New Writers Group in Santa Clarita Valley!

LAwritersgroup.com is coming to the Santa Clarita Valley! Our newest writers group is starting in Valencia on Tuesday, April 5th! We are excited to bring our groups to this often forgotten-about valley filled with creative and entertainment folks.

Our moderator will be Kirby Timmons, a versatile and talented creative writer with an impressive list of credits and the kind of cross-genre and supportive leader our groups require.

Kirby's Bio:

Kirby Timmons is a professional writer, trainer and speaker who has written scripts for some of TV's most enduring series, including THE WALTONS, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS, and THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Kirby has also written, produced and directed hundreds of training programs, including THE ABILENE PARADOX, named one of the 5 best business videos of all time by Fortune Magazine; GROUPTHINK, winner of the American Psychological Associations Award for Best Training Program; and TEAMWORK IN CRISIS: The Miracle of Flight 232, now used in disaster programs worldwide, including Columbine High School in Colorado. While he has concentrated in scriptwriting, Kirby is also a published author, and has contributed articles to THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, THE HERALD-EXAMINER, MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIVING Magazine, among others. Kirby taught Scriptwriting For Informational Media at California State University at Northridge, and has lectured at Los Angeles Valley College. He has also taught high school screenwriting workshops with the Writer's Guild Foundation. After attending Oglethorpe University in his hometown of Atlanta, Kirby studied at USC where he graduated with a B.A. cum laude in Philosophy. He has been a member of the Writer's Guild of America longer than he can remember, and a member of the American Society of Training & Development for less long. Among Kirby's recent writing projects is a teleplay for CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION which won scriptwriting competitions at Scriptapalooza and Austin, and Grand Prize in Hour-Long Drama at the WildSound Film Festival in Toronto. Despite being the "best CSI episode ever written" (his words), it is not currently under consideration by producers of the show.

This group is in addition to the groups we already have in:

• LA South Bay - Rancho Palos Verdes
• LA South Bay - El Segundo
• Miracle Mile/Koreatown,
• Pacific Palisades / West LA
• Glendale / Glassell Park

Read more about how our new Santa Clarita Writers Group will work.

View our upcoming writing groups schedule.

Friday Round-Up: Tweets you may have missed

Just in case you missed them - or you have yet to join the Twitter craze - here's a rundown of the posts from our LAwritersgroup.com Twitter account from the past couple weeks.

Key:
RT = Re-tweet, which means someone else tweeted something and we re-tweeted it.
@(name) = This is a user name on Twitter. If you click on it, you should be able to visit that person's twitter site and follow them if you so chose.

• The Poetry Market Ezine Call for Poetry Review Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CEx
  
  
• Miracle Monocle Call for Poetry, Fiction and Microfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CTt
  
  
• Diverse Verses Quarterly Call for Poetry, Short Story, Personal Essay and Creative Nonfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CTE
  
  
• Mythium Literary Journal Call for Poetry, Fiction and Creative Nonfiction Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0CU5
  
  
• Writer Beware™ Blogs!: Alert for Poets: Oprah Wants You (But You May Not Want Oprah) http://ow.ly/1s12QJ
  
  
• The Redheaded Stepchild Call for Previously Rejected Poetry Submissions: http://ow.ly/3UlFC
  
  
• Why join a writer's group or a writing workshop? http://ow.ly/3UHmD

Friday Round-Up: Tweets and posts you may have missed

Here's a list of posts from our LAwritersgroup.com Twitter account from this past week, in case you missed them or don't participate in Twitter.

Key:
RT = Re-tweet, which means someone else tweeted something and we re-tweeted it.
@(name) = This is a user name on Twitter. If you click on it, you should be able to visit that person's twitter site and follow them if you so chose.

