Join us for our monthly programs.
Meeting Schedule
Regular Meetings are held on the second Saturday of every month from 10:00 am to noon MST (in person and Zoom) and the fourth Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm MST (Zoom only). There is no Wednesday meeting in December.
In-Person Location
Our location is at UNM Continuing Education (UNM-CE) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Go to SWW Meeting Location for more information about UNM-CE.
Visitor/Guest Policy
With the new year comes a return to SWW’s previous policy concerning meeting attendance. We encourage visitors and guests to experience what our award-winning writers’ association has to offer. Since membership dues pay for our outstanding speakers, we request non-members limit their attendance to three meetings, after which we hope they will join SouthWest Writers. Visitors are welcome beyond their first three visits at a cost of $10 per meeting.
See a schedule of all our events, and visit our YouTube Videos page for a listing of the recorded speakers from 2016 to the present.
ZOOM MEETING Procedure
Read about SWW’s Zoom Meeting procedure on this page.
Need help signing into an SWW Zoom meeting? Watch this video.
Wednesday, September 27
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Via Zoom
Speaker: Sonja Dewing
Making Dollars and Sense out of Amazon Ads
Find out the secrets to creating ads that test your books profitability and don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Sonja Dewing is an award-winning author and publisher (Plot Duckies Publishing), creative writer, book writing coach, and self-publishing guru. She’s also the founder of the Women’s Thriller Writers Association. And she’s become a wizard at Amazon ads. Sonja’s an avid hiker, backpacker, traveler and also plays roller derby with Elevated Roller Derby as ‘Author of Pain.’ She loves adventure and living in Albuquerque with her giant puppy Bo.
Zoom Meeting Information:
Topic: SWW Wednesday Meeting – September 2023
Time: September 27, 2023 at 6:30 pm Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom Meeting
Read our Zoom log-in policy ALL ATTENDEES are required to have their zoom screen show either their name or phone number. SWW Members sign into the Members Only portion of the website (request a username and password from info@swwriters.com if you haven’t already done so). Once in the Members Portal, follow the Zoom log-in directions posted prior to the meeting. Non-members are required to contact our office (505-830-6034 or info@swwriters.com) or sign up for Elerts to receive a link to our upcoming meetings.
Saturday, October 14
10:00 am – noon
In Person & Zoom
Annual Meeting
Host: Rose Marie Kern
The 2023 SWW Annual Business Meeting will take place during the regular membership meeting.
The agenda will include results of the Executive Committee election and announcement of the winners of the 2023 Annual Writing Contest.
Zoom Meeting Information:
Topic: SWW Saturday Meeting – October 2023
Time: October 14, 2023 at 10:00 am Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom Meeting
Read our Zoom log-in policy ALL ATTENDEES are required to have their zoom screen show either their name or phone number. SWW Members sign into the Members Only portion of the website (request a username and password from info@swwriters.com if you haven’t already done so). Once in the Members Portal, follow the Zoom log-in directions posted prior to the meeting. Non-members are required to contact our office (505-830-6034 or info@swwriters.com) or sign up for Elerts to receive a link to our upcoming meetings.
Wednesday, October 25
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Via Zoom
Speaker: Michael Arnzen
The Transformation Scene
A guided exploration of how to represent moments of profound change in our writing, especially physical transformation as depicted in the horror and fantasy genres (but with lessons to learn for all authors along the way).
Michael Arnzen holds several Bram Stoker Awards for his disturbing (and often funny) fiction, poetry and literary experiments. He has been teaching as a Professor of English in the MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University since 1999. See what he’s up to now at gorelets.com.
Zoom Meeting Information:
Topic: SWW Wednesday Meeting – October 2023
Time: October 25, 2023 at 6:30 pm Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom Meeting
Read our Zoom log-in policy ALL ATTENDEES are required to have their zoom screen show either their name or phone number. SWW Members sign into the Members Only portion of the website (request a username and password from info@swwriters.com if you haven’t already done so). Once in the Members Portal, follow the Zoom log-in directions posted prior to the meeting. Non-members are required to contact our office (505-830-6034 or info@swwriters.com) or sign up for Elerts to receive a link to our upcoming meetings.
Saturday, November 4
10:00 am – noon
In Person & Zoom
Stories from the Veterans Anthology
In anticipation of Veterans Day, this presentation will feature selected readings from the 2023 SWW publication Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry.
Just for November, the meeting will take place on the first Saturday of the month instead of the usual second Saturday.
Wednesday, November 22
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Via Zoom
Speaker: Ernie Witham
Finding Humor in Everyday Situations
Humor is everywhere! In this presentation, Ernie will discuss finding humor in everyday situations; developing humorous ideas into columns and scenes; the importance of rewriting to make things funnier; and finding markets for humor. He’ll present some “rules of humor writing.” He’ll talk about developing holiday pieces, including his Valentine’s Day pieces and, if time permits, he’ll have a fun assignment for everyone.
