If you have recently participated in NaNoWriMo, you've probably already heard that NaNoWriMo has officially stated they are shutting down the NaNoWriMo organization. I'm not going to go over everything here, but Literary Hub has a good breakdown of it and links to much rel evant information. What was NaNoWriMo? For those of you that didn't know. NaNoWriMo was short for Na tional No vel Wri ting Mo nth. It started in 1999 as a silly little challenge to try and write a 50K word novel in 30 days. Then in 2006 it became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and grew into a worldwide phenomenon. It also expanded to offer other challenges throughout the year, but the big one was the official November challenge, which often had hundreds of thousands of writers participating in NaNoWriMo (November) or Camp NaNoWriMo (April and July). This worldwide growth also spurred the creation of local writing groups and communities. We often had our own NaNoWriMo group here at the guild during November, and that tradition is likely to continue, we will just no longer be able to use the NaNoWriMo site. So what's the alternative? Several alternative tracking sites started up when NaNoWriMo started having problems in 2023 and I have checked many of them out. The one I liked the best is a FREE app called TrackBear . I've been using it almost since it came out (early beta user) and I must say it's pretty solid and a great app even just for general writing. It's almost identical to the NaNoWriMo dashboard and can even IMPORT your NaNoWriMo history, so for us veteran WriMo's with years of history, we can preserve it and continue on as normal. It also allows us to setup our own writing competitions and create groups to track everyone's progress, so we'll likely use it for any DVWG events. So what is TrackBear? TrackBear  is essentially a habit-builder for writers. Progress on a project can be tracked, interchangeably, by “words, chapters, pages, scenes, lines, or time.” You can even import your old projects from NaNoWriMo into TrackBear! The platform also explicitly states that “TrackBear is designed with privacy in mind and will always be free to use. TrackBear isn’t a social network, a chat platform, or AI-powered, and there is no premium tier or pay-to-play. There are no ads, no third-party tracking, and no data harvesting. It’s just a place for you to track your writing.” Sign onto TrackBear to IMPORT and SAVE your NaNoWriMo history!

The Diamond Valley Writers' Guild publishes an anthology comprised on stories submitted by our members. Creating an anthology requires a team of volunteers to make it happen. We need help with: Reading Editing Illustrating Cover Design Formatting If you would like to participate in the anthology, please email DVWritersGuild@gmail.com

...or How I Made My Dad Not Speak To Me For A Week July 20, 2024 presented by Kevin Ikenberry Of all the things your characters can do, readers will remember how it made them feel. We'll talk about character development, some tricks and tropes of the trade, and archetypal story structure and how to make our character grow and change. All of these are ways to get our readers connected to our characters on multiple levels which is exactly what we want. Kevin is a life-long space geek and retired Army officer. As an adult, he managed the U.S. Space Camp program and served in space operations before Space Force was a thing. He’s an international bestselling science fiction author and renowned writing instructor, which is pretty cool because he never imagined being either one of those – he still wants to be an astronaut. Kevin’s debut novel, Sleeper Protocol , was hailed by Publishers Weekly as “an emotionally powerful debut.” His twenty-five science fiction novels include The Crossing , Vendetta Protocol , Eminence Protocol , Runs In The Family , Peacemaker , Honor The Threat , Stand or Fall , Fields of Fire , and Harbinger . He is core author of the mega-bestselling Four Horsemen Universe , with more than a dozen novels spawned by Peacemaker. Kevin is an Active Member of the International Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors, International Thriller Writers, and SIGMA – the science fiction think tank. Kevin continues to work with space every day and lives in Colorado with his family. Visit www.kevinikenberry.com

February 15, 2025 presented by Lisa Diane Kastner Self-pub, Big Four (or Five), Hybrid, Small Press … what the heck is going on? All you know is you have a story to tell and dang it, you’re going to tell it. But what’s the best venue to share your words to the world? Lisa Diane Kastner will provide an overview of the various publishing options available today and how you can use these tools to get your story out. Lisa Diane Kastner is the founder of Running Wild, LLC, a content creation, distribution, and licensing company. Featured in FORBES and several other publications, she’s been named to multiple “Best of”s. A technology leader by day for the last twenty years, she has helped organizations transform by leveraging technology and process. A writer and editor for more than twenty years, she has identified talent like Jamie Ford’s Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet , Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett’s Dark Corners , Suzanne Samples’ Frontal Matter: Glue Gone Wild , Shay Galloway’s The Valley of Sage and Juniper , and most recently Aimee Hardy’s Pocket Full of Teeth , which had been named best of the year by Kirkus Reviews. And many others whose works have been named groundbreaking in their respective genres. Lisa began Running Wild with the belief that we can change the world through storytelling. A noted storyteller in her own right, Lisa’s own prose have been called groundbreaking and urgent. Curious? Find out more at lisadkastner.com or visit runningwildpublishing.com If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

Colonel Fitzwilliam travels from Pemberley to Dublin in pursuit of a woman who has sworn to never marry. The Honourable Miss Catherine Carteret is plain looking, aloof, and wealthy; she uses these qualities to avoid suitors and focus on her passion for ancient languages, history, and antiquities. His arrival kindles the hopes of Viscount Dalrymple, and family, that she will relent and marry the eligible colonel. To earn her favour, he embarks on a journey to uncover the history of an Irish pirate queen who met with Queen Elizabeth to negotiate the release of her son two centuries earlier. He discovers secrets about the pirate queen and a long-lost English lover when he meets her descendant and is tasked with carrying a precious heirloom back to Catherine. He wins Catherine’s heart but loses it the next day when she changes her mind after confronting her own fears, insecurities, and the barriers she put in place to protect herself. This novel is a testament to the power of love to transform lives and bring true happiness. Real Irish history is woven into this Austenesque novel, with characters from Pride and Prejudice as well as Persuasion.

