Join us for our monthly programs.
Regular Meetings are on the first Saturday of every month from 10:00 am to noon and the third Tuesday from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Albuquerque Center for Spiritual Living located on the northwest corner of Louisiana and Claremont — two blocks north of Menaul — at 2801 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Go to the map on the bottom of this page for directions.
See a schedule of all our events, and visit our YouTube Videos page for a listing (with links) to the recorded speakers from 2016 to the present.
If you’d like to check out one of our meetings but you’re not a member yet, please read our visitor policy.
Meetings Cancelled
To protect our members’ health during the Covid 19 emergency, meetings scheduled through April have been cancelled.
Tuesday, April 21
6:30–8:30 pm
Meeting Postponed:
1st Annual SWW Member Poetry Share
Though the meeting is postponed, signup for the poetry share is ongoing. Each member will have four (4) minutes to share their poetry. These shares will be timed to allow equal time to each member.
This future event is on a “first sign up” basis and is limited to 15 current SWW members. Sign-up will end when all 15 spots are filled. SWW members will be contacted via email if they’re on the list for this event.
A message in the April issue of SouthWest Sage will clarify the new plan for the Poetry Share. Facebook postings will include updates for this event.
Go to this link to sign up for the Poetry Share.
Saturday, May 2
10:00 am–Noon
Speaker: Chris Eboch
MYTHS ABOUT WRITING for CHILDREN
Writing for children is easier than writing for adults. You can’t address tough topics in children’s books. Children’s books should be written in rhyme.
The myths about writing for children are many, and sometimes contradictory. (You can’t make money. You’ll get rich, like J.K. Rowling!) Learn the truth from the author of over 60 books for young people, including fiction and nonfiction, for beginning readers through teenagers.
Bio:
Chris Eboch’s books for children include nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teens. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; and The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy. Her writing craft books include Advanced Plotting and You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers. Visit Chris’ website at ChrisEboch.com.
Tuesday, May 19
6:30–8:30 pm
Speaker: Steve Brewer
WHY DID the WRITER CROSS the ROAD?
Using Humor to Hook Readers
Readers love a good laugh, and they’ll keep reading if you amuse them. Any kind of writing—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism, even obituaries—can benefit from a deft deployment of comedy. Skilled writers learn how and where to insert humor without going too far, and develop an “ear” for the funny stuff.
Bio:
Steve Brewer’s new crime novel Upshot is his 32nd published book. Two of those books—Trophy Husband and 1500 Rules for Successful Living—are purely humor, but Steve injects laughs into most of his fiction as well. His first novel, Lonely Street, was made into a 2009 comedy starring Jay Mohr, Robert Patrick, and Joe Mantegna, and several of his other novels have been optioned by Hollywood. A former journalist, Steve wrote a nationally syndicated humor column called The Home Front from 1998 to 2008. Steve teaches a popular writing course in the Honors College at UNM. In late 2018, he and his family opened Organic Books, a new-and-used bookstore in Nob Hill.
Previous Speakers and Topics for 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
Speakers and Topics for 2019:
♦ Steve Brewer, I’ve Looked at Books from Both Sides Now
♦ Kirt Hickman, Write Realistic Dialogue
♦ Jacqueline M. Loring, Creating the KiMo Book
♦ Sarah H. Baker, Critique Groups: How and Why
♦ Dan Wetmore, The Pros and Cons of Non-Prose
♦ Jeanne Shannon & Rob Spiegel, Great Poets of New Mexico
♦ Don Bullis, Adventures in Research
♦ Rose Marie Kern, How to Copyright Your Book
♦ Johnny D. Boggs, The Modern World of Publishing
♦ Judith Avila & Patricia Conoway, Memoir Panel
♦ Brian Stinar, WordPress for Writers
♦ Betsy James, Evoking and Organizing the Fiction Draft
♦ Jonathan Miller, Planning Your Own Epic Series
♦ Robert Vardeman & Melody Groves, Writing Authentic Historical Fiction
♦ Jeffe Kennedy & Robin Perini, Romantic Elements and Tropes
♦ Bob Kidera, Margaret Tessler, & Patricia Smith Wood, What Makes a Mystery Writer?
♦ Gail Rubin, How to Market Your Expertise
♦ Loretta Hall & Susan C. Cooper, Writing Nonfiction
♦ Elise McHugh & Bryce Emley, UNM Press Panel
Speakers and Topics for 2018:
♦ Jack Woodville London, Stick to the Story
♦ Marc Calderwood, Celluloid Aspirations
♦ Steve Brewer, Nuts & Bolts: The Mechanics of Clear Writing
♦ Lorena Hughes, To Err is Human, To Learn Divine
♦ Melody Groves, Don’t be Afraid to Cry: Putting Emotions into Writing
♦ Judith Avila, Can You Relate? The importance of diverse relationships in your writing
♦ Benjamin Radford, A Personal Path to Publication
♦ Joanne Bodin & Jeanne Shannon, The Passion of Poetry
♦ Matthew Yde, The Irresistible Writer
♦ John Cousins, Enter the Matrix
♦ Michael Backus, Practical Tips To Improve Your Writing Gleaned from 15 Years of Teaching Creative Writing
♦ James McGrath Morris, “What I learned about writing from the novelists Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos.”
♦ Marcia Fine, Marketing, Research and Fortitude for Authors
♦ RJ Mirabal, Research Between the Ears
♦ Jonathan Miller, From Start to Finish: How to Start and End Your Books, and Take Your Characters Along for the Ride
♦ Loretta Hall, The Writing Right Rite: How to Avoid Distracting, Credibility-Destroying Factual Errors
♦ Jane Lindskold, Work Habits for the Successful Writer
♦ Jim Tritten, Short Stories are Fun!
♦ Gerald Hausman, Zen and the Art of Writing
♦ Rose Marie Kern, CUT IT OUT! Editing Makes it Better!
♦ Laura Mixon, The Care and Feeding of your Beast: A Writer’s Wilderness Guide
♦ Patricia Smith Wood, Permission to Write
♦ Betty Moffett, Writing Down Your Family Stories
