Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

March is upon us and if you are working as diligently on your manuscript as I am, you are “marching” right through it. Ha- ha?

The move to the back of Darcie Lynn’s PaperBack Exchange has been a blessing. Several new writers have found us in our new space and have been sharing not only their wonderful projects, but also their insight into our projects. I want to personally welcome our brave new participants.

The critique groups, memoir and fiction, now both begin at 6:30 on Monday nights because of the great participation. Remember, we bring six copies of five pages of double-space 12 font to share with everyone. The feedback is incredible!

This month, Vern Bradley will present the final seminar in his series, “Reading Your Partner Like A Book” on Saturday, March 20th beginning at 10 am.

Also on Saturday, March 20th, we will be hosting Toi Moore, author of several books, most recently “Unbreakable”. Beginning at 3pm, Toi will be presenting a free lecture covering her journey to publication and the topic of her latest book, how to make your relationship last. Light refreshments will be provided and books will be for sale after the lecture.

Finally, on Thursday, March 18th from 3:30 – 5:30, Noelle Kiely will be offering the Children’s Creative Writing Class. Participation is open to children ages eight to fourteen and costs $20.

I hope to see you at one of our gatherings this month.

Keep writing… and revising,

Diane

Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

Wow! It’s the 12th and I’m just now getting out the newsletter. I hope this isn’t how the rest of my year ends up going.

Just want to remind you of some upcoming events:

Saturday, February 13 from 10 am until 12 noon, Noelle will be conducting the Children’s Creative Writing Workshop. Cost is $20 per child. Noelle leads the participants through several writing exercises, instructs on technique and has a great time. You can sign up Saturday morning if you haven’t already.

Saturday, February 20, Vern Bradley will host the second relationship workshop, “Reading Your Partner Like a Book.” Workshop begins at 10 am. More information is available at Darcie Lynn’s Paperback Exchange.

Monday nights are busy with Memoir and Fiction groups meeting. Both groups will begin meeting at 6:30 to be sure we have time for everyone’s work. 

There is interest in a screenwriting group if anyone out there wants to join. Right now our screen writers are joining fiction, but it would be great for those of you working on screenwriting to be able to focus specifically on that genre. Shoot me an email if interested at writersgallery@yahoo.com .

Finally, I, along with two other Writers Gallery members, attended the San Diego State Universtiy Writers Conference. It wasn’t cheap, but well worth the money. The general advice when attending conferences is if you come away with one new idea, it was worth the money. I’ve attended so many conferences, workshops, classes and seminars over the years that often one thing is all I come away with. Not for this conference. The fog cleared for me regarding how the agents and editors in New York and otherwise see their work of getting books out into the world. Very enlightening, if not very overwhelming. I tell all of you this because I would highly recommend attending next year if you can. Begin putting $30 away each month starting now so you will be able to afford it. The other advice I remember clearly when I first started this writing journey: If you aren’t willing to invest in yourself, then why should anyone else be willing to invest in you?

So, invest in yourself and your writing journey this year… and keep writing.

Best, Diane

Hello Members, Participants and Supporters,

Welcome to a new year.

Sorry for the brief newsletter, but I am still catching up from the holidays.

The January Calendar has been posted and our first meeting is Monday, January 4 for memoir at 6:30 pm at the back of Darcie Lynn’s Paperback Exchange.

Hope to see you soon,

Diane

Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

I am so happy to announce the publication of our second edition of The Writers’ Gallery Magazine. We will be hosting a Release Party at our new location on Saturday, December 12th from 3 pm until 5 pm. Contributors will be able to pick up their free copy and there will be copies for sale that day for the special price of $10. You can also purchase copies at Amazon.com for $12.  Follow this link http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Gallery-Magazine-Collection-Writing/dp/1449560857/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259638563&sr=8-1

Yes, we are moving to a new location. We will now be meeting at the back of Darcie Lynn’s Paperback Exchange located at 12126 California Street. Come see the new space on Saturday, December 12th after the Christmas Parade.

Due to the holidays – the Release Party for The Writers’ Gallery Magazine on December 12th from 3 pm until 5 pm at Darcie Lynn’s Paperback Exchange at 12126 California Street, will be our only activity. We will begin with critique groups and classes again in January.

We hope to see you on the 12th.

Best,

Diane

Hello Members, Participants and Supporters.

Because of the holidays, The Writers’ Gallery will simply be conducting the critique groups. Please check the calendar for dates and times.