• Beware of agent solicitations: http://bit.ly/gy4SIF
  
  
• Why you should revisit the movie Psycho: http://ow.ly/3In47
  
  
• Johnaugust.com: No one stole your idea http://ow.ly/1s09KV
  
  
• Prime Number Magazine Call for Fiction, Poetry, Book Review, Interview and Short Play Submissions: http://ow.ly/3Jxlx
  
  
• Low-Residency MFA Announces Scholarships http://bit.ly/hj7rV6
  
  
• Mandala Journal Call for Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction and Art Submissions: http://bit.ly/fg9X1Q
  
  
• RT @UnkScreenwriter: Los Angeles Writers Group Writing and Literary Agent Blogs and ... http://bit.ly/hrP4DM
  
  
• CEO Author Wants Readers to Write Ending of Third Book Fishbowl LA http://ow.ly/1s0g94
  
  
• SF Peace & Hope Call for Poetry, Nonfiction and Imagery Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0ggK
  
  
• Weave Magazine for Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction and Short Play Submissions: http://ow.ly/1s0ggX

Writers Group Starts Wed Sept 23, 2009!

Wondering what we do in our groups?


Upcoming Los Angeles Writers Groups:
Our groups meet once a week from 7:30 - 10:00pm for eight consecutive weeks.

Wednesday, September 23rd in West Hollywood
Thursday August 20th, 2009 in Glassell Park

What can I expect from the group?

Our groups focus on finding new ways to create new and unexpected material through creative writing prompts. Our tagline, Fill Your Notebook (TM) says it all. We are about filling your notebook with new writing so you can go back, pick the pieces you like best, and refine them. You can either bring works-in-progress into the group for feedback or you can wait until the end of group and go through everything you've written. Our peer feedback process is a constructive and guided process. We have rules we follow that keep the feedback process from degenerating into arguments or defensive posturing and everyone participates in the feedback process, whether you bring work in or not.

What kind of work can I bring in for feedback?

You can bring anything in for feedback. Poetry, essays, non-fiction, chapters from your novel, short fiction, memoir, whatever. We've even had people bring in query letters for feedback. We've had people bring in notes for a project. We've had people bring in segments from a one-man show. Anything you're working on that you think feedback from fellow writers would be valuable, bring it on it.

For even more information on how our groups work, visit these links:

How our writing groups work
LAwritersgroup.com

Two New 8-Week Writers Groups Scheduled

We've now scheduled our Fall 2009 writers groups. Both groups are our 8-Week General Writers Groups that are open to writers of all kinds and levels, including (but not limited to!) fiction writers, essayists, non-fiction writers, novelists, and even screenwriters.

• Nicole's Group 8-Week General Writers Group in West Hollywood on Wednesday, September 23rd (this group is good for writers coming from West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Miracle Mile/Fairfax District and the Southwest and Northwest San Fernando Valley (Encino, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood) and surrounding areas).
  

• Sanora's Group 8-Week General Writers Group in Glassell Park on Thursday October 15th (this group is good for writers who want to join a writers group who are coming from Glendale, Burbank, Los Feliz, East Los Angeles, Atwater Village, the Northeast and Southeast San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas)
  

See http://www.lawritersgroup.com for further details, or read more about how our Los Angeles writers groups work in this previous blog post.

Friday Round-Up: Tweets and posts you may have missed

Here is a list of items we posted on the LAwritersgroup.com Twitter account this week, in case you missed them or don't yet participate in Twitter:

Key:
RT = Re-tweet, which means someone else tweeted something and we re-tweeted it.
@(name) = This is a user name on Twitter. If you click on it, you should be able to visit that person's twitter site and follow them if you so chose.

• Everything You Need to Know About Writing a Novel, in 1000 Words http://viigo.im/0cbC
  

• EventsForWriters: Happening Friday / Saturday Nights at Skylight Books: Skylight Books in Los F.. http://tinyurl.com/nlxklc
  

• We run peer writers groups to create new work & get feedback. New group on Wed July 15 at 7:30pm in WeHo. http://www.LAwritersgroup.com.
  

