Victory Crayne
Independent Fiction Editor,
Writing Coach

Critique and Writers Groups

in

Southern California

A critique by Victory will improve not just one novel, but EVERY novel you write.

A critique group is a group of writers who
meet to provide feedback on each other's writing.

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Critique and writers groups in southern California

I've heard so many requests for years for information on critique groups that I've decided to create this list. It is my goal to create one central place in southern California where:

writers groups can link to as a service to their members and
writers can go to find a critique group in their geographical area.

Many writers belong to more than one critique group so the groups don't need to feel they're competitors. Besides, many groups fade when they lose members and would like to have one place were they could "advertise" for new members.

I'll do the work of maintaining the list. All you have to do is let me know of any critique groups you are aware of. Sound fair? To add a new group, send me the contact information described below.

If you can't find a critique group in your area and you want more personal and professional attention to your novel writing, you can consider my services. See the Victory Page for Fiction Writers for more details.

Quick link to counties:

	Los Angeles
	Orange
	Riverside
	San Bernadino
	San Diego
	Tulare
	Ventura

Los Angeles County

Burbank	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Journals and Our Creative Journeys
	Contact person	Marie
	Location	Available only to members
	Meet	Unknown
	Comments	Do you love luxurious leather journals, lovely pens, & colorful markers? Do you gravitate towards movies like the English Patient and books like "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Gift from the Sea" by Anne Lindbergh? From books to Broadway, poetry to philosophy, museums to mythology, we'll explore a variety of interests. Whether you use your journal for enlightenment, inspiration, therapy or a respite from it all, come join other journal keepers and let's venture out on a creative journey!

Culver City?	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Sunday Night Screenwriter's Group!
	Contact person	Jackie Ryan
	Location	open
	Meet	Sundays at 7 p.m.
	Comments	If you work insane hours during the week (like me) and sometimes on the weekend, and can never make those weeknight screenwriters groups, then this group is for you!! We'll gather once a week, on Sunday evenings, read through each other's pages, and give feedback. I also hope on some occasions to bring in actors and have them read through our pages. Screenwriters of all levels are welcome!

Hermosa Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Beach Cities Writing Group
	Contact person	Krista Capo
	Location	Beach Cities Christian Fellowship : Church of the Nazarene730 11th Street, Hermosa Beach, CA (map)
	Meet	First Wednesdays of the month aqt 7 p.m.
	Comments	The writing group is forming to help those who have written poems or prose, are writing articles or blogs or never thought of being published but desire to learn. This is a group for writers who are new, stagnate, gaining speed or polished. There will be discussions on: • Getting Published • The Writing Process • Organization • Grammar • Online Resources And much more! This will be a SAFE PLACE for writers to learn, share their work, receive quality critique, hear from and meet other writers and have fun. Please join us.

Hollywood	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Film Production Workshop, Hollywood
	Contact person	Lissette Salazar Napoleon, 323-867-7973
	Location	Neon Venus Art Theatre, Hollywood, 7023 Melrose (near La Brea). Contact: Peter Valentino at 702-787-2481.
	Meet
	Comments	This meetup is about making films. We will mainly focus on shooting scenes and shorts in class for the purpose of finishing work as part of our curriculum. This meetup is about making films. We will mainly focus on shooting scenes and shorts in class for the purpose of finishing work as part of our curriculum. We will cover the basics of lighting, camera handling and shooting, scene scripts and screenwriting, acting and continuity, shot list and frame selection, acting basics and editing, among others. This is for beginning filmmakers so that they can workshop all the aspects of filmmaking using the equipment (lights, camera, boom mic) used in productions. There is much to know. The instructors, Lissette and Peter, are very well versed in the filmmaking process at many levels. Find the instructors' bios and previous work at neonvenusfils.com

Hollywood	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Hollywood Script Writers
	Contact person	Marguerite Cravatt
	Location	Neon Venus Art Theatre, 7023 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, CA 90038 (map)
	Meet	Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
	Comments	Marguerite Cravatt, MA, author of Beyond Ordinary Sex (now being adapted into a screenplay) started this group so that she can use her skills to help others. Writers struggle and they need support. Marguerite was a professor of Advanced Script Writing at the University of West Florida where she helped many new writers finish their script. And in addition to teaching writing, she also teaches how to pitch the script to sell it when you finish. She covers everything a writer needs to know: structure, plot lines, sub plots, genre elements, format, character development, and so much more. Marguerite offers a free workshop on Tuesday Nights at 6:00 pm and discuss the complexity of writing and answers questions about the participants individual scripts. Marguerite offers one-on-one mentoring and help from start to finish. You can find more information about Marguerite and her work at www.cravatt.tv, and you can also go directly to www.HollywoodScripwriters.org.

Inglewood	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Reflections Writers Society
	Contact person	Deborah Bellis
	Location	Yvonne B. Burk Community Center 4750 W 62nd Street, Los Angeles, CA (map)
	Meet	Wednesday at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Mission: Offer a system to our communities of writers, while developing disciplines through accountability, teaching and peer support. To provide a safe and nurturing atmosphere for writers to further their skills in writing and self-publishing, while cultivating associations with like-minded people. Purpose: To make sure that every writer has the tools and support necessary for taking the craft of writing to completion and/or publication. How: Attending bi-monthly meetup identifying and addressing the needs of our members, such as open forums, positive critique sessions, writing and publishing workshops, and accountability partners or groups.

