Join us Jan 21, 2024, to help us plan next year’s schedule! And give us your input on our poll – https://www.portlandwritersmill.org/10/topics-for-2024/
Scroll down for a list (below the schedule) of all the great speakers we’ve had over the last few years. (Send an email to speakers @ portlandwritersmill . org if you’re eager to hear one again, or if you want to suggest someone new, or leave a comment on that poll.)
2024 | Speaker | Topic | Contest | Critique | Critique Leader | Other |
January 21 | Sheila Deeth | Review of 2023. Planning for 2024 | Lyndsay Euphoria | |||
February 18 | Sheila Deeth | The efficient use of WORD | Elizabeth When I’m daydreaming | |||
March 17 | Maryka Biaggio | historical fiction and the use of imagination | Judy Mystery | |||
April 21 | Carolyn Martin | poetry, inspiration, settings, getting published… | Nora What have I done? | |||
May 19 | Sheila Plot Challenge – genre | |||||
June 16 (fathers day) | “Homework” for Walt Socha’s presentation | |||||
July 21 | Walt Socha | SciFi Historical, character, plot, the joys of rewriting, and more | Deadline for anthology submissions is 1st Sunday in August | |||
August 18 | Anthology edits begin | |||||
Sept 15 | Nancy Linnon | Writing Workshop | Anthology formatting begins | |||
Oct 20 | Members to check the anthology before publication | |||||
Nov 17 | Sheila Deeth? | How to upload your/our book to Amazon KDP. | Anthology upload | |||
Dec 15 | Sheila Deeth? | review of the year | Planning for next year |
Speakers in 2023
- Cindy Brown (Feb) What novelists can learn from movies
- Ruth Leibowitz (April) Using Writing Prompts
- Joshua Williamson (May) Comics, Graphic Novels, Words and Images
- Jan Underwood (June) Climate fiction, fantasy, magical realism
- Erick Mertz (July) short stories, monsters, threats
- Sheila Deeth (August) Different types of editing and when to stop
- Zita Podany (September) Making a Google Website
- David Porter (October) Research and what to do when you’ve written your book
- Sheila Deeth (November) How to upload a book to Amazon
- Mollie Hunt (December) Writing and publishing in multiple genres
Other topics covered in 2023
- PUBLISHED PANEL: We didn’t manage to get this together, though guest speakers/authors answered most of our questions
- WRITING CONTESTS: We added challenges to some contests, for the benefit of writers who want something more of a challenge. We also changed the format, emphasizing the role of readers in our contests, and pointing out that the submissions for a free ezine for our members.
- WRITING EXERCISES: We managed to include a few of these.
- GROUP CRITIQUES: We did some near the start of the year but they tailed off. Should we work harder to encourage group critiques this year?
Speakers who’ve joined us in earlier years
2018
- March Teri Brown, editor. Intersection of plot and character
- Apr. Joyce Cherry Creswell. Winner of Oregon Book Award 2017
- May Robert John Hoover. Publishing and marketing
- June, Aug., Oct. Beth Jusino. Seattle author and editor.
- July. Carolyn Martin, poetry workshop
- Sept. Matt Haynes. Audiobook narrator
2019
- Jan. Sheila Deeth. Narrative voice
- March Zita Podany. Creating a website
- Apr., Oct. Carolyn Martin
- May. Sheila and Norm. Workshopping paragraphs
- June Donna Reynolds. Editing and tips for self-editing
- July Mollie Hunt. Writing mysteries, catwriter
- Aug. Jim Elstad. Using Pro-Writing aid
- Sept. Steve Pitzel (Steve Zell) Horror/mystery/humor novels.
- Nov. Sheila Deeth. How to create and publish an anthology
2020
- Feb. Mayka Biaggio. Published novelist. Research for historic novels.
- Apr. Jim Elstad. Pro-writing Aid demo
- May Mollie Hunt. Changing the world through fiction.
- July Cindy Brown. Mystery writing. Author of “Ivy Meadows” series.
- Aug. Erik Nebel. Graphic novels. Inspiration and marketing. (illustrator of 2020 anthology cover.)
- Sept. Erick Mertz. Self-publishing consultant.
- Oct. Joe Biel. Head of Microcosm Publishing. How to write for readers.
- Nov. Sheila Deeth. How to create and publish an anthology just using Word
2021
- Jan. Maren Anderson. Editor, Timberline Review. Editor’s perspective.
- Feb. Jim Mockford. Bilingual children’s book. Promotion, publishing, marketing.
- March Cindy Brown. 2-hour workshop, mystery and novel writing.
- June Kate Ristau. YA, middle-grade books.
- July Carolyn Martin. Workshop
- Aug. Sheila Deeth. Using Word with Style
- Sept. Deborah Hopkinson. Non-fiction picture books and YA books
- Nov. Sheila Deeth. Uploading your book to Amazon
2022
- Jan. Robert John Hoover. Best-selling author’s perspective
- Feb. Sheila Deeth. Passion, purpose, procrastination… Research and writing
- Apr. Zita Podany. Website creation
- May. Steve Campbell. Author question and answer
- June. Lyndsay Docherty. Language heritage, etymology, morphology, Shakespeare, rhetoric and more
- July. David Porter. Mystery author. Writing about real people. Memoir. Research
- Aug. Elisabeth Christison. Middle-grade fantasy. writing, getting published and everything in between
- Sept. Natalie Dale. Fiction and non-fiction. Getting the medical aspects right in writing
- October. Sheila Deeth. Editing for yourself, for others, for novels, for anthologies…
- Nov. Sheila Deeth. How to get a book from your computer to Amazon’s website
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