• EventsForWriters: The Fundamentals of the Fountain Pen Seminar at Vromans: Sat 7/25/09. http://tinyurl.com/lkx3g5
  

• Does flash fiction have formal structure? Find out here: Write Small, Think Big http://viigo.im/0aIr
  

• How to Establish a Connection With an Agent http://viigo.im/0aHq
  

• RT @inkyelbows: Tough Days for Literary Fiction http://ow.ly/gHjm Uplifting post by Darin Strauss
  

• Motes Books Seeks Submissions for Anthology: http://tinyurl.com/m4yzkw
  

• Sweetlit.com Call for Poetry and Creative Non Fiction Submissions: http://tinyurl.com/myzjv3

Attn Kindle Subscribers

The Official LAwritersgroup.com blog is now available on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C75A86

New Writers Group starting on Thursday

There's still time to join Sanora's group! Learn more about how our groups work:

How the LAwritersgroup.com 8-Week General Writers Group Works

Each Group is Unique
Each of our groups are unique, in that we have new creative writing exercises we use in every group (save for a few oldies but goodies)? So if you've already participated in a group and would like to participate again, you don't have to worry about repeated creative writing exercises.

How the Meetings are Structured
Our groups meet once a week in eight-week cycles.
Each meeting is broken up into two sections: Creative Writing Exercises, and Feedback.

Creative Writing Exercises
During the creative writing portion, we do three improvisational creative writing exercises via writing prompts. This is the major portion of our night: getting words on the page. We do not allow laptops. We write the old fashioned way.

Feedback
The feedback portion of our meeting is something everyone participates in. All writers can bring work in for critique, and all writers are encouraged to give feedback. We have guidelines that we follow for our critique session so that the feedback remains constructive, and we also have guidelines regarding how much work each writer can bring in each meeting.

Who can participate?
We are open to all kinds of writers. Whether you are new to writing, or a seasoned veteran, you will get a nearly full notebook of new material out of the 8-weeks. We've had all kinds of aspiring and published writers participate in our groups: poets, essayists, screenwriters, comedy writers, all kinds of fiction writers, songwriters, journalists, and even attorneys who want to do some creative writing.

Do we Teach Writing?
This is a writers group. A peer-to-peer group of writers who get together once a week to create new work and support each other by giving and receiving feedback on works-in-progress. Although we are not formally teaching writing, you'd be surprised the things you pick up in these groups just by listening to and interacting creatively with other writers. We provide a safe space to tap into your own creativity and generate new work and solicit opinions from your other group members on writing you bring in for critique. We may offer more instructive seminars in the future, though, so keep your eye out!

How We Started
LAwritersgroup.com began five years ago. We started a writers group because we wanted to get creative and write with other writers for an evening once a week, and as some of our members started moving out of town, we put up a website to keep in touch with them. Before we knew it, people found our website, and contacted us, wanting to participate, and we grew from there!

If you have any additional questions about our groups, send an email to nicole@lawritersgroup.com or visit LAwritersgroup.com.

New 8-Week Writers Groups Scheduled

We've added two upcoming 8-Week General Writers Groups to our schedule. These groups are open to writers of all levels and genres.

• Nicole's Group 8-Week General Writers Group in West Hollywood on Wednesday, April 15th

• Sanora's Group 8-Week General Writers Group in Glassell Park on Thursday June 11
  

See http://www.lawritersgroup.com for further details.

Screenwriting Group extended to 12 weeks

LAwritersgroup.com Writers Group for Screenwriters members unanimously decide to extend group for four weeks! Originally an 8-week group, we are now a 12-week group!

Our new screenwriting group is a smash hit! Our moderator, Rob Tobin, runs a tight peer-to-peer feedback group while providing expert insight and guidance on our projects. I say 'our' because I am taking the group myself! To get into the group, applicants had to submit a writing sample, and once accepted, had to bring an outline of our project on the first night. We read our outlines to the group and received feedback on the outlines from all group members and from Rob.

From week two on, we were expected to bring in 10 pages a week, which we live read and give each other feedback on, while Rob oversees this process and adds in his expertise and wisdom. The writers in the group are not only talented writers, but they offer excellent insights and feedback on our works in progress.

The reason everyone wanted the group to extend for four additional weeks is so they can complete almost all of their screenplay during the course of the group.

Wow!

LAwritersgroup.com Podcast Interview

The folks running LAwritersgroup.com were kidnapped and forced to do a podcast interview! Ok, we weren't kidnapped. Or forced to do anything. Still, it's a fun listen. Listen to the interview with Alex of www.alexlivinginla.com. Click on over and then click on the SHOWS link.