Tri-Valley Writers

12th Annual High School Writing Contest Awards Ceremony—May 21, 2023

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Tri-Valley Writers will hold its 12th annual high school writing contest awards ceremony on Sunday, May 21 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Livermore Library. Tho Nguyen, Teen Poet Laureate of Pleasanton, will deliver the keynote address.

Students from Tri-Valley high schools in Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon submitted up to two pieces of work in the categories of either Literary Nonfiction, Poetry, or Short Story. The winners will be honored and have a chance to read their work at the ceremony. See the HSWC 2023 page for a list of the winners.

“It takes great courage for students to submit writing to strangers to evaluate and comment on it,” Tri-Valley Writers member Patricia Boyle said. “I’m proud of the students who entered the contest and took the risk of sharing their work.”

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Workshop with C.S. Lakin, Novelist & Writing Coach, January 21, 2023

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C.S. Lakin will present a special three-hour workshop on “Emotional Mastery for Fiction Writers” at the Tri-Valley Writers January 21, 2023 meeting. The emotional landscape of fiction is the greatest challenge for writers, yet it is perhaps the most important element because readers want to care. And they can’t care about characters unless writers effectively, evocatively, and masterfully show emotion in their characters.

In this workshop, you’ll be given techniques to help spark emotional response in your readers.

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Kymberlie Ingalls, Essayist, Editor, and Author, December 17, 2022

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Kymberlie Ingalls will present “Create a Relevant Marking Plan” at the Tri-Valley Writers December 17, 2022 meeting. Marketing can be overwhelming, but it takes a creative mind to bend and shape, work to stay relevant, and be inspired to think big!

In this talk, Kymberlie will discuss:
• Building a platform
• How to eliminate the noise
• Narrowing your focus
• Tackling fear and self-doubt
• Developing a fluid strategy

Kymberlie Ingalls is an award-winning essayist, editor, and author of memoir, opinion, and short fiction. Her books, Bridges: A Lifetime in Essay and 43, compile personal essay, social media, and memoir to address themes of grief, humanity, and the heart. Ms. Ingalls is a long-time member and serves on many board levels of the California Writers Club.

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Jill Hedgecock, Author and Freelance Writer, November 19, 2022

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Jill Hedgecock will present “Muse Boards: A Visual Writing Aid for All Genres” at the Tri-Valley Writers November 19, 2022 meeting. When distilled down to its very essence, a writer’s job is to immerse their readers in a three-dimensional world through words. Just as fine artists often find it easier to paint what they see, many writers find that prose can be inspired by viewing images. This need was the inspiration to develop the muse board tool.
A muse board is a versatile visual aid designed to create mood, assist in character development, inform book structure, and inspire descriptive text. Its versatility means it can be specialized to fit any genre. And one of its most powerful features is assisting writers in keeping details straight. This talk will describe how to make and use a muse board and the many advantages of investing the time to create one.
In this craft talk, Jill will describe:
• Different Possible Muse Board Formats
• Various Materials that Can be Used
• How to Create Your Board
• Outline Twelve Benefits of This Time-Saving Tool
• How to Use the Muse Board to Market Your Book

Jill Hedgecock, Author and Freelance Writer, November 19, 2022 Read More »

Glenda Carroll, Author, October 15, 2022

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Glenda Carroll is the author of the Trisha Carson mysteries that are set in the San Francisco Bay area. Open water swimming is the undercurrent that runs through all the thrillers. The series includes Dead in the Water, Drop Dead Red,and Dead Code. She is currently working on the fourth Trisha Carson book, Dead to Me.  During her presentation, she’ll talk about:

How to use surroundings/location as a character

Take the journalistic approach – who, what why, where when, how

Be specific

Does the surroundings/locations reflect your protagonist’s mood/feelings

The more you look, the more you see

Glenda Carroll, Author, October 15, 2022 Read More »

Kevin Fisher-Paulson, Author and SF Chronicle Columnist, September 17, 2022

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Kevin Fisher-Paulson will present “The Fourth Column” at the Tri-Valley Writers Saturday, September 17, 2022 meeting. Every writer has one column in them. The trick is to be the kind of writer who has one column in them every week.

Kevin will discuss the craft of writing from the perspective of purpose and structure. Specifically, the process of writing a weekly column for a major newspaper, like the San Francisco Chronicle. His unique brand of column is the one-week memoir, warts and all. Writing is a search for meaning, and Kevin talks about how the different forms represent different means of exploring experience. He includes choices—not habits—that usher the individual through the creative door.

In his weekly column, Kevin grapples with great issues but knows that the narrative must be satisfied in 750 words. As the reputation of this column grew, he became aware of consistency, fresh perspective, and the assertive reader.

Kevin Fisher-Paulson, Author and SF Chronicle Columnist, September 17, 2022 Read More »