A Beginner’s guide to professional PODCASTING Have you ever wanted to podcast but you don’t know how to get started? There are over 5 million registered podcasters in the world. Most never make it past a year because they don’t take the time to learn about the equipment and necessary skills required for podcasting success. Many people have a great idea for a podcast, but fail without the proper guidance and instruction. Learn what equipment to buy before you buy it and how to interview anyone, anytime, and make that interview incredible for your listeners.

August 19, 2023 facilitated by Lynette Tucker August is Poetry month at DVWG and the appreciation of beautiful words and phrases continues this year! DVWG members, and audience members if time allows, will share their two favorite works and why the selection is meaningful to them. Pieces can be written by the speaker or they can share their favorite works by their favorite poet. Join in the discussion or just sit back, relax, and enjoy the experience. Perhaps you'll find your next favorite poet or special poem! View the individual poems submitted for the 8th Annual Appreciation of Poetry. If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

September 16, 2023 presented by S. Kay Murphy Why in heaven's name is it that, as alleged "writers," we can find time to do all the other things we want to do--except write? S. Kay Murphy will explore the answer to that question, offering insight into how the subconscious mind can both derail us but also guide us back on track if we learn how to harness its power. S. Kay Murphy is a poet, freelance writer, and the author of four books, published both traditionally and independently. She holds a master's degree in British and American literature, has taught both high school and college English as her day job, but is also known as Mom and Nana to her kids and grandkids. Her fur kids include two rescue dogs and one black cat. If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

October 21, 2023 facilitated by Jessica Bruce Wrap up another amazing year of meetings with our annual prose reading. Just like August Poetry, this is an opportunity to share your hard work and creativity with the entire guild. Word count limit is 1800 words and must follow the “3-Ps” … No Politics, Proselytizing, or Pornography Click here to view the full submission guidelines. Submissions open September 16th at noon and close October 7th at 11:59PM . Due to time constraints, slots are limited and will be considered on a first come first serve basis, with paid members receiving priority at the meeting. Elections will also be held for President and Treasurer positions on the Board of Directors. If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

January 20, 2024 presented by Karen DeBonis Have you written and published a book but have no idea how to market it? Are you working on a book, dreading the time when you’ll have to sell it? Do you have a small publisher for your book who provides no marketing support? This workshop is for you. With zero experience in PR or selling, Karen DeBonis wilted at the thought of marketing her memoir. But she soon realized that, in the process of studying the craft of writing, she had absorbed a wealth of information about marketing which laid the foundation for the secrets she’ll share with you. Karen DeBonis writes about motherhood, people-pleasing, and personal growth, inspired by the experience of raising her son, Matthew. Her debut memoir Growth: A Mother, Her Son, and the Brain Tumor They Survived was released by Apprentice House Press in May 2023. Karen’s work has appeared in The New York Times , Huff Post, Today.com , Newsweek.com , and others. A happy empty-nester, Karen lives in upstate New York with her husband of forty years. You can see more of her work at www.karendebonis.com . If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

February 17, 2024 presented by Debby Johnson Writing for children is a lot like writing for adults, with one exception: Kids won’t let you get away with anything. Debby will share how to navigate the ins and outs of various types of books for children while entertaining your audience. Debby Johnson is a proud mother and karate instructor who gets plenty of inspiration for her stories from having survived raising five children and teaching middle-grade karate students. Residing in Southern California with her amazing husband, two dogs, and a turtle, she writes literary fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and children’s stories. Her published works includes Rock, Paper, Scissors (a picture book), Wendi’s Wabi (an early reader), Suburbia and other Signposts Pointing West (a book of poetry), as well as her stories appearing in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Debby is currently querying her second novel and a middle-grade book. If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.

March 16, 2024 presented by Laurie Cooper Join award-winning speaker and marketing coach, Laurie Cooper, for her workshop on the Top 10 Tips for a Successful Promo Push! Learn 10 tips to help you have your most successful book promotion yet! This webinar covers pre-release, release week, and post-release tactics. Laurie Cooper is an award-winning speaker who launched her online business, Pub-Craft: Marketing for Books and Brands , in October 2013. She helps fiction authors go from struggling, feeling invisible and not knowing what to do next, to finding and connecting with their ideal readers. In her first year of business, Laurie went from 1 to over 200 clients and helped 100+ authors hit the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Lists. While she works as a marketing coach with authors from around the world, Laurie calls Ottawa, Canada her home. Laurie and her course, The Visible Author Method, have allowed hundreds of clients to simplify their marketing efforts, leading to more time to write. If you watched or attended this meeting, let us know what you thought of it in the comments below. You must be logged in to post comments.