Take care,

Diane

Hello Members, Participants and Supporters,

Call for submissions for our second annual Writers’ Gallery Magazine has closed. Thank you to those of you who submitted. We have a tentative publish date of October 31. The celebration of publication will be in November.

This month Diane Adams will once again offer her very popular Writing Children’s Books workshop on Wednesday mornings from 10 am until 12 pm beginning on October 7th and completing on October 21st. Cost is $60 for non-members and $30 for members. There are only 9 spots left so reserve your spot now.

I will offer the workshop Comparing Your Publishing Options on Saturday, October 17th from 2 pm until 6 pm. Having done the Self-Publshing, Print-On-Demand, Independent Publisher, and Traditional Publisher, I will review all of your options from self-publishing to traditional publishing, discuss the pros and cons of each and help you decide the best options for your project and goals.

Noelle Kiely will offer the Children’s Creative Writing Class on Thursday, October 15th from 3:30pm until 5:30 pm.

Please visit the section Upcoming Worshops and Classes for more information.

As always, critique and writing groups will be meeting. Please visit the calendar for specific times and dates for each group.

I have added a new section to our website, publishing opportunities. You will want to visit the page and see if there is any calls that apply to a piece of writing you are working on.

May the cool weather inspire you to write, write and write some more.

Best,

Diane

Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

I wonder if you have had as much fun this summer as I. I wonder if you have written more this summer than I. Probably, but I am excited to get back into a routine of writing and getting wonderful feedback on my writing from my writing group buddies!

For September we are going to be offering the Writing The Romance Novel Workshop again as we did not have enough sign-ups last month to go forward. The workshop will be offered Saturday, September 12^th from 2 pm until 5 pm by Lara Rios, author of “Becoming Latina in 10 Easy Steps” and “Becoming Americana”. You can find out more about Lara by visiting http://www.lara-rios.com/ .

We are also offering a call for submissions for the 2^nd annual Writers’ Gallery Magazine, filled with your writing. Deadline is September 20^th for an October publication. We hope to have our 2^nd annual Local Author Festival at the end of October to celebrate the publication. All authors will receive one copy as payment. Please submit your writing to writersgallery@yahoo.com including your full name, address, phone number and a short bio.

The Children’s Creative Writing Class will be starting again this month and will be offered on Thursday, September 17^th from 3:30 until 5:30 pm and again on Saturday, September 26^th from 10 am until 12 pm. Please contact Noelle Kiely at nkiely@newsmirror.net to sign up.

Finally, all critique groups will meet as scheduled. Please visit the www.thewritersgallery.net and click on “Calendar” for times and days.

We hope to see you at the workshop or at one of the critique groups.

Happy Writing,

Diane

Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

The Writers’ Gallery is pleased to announce lots of success for our writers this month.

Meghan Kennedy’s tribute to Frankie Manning was published in USADance newsletter.

Here’s the online version…www.usadance-ie.org, click on newsletter, then click on “current newsletter”. Congratulations Meghan!

Sandy McPherson, leader of The Writers’ Roundtable on Tuesday nights, had her memoir piece, “A New Painting” accepted by Voice of Bipolar published by LaChance.  Congratulations to Sandy.

Lara Rios, a writer from the San Bernardino area, published an article about The Writers’ Gallery which can be found at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11344-LA-Writing-Education-Examiner~y2009m6d5-Writers-gallery-equipping-children-with-skills-to-be-successful-writers. Thanks for the publicity Lara!

Lynette Shepard, blogger for Menopause Goddess¸ posted a review of my book, Weekly Affirmations for Premenopausal Women at www.menopausegoddessblog.org.

For those of you who are not premenopausal, but menopausal, you will want to check out her book, The Big M available at her website.

Now for upcoming events:

Matthew Wayne Selznick, The Writers’ Gallery workshop leader, will be reading and signing his book, Hazy Days and Cloudy Nights, at Eclectic Books in Murrieta on Saturday, July 11^th at 2 pm. If there is anyone interested in attending, perhaps we could carpool – make a field trip of it!

Noelle Kiely will be hosting the Children’s Creative Writing Classes on Thursday, July 9^th from 3:30 – 5:30 and on Saturday, July 25^th from 10 am to 12 pm.

Diane Adams will once again be offering Writing Children’s Books on Monday’s beginning July 6^th from 10 am until 12 pm. Details are on the website, www.thewritersgallery.net.

