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Events
Announcing our next Contest
Fall/Winter Contest: 2500 Words
About Submit a 2,500 words short story or chapter(s). Compete for recognition or pay extra to receive edits and written feedback from a professional editor!
PLEASE SEE THE RULES AND JUDGING CRITERIA BELOW.
We look forward to reading your entries!
Entry Submission Rules
Be sure to comply with all requirements. As with most professional writing submissions, there is no leeway on the rules. Questions? Please contact: kvhoffman@att.net.
1. Must be a member of Palm Springs Writers Guild with current, active status. 2. Entries accepted between the opening date and submission deadline posted above. 3. Please enter contest by registering online with a $40 entry fee for each entry; you can enter up to 3 times. Submit multiple entries separately. 4. Each entry is 2,500 word maximum 5. Must be submitted as a MS Word document 6. One inch margins, double-spaced 7. 12-point Times Roman or Times New Roman 8. Indented paragraphs 9. Title must be included in the document header. 10. Pagination must be included in the document footer. 11. Do not include your name anywhere on the submitted document, only in the body of your e-mail. 12. Please submit your entry as an email attachment and send it to kvhoffman@att.net, no hard copies accepted. 13. The subject line of your email will read PSWG Fall/Winter 2025 Contest submission. 14. Blind submission entries are critiqued by a professional editor. 15. For an additional $35.00 entries will be returned with edits and feedback on your story and presentation. 16. There are no refunds for this event.
Winners Will Receive
1. $45.00 and a digital laurel.
2. Announcement in Tuesday Tidings, PSWG Social Media and January Writers Forum.
Judging Criteria
Announcing our upcoming
October Writers Forum
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! Literary Magazines and Journals - Why They Matter!
Publishing short work in literary magazines is a smart move — it builds your credentials and opens doors.
Join Rick Rutherford, our most published writer, for insider tips on where to submit, how to stand out, and why these credits make query letters easier.
Expect to leave with a better understanding of Publishing Short Works.
Moderator: Eduardo Santiago. Presenter: Rick Rutherford The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon.
This event is free for all members. Registration not necessary.
REGISTER
We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes. Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiagosantiagogo@aol.com
Announcing our next In-Person Workshop
From Page to Screen: Writing Short Stories That Shine on Film & TV
By: Hollie Overton
About Hollie Overton
Hollie Overton is a screenwriter and producer with over a decade of experience, including writing for shows All-American: Homecoming, Tell Me a Story, Shadowhunters, and Cold Case. Hollie is also a bestselling novelist of four mystery/thrillers. Her debut novel, Baby Doll, was an international bestseller and is being adapted by Paramount Plus into a six-part miniseries starring Alfie Allen.
Presentation Overview:
Explore Hollywood’s growing appetite for short stories and why every screenwriter should consider adding one to their portfolio. You’ll learn how writing in prose can sharpen your storytelling craft, building stronger characters, richer worlds, and more cinematic moments, while also positioning your work to attract the attention of producers, agents, and other industry decision-makers. We’ll cover both the creative techniques for crafting an adaptable short story and the practical strategies for getting it seen in the marketplace.
Takeaways:
•Understand why short stories are ideal for adaptation.
•Identify the elements that make a story “cinematic.”
•Apply a step-by-step process for adaptation.
•Position short stories for industry opportunities.
Prerequisite: Please review this Link to one of my favorite short stories
https://short-stories.co/@lmkrow/sinkhole-6d5vgq7xlrm1
To receive a full refund minus a $25 cancellation processing fee, attendees must cancel their registration 5 days before the event. No refunds will be given after that time. To cancel your registration, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration.
We may take photos and/or videos at any of our events for promotional purposes.
Meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.
Ready to become a member of the Palm Springs Writers Guild? Please click here.
Event Contact: Dak Kopec
Email: DakKopec@mac.com
Camaraderie, Creativity & Cocktails
Free Write and Mingle
TUESDAYS! HOST: Eduardo Santiago
Join fellow members to write and socialize! We will have writing prompts to spark our imagination, then transition to happy hour! Registration is not required for this free event, and please feel free to bring a guest!
Location:Enzo Restaurant 70030 Hwy CA-111 Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 (760) 321-7635
Registration is not required for this free event, but we'd appreciate it if you did.
Members only. Feel free to bring a guest.
Free Write begins at 3:30 p.m. Mingle begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m. Attend either or both.
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago (323) 377-9730 (323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com
Announcing our next Online Lab
Getting Your Writing Unstuck
About Cathy Yardley
Cathy Yardley is a published and award-winning author, selling over 1.2M books in the last twenty-five years for publishers like St. Martin’s, Avon, and Harlequin in addition to her own indie titles. Her novel ROLE PLAYING was on the NYT’s list of best romances of 2023, as well as winning the American Library Association’s RUSA award for best romance. For the past fifteen years, she has run her own editing and writing coaching business, Rock Your Writing, helping authors figure out how to wrangle their messy idea fragments into cohesive stories, and ultimately help writers get “unstuck.”
