Austin Romance Writers of America (ARWA) » Special Events

2012 Winter Retreat Weekend Itinerary

Sandra Spicher — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:48:10 +0000

Dates: Friday, February 10–Sunday, February 12, 2012

Friday

4:00	Arrive and check in at the beautiful T Bar M Resort any time after 4:00. Our private meeting room will be available and set up with writing tables, Starbucks coffee, tea, water, and whole fruit for us by this time, so you can check in and get writing! This space is ours exclusively for the weekend. We can write all night if anyone is so inclined, and we can lock valuables in when we leave for meals. With the exception of programming, the writing room is a designated quiet space. Visiting with friends, checking in on one another’s progress, or meeting in small, break-out crit groups is wildly encouraged, but please use your room, the patio, dining hall, or lobby. Folks talking in the meeting room will be lovingly asked to take it outside.
6:30	Dinner with cash bar (dining hall). Served buffet-style meal with options for “almost every” dietary need/restriction (but feel free to contact me with specific needs or questions). No waiting to order or limited choice menus!
7:30	Evening programming (dining hall). The food goes but we (and the bar) stay! Weekend goal setting and large group critique—one lucky raffle winner from the October meeting will receive the undivided attention of the group on up to twenty pages of their WIP (work in progress)!
8:30	Writing Room reopens for people who would like to work, bar remains open in the dining hall for those who would prefer to socialize.
11:30	Bar in the dining room closes.

Saturday

8:00	Breakfast (dining room).
10:00	Small grouped-by-genre critiques (writing room). These are the signature event of the ARWA retreat. EVERYONE is encouraged to send ten pages of their WIP in to be critiqued by a PAN-led group of your ARWA friends who write the same genre. This is a hugely wonderful experience. You will learn as a writer and get to know your chaptermates.
12:00	Lunch (dining room).
1:00	Six hours of uninterrupted, quiet, wonderful, productive work time. Starbucks coffee, tea, water, whole fruit, cookies, and a veggies-with-dip tray provided.
7:00	Dinner in optional brainstorming tables with open bar (dining hall).
8:00	Post dinner programming (something fun and not work related).
9:00	Cocktails and conversation in the dining hall through 11:30 or work time in the writing room.

Sunday

9:00	Breakfast and drawing for bonus critique (dining hall).
10:00	Writing time with Starbucks coffee, tea, water, whole fruit available (writing room).
1:00	Critique luncheon with Weekend Goals Program awards (dining hall). One lucky winner will have the opportunity to get work they did over the retreat looked at before we head home. Pages will be printed by the hotel business office and distributed before lunch.
2:30	Additional writing time for the truly hard core with Starbucks coffee, tea, water, whole fruit available (writing room)
4:00	We lose access to our private meeting room. Go home inspired and actually glad to see your family.

Please complete the form below to register.

You may use PayPal, bring a check (payable to ARWA) to the next ARWA meeting, or mail a check to ARWA Winter Retreat, 3571 Far West Blvd., #215, Austin, TX 78731.

We look forward to seeing you at the retreat!

OCTOBER 2: ARWA To Welcome Sue Grimshaw, Romance Buyer for Borders Book

Kristen Lark — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:44:28 +0000

Please join us on Saturday, October 2 as we welcome Sue Grimshaw, Romance Buyer for Borders Books, to Austin. This special event will be held at 10:30 am at Laura’s Library, part of the Westbank Community Library District (9411 Bee Cave Road, Austin). Sue will be sharing her unique perspective on the industry, including recent trends, book promotions, covers and more. This interactive session will include a presentation and Q&A and will be followed by an opportunity for attendees to network with each other in the library’s beautiful courtyard. Refreshments will be provided.

Advance registration closed on September 22 but you are still welcome to attend. Admission is $15 for ARWA members and $20 for guests/non-members. Questions can be directed to special-projects@austinrwa.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

About Sue Grimshaw: Sue Grimshaw is a voracious reader of romance, devouring four or more books every week! She has been the romance book buyer for Borders and Waldenbooks stores for the past ten years, and in 2008 she received the prestigious Vivian Stephens Industry Award from the Romance Writers of America. Other honors include the 2006 Ellora’s Cave Award, the 2005 Colorado Romance Writers of America bookseller of the year award, and the 2005 Romance Times Book Club appreciation award. This year Sue received ROMCON’s Champion award & Romantic Times Melinda Helfer Fairy Godmother award. Sue is one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry and truly enjoys sharing her knowledge of the romance genre. She is frequently consulted by publishers, and over the years has been honored to speak to thousands of romance writers and readers at conferences and workshops. She hosts Border’s True Romance where she interviews high-profile authors, shares her favorite books and more.

