During our 2-hour Saturday workshops, experienced instructors guide participants through lecture and example to increase their marketability and the quality of their writing. Any work required of the students is done during that session. These workshops are open to the public and fees are kept low to encourage participation.
In Person and/or via Zoom
Starting in 2026, workshops will be held on the third Saturday of the month from 10am to Noon. Those workshops meeting in person will do so at the SWW office located in the Carlisle Executive Offices. Times vary. Some workshops will meet in person and via Zoom, while some will be in person only and some Zoom only. Read the details, below, for specific meeting times and venues.
For a schedule of all our events, go to this page. What workshops would you like to see offered? Contact our class/workshop coordinator at office@swwriters.com to let us know.
2026 Workshops
Saturday, July 18, 2026
Time: 10:00 – noon
Zoom Only
SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30
David Hicks, PhD
Prepare to Publish
Congratulations, you’ve written a book! So now it’s time to submit it to agents and editors, cross your fingers, and spend two years complaining about rejections, right? Wrong. Now is the time to set yourself up for publishing success. And the longer you wait to do so, the lower your chances of getting your book into the hands of as many readers as possible.
Author David Hicks has published three books with small presses (one breaking the publisher’s sales record for fiction), and for years has coached writers to prepare them for publishing success. This is not a marketing workshop about SEOs and branding. Rather, this is an author-focused workshop, focused on what you can do now to make sure your book has the best odds of gaining representation or publication, and then selling well once you have a book contract.
You’ll leave the workshop informed about the following:
- how best to make final revisions to your manuscript to prepare it for submission;
- how to identify who and where your readers are;
- how to write a good query letter;
- how to research agents and editors;
- how to identify, cultivate, and expand your reader/writer network;
- how to set up a good author website or Substack;
- what to blog about on that website/Substack and the best way to post;
- what groups/websites/blogs/podcasts to target for promotion;
- how to build social media followers your way;
- what to do as soon as you get a contract: setting up a book launch and book tour, what to post on social media, pre-order marketing, etc.).
David Hicks, PhD is an award-winning professor/Creative Writing Director at the nationally ranked Wilkes University MFA graduate program and the author of two novels—White Plains (Bower House Books, 2018) and The Gospel According to Danny (Vine Leaves Press, 2025)—along with an autobiographical children’s book, The Magic Ticket (Fulcrum Books, 2024). An experienced developmental editor and mentor, David has helped over one hundred writers to be published for the first time.
To Register:
Call the SWW office at 505-830-6034 (Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–noon) or use the online registration form — online registration for this workshop closes on Friday, July 17 at 5:00 pm. Our online payment portal utilizes PayPal, but you’ll be given an option to pay by credit card without signing into PayPal.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 – noon
In Person and via Zoom
SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30
Kirt Hickman
Perfect Your Prose
Perfect your narrative style as Kirt Hickman shares the secrets to crafting the kind of prose that has won him three New Mexico book awards.
Effective narrative style comes from careful revision. It’s not the result of instinct or inspiration. It is learned. So, whether you write fact or fiction, learn what to look for in your writing, and to eliminate problems that cause prose to drag, wander, or bore. Create, instead prose that flows, prose that engages, prose that carries emotion, tension, and a vivid descriptiveness born out of word choice rather than an excess of verbiage.
Kirt Hickman wrote the award-winning science-fiction thrillers Worlds Asunder and Venus Rain, as well as several other sci-fi and fantasy novels. His writer’s guide, Revising Fiction—Making Sense of the Madness, won a New Mexico Book award for Best How-To and was a finalist in the international IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards.
To Register:
Call the SWW office at 505-830-6034 (Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–noon) or use the online registration form — online registration for this workshop closes on Friday, August 14 at 5:00 pm. Our online payment portal utilizes PayPal, but you’ll be given an option to pay by credit card without signing into PayPal.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time: 10:00 – noon
In Person and via Zoom
SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30
Cornelia Gamlem
In the Beginning: Grabbing Readers’ Attention
Youu have 60 seconds or less to grab a reader’s attention. That first sentence, paragraph, or page is critical. Stephen King composes opening lines of a new novel before he goes to sleep then reworks them for months, even years, before he knows he can finally write the book.