Diane will also be offering Jump Start to The Artist’s Way in which she will begin you on the 12 week course by guiding you through the introduction and first three chapters. These classes will also be offered on Mondays from 2 pm until 4 pm. Details are on the website, www.thewritersgallery.net.

I will be at Barnes and Noble’s in Redlands on Saturday, July 18^th from 1 pm until 3 pm signing my book, Weekly Affirmations for Premenopausal Women.

Finally, Director’s Day will be Saturday, July 25^th from 12 pm until 4 pm which is time for members to meet with me individually.

As always, all groups will meet at their designated times. I have attached a calendar here for your convenience or you can access it at the website.

Remember… If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.  ~Toni Morrison

Best,

Diane

Dear Members, Participants and Supporters,

I am happy to announce the release of my memoir, Weekly Affirmations for Pre-menopausal Women. Let me first explain, you don’t have to pre-menopausal to read it as it is a collection of vignettes about growing older in this crazy world. To celebrate the release, I will be offering a free lecture:  FINDING YOUR VOICE next Saturday, May 30^th from 3 until 4 with a book signing to follow. I hope you will join me then and come see the new book.

As June is fast approaching, the June calendar is attached to this email for your printing ease, or you can always visit the website where it is posted, www.thewritersgallery.net. Click on “Calendar” on the left hand side under Pages and it will take you to the updated calendar.

As always, we will be hosting all critique groups at the usual times, but we are adding a new group and revamping an existing group.

Beginner’s Creating Writing Group is changing its name to Writers’ Round Table – the chance for writers to get together for timed writing practice, lively and positive practice, critique and exchange of publishing sources. All writing levels are welcome.

Every other Monday will now be Women’s Writing Group hosted by Lisa Davis, a published writer of articles and Op Ed pieces. Bring work to share or just questions for Lisa to answer from 7 – 9 pm.

Some exciting workshops are coming in June.

The Writers’ Gallery

Presents

Getting Published – Finding Your Publisher

Saturday, June 6

10 am – 2 pm

Make your book dreams a reality.  Award winning author Catherine Feher-Elston, of Penguin Books, explains how to put pen to paper, how to research books and book markets, how to find an agent, how to negotiate contracts and how to promote books.  Included in the seminar are comparisions of self publishing and traditional publishing, and the importance of market research. An introduction to intellectual property rights and publishing law is included. 
    

  Dr. Feher-Elston is the published author of four books: The Navajo Cook Book (ONEO, 1982, 1983, 1984), Children of Sacred Ground (Northland, 1988), the Naturesong series–Ravensong: A Natural and Fabulous History of Ravens and Crows (Northland, 1992; Penguin 2005); and Wolfsong: A Natural and Fabulous History of Wolves (Penguin, 2006). Ravensong was selected as Best Book in the West by the Rocky Mountain Publishers Association. She is a contributing author to the book Dog People (Adams Media, 2004). Dr. Feher-Elston  is a degreed historian and archaeologist who has worked in the Mediterranean region, in Finland and among the tribes of the Western United States.  She spent years as a working journalist on the Colorado Plateau and has written thousands of articles for popular and academic audiences.  Currently, she lives at the base of the Sierras in California, with her wolf Aurora and her family of Sacred Mountain Malamutes.

$40 for participants

$20 for members

Only 10 spots!

Please call or email for your spot.

And…

Led by children’s book writer, Diane Adams, author of Zoom!, and I Can Do It Myself!, and illustrator of A Home for Salty, this course will nurture your creativity and help you regain a sense of hope and excitement about your writing . 

Start date:  Wednesday, June 3rd

End date:  Wednesday, August 19th

Time:  Wednesdays from 7 – 9 p.m.

Location:  The Writer’s Gallery, 35081 Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa

Cost:  $240 for 12 weeks, non-members, $200 for members

Materials:  The Artist’s Way book (please bring to the first class)

Contact:  Diane M. at (909) 953-9493 or writersgallery@yahoo.com

The Writer’s Gallery,  A Community of Writers and Artists

Limit 8 participants

Finally, The Children’s Creative Writing Classes will be offered Thursday, June 11^th and Saturday, June 27^th.

June also marks our one year anniversary. Many of you are nearing completion of your manuscripts and I know this time next year, we will be celebrating all the successes of our talented writers.

I hope to see you next Saturday for my free lecture, or at one of our many critique groups and workshops.

Best,