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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?			writing workshop
May 19	Eric Witchey	Character Emotion and Word Choice	Sheila Plot Challenge – genre			writing workshop
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