Long Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	The Long Beach Writers Meetup Group
	Contact person	Brennan Harvey
	Meet	Meets the first and third (and fifth) Tuesdays of the month.
	Comments

Long Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Long Beach Writers
	Contact person	Rhoda Greenstone
	Meet	Every Sunday at Borders Books at 3 p.m.
	Comments

Long Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Storyboard Your Novel Group
	Contact person	Janice Macdonald
	Location	open
	Meet	Uknown
	Comments	Write that books now! When I first started writing fiction, I did just that--started writing, with no idea how to structure my story, create a compelling plot, avoid loading it down with backstory. Through trial and error, lots of research and reading, I came up with the storyboarding technique that I used to write nine books for Harlequin. Adaptable to any genre--romance, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, storyboarding takes some of the guess work out of fiction writing. Think of it this way. You want to bake a cake. You know it should have certain ingredients-- flour and eggs for sure. You dump those in a bowl, stick the thing in the oven, then remember something about sugar, so you remove the pan, pour in some sugar, return it to the oven, cook it for a while--but hey, what about the shortening. Fiction writing can be a bit like that, storyboarding gives you a recipe to follow. Formulaic, you ask? Genre fiction is formulaic. It's predictable, a good read. But within the guidelines there are all sorts of opportunities to establish your voice, exercise your creative muscles. This group will be small, six at most. When it fills, I'll start a waiting list. Bring your ideas, I'll supply the storyboard grid and as a group we'll come up with the skeleton of your novel. I've taught the technique in community college classrooms, in workshops and one days sessions. I know it works. If you've got a book idea, but aren't really sure where to start, this is the place for you. Works for beginning writers and those who have several unfinished manuscripts in yellowing stacks! As a small group, we can all get to know one another, benefit from each others input and insight and create in a mutually supportive environment.

Long Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Touchstone
	Contact person	Lethia Cobbs
	Location	open
	Meet	Weekly except last week of the month
	Comments	I decided to start this group for individuals who have a nonficiton/creative nonfiction writing project that remains unfinished due to outside commitments such as work or other reasons. The purpose of this group is to critique one another's work, share information about writing, discuss the dilemmas we face in our work, and to set a goal whether it is finishing a chapter or an entire manuscript. Individuals who want to join should be working on a nonficiton or creative nonfiction project. Must be available to meet three times a month from June 8 to August 24 2011 for ten sessions. We will not meet the last week of each month.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Defeat Procrastination--Creative Writers' Club of L.A.
	Contact person	Calin
	Location	Location is shown only to members
	Meet	Sunday, 2 p.m. every week
	Comments	This group is created specifically for Creative Writers, who know they have something beautiful, meaningful, or helpful to say, know (or may not know yet) that they are incredibly talented, can make the time for writing, yet somehow, something else seems to always get in the way. We all know how self-defeating procrastination can be, waiting for a better time ("when I have more hours, when I am less rushed, etc.") until the opportunity is lost, but also that procrastination is merely a habit. Just a habit, yes, yet terrible habit which can take us from a place of creating a life we know we deserve, with all the personal satisfaction it may bring, to a place of "could have, might have, would have...," a place most of us would do anything to avoid. Over the course of my adult life, I have noticed patterns about myself, and found solutions to most of my problems. Activities which only yesterday seemed impossible (and had felt like that for years), like daily workouts, weight loss, or starting a Meetup Group of this kind, somehow started to materialize with impressive consistency, seemingly overnight. Yet it was not an overnight miracle, but a direct consequence to several activities I had started a few months before, and it can be traced to one particular event. It simply was the decision to commit to a time slot on a weekday morning, to meet a friend- at any cost- either to go surfing, if time pressed go biking, or the worst case scenario, walking for an hour or so. It was not easy, but we persevered, and more similar commitments followed on my side: a class here, a program there, and so on. What I found was that, left by myself, I tend to wander, lose sight of my goal, or feel intimidated by its perceived magnitude. But I happen to have a very strong sense of ethics, so I figured out, that by simply committing to meet just one other person, is enough to push me over the threshold- after all, I would not stand someone up, someone who’s put time aside to meet with me. So I'm starting this Meetup Group, our own personal Writer's Club, with the sole purpose of getting together at various times, to individually work on our own Writing Projects. Once we get together we'll decide what else might be helpful- but for now, that's what we'll do: Commit to a time and a place, get coffee or whatever your hearts desire, and write. This is not a class, but merely a facilitation to bring each of us closer to doing what we know we need to do, yet somehow don’t manage enough. This is meant to help each and every one of us inch ahead with our projects, but most importantly, make it fun, and eventually something we’ll look forward to. We're waiting for you!

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Los Angeles Blog Club
	Contact person	Murray Newlands and David McClymonds
	Location	To be determined
	Meet	Monthly on Saturdays at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Welcome to the Los Angeles Blog Club. Please join us for a monthly get together with lots of blogging tips and a great discussion about blogging that will help you improve your blog and take it to the next level. Please contact me @ murraynewlands.com for sponsorship and speaking opportunities.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Los Angeles Writer's Group
	Contact person	Kitty Martini
	Location	Downtown LA Loft Apartment, South Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA (map)
	Meet	Sundays at 3 p.m.
	Comments	Writing a novel? Screenplay? Non Fiction? Comedy? Regardless of the genre, writing is a solitary act. But sometimes it's good for the writer's soul to connect with other writers. This is an informal group that meets once a month to talk about writing, do some writing excercises, get feedback, ideas, or anything else you need to keep you inspired and writing.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Los Angeles Writers Network
	Contact person	Laura Sterling
	Location	Mary Pickford Studio, 8885 Venice Blvd # 203 Los Angeles, CA
	Meet	Saturdays at 6 p.m.
	Comments	We aim to create a community of writers for the purposes of networking, learning and performing. Through the LA Writers Network, we will host social mixers and guest speaker events as well as offer seminars and workshops. For writers who also produce/perform (improv, stand-up, plays), there is also the possibility of putting on your production at our space on Venice Boulevard. We are active in two parts of the city: LA proper and the South Bay. We are open to writers (and those who want to be), who seek to network, learn and enjoy the wealth of knowledge and talent that our members can offer.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Mostly Comedy Screenwriting Group
	Contact person	David Willis
	Location	Los Angeles
	Meet	Undisclosed
	Comments	Mostly Comedy is a professional Los Angeles-based screenwriters’ group that deals with mostly comedy scripts. We give each other notes on story, structure, and character. And jokes. We help each other punch up existing jokes, or replace them with funnier ones. We do all this so our scripts will sell. Or so the scripts will make our bosses are happy, if they were written on assignment. We currently have 20 members. About 1/3 of us are professional writers, the rest range from “pretty new” to “experienced-but-haven’t-sold-anything-yet.” But even the new writers are good writers. And funny. And most work in the industry in some capacity. Each meeting is usually attended by 10-12 writers because of scheduling, etc. You don’t have to make every meeting to be in the group, but if you only come when your material is being read, then we’re not the group for you. For more details, see About the Mostly Comedy Screenwriting Group.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Shorts and Scene Shooters Video Group
	Contact person	Denise
	Location	Los Angeles
	Meet	To be decided (has many members)
	Comments	This group is for people who want to stop thinking and talking about shooting video and actually do it. Money is usually the deciding factor in what we shoot or whether we shoot at all. This group will remove that issue and make it so you can shoot bigger and better projects than you ever thought you could. We will pool together our resources and talent and get some well polished, professional looking projects done. We will be doing studio quality work that will further our careers. The idea is to get together a group of people we're comfortable working with and be very productive. The more we shoot, the better we'll become. So if you have a scene or short you want to shoot, or just want to continue to develop your skills and work on other peoples' projects, this is the group for you. The first project is a very ambitious one, and it will call for people with experience in - visual effects, fight choreography, set design, among other things. It's a scene from a 1940s detective story...