Ernie Witham has been writing humor for more than 25 years. He is the author of three humor books and is the humor workshop leader at the prestigious Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference. He has also taught at other conferences, including the Cape Cod Writers Conference (thanks to Jackie Loring!)
Zoom Meeting Information:
Topic: SWW Wednesday Meeting – November 2023
Time: November 22, 2023 at 6:30 pm Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom Meeting
Read our Zoom log-in policy ALL ATTENDEES are required to have their zoom screen show either their name or phone number. SWW Members sign into the Members Only portion of the website (request a username and password from info@swwriters.com if you haven’t already done so). Once in the Members Portal, follow the Zoom log-in directions posted prior to the meeting. Non-members are required to contact our office (505-830-6034 or info@swwriters.com) or sign up for Elerts to receive a link to our upcoming meetings.
Saturday, December 9
10:00 am – noon
In Person & Zoom
Speaker: Christie Lowrance
A Writer’s Quest: Non-fiction, History, and Biography
As a career writer, first published at 13, Christie Lowrance has worked in journalism, marketing, advertising, and academia, but her lifelong focus has been simply the successful communication of useful information through the written word. Freelance assignments have required her to research and write with relative familiarity about such subjects as scuba diving, antique wallpaper, landscape artists, mystery writers, Pilgrims, wastewater disposal, and commercial fishing. She loves the truth-telling responsibility of nonfiction which she finds often leads to surprises and revelation. She will discuss interviewing practices, how to use fear to your advantage, the seduction of research, the challenges of writing biography, and the joy of the writing life.
A writer/editor with historical and maritime interests, Christie Lowrance’s work has appeared in numerous publications and books for over 40 years. She is the author of Nature’s Ambassador: The Legacy of Thornton W. Burgess (Schiffer Publishing, 320 pages), a definitive biography on the life and work of 20th century naturalist and children’s author Thornton Burgess whose work is credited with influencing conservation values and practices among millions of young readers, including David Brower, founder of the Sierra Club, and Wayne Petersen, national birding authority. She has a B.A. degree in English from Hobart-William Smith Colleges and an M.A. degree in Professional Writing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. At present, she is working on three nonfiction books and lives in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
Zoom Meeting Information:
Topic: SWW Saturday Meeting – December 2023
Time: December 9, 2023 at 10:00 am Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join the Zoom Meeting
Read our Zoom log-in policy ALL ATTENDEES are required to have their zoom screen show either their name or phone number. SWW Members sign into the Members Only portion of the website (request a username and password from info@swwriters.com if you haven’t already done so). Once in the Members Portal, follow the Zoom log-in directions posted prior to the meeting. Non-members are required to contact our office (505-830-6034 or info@swwriters.com) or sign up for Elerts to receive a link to our upcoming meetings.
No Wednesday Meeting in December
See You in 2024!
Upcoming 2023 Meetings
- Wednesday, September 27 at 6:30 pm – Sonja Dewing: Making Dollars and Sense out of Amazon Ads
- Saturday, October 14 at 10:00 am – Annual Meeting & Awards
- Wednesday, October 25 at 6:30 pm – Michael Arnzen: The Transformation Scene
- Saturday, November 4 at 10:00 am – Stories from the Veterans Anthology
- Wednesday, November 22 at 6:30 pm – Ernie Witham: Finding Humor in Everyday Situations
- Saturday, December 9 at 10:00 am – Christie Lowrance: A Writer’s Quest: Non-fiction, History, and Biography
- No Wednesday meeting in December – See you in 2024!
Previous Speakers and Topics
2023:
♦ Jamii Corley, Introduction to Website Building
♦ Jim Jones, From Songs to Books and Back Again
♦ Joseph Badal, Two Important Writing Rules
♦ Cornelia Gamlem & Jacqueline Murray Loring, Publishing Paths
♦ Geoff Habiger, Newsletter Basics
♦ Jim & Bobbi Jean Bell, Be the Star of Your Online or Radio Interview
♦ C. Daniel Miller, Copyrighting, Rights and Permissions
♦ NM State Poetry Society, Poets and Writers: Why the Distinction?
♦ Sherri Burr, Wills and Trusts for Writers and Authors
♦ Robert Kidera, The Writer’s Tool Kit
♦ Dan Wetmore, Poetry, Focus and Form
♦ Stephen Kurkjian, The Greatest Art Theft in World History
♦ Kirt Hickman, Bring Your Settings to Life
♦ Ellen Byerrum, Comic Mysteries; or, What’s so funny about murder?
♦ Kathy Louise Schuit, Don’t Make Your Friends and Family Read Bad Stuff
♦ Diane Dimond, How to Investigate and Write about a Secretive System
♦ Phil Mills Jr., Challenges of Writing for Children in a Video Game World
2022:
♦ John Gilstrap, Whose Story Are You Telling?