This workshop will explore what makes a great beginning. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, short pieces or full-length books. Your goal is to keep the reader engaged and reading. Together, we’ll examine
- Why readers stop reading, and
- Why they keep going
- Storytelling
- Elements of strong beginnings
- What to avoid
- Where to begin
- Examples of beginnings from news articles to novels
- Thoughts about AI
Bring an example of one of your own beginnings for workshopping, because perfecting that “first” is a process. Be prepared to do some writing during our time together
Cornelia Gamlem and her writing partner spent 10 years perfecting their creative non-fiction book, They Did What? Unforgettable Tales from the Workplace, rewriting openings to chapters countless times. Being published authors of non-fiction business books, they turned to experts to learn the secrets of good storytelling and good beginnings—lessons they continue to incorporate into all their writing. Their books have won multiple national and international awards and have been translated into several languages. You can learn more at www.bigbookofhr.com
To Register:
Call the SWW office at 505-830-6034 (Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–noon) or use the online registration form — online registration for this workshop closes on Friday, September 18 at 5:00 pm. Our online payment portal utilizes PayPal, but you’ll be given an option to pay by credit card without signing into PayPal.
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 10:00 – noon
In Person and via Zoom at the SWW Offices
SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30
James C. Wilson
How to Write a Mystery Novel: the Organic Method
(forgetting, for a moment, agents, editors and publishers
I will begin by talking about my method of composition, which is somewhat eccentric, then give my general advice on writing a mystery novel, after which I hope attendees will share their ideas and information about their work in progress, after we can problem solve and discuss our next projects. I have two more mysteries under contract and another one on my computer! It never ends!
James C. Wilson, PH.D. UNM, taught creative writing and journalism for 30 years at the University of Cincinnati, where he is an Emeritus Professor. He has published 23 books, including four scholarly books, two memoirs, two nonfiction books on Chaco Canyon, and 15 novels in his Fernando Lopez Santa Fe Mystery Series, most recently Stealing the Hopi Snake Dance (a finalist in last year’s N.M. Book Awards) and Dancing with Dennis Hopper’s Ghost.
To Register:
Call the SWW office at 505-830-6034 (Monday–Thursday, 9:00 am–noon) or use the online registration form — online registration for this workshop closes on Friday, October 16 at 5:00 pm. Our online payment portal utilizes PayPal, but you’ll be given an option to pay by credit card without signing into PayPal.
Saturday, November 21, 2026
Time: 10:00 – noon
In Person and via Zoom at the SWW Offices
SWW members: $20 ♦ Non-members: $30
Rose Marie Kern
Creating an eBook from your manuscript
This 2-hour interactive workshop gives authors an understanding of how to format their manuscript for publication as an ebook using Microsoft Word. Participants should bring their laptop. Participants can bring a manuscript of their own, or use one provided by the instructor. If there is time, Rose will show you how to upload the ebook to the Amazon KDP site.
Rose Marie Kern has assisted authors to self-publishing over 106 titles in paperback, hardback and eBook format. Her company, RMK Publications offers authors assistance with formatting their manuscripts and book covers and uploading them across multiple platforms.
Check back for information on these exciting upcoming workshops
2026
- December 19 – Tips for Being a Better Speaker – Ruth Thaler-Carter
2027
Workshop and Class Refund Policy
If you cancel one week before the beginning date of the workshop or class, you will receive a full refund. Cancellations after one week prior up to 24 hours prior to the beginning of the workshop or class will receive a credit only toward a future workshop or class of your choice. If you do not cancel or don’t show up for the workshop or class you will receive no refund and no credit. For multi-session classes, if you miss a class, you receive no refund. We pay our instructors based on how many students enroll, so you are part of that roll count if you don’t cancel as detailed above.
Workshops you might have missed—examples of topics and presenters from the last few years:
2026
♦ Creating and Using Outlines in Fiction
with Holly Day
♦ Dirtying up Your Characters
with Marilyn Atlas
♦ How to Speak in Public and Live to Tell the Tale!
with Brenda Cole
♦ Joy, Death, and Memoir in Short Form Poetry
with Sara Frances
♦ AI as Your Research Partner and Writing Assistant
with Gary Lucero
♦ How to use modern AI platforms to conduct research for writing fiction and non-fiction
with David F. Menicucci
2025
♦ Finding Your Niche Markets: A Pathway to Multiple Streams of Income for Writers
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ From Pitch to Launch: Publicity Steps Authors Can Take to Maximize Book Exposure
with Dorinda Wegener
♦ How to Speak in Public and Live to Tell the Tale
with Brenda Cole
♦ Screen Adaptation
with Christopher Upham
♦ Finding Your Unique Voice
with Lynn Doxon
♦ Romance 101
with Bethany Turner
♦ Writing Realistic Dialogue
with Kirt Hickman
♦ How to Craft Your Life into Story
with David Hicks
♦ Creating Audio Books
with Sandra Murphy
♦ You Wrote a Book…Now What?