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	South Bay Writers
	Contact person	Lynne
	Location	South Bay (within 5 miles of LAX)
	Meet	Monthly on alternate Thursday at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Serious writers preferred. Fiction or Creative Non-Fiction work aimed at Adults & YA of any genre can be submitted; however, no sermons, poetry, screenplays, children's books, or pornographic sex or violence. Small group of fiction and creative nonfiction writers exchange work in advance of meetings, then read and critique, marking up manuscripts with constructive comments and suggestions. Meetings are conducted workshop-style, discussing each writer's work. We focus on what we liked and what can be improved, and offer support aimed at getting work published. Please describe what you're reading (or your favorite authors), what you're writing, and your experience with writing groups, classes, and workshops.

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	ToastWriters
	Contact person	Regina Rhymes
	Location	To be determined
	Meet	First and third Sundays of each month
	Comments	Through the fun structure of a Toastmasters meeting, we deliver prepared speeches, do impromptu exercises, and get feedback about our work. We feature professional writers as guest speakers on topics from finding a great idea to getting your work published. Whether you are a novelist or a screenwriter, blogger or freelance journalist, music critic or manual writer, book your membership today!

Los Angeles	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Writing Professionals of Los Angeles
	Contact person	August McLaughlin
	Meet	Brunch at Louise's, 4500 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
	Comments	WPLA caters to novelists, journalists, bloggers, poets and other writers who take their craft and career in writing seriously. If this description suits you and you'd like on-going support from friends with similar goals, please join us!

North Hollywood	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	The North Hollywood Screenwriters Meetup Group
	Contact person	David Mulligan
	Meet	Meet two Saturdays per month at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Need to have completed scripts ready to share with the group.

Pasadena	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Pasadena Writers Salon
	Contact person	Elizabeth
	Location	Pasadena Hastings Ranch Library, 3325 East Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena, CA (map)
	Meet	Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. weekly
	Comments	Looking for a safe haven where you can submit work, get a critique that won't crush your soul? And, of course, have fun? We formed in 2008 as a place where writers could share work without fear. People who want to compete or tear others down for the sake of tearing others down need not apply. Granted, you will get constructive criticism. There's no point in sharing work if we can't grow from it. Rules of Engagment Work should be submitted by 9:00 p.m. three days prior to the meet up. Submissions can be no longer than ten pages, double spaced in order that all members have a chance at critique. Once you decide to join us, we'll give you the member mailing list. And, of course, each member owns sole copyright to their work, so unauthorized sharing may result in banishment, at a minimum. Most importantly, we welcome all types of writing: poetry, sci-fi, romance, nonfiction, etc.

Redondo Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	West LA and South Bay Writing Craft Book Club
	Contact person	Nicole
	Location	Not decided yet
	Meet	Not decided yet.
	Comments	A book club for writers, we read books on the writing craft. There is a seemingly endless supply of books on the writing craft, so instead of feeling guilty because I'm working or doing the laundry instead of reading a enlightening book on the craft, I thought I'd set up an actual monthly time and place to fulfill this need and have writers to talk to about the book! We will read everything from books on writing fiction to poetry to screenwriting. Whatever catches our fancy that month.

San Gabriel Valley	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Moms Write San Gabriel Valley
	Contact person	Angela. Visit the website at http://www.meetup.com/Moms-Write-San-Gabriel-Valley/
	Meet
	Comments	This group is for moms who want to be a part of a community of writers. Join us if you are looking for inspiration, encouragement and support from fellow writers. All levels from beginners to veterans welcome.

Santa Clarita	Open to new members?	Full--not open to new members
	Name of the group	Name not chosen yet
	Contact person	Melissa Lind
	Meet	Meeting date and time not chosen yet.
	Comments	This is a fiction writing group for people interested in improving their craft. All genres are welcome, though we specialize in science fiction and fantasy.

Santa Monica	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	The Santa Monica Science Fiction Writers Meetup Group
	Contact person	Kelle DeLuca
	Meet	Meet every 2nd & 4th Thursdays.
	Comments	This is a fiction writing group for people interested in improving their craft. All genres are welcome, though we specialize in science fiction and fantasy.

Santa Monica	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Write for Recovery Workshop
	Contact person	Diane Sherry Case
	Location	Santa Monica
	Meet	Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
	Comments	A workshop designed to cultivate creativity and mindfulness in the process of recovery from grief, trauma, or addiction. We use writing exercises to uncover, discover, and discard old wounds as well as to create positive attitudes, present awareness, and future goals. We also play with fiction and poetry, and use visual arts as inspiration. Group leader has her masters in creative writing.