2010 Fall Retreat – Reserve Your Spot Now!

ARWA Webmaster — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:12:07 +0000

Austin RWA’s Annual Fall Retreat will take place on November 6-7 at McKinney Roughs Nature Park. This has become a tradition deeply beloved by our members, both for the fantastic writing-time, critiquing and learning, and also for the opportunity to get to know each other better. New members, members who’ve been part of RWA for years and prospective members all enjoy the inspiring lovely Hill Country views and peace of the spectacular location and the expansive dining hall where we all gather to write.

All events throughout the weekend are optional. The retreat is primarily a time for you to get away from your “regular” life and write in peace, among others who share that desire. There will be two events on Saturday – a workshop led by one of our fantastic published authors and a group critique session where you’ll have the opportunity to critique other’s work and learn from the collective wisdom of the group.

You may choose to attend the entire retreat or to just attend on Saturday. We will be accepting payment via check (at the monthly meeting or via mail at Austin RWA, 3571 Far West Blvd #215, Austin, TX 78731) or you may pay below via PayPal. If you have any questions or plan to mail a check, please email authorlexiconnor@yahoo.com.

Where:    McKinney Roughs Nature Park
1884 W Highway 71, Cedar Creek, TX 78612 (Map)
(512) 303-5073
When:     Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7
What:    Writing, Workshop, Critiquing! Meet wonderful writers, make new friends.
Cost:       $95 for both days or $50 for Saturday only

Saturday & Sunday – $95

Includes:

Workshop (optional)
Group Critique (optional)
Use of Park facilities (writing time!) all day Saturday and Sunday
Saturday Lunch
Saturday Happy Hour (BYO beverage of choice; sodas and juice supplied)
Saturday Dinner
Overnight Stay
Sunday Breakfast
Sunday Lunch

Saturday Only – $50

Includes:

Workshop (optional)
Group Critique (optional)
Use of Park facilities (writing time!) all day Saturday
Saturday Lunch
Saturday Happy Hour (BYO beverage of choice; sodas and juice supplied)
Saturday Dinner

Some Raves from Previous Retreat Attendees

“If you can swing it at all, I highly recommend coming. Honestly, it was the best money
I spent on my writing career last year. It’s such a great chance to connect with the group
and get to know one another. Plus the creative energy in the group is just phenomenal. It’ll
recharge your batteries and spur your creativity. And at a mere $80, it’s a real bargain.”

“I didn’t really feel ‘part’ of ARWA until I went to the first Fall Retreat and got to spend
non-meeting time chatting with people. Now you couldn’t pry me loose.”

“I am SO happy I was able to go on this retreat! What a blast! And a wonderful time to get
in some writing.”

“My first retreat was a GREAT experience for me. I really got to know a lot of people and
it made me feel so much more a part of the ‘family’. If you’re new and are nervous about
coming out for this, I’d really like to encourage you to take the plunge. You’ll get a ton of
writing time, plus make some new friends.”

2009 Fall Retreat – Reserve Your Spot Now!

Michelle McGinnis — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:18:15 +0000

Workshop and Critique Day – August 29

Michelle McGinnis — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:04:52 +0000

Join us on Saturday, August 29 for a writing workshop led by Sherry Thomas called
Hot and Memorable: A quick and non-dirty guide to writing great love scenes.

About the Workshop:
Sex sells. But sex isn’t easy to write. Even in this age of the erotic boom there are plenty of writers, both published and unpublished, who cringe at the thought of the love scene.

But from a writer’s point of view, a sex scene isn’t about sex any more than a lightning bug is about lightning. It is all about the story. In this hands-on, audience-participation workshop, Sherry Thomas demonstrates exactly that—using context, conflict, and complexity rather than anatomical descriptions of sex to arrive at a love scene that is both searing and suspenseful.