with Cornelia Gamlem
♦ Flying Solo: Launching a Freelance Writing Business
with Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
2024
♦ Find Your Niche Market
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ The Writer’s Wheel & Screenplay Hero’s Journey: 2 Keys to Organize YOUR Writing
with Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos
♦ How to Speak in Public and Live to Tell the Tale
with Brenda Cole
♦ Writing the Difficult Topic
with Mary Collins
♦ The Basics of Writing Award-Winning Fiction and Nonfiction for Children and Teens
with Chris Eboch
♦ From Hiaasen to Evanovich – Comedic Writing Techniques
with Lisa Haneberg
♦ Copyrights, ISBNs & Barcodes
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ Do You Need a Publisher?
with BR Kingsolver
♦ A Gentle Goodbye: Life-Affirming Stories
with Andrea M. Penner
♦ Creating 3-Dimensional Non-Stereotypical Characters
with Marilyn R. Atlas
2023
♦ Criticism Tips and Tricks, How to Take it and How to Give It
with Patricia Walkow and Chris Allen
♦ Finding Your Niche Markets
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ Creating a Book Tour
with E. Joe Brown
♦ Book Award Competitions: Get a Running Start
with Sara Frances
♦ “Who, What, When, Where, and How” of Copyright Compliance
with C. Daniel Miller
♦ Writing a Ten-Minute Play
with Andy Mayo
♦ Preparing Print-Ready PDFs with Affinity
with RJ Mirabal
♦ Let’s Make a Scene
with Charlene Bell Dietz
♦ How to Speak in Public and Live to Tell the Tale
with Brenda Cole
♦ Military Writing Techniques and Tips
with Jim Tritten
♦ From Writer to Author
with Rose Marie Kern & Cornelia Gamlem
2022
♦ Writing a Page Turner
with Hallie Ephron
♦ Finding Your Niche Markets
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ Social Media 101
with Elizabeth Layton
♦ Keeping Your Eye on the Prose (not the press)
with Lauren Wolk
♦ Creating Three-Dimensional Characters
with Melody Groves
♦ Marketing Best Practices
with Geoff Habiger
♦ Publishing an eBook on Amazon
with Rose Marie Kern
♦ How to Speak in Public and Live to Tell the Tale
with Brenda Cole
♦ Wildness in Your Writing
with Lisa Taylor
♦ The Path from Writer to Author
with Rose Marie Kern and Cornelia Gamlem
2021
♦ Starting Your Novel in 2021: Taking it Day by Day
with Jonathan Miller
♦ Jump Start Your Writing with Short Forms
with Miriam Sagan
♦ Romance Genres and Subgenres: Understanding Reader Expectations
with Tamra Baumann and Jeffe Kennedy
♦ Writing Great Love Scenes for Romance and Other Genres
with Sarah Storme/Lydia Parks
♦ Plotting a Romance (and Other Genres)
with Robin Perini
♦ Finding Romance Publishers and Agents
with Sarah Storme/Lydia Parks
♦ Finding the Story in History
with Pamela Nowak
♦ The Art of Screenwriting
with Art Eisensen
♦ Mystery Genres & Subgenres
with Joseph Badal, Michael Avery, Keri Bovee, Charlene Bell Dietz, Marcia Rosen, Margaret Tessler, Robert D. Kidera
♦ Tips from Successful Mystery & Thriller Writers
with Keri Bovee, Charlene Bell Dietz, Patricia Smith Wood, and Robert D. Kidera
♦ The Mystery Market, Today and Tomorrow
with Pat Wood, Michael Orenduff, and Robert D. Kidera
♦ Queries and Cold Reads
with Shannon Snow and Haley Casey
♦ Taxes and Best Accounting Practices for Writers
with Brian Reinhardt
♦ Poetry Fireside Chat, August 11
with Jacqueline Murray Loring and Dan Wetmore
♦ Poetry Fireside Chat, August 18
with Preston H. Hood III
♦ Poetry Fireside Chat, August 25
with Lisa C. Taylor
♦ Insider Tips for Using the Internet
with Loretta Hall
♦ NaNoWriMo
with Kathy Kitts and Grant Faulkner
♦ Special Presentation: Speculative Fiction — An Overview
with Kirt Hickman, Bruce Kingsolver, David Lee Summers, Dollie Williams
♦ Special Presentation: Speculative Fiction — Fantasy Genres
with Joyce Hertzoff, Bruce Kingsolver, David Lee Summers, Vicky Murata, Kirt Hickman
♦ Special Presentation: Speculative Fiction — Purely Science Fiction
with Kirt Hickman, Geoff Habiger, Dollie Williams, Natalie Wright
♦ Finding the Story
with Loretta Hall and Patricia Walkow
♦ Understanding Rights & Copyrights
with Rose Marie Kern