Studio City	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Studio City Writing Critique Group
	Contact person	Lindsay
	Location	Studio City, CA
	Meet	Meet every Thursday 7:30 to 9 p.m.
	Comments	We're an established fiction writing critique workshop in Studio City looking for new members in their 20s or 30s to join the group. We meet weekly on Thursdays from 7:30 to 9:00 PM in the heart of Studio City and have been working together for about a year. Every other week, you will submit a piece of writing and the group will give feedback, advice and support on how to make your work stronger. We're a group of nurturing, talented young writers workshopping novels and short stories of all genres -- no screenplays, please. Most of us have been published in literary magazines and print publications, although talented beginners are also welcome. If you're interested in joining us, please send a short writing sample under 10 pages (no attachments please) to the "Contact Us" link on our website.

Venice Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	LA Gay and Lesbian Writers
	Contact person	Jeff Swafford
	Location	Unknown
	Meet	Unknown
	Comments	Are you tired of the solitude of writing? Are you looking to share your work in a friendly environment and get feedback on how it is going? Let's get together to discuss our craft. All forms are welcome.

Venice Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Venice Beach Screenwriter's Group or visit InScreenWriting
	Contact person	mbannonb
	Location	Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA
	Meet	Meet Thursdays at 8 p.m.
	Comments	The purpose of the group is to support writers in achieving professional grade writing so that they may have a career as a professional screenwriter.

Woodland Hills	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Los Angeles Chapter of the Historical Novel Society
	Contact person	Richard Warren Field
	Location	Coco's restaurant, 21844 Victory Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA
	Meet	Sat, May 21 2 p.m.
	Comments	A group of people who enjoy reading and writing fiction set in the past. This is a local group in Southern California that is affiliated with the Historical Novel Society, an international organization, formed in 1997 to promote all aspects of historical fiction.

Orange County

Anaheim Hills	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit (size of group is limited). Generally one or two per year.
	Name of the group	Orange County Fictionaires
	Contact person	J. Diamond
	Meet	We’re a 40-year-old group of authors and short story writers in a variety of genres, including mysteries, women’s fiction, literary fiction, young adult and SF/fantasy. We meet the 1st, 3rd and (where applicable) 5th Wednesday of each month. This is a very experienced group of mostly published writers, some of whom also teach writing. There is a formal application and approval process that focuses on the quality of the writing and critiquing.
	Comments	No poetry, nonfiction or children’s books, although YA is fine.

Brea	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Writers Group at the Brea Library Meetup
	Contact person	Jeanne Lerner
	Meet	Meet in the Brea Library at 1:30 pm on Saturdays.
	Comments

Corona del Mar	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Sandscribes
	Contact person	Patricia Dreyfus (949) 760-9353
	Meet	Meet in Corona del Mar the first and third Thursdays of the month, 10:00 a.m. We keep the group to 10 and sometimes have openings. We have been meeting for ten years.
	Comments

Costa Mesa	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit
	Name of the group	The OC Writer's Guild
	Contact person	Brittany Rausch
	Location	Costa Mesa Library, 1855 Park Ave, Costa Mesa, CA
	Meet	Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. weekly
	Comments	Welcome Book Bandits! The idea of this group is to establish a community of writers that can learn from eachother on many different levels. Whether this is through critique groups, free writing, reading, talking, etc. I hope that this group has something for everyone. This group welcomes writers of all levels. This is based on the philosophy that we never really stop learning. No matter your walk of life, we all have some knowledge to barter. Or pilfer, as book bandits do (no stealing or plagerism is insinuated with this lovely message).

Costa Mesa	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit
	Name of the group	The OC Writer's Literary Yard
	Contact person	Kimberly S. Lin also at www.kimberlyslin.com
	Location	To be determined
	Meet	To be determined
	Comments	Welcome OC Self-Publishers! As a self-publisher myself, I know the most important thing is to get your book or work in front of people. I created this Meetup group for self-publishers in the OC area that want to get their books read and reviewed by a community of peers. Each month we'll pick a member and read their work and members will give honest and anonymous reviews. The idea is to get constructive feedback and a chance for your work to get in front of eyeballs and off the shelf! I also created a site (www.wly84.com) that has an author forum on it. So we can give each other advice as we all try to achieve our dreams and hopefully become the next John Locke! Sincerely, Kimberly S. Lin www.kimberlyslin.com

Fountain Valley	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit
	Name of the group	Fearless Reflections: A memoir critique group
	Contact person	Marilyn
	Location	Fountain Valley Library, 17635 Los Alamos St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Ph 614-598-1986
	Meet	Meet twcie a month on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
	Comments	This meet-up is oriented to those who are actively working on a memoir and need helpful suggestions from others on fine tuning it. We discourage those who are simply curious and are not willing to invest the time necessary to submit a piece of work. We are limited in number and, for the sake of continuity, want only those who are committed to coming twice a month. We are a friendly group who prefer encouragement over criticism. We understand that memoir is a highly personal venture, so we want to provide a safe space for you to share the details of your life. If you are interested, please submit an email outlining your intentions and what it is you desire from involvement in our group.

Huntington Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Sandscribes
	Contact person	Dawne Knobbe
	Meet	Meets every other week (currently on Wed nights from 7-9 p.m.) at the Huntington Beach Public Library in a meeting room in the children's section. Library: (714) 842-4481
	Comments	This group focuses solely on Young Adult/Teen, Middle Grade, and Children's Literature and Illustrations for the above-listed books.