♦ Stephanie Chandler, Build Your On-line Marketing Plan
♦ Jayne Ann Krentz, Reinventing Yourself: Tips for Finding Your Voice and Core Story
♦ Lauren Wolk, The Art and Business of Writing for Young Readers
♦ Jodi Thomas, Why Write a Series?
♦ Nancy Rubin Stuart, Using Fiction Techniques to Shape Non-fiction
♦ Jonathan Miller, How to Turn Your Life into a Novel
♦ Ellen Meeropol, Evil Characters We Love to Hate
♦ Kristin Owens, The Personal, Personal Essay
♦ Susan Katz, Why Every Writer Needs an Editor
♦ Melody Groves, Writing Westerns: The Good, The Bad, The Beautiful
♦ Jim Tritten, Short Stories are Fun
♦ BR Kingsolver, How and Why to Write a Series
♦ Margaret Shannon, You Can Write Your Family History
♦ Johnny Boggs, Making Dialogue Sing
♦ Ronn Perea, Public Speaking for Authors
♦ Anne Hillerman, What I Wish I’d known before I Wrote my First Novel
♦ B. Marika Flatt, PR by the Book
♦ Dan Klefstad, DIY Book Promo
♦ Robin Perini, Taking Your Writing to the Next Level
♦ Judith Avila, Writing Your Memoir, An Act of Courage
♦ Parris Afton Bonds, First, The Plot
2021:
♦ Jonathan Miller, A Novel for the New Year
♦ Marcia Rosen, Podcast Marketing for Authors
♦ David Morrell, Thoughts and lessons from 48 years as a published novelist
♦ Natalie Goldberg, The Way of Haiku
♦ Susan Elizabeth Phillips, The Writing Life: Craft, Characters, Creativity, and Career
♦ Darynda Jones, Humor & Heat: How to Write Funny Without Sacrificing Sexual Tension
♦ David L. Robbins, The Art and Craft of the Narrative
♦ Gerard Hanberry, Geraldine Mills, Luke Morgan, Pete Mullineaux, Moya Roddy, Readings by Irish Poets
♦ Raffi Andonian, Controversial Historical Sites
♦ Debra W. Englander, Why You Need a Book Coach
♦ Dean Wesley Smith, Writing into the Dark: Writing Clean, One-draft Stories Without an Outline
♦ Sheryl Brown, Screenplay from Stakeholder Perspectives
♦ Jeffrey Candelaria, Artists, Writers, and a Business Mentality
♦ Paige Wheeler, Agents and Authors
♦ Fauzia Burke, Author Platforms
♦ Robin Cutler, The Power of Self-publishing
♦ James McGrath Morris, Researching Your Book
♦ Loretta Hall, Elements of Nonfiction
♦ Benjamin Percy, The Ninth Metal, Reading and Craft Discussion
♦ Rob Spiegel, Using Scenes to Build Your Story
♦ David J. Corwell, On the Edge of Their Seats: Horror and Suspense
♦ Lynn Miller, Writing like a Reader: Your Audience and Story
♦ Robert Kidera, Taking the Mystery out of Mystery Writing
♦ Lynne Sturtevant, Writing for the Web
2020:
♦ Melody Groves, 10 Dialogue Tricks to Make Your Characters “Talk Good”
♦ Jacqueline Murray Loring, International Publication Opportunities (or My Magical Tour of Ireland)
♦ Sherri Burr, Synchronicity and Perseverance: Two Elements to Finishing a Project
♦ Chris Allen, Brenda Cole, Charlene Dietz, Mary Therese Ellingwood, Evelyn Neil, Jim Tritten, Readings from the 2019 SWW Winners Anthology
♦ David Morrell, Getting Through It: How To Create A Storyline
♦ Chris Eboch, Myths about Writing for Children
♦ Rose Marie Kern, Niche Markets: A Pathway to Multiple Streams of Income
♦ Bennett R. Coles, Inside the Mind of a Publisher
♦ Sarah Baker, Jacqueline Loring, Kathy Schuit, Writing Through Lock Down: Importance of Literature in the Face of Fear and Uncertainty
♦ Kathy Louise Schuit, Illustrative Ideas For Standout Memoir, Poetry, and Prose
♦ Dan Wetmore, The Skinny on the Short-line Stuff
♦ Hakim Bellamy, “Flash” Fiction: Pictures and Poems
♦ John Rember, Writing, Teaching Writing, and Worrying about Happy Endings at Three in the Morning
♦ Corrales Writing Group, Building and Sustaining an Effective Writing Group
♦ Steve Brewer, Using Humor to Hook Readers
♦ Kathy Kitts, NaNoWriMo: How and Why You Might Want to Participate
♦ Geoff Habiger, What Do Publishers Really Want?
♦ Elizabeth S. Layton & Jacqueline Murray Loring, Screenplay Writing as Creative Magic
♦ Panel: Loretta Hall, Carolyn Carlson, Robert Kidera, Writing Contests from the Judges’ Perspective
