for thinking through every aspect of your story.

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: Dak Kopec

Email: DakKopec@mac.com

Free Write and Mingle (Tuesday, May 12, 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 22:30:00 GMT

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, but it would be nice 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. (see below)
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: Eduardo Santiago (323) 377-9730
santiagogo@aol.com

Free Write and Mingle (Tuesday, May 26, 2026)

Tue, 26 May 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails

Free Write and Mingle

TUESDAYS!
HOST: Eduardo Santiago

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.

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 (323) 377-9730
(323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com

LITERARY SCAMS: Protect yourself from cons, clones, and crooks (Saturday, June 06, 2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Announcing our upcoming

JUNE Writers Panel

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

LITERARY SCAMS: Protect yourself from cons, clones & crooks

Description:

If that email about your book from an agent, producer, or editor sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In the age of AI, cons are getting slicker, faster, and far more convincing. From too-good-to-be-true film deals to emails that mimic your voice (or your agent’s), today’s nogoodniks are armed with technology that can flatter you, fool you, and fleece you.

In this straight-talking panel, we’ll expose the most common scams targeting writers, how AI is supercharging the grift, and the red flags you need to spot before your big “break” breaks you.

Panelists: Kristina Hoffman, screenwriter, and Carlotta Rinke (novelist). Moderator: TBA.

The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon.

This event is free for all members. Registration not necessary.

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

Cross-Platform Storytelling in Practice (Saturday, June 06, 2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Announcing our next In-Person Workshop

CROSS-PLATFORMS: STORYTELLING IN PRACTICE

By: Sudi Rick Karatas

The author of several books, including Rainbow Relatives: Real World Stories & Advice on How to Talk to Kids About LGBTQ Families & Friends, How Catering Sucked the Life Right Out of Me, and Fork Social Media and The Algorithm It Rode in On (Jailbird Stories)

He is also the writer and producer of the film currently on Amazon Prime: Walk a Mile in My Pradas, A ghost writer for the memoir book "Changing the Stars" by Cody Renegar, and a songwriter with the award-winning Videos All I Want for Christmas Is You and Gone, and Singing Under the Influence (S.U.I.)

Presentation Overview:

In this dynamic workshop, Sudi Rick Karatas will discuss cross-platform storytelling and creative longevity, guiding participants through how ideas evolve and survive across books, screenplays, music, and visual media. Drawing on his experience as an author, screenwriter, producer, and songwriter, he would unpack the practical realities of adaptation, collaboration, pitching, and the often messy process of getting creative work into the public sphere, while emphasizing how to maintain a consistent voice across wildly different formats.

Takeaways:

Identify and articulate how a single core idea can be effectively adapted across multiple platforms while preserving narrative integrity.
Recite practical strategies for navigating adaptation, collaboration, and pitching from real-world examples of projects developed, produced, and distributed across different industries.
Develop tools to maintain a consistent creative voice across diverse formats, even when working with different collaborators, audiences, and commercial constraints.
Understand the creative lifecycle, including the challenges, tradeoffs, and resilience required for long-term creative longevity.

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: Dak Kopec

Email: DakKopec@mac.com

Retreat to the Heat 26 (Sunday, June 28, 2026)

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT

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.