Huntington Beach	Open to new members?	Waiting list
	Name of the group	Huntington Beach Writers
	Contact person	Gui at http://www.meetup.com/OrangeCountyFictionWriters/members/2812886/
	Location	Location shown only to members
	Meet	Every other week on Monday
	Comments	All genres. We are writers who come together every other week to offer one another ongoing critique and support in our writing projects, and camaraderie in our writing efforts. We are not a drop-in group. We exchange and review each workshop’s writings prior to getting together. As we’ve learned to better give thoughtful, insightful, articulate feedback to one another, almost by magic, we’ve noticed our own writing improve. The wait list is for alternate members of our group only, so there’s no need to RSVP “No.” If you’re interested in learning more about us, or visiting us to introduce yourself and your writing project, please send an email to quintessentialgui@gmail.com. We look forward to meeting you.

Huntington Beach	Open to new members?	Waiting list
	Name of the group	Huntington Beach Writing Support Group
	Contact person	Mark & Heather Rivera
	Location	Starbucks, 16470 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA (map)
	Meet	Every other week on Monday
	Comments	I am currently writing a non fiction book and work full time. I would like to meet with others that write. This group would be for support, sharing of ideas and to commiserate. I anticipate that we could meet at a local Starbucks once or twice a month.

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Irvine Free For All This group is part of Orange County Writers Critique Group.
	Contact person	Elisabetta Panzica
	Location	Paradise Perks Espresso & Tea Bar, 15475 Jeffrey Road, Irvine, CA 92618 at Jeffrey Rd & Irvine Center Drive
	Meet	Every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
	Comments	This format open to all. Bring about a thousand (1,000) words of whatever you want. Read it aloud and receive feedback.

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	OC: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers Intensive Groupl
	Contact person	Tyler Stansfield Jaggers
	Location	Irvine Jack in the Box, 4289 Campus Dr, Irvine CA 92612, (949) 823-8983, near the Trader Joe's in University Center
	Meet	Meet Thursday evenings 7 p.m.
	Comments	This is a PAID writers group ($10 per person). This fun group is intensive because we will make sure that everyone gets to share their work. There is a maximum of 5 people per week for this group, including myself. The group will meet for about two and a half hours every Thursday. Writers will critique each others' work. Everyone is guaranteed at least 20-30 minutes to share and get feedback on their work. Bring some of your Sci-Fi and/or Fantasy writing and get ready for some in-depth critique. Since this is a PAID group, it is expected that everyone will show up on time, and will bring copies of their work for everyone who RSVP'd. COST: We will collect the $10 per person charge in the beginning of the group. Cash or check is preferable. Make checks out to "Tyler Jaggers."

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Poets and Dreamers-Creative Writing Workshop & Open Mic Night
	Contact person	Anne Tammel
	Location	Paradise Perks Espresso & Tea Bar, 15475 Jeffrey Road, Irvine, CA
	Meet	Every Wednesday at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Come out and join us for an interactive discussion followed by open mic night at Paradise Perks! If you plan to participate in open mic night, please sign up with the barista to reserve your spot.

Irvine	Open to new members?	No spots left, but a waiting list is available.
	Name of the group	Post-MFA Novel Workshop
	Contact person	Anne Tammel
	Locations	TBA
	Meet	Meet every two weeks on Tuesday
	Comments	This advanced novel workshop has been designed for post-graduate level and published novelists dedicated to collaborating through the process of revision and publication. Our main goal is to work together wisely, positively and productively.

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Pure Fiction League
	Contact person	Lance Charnes or Melodye Shore
	Location	Tustin Panera Bread, 2467 Park Ave, Tustin, in The District at Tustin Legacy
	Meet	Every Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.
	Comments

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Romance Writers Critique Group
	Contact person	Ree
	Location	Location may vary.
	Meet	Time may vary. Every Tuesday at 6 p.m.
	Comments	This group is for people who write romance. We'll welcome fanfiction, but our main focus is producing manuscripts for publication. Some of the content will be raunchy and explicit, and can include two or more people of any gender, so be prepared and bring an open mind. If you aren't comfortable with that kind of material, please find a different group. Bring up to 4 double spaced pages with you (and try to bring copies for everyone) and be prepared to share. But also feel free to come without something to read if you want to just keep up with what everyone else is writing. For the moment we're meeting outside a coffee shop (and there are a number of food establishments in the same corner if anyone gets hungry). I'd like to get us a private room someday, but have yet to find one. Feel free to bring suggestions. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I look forward to meeting you soon.

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Young Orange County Screenwriters
	Contact person	Matt Dressel
	Location	IHOP, 5301 University Drive, Irvine, CA (map)
	Meet	First meeting: Sunday, Nov 6 at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Are you a screenwriter in your 20s or 30s looking to meet-up with other ambitious writers in the OC area? Of course you are! Do you want to read scenes, brag about your accomplishments and publicly lament your failures? Of course you do! But most importantly, do you want to drink copious amounts of coffee and take complete advantage of IHOP's "Free Refill" policy? Because I sure do.

Laguna Hills	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Saddleback Writers Group
	Contact person	Mel Zimmerman or Jacki Hanson
	Location	Carrows Restaurant, 23952 Avenida de Carlota, Laguna Hills, CA
	Meet	Writers meet (almost) every Monday between 6:30-8:30 p.m. Please email Mel or Jacki to let one of us know you will be coming by. We look forward to meeting you and learning about the writing you do.
	Comments	We encourage new writers to visit the Saddleback Writers Guild webpage at http://www.jandjbooksales.com/writersgroup.html for our recommended meeting guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to let us know.

Laguna Niquel	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Poetry Readers of Laguna Niguel Meetup Group
	Contact person	Rose
	Meet	We meet at JC Beans, Inc, 34114 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, CA 92629.
	Comments	At Poetry Readers, we do just that - read from our favorite authors! You get to intrepert and convey the author's feelings to a group of like minded individuals interested in making a piece of poetry their very own. Intellectual discourse can follow your piece if you would like to open it up for discussion. Those willing to express themselves in this forum, should do so in a productive and positive manner.