About the Critiquing:
After the workshop, those who have submitted material in advance will be splitting into groups for critique sessions (see below for details). If you don’t choose to participate in the critique, we encourage you to stick around and write!

Where: Milwood Branch of the Austin Public Library
12500 Amherst Dr. Austin, Texas 78727
(512) 974-9880

When: 10:15am – 4:30pm, Saturday August 29th

To Bring: Please bring a sack lunch and printouts of any material you’re critiquing

Suggested Donation: $10

Critique Information:
If you’d like to participate in the critique portion of the August 29th writing day, you need to send in your pages by Monday, August 17th WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19th. Send them to: special-projects@austinrwa.org.

You should send in one scene, up to 10 pages. Please make sure the scene breaks at a natural point—don’t cut or extend mid-scene to get exactly 10 pages. If you need to go over by one or two pages, that’s fine, and it’s also fine if you only want to send in 2 or 3 pages total.

The scene can be from anywhere in your manuscript or short story. If it’s any scene other than the opening scene, please include a brief set-up paragraph explaining where we are in the story. Optionally, you can include specific questions or aspects of the writing you’d like critiqued. (”I’m looking for general feedback on the character of Mary – do you find her motivation in this scene believable” for instance.)

Please use standard submission-style formatting, which is how you’d send your work to an editor or agent. Standard submission format is double-spaced, in a readable font like Times New Roman our Courier. Remember to put page numbers, your name and the working title of the work in the header or footer.

Workshop and Critique Day – May 30

ARWA Webmaster — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:07:09 +0000

Join us on May 30 for a writing workshop led by Jan Hudson, covering Scene and Sequel. Many published authors say that scene & sequel was the last thing they learned before they sold!

After the workshop, those who have submitted material in advance will be splitting into groups for critique sessions (see below for details). If you don’t choose to participate in the critique, you’re welcome to stick around and write!

Where: ~~Twin Oaks Branch of the Austin Public Library~~
Please contact special-projects at austinrwa dot org for the new location.
When: 10:15am – 4:30pm, Saturday May 30th
To Bring: Please bring a sack lunch and printouts of any material you’re critiquing
Cost: $10

Please pay now to confirm your space:

Critique Information:

If you’d like to participate in the critique portion of the May 30th writing day, you need to send in your pages by May 18th – that’s this coming Monday. Send them to: special-projects@austinrwa.org.

You should send in one scene, up to 10 pages. Please make sure the scene breaks at a natural point – don’t cut or extend mid-scene to get exactly 10 pages. If you need to go over by one or two pages, that’s fine, and it’s also fine if you only want to send in 2 or 3 pages total.

The scene can be from anywhere in your manuscript or short story. If it’s any scene other than the opening scene, please include a brief set-up paragraph explaining where we are in the story. Optionally, you can include specific questions or aspects of the writing you’d like critiqued. (“I’m looking for general feedback on the character of Mary – do you find her motivation in this scene believable” for instance.)

Note that this time we’re asking for standard submission-style formatting. Standard submission format is double-spaced, in a readable font like Times New Roman our Courier. Remember to put page numbers, your name and the working title of the work in the header or footer. By using standard formatting rules, we ensure that everyone gets to read and critique roughly the same amount of material. Plus, material’s a lot easier to read this way!

PRO Pitch Session – June 13

ARWA Webmaster — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:17:58 +0000

We will have a special practice pitch session for our PRO members who have editor/agent appointments at National Conference in Washington, DC. Stay tuned for more details or contact pro-liaison@austinrwa.org.

Fall Writing Retreat – November 7-8

ARWA Webmaster — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:19:30 +0000

SAVE THE DATE! Join us for dedicated writing time at the peaceful McKinney Roughs Park. Full details, including price and agenda, will be posted here.

Tracy Wolff Booksigning – March 28

ARWA Webmaster — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:12:14 +0000

Join Austin RWA author Tracy Wolff for a booksigning at Barnes and Noble at La Frontera in Round Rock from 1- 3 PM.

New Member Tea – March 28

ARWA Webmaster — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:14:28 +0000

The ARWA New Member tea is Saturday, March 28 from 2-4 PM at the home of Jane Sevier. The tea is open to all members who have joined since the tea last year, as well as those members who have not been to a tea before. Contact membership@austinrwa.org for more details.