Welcome

RIRW exists to promote excellence in women’s and popular fiction, to help writers become published and build careers in their writing field, and to provide continuing support for writers within the women’s and popular fiction publishing industry. Formed in 1983 as a Romance Writers of America chapter, we disaffiliated in 1988. We are an independent, nonprofit organization in Rhode Island.

We welcome everyone, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, religion, cultural identity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, or any other identity distinction. Furthermore, we recognize that because racism, homophobia, and other forms of bias are systemic in our national culture, people from marginalized communities continue to be denied advancement in our industry. RIRW strives to address this by raising awareness within our membership and increasing our efforts to attract members from a variety of backgrounds to enrich our community of writers.

If you are serious about writing popular fiction, we invite you to join us!

We meet from September to June on the first Saturday of the month. (Because of holidays and/or other conflicts, the date or venue may change. We will announce changes here.) We’ve been meeting via ZOOM, but plan hybrid meetings (ZOOM/in-person) starting in Jan. 2023 (Jan. & March at the Exeter, RI Library). We’ll post updates as soon as we know.

12:30 p.m. General Meeting

1:30 p.m. Workshop/Speaker

We welcome Visitors. (We would appreciate a $2.00 donation at the door.) Visitors may attend up to two meetings before they need to join.

Check us out on our public Facebook page (click here!)

NEXT: April 1, 2023

Shelley Alina:

The Emotional Plot

12:30 (in person at the Exeter Library and via ZOOM)

 [Exeter Public Library: 773 Ten Rod Road Rt, 102, Exeter, RI 02822]

Shelley Adina

There are as many ways to plot a novel as there are novelists, but in this workshop, we’ll explore three: internal and external conflict, featuring ways to keep your hero and heroine apart and bring them together; the romance arc (from first glance to HEA); and the emotional journey of your couple from isolation to community. Even if you’re a pantser, you’ll discover new ways of thinking about your story and about your characters that will help you avoid the sagging middle—and prepare you to write the dreaded synopsis with ease.

Shelley Adina is the author of more than 40 novels published by Harlequin, Warner, Hachette, and Moonshell Books, Inc., her own independent press. She writes steampunk adventure and mystery as Shelley Adina; as Charlotte Henry, writes classic Regency romance; and as Adina Senft, is the USA Today bestselling author of Amish women’s fiction. 

She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in the UK. She won RWA’s RITA Award® in 2005, and was a finalist in 2006. She appeared in the 2016 documentary film Love Between the Covers, is a popular speaker and convention panelist, and has been a guest on many podcasts, including Worldshapers and Realm of Books. 

When she’s not writing, Shelley is usually quilting, sewing historical costumes, or enjoying the garden with her flock of rescued chickens.

Join your fellow writers for a fun discussion either IN PERSON or via ZOOM

RIRW meetings start at 12:30, with workshops starting after that (c. 1:30). Non-members who want to check us out, just email via https://www.rirw.org/officers/ and we’ll send you a link.

Upcoming Meetings:

1 April 2023 [Shelley Adina: The Emotional Plot]

6 May 2023 [Tiffany Yates Martin: Shoring Up Middle]

3 June 2023