Lake Forest	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit (size of group is limited)
	Name of the group	Southern Orange County Critique Group
	Contact person	Scott T. Barnes
	Location	Location varies in southern Orange County
	Meet	A Meetup Group, meets once a month on Thursday evenings. The membership comprises semi-pro and pro writers, and the current members must feel your writing fits in this category to be admitted.
	Comments	You should come if you are serious about improving your fiction and will take time every month to write.

Lake Forest	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	American Christian Fiction Writers OC
	Contact person	Scott Barnes
	Meet	Meet Sundays 2:30pm at El Toro Library
	Comments

Lake Forest	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit (size of group is limited)
	Name of the group	Professional Writers Meetup Group
	Contact person	Michael Varma
	Location	Lake Forest Beach and Tennis Club,22921 Ridge Route Dr, Lake Forest, CA
	Meet	Meet Tuesday nights at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Submit five typed, double-spaced pages (roughly 1000 words) for the group to review.

Mission Viejo	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Advanced Novel Workshop
	Contact person	Edan Prabhu and Anne Tammel
	Location	El Toro Library, 24672 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, CA
	Meet	Wednesday June 1 at 6:30 p.m.
	Comments	An intensive, interactive group, helping one another, with 4 to 6 members. The workshop’s focus will be to take novels, already at first draft or further along, to publication.

Mission Viejo	Open to new members?	This Meetup is full.
	Name of the group	Screenwriting Workshop
	Contact person	Anne Tammel
	Location	Saddleback Valley College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA
	Meet	Saturdays (two-day workshop)
	Comments	Adam Coplan's workshops at Saddleback have been incredibly well received. Though he will return at some point, this will be his last OC event for a bit as he is moving back to Los Angeles immediately after (he has to begin pre-production on a film shooting this summer in New Orleans). Attendees receive a 100 page text book and formatting guide, a link for free screenwriting software and their choice of 6 scripts (chosen from 350+ titles). To register, people should go directly to Saddleback's registration page at the following link: https://ce.saddleback.edu/Activities/ActivitiesDetails.asp?ProcessWait=N&aid=362. For Adam's bio and background, as well as more information about the workshop, please visit his website at: http://justscreenwrite.com/.

Newport Beach	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit
	Name of the group	Memoir Writers
	Contact person	Rita Nelson
	Meet	Meets 1-2 times per month weekend afternoons
	Comments	Writing must be about your own life

Newport Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Strong Voices Writing Workshop
	Contact person	Lyuba Busch or Thea Iberall
	Location	Panera Bread, 1348 Bison Avenue, Newport Beach, CA
	Meet	A 2-hour long class once a week on Mondays at 6:15 p.m.
	Comments	In the first hour, the moderator brings in a topic related to poetry or prose (e.g., Metaphors Galore, Writing from the Deep Voice, Dialetic poems, Structuring your work, Subtext, etc), explains it and shows examples of it. The group will try using that concept in a short writing activity. In the second hour, people will share work they have brought in. Feedback will always be dependent on what the writer feels comfortable with. The whole atmosphere will be one of support, encouragement and safety. Cost is $20/class or $150 for an 8-week session.

San Clemente	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Advance (Post-MFA) Novel Workshop, a Meetup Group
	Contact person	Meetup page: Anne Tammel Website: Anne Trammel
	Meet	Meet every two weeks on Tuesday at 7 pm in San Clemente at Peets Coffee & Tea, 801 Avenida Talega, San Clemente, CA 92673 San Clemente, CA
	Comments	This advanced novel workshop has been designed for post-graduate level and published novelists dedicated to collaborating through the process of revision and publication. Our main goal is to work together wisely, positively and productively.

San Clemente	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Comedy Writers of Orange County, a Meetup Group
	Contact person	Jim Taylor
	Meet	Meet Monday evenings at 7 pm in San Clemente
	Comments

San Clemente	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	South Orange County Women Writers Group, San Clemente
	Contact person	Zea Shimahara
	Location	Location is shown only to members
	Meet	4th Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
	Comments	SOCWWG San Clemente, is a writer's group for local women to come together, share their current work, give and receive construstructive feedback, and work towards their writing goals. We are a supportive group, which strives to encourage each member to reach not only their desired goal, but fulfill their creative potential. Each meeting, 2 selected writers each read up to 10 double spaced pages to the group. By rotating 2 writers to read each meeting, everyone gets a chance to read, as well as time to review, evaluate and constructively critique. If you are just starting out or having been writing for years, write only in a journal or blog to the world, and are looking for a fun, supportive, easy going but structured women's writing group, we'd be happy to have you join us. Please note that this group is NOT necessarily for professional, published writers, however, all are welcome. This group will provide some structured activities from time to time to motivate the writing process, however, it is geared mostly for new writers who are interested in receiving mutual support which can be one of the most important functions of a writing group.

San Clemente (Long Beach)	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Lesbian & Gay Writers of Orange County
	Contact person	Karen Ann Dowd
	Location	Park Pantry, 2104 E Broadway Long Beach, CA
	Meet	Meet Friday evenings at 7 pm in Long Beach
	Comments	Professional writers only! By "professional" I mean writers--fiction and non-fiction--who aspire to be published and consider their craft to be their vocation whether they have other jobs to pay the bills. I envision the group to come together bi-monthly as a way of keeping each other inspired and accountable to keep writing! If interested, please send a 3-5 double-spaced writing sample. I would like to keep the group under 10 members for the sake of each writer having the opportunity every session to hear feedback. I look forward to reading your work! For information on me, please visit my website: annkarendowd.com.

