 |
Welcome!
Our membership ranges from experienced published authors to beginners. Whether you're a veteran writer or are exploring the arena of writing for the first time, you'll fit right in. |
|
May 5 - Cobbling Together an Income as a Writer
In 2024, she published her debut novel, The Reluctant Pioneer, inspired by her research for a nonfiction book about the same person. That book, Washington Territory’s Grand Lady, was a finalist for two national awards. Julie and her husband, Larry, have two grown children. |
Julie
McDonald Zander worked as an award-winning newspaper reporter and
editor for twenty years before launching her personal history business,
Chapters of Life, in 1999. Since then, she has published more than
seventy-five individual, company, community, and organizational
histories, including histories of Centralia College, Bucoda, Chehalis,
the Hemphill-O’Neill Company, and the Lewis County Courthouse. She also
does freelance editing for clients and, since May 2007, has written a
column once a week for The Chronicle in Centralia, Washington. She has organized conferences and taught workshops for writers, editors, and personal historians.
Our monthly meetings include a featured speaker providing insight, instruction & encouragement for our writing journeys. Opportunities for members to make presentations and share milestones. | 
Membership includes some great benefits in addition to our meetings. The benefits include critique groups, members-only Facebook group, access to a membership directory and editors connection page. | 
Our annual spring Renewal Conference features dynamic speakers, a line of workshops, editor/agent appointments, professional manuscript critiques, and other things to encourage you in your writing. Learn More |
Access to Recordings Available
Taming the Self-Editing Beast - Non-Fiction
Take your writing to publishing-industry expectations (and beyond) with Dori's comprehensive suggestions for examining your content, with examples from an actual content-edited manuscript.
In this workshop you will learn about message, theme, engagement, continuity, goal, rhythm, and structure.
Taming the Self-Editing Beast - Non-Fiction Recording
Taming the Self-Editing Beast - Fiction/Memoir
Take your writing to publishing-industry expectations (and beyond) with Dori's comprehensive suggestions for examining your content, with examples from an actual content-edited manuscript.
In this workshop you will learn about characterization, plot tension, pacing, dialog structure, point of view, theme, scene balance, and author voice.
Taming the Self-Editing Beast - Fiction/ Memoir Recording
Taming MS Word's References Beast
Citing sources properly using Word's References system saves so many headaches as your file moves through the editing and typesetting process! In this workshop, discover the publishing standards for citing sources (some surprising changes in recent years). We'll discuss the dos and don'ts and whys, plus you'll receive Dori's updated formats for citing sources. You can still register to receive access.
Taming MS Word's References Beast Recording
Taming the Editing Level Beast
Author and editor, Dori Harrell, presented a workshop on the various levels of editing. It covered what type of edit occurs at each level and what you need to do to prepare. You can still register to receive access to the recording.
Taming the Editing Level Beast Recording
Taming the MS Word Beast
If you missed Dori's Workshop on tips for using MS Word for your manuscript. You can still register to receive access to the recording. For more information and to register click the link below.