Description:
Are you stuck in your writing? This can either mean a creative block, an inability to find the time or energy to write, or even a career stall. If this sounds familiar, this workshop can help you.
Three Key Points to Take Away
Location: Zoom Online Meeting
Unable to attend, no problem, all paid registrants will receive a video replay.
You will receive an invitation to the Zoom online meeting after you have registered and payment is complete.
Event Contact: Ariella Moon authorariellamoon@gmail.com
Join fellow members to write and socialize! We will have writing prompts to spark our imagination, then transition to no-host happy hour!
Location:Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort 45000 Indian Wells Lane Indian Wells, CA 92210
Registration is not required for this free event, but it would be nice if you did.
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago (323) 377-9730 santiagogo@aol.com
November Writers Forum
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! Plotting v Pantsing: Writing With and W/O A Plan
You're driving from Palm Springs to New York. You can head east and discover the way as you go, or you can use a GPS or map. Either way, you're going to get there. Join us for a candid conversation about outlining and improvisation, imagination, and how different authors structure their work. For this unique event, we ask pantsers to sit on the left side of the room and plotters to sit on the right. Let the games begin!
Expect to leave with a more decisive attitude.
Moderator: Eduardo Santiago. Presenters: Marly Bergerud and David Cat Cohen.
The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at noon.
Awakening To The Journey of The Soul
About E.M. Nicolay
E.M. Nicolay is an internationally known psychic, remote viewer, and author dedicated to helping people access higher guidance and metaphysical wisdom to understand better their life purpose and their Soulʼsjourney through the multidimensional universe.
Presentation Overview: There is no greater knowledge than the understanding of our own journey — and the journey of our soul through the universe. Join E.M. Nicolay as he expands on his own spiritual awakening and encourages us to delve into the mysteries of our Soul's journey
In this workshop, you will:
dakkopec@mac.com
Canapés, Cocktails & Cheer
Annual Holiday Party
Ring in the Holidays at this elegant literary cocktail party. No host bar! Appetizers will be provided by the Palm Springs Writers Guild Board of Directors.
Location:Willie's Restaurant 69830 CA-111 Rancho Mirage, CA
Members only, but each member may bring one guest. The event is free, but registration is required for catering purposes.
Party begins at 5pm And ends at 8pm
Event Contact: Eduardo Santiago santiagogo@aol.com
December Writers Forum
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! THE POWER OF SETTING: HOW TO MAKE PLACE A CHARACTER IN YOUR STORIES
By thoughtfully selecting and crafting the environment of their characters, the astute author enhances plot momentum, deepens mood, and highlights theme, making the story more engaging and meaningful for readers. This skillful fusion of setting and story is a hallmark of compelling storytelling across all genres.
Expect to leave with a better understanding of the fun and function of place, location, time, and era.
Moderator: Eduardo Santiago. Presenter: Ruthie Marlenee and Eliana Tobias.
January Writers Panel
In-person monthly gathering. Come experience our new panel discussions and member-to-member knowledge sharing! Culture Clash: Mastering Multicultural Dialogue.
Let’s say a character in your novel speaks a different language –– but your novel is in English! Wondering how to present foreign dialogue without losing readers or meaning? Join us for a fun, hands-on workshop where you’ll learn smart, effective techniques to weave multilingual or regional d ialects naturally into your story—keeping voice clear and vibrant, while avoiding confusion. ¡Komm bereit, pour écrire, y explorar, dude!
Expect to leave understanding of the best way to format foreign dialogue in novels, memoirs, and short stories.
Moderator: Eduardo Santiago. Panelists: Victoria Castillo and Glen Veccione
Register to display and sell your book(s)
PSWG Book Festival
Rancho Mirage Library & Observatory
About The Festival
40 published local authors will be at the Rancho Mirage Library's Community Room meeting with the public, selling and signing their books from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In a corner of the Community Room there will be an intimate circle where visitors can hear authors read a page or two from their work. During those hours, in the Conference Room, there will be panel discussions with select authors on topics regarding Historical Fiction, Memoir and TBD. .
Registration opens September 8, 2025.
To cancel your registration so someone else may register, go to palmspringswritersguild.org and click on the blue icon at the top right of any page. Enter user name and password and click "LOG IN". On the next screen click "My event registrations". Select event and cancel registration.
Book Festival begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m., December 13, 2025.
Event Contact: President, Kristina Hoffman kvhoffman@att.net
Breaking All The Rules?
By: Dwayne Ratleff
About Dwayne Ratleff
As a product of the segregated school system of Baltimore and a former special ed student, Dwayne never dreamed he would learn to read a book, let alone write several.
The theme of much of his writing is turning disadvantage into an advantage. One of his main mantras is, “Those who break all of the rules build, enhance, and make better all that sits still and stagnates."
Why do we write, and who do we write for? This session explores the responsibilities writers hold to both their readers and themselves while challenging conventions with confidence. We’ll examine how to use ethnic language and dialect authentically, navigate criticism from readers of different backgrounds, and embrace writing for a smaller — but deeply connected — audience. Writers will leave with tools to break rules purposefully, respond to critique with openness, and craft stories that resonate with honesty and courage.