Santa Ana	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Orange County Writers Critique Group, a Meetup group called "Huntington Beach Writers--All Genre"
	Contact person	Email to quintessentialgui@gmail.com
	Meet	Meet Monday evenings 7 p.m. at Minda's Restaurant, 1601 W. MacArthur Blvd, Santa Ana CA 92704
	Comments

Santa Ana	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Orange County Writers Critique Group, a Meetup group
	Contact person	See their Web site or email him at Russell Traughber
	Meet	Meet every 2nd & 4th Thursdays.
	Comments

Seal Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Writers Critique Group, a Meetup group at http://www.meetup.com/Writers-Critique-Group/?gj=wg2_ej1b
	Contact person	George Snyder
	Meet	Meet the first and third Thursdays of the month at Barnes & Noble in Marina Pacifica Mall.
	Comments	You submit your writing, novels in progress, any genre, non-fiction, stories, articles, memoirs, blogs.

Tustin	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Children's/YA Writers Group
	Contact person	Carla Meno (organizer) or Cora Hicks (at 562-665-8421)
	Location	Bean Coffee, 13681 Newport Avenue, Suite 14 Tustin CA
	Meet	Third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.
	Comments	Writing for children and young adults

Riverside County

Loma Linda	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Loma Linda Writers Group
	Contact person	Norma Bork
	Meet	Meet every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship hall of the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a non-denominational group open to anyone; we merely use the church facilities. The meetings usually consist of a speaker for 45 minutes then we break into small interest groups for critique of each other's work.
	Comments	This group is for serious fiction writers only. You need not be published, but no beginners, please. We will meet to discuss and critique each other's work. Looking for writers working on novels, short stories, novellas, etc. to support and learn from each other. Poetry is a whole different genre, and it would be best to start a separate group for this. Meetings wil be held once a month. Day and time to be decided by the group.

Riverside	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Inland Empire Writers Group
	Contact person	Colleen Fliedner
	Location	Tyler Mall B&N, Riverside, CA (map)
	Meet	Once a month. We need a date.
	Comments	This group is for serious fiction writers only. You need not be published, but no beginners, please. We will meet to discuss and critique each other's work. Looking for writers working on novels, short stories, novellas, etc. to support and learn from each other. Poetry is a whole different genre, and it would be best to start a separate group for this. Meetings will be held once a month. Day and time to be decided by the group.

Temecula	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Wine Country Literary and Professional Writers' Group--Where the Art Happens
	Contact person	Lisa Sanchez
	Location	Temucula. Organizer will provide more details to those who join.
	Meet	Two groups: Thursday at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m.
	Comments	GROUP FOCUS. Award-winning author and former University of California Professor is moderating a small peer critique and support group for published and aspiring writers and novelists. We include people writing literary, commercial and historical fiction, experimental and poetic prose, creative non-fiction, and other genres. Graduates and students of MFA, Ph.D. and other post-graduate programs are welcome, as are other college professors and working professionals. An advanced degree is not required, but substantial knowledge of the craft and a commitment to writing is. WHEN AND WHERE. Meetings are held Sundays 6 p.m. in a picturesque, lake front setting in beautiful wine country Temecula. Organizer will provide more details to those who join. CRITIQUE. The group provides constructive criticism that serves to enrich and encourage each writer. Just like fine writing, fine teaching takes effort and training, not just a book contract or knowledge of one genre. The organizer is a college professor who has mentored writers and graduate students from a variety of disciplines through the publication process, however, this is a peer group. We offer our best feedback, but do not impose unsolicited instruction. As the writer, YOU CHOOSE what kind of response you want from the group. Do you have questions about a chapter or scene? Do you want focused critique for pages due to an agent or editor? Do you want to try out your query letter or synopsis in a safe environment before sending it off? Or do you just want the group to inspire you and keep you moving forward? Offer a thoughtful critique, receive one in return. Our ONLY objective is to create a supportive writing community and help people achieve their goals. NOTHING SOLD HERE. Wine Country Literary and Professional Writers' Group is free! We seek to match writers of similar experience and expertise in small groups of three to five. We currently have two groups. This gives each writer ample time for feedback and questions. Keeping to a small peer group also enhances the quality of feedback. NO CREATIVITY BASHING. Spread your wings. Break the rules. Be fabulous. You know you want to. We seek to engage your work on its own terms and to offer feedback tailored to your particular writing style. We don't criticize what we don't understand or assume we know more about your subject than you do. We also don't insult you with basic craft advice that doesn't fit your work - e.g., "Show, don't tell" - we know, but not always; "Always/never (fill in the blank)" - Really? Is there only one way to write a novel?; "Can you change that to first person or close third" - True, first person and close third create a lovely sense of intimacy, but there are other options. Does your instructor insist that every writer employ first person or close third point of view? If so, you may be dealing with someone who’s too busy for students or not trained to teach. Have you experienced any of these frustrations in your writers' groups or workshops? Then come. Join us. We think great stories stand out because they’re unique and have a strong voice, not because the author colors inside arbitrary lines. Experiment a little. Do whatever makes your story shine. We nurture all creative efforts.

San Bernadino County

Chino	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	CHAIRS: Christian Authors, Illustrators, and Readers Society
	Contact person	Nancy I. Sanders
	Meet	We meet in Chino from Sept. through May the 3rd Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30. We have a guest speaker plus time for manuscript critique each meeting. We do not meet during the summer months. For directions and more information, please visit our website at www.chairs7.wordpress.com.
	Comments

Grand Terrace	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	SanBdno-Riverside County Writers
	Contact person	Co-organizers: Kathleen and Jennifer Bielman
	Location	Shown only to members
	Meet	Second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
	Comments	We are a group of fictional writers in San Bernardino and Riverside County whose purpose is twofold: 1) improve each other's work through thoughtful critiques and 2) provide deadlines to keep everyone writing. The group is open to writers of any fiction genre so long as you produce new work each month for us to critique. We divide into groups of four. Once a month, we email our submissions to those in our group. We then meet up to discuss the chapters and issues we may be having. For those who are interested, we also participate in weekly submissions. Applications will be reviewed and approved by the organizers. No poetry or non-fiction.

