DATE

TIME

PROGRAM

January 9

Saturday

10:00-3:00

Workshop:   Middles

In this second in a three-part series on hands-on, get right-down-to-it workshops, we’ll be addressing middles!  For half of the workshop, Diana Scott will lead us in an exercise designed to strengthen your scene (based on a workshop she recently attended in Surrey).  For this exercise, bring in a scene from the middle of your book to work through.  (For Diana’s exercise, there will be no sharing; this is a personal writing exercise). 

January 28

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Writing Short—Character Change

Speaker:     Elona Malterre

How to take ideas/plot/characters from your longer work and hone them into a publishable short story. Good practice for the next issue of “Treasures Along the Fenceline.”

A general meeting will also be held.

February 13

Saturday

10:00-3:00

Workshop:   Attraction (ARWA’s Valentine’s Social)

Speaker:    Shannon Baxter

ARWA’s Valentine Social – This year we have a fascinating talk lined up on RELATIONSHIPS. Why are these two people falling in love? What's keeping them together? Want some new insights into intimate relationships? Come learn what Professional psychologists have discovered about the nature of romance and use their findings to deepen the realism in your own writing.

As well, we’ll have our Giant Book sale. (Bring your books for selling and your $$ for buying. All proceeds go to the ARWA library.)

February 25

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Conflict

Speaker:     Deb Smith and Darlene Maynard

Part of our “Back to the Basics” series, we’ll tackle the tough subject of conflict—what exactly IS it in our writing? Is it in your work? How do you get it into your work?

A general meeting will also be held.

March 13

Saturday

10:00-3:00

Workshop:   What’s on the Page?

Members will take a close look at conflict, motivation and point of view in their own work (or others). Understanding the concepts can be far different from using them as essential components of your work.

March 25

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Motivation

Speaker:     June Baxter

What makes your characters do/think/live the way they do? And why is this such a vital ingredient in any successful book?

A general meeting will also be held.

April 10

Saturday

10:00-3:00

Workshop:   Endings

Speaker:     Grace Panko and Lorraine Paton

The finale of our successful (and helpful) hands-on series.

April 22

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Style and Voice

 & What are you doing right?

Speaker:     Yvonne Kjorlien

How to take a more objective look at your own work, realize your strengths as a writer and build upon them.

A short general meeting will also be held.

May 8

Saturday

10:00-3:00

Workshop:   The Ins and Outs of Writing a Series

Speaker:     Mahrie Glab and Sarah Kades

 OMG—My book has too much for one story… Too many plotlines?  Compelling secondary characters?  Is it all too much for one book? 

You might need to write a series.  Join us for a look at the ins and outs of writing a series. 

Please bring a book (or books) from a series or two for analysis and discussion.

May 27

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Point of View

Speaker:     Grace Panko

Point of View – another important ingredient in strong, successful writing.

A general meeting will also be held.

June 24

Thursday

7:00-9:00

Workshop:   Annual General Meeting

Wine (non-alcoholic only), cheese and fruit will be supplied by the ARWA board. 

This is your chance to make a difference in our fantastic writing group!  ARWA’s Annual General Meeting and the launch of the Chris Roerden contest!