Joshua Tree	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Creative Writers
	Contact person	CourtnieJean
	Meet	I'd like our meetups to run weekly or every-other-week-ly, Tuesday nights. I'd like to have a Group Critique night once a month, and writing "challenges" every week for fun and practice. Overall, I'm looking forward to a creative, playful, and productive gathering group. After all, the best way to be a writer is to write!
	Comments

Montclair	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group
	Contact person	Libby Grandy
	Meet	Meet every Tuesday from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Borders Bookstore.
	Comments

Yucaipa	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Yucaipa Valley Novel Writers Workshop
	Contact person	Brenda Hill
	Meet	Writing a novel is such a solitary endeavor, requiring vast amounts of time, energy, and knowledge. I created this group for serious writers to gather, exchange ideas, to offer and receive critiques, and to support each other.
	Comments

San Diego County

La Jolla	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Magazine Mavens
	Contact person	Jenz Johnson
	Location	Panera Bread Bakery-Cafe, 633 San Rodolfo Dr, Solana Beach, CA (map)
	Meet	Wednesday, twice a month
	Comments	This meetup is for writers, self-publishers, photographers, illustrators, and designers. We share advice, trends, and opportunities in both print and digital magazine publishing. It is the perfect place to get published, learn how to reach your audience, submit your work to magazines, and self-publish your own. Ask Malcolm Gladwell… Magazines get your foot in the door. Especially with new digital formats and print on-demand, magazines are gaining momentum. Whether you are downloading to your favorite digital format or subscribing in print, magazines have their thumb on the pulse. Writers can respond quickly to news and trends, bring a fresh perspective, and dig deeper into important topics. Photographers and designers make the content instantly accessible. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, are an avid photographer or illustrator, there are magazines are looking for talent. People read magazines. Why not publish your own? This meetup can help. We are sponsored in part by MagCloud, the premiere magazine publisher and can offer you discounts when publishing through their services. Link up with others that can make it happen. Both print and digital formats are discussed.

Ranch Bernardo	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Ranch Bernardo Writer's Group
	Contact person	Peter Berkos (858) 485-7148
	Meet	We meet 9:am to noon every Friday in the Pacific Trust Bank. RBWG has been in existence for 15 years.
	Comments	The qualification for membership, which is held at a maximum of ten, is you must have a work in progress with publication as your goal. At the present time, all of our people have been published in some form. There is an acceptance and approval process.

San Diego	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	San Diego--Meet Up & Write
	Contact person	Taleed El-Sabawi
	Location	Location shown only to members
	Meet	Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m.
	Comments	Writing is often a lonely and isolated process. With all of life's distractions, writers of all genres often find it difficult to stay on track and stick to a writing schedule. While we can't write for you we can definitely write alongside with you and help each other stay focused. All we do is meet up and write! By making a commitment to meet-up and write, the hope is that we will support one another and hold each other accountable for sticking to our writing schedules. This group is not to submit or review each other's work, but rather to meet up at a coffee shop, sit down near each other, and write! If you are interested in having your work reviewed by other writers, I suggest joining San Diego Writers.

San Diego	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	San Diego Write To Be Published
	Contact person	Michael Sedloff
	Location	Cafe Libertalia, 3834 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA
	Meet	Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
	Comments	We want our work to be successfully received by publishers. There is much to do before we are ready for submission. Our writers are willing to consistently attend weekly meetings where constructive comments are given and taken on how to improve our writing. Please feel free to visit and see if this group is a good fit. If it is, we would like you to commit to reading and commenting on short written pieces of four other writers each week. Each piece is limited to 1500 words. Our dream is create a group with creative individuals that come to know each others work so well that we can nudge each others toward success. Writers struggle to tell their story. We'd like this group to make that struggle easier.

Solano Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Write Stuff
	Contact person	D. Sasso or Candace Laidlaw
	Location	Panera, Solana Beach
	Meet	Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
	Comments	You are invited to join, The Write Stuff, a writers group that meets weekly to discuss works in progress, which are destined for publication. Participants are novelists and short story writers (some published and some not) who bring up to 5 pages of double-spaced work for the group to critique. The writing is discussed in polite, and supportive terms. We are writers who want the input of other writers.

Tulare County

Porterville	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Porterville Writers Workshop
	Contact person	Marilyn Meredith
	Meet
	Comments	We accept published and unpublished writers, but new people have to come to a meeting first and participate, then we decide whether or not they can join.

Ventura County

Thousand Oaks	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Conejo-Simi Valley Writers Group
	Contact person	Mike Hayward
	Location	Thousand Oaks, CA
	Meet	Critique first and third Tuesdays of each month; General membership meeting fourth Saturday of each month; always online.
	Comments	The Conejo-Simi Valley Writers Group seeks to bond and strengthen its writer-members in their desire to become better writers... to help them discover how to write at the top of their form, to edit their work to near-perfection, to get published, and to then repeat the write-edit-publish formula for the rest of their days. This Group is open to both published and unpublished writers whose interests are expressed across a wide range of formats and genres. Members are welcome to participate in both the Group's online activities as well as the Group's in-person, real-time area meet-ups (general membership meetings, critique groups, special events, etc.) at local venues (coffee shops, book stores, libraries, etc.) in the Conejo and Simi Valleys. You might call it the best of both worlds. We think you'll call it "terrific!"

Westlake Village	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Memoir Writing Discussion Group
	Contact person	Lisa Kerr
	Location	Barnes and Noble, 160 S Westlake Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA
	Meet	Monthly on Sundays at 5 p.m.
	Comments	Serious writers preferred. I'm working on my first memoir and am looking for a community of memoirists who are also entrenched in writing their life story and/or book proposal. This is a monthly meeting geared toward mutual learning and discussion about the art of memoir writing. Subjects to be discussed: Traumatic Memoirs, Strategies in Writing, Book Proposals, Marketing a Memoir, Table of Contents, Organizing a Memoir, and more. Online discussion will follow meetings. You should join if you're a serious writer, working on your memoir, interested in finding writing peers, have questions about the writing and publishing process.