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.
If you are serious about writing popular fiction, we invite you to join us! Click here to see membership benefits.
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.
We meet from September to June on the first Saturday of the month (except for February, when we hold our annual retreat). Because of holidays and/or other conflicts, the date or venue may change (scroll down to see list of dates). We will announce changes here on our home page. We do meetings via ZOOM.
Check us out on our public Facebook page (click here!)
RIRW RETREAT (Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2025) featuring Deb Dixon and Jo Ann Brown (Ferguson) is now open to MEMBERS ONLY for early bird registration. Click here or on the RIRW Retreat tab above. Note: Sign-up for non-members opens on Dec. 1st (or you can join the group and sign up now for the early bird price).
We welcome Visitors for up to two regular meetings before you need to join. If you want to check us out, please send us a message by NOON on Friday (day before meeting) and we’ll send you a ZOOM link.
Nov. 2, 2024 — Brenda Chin on Layering
Once you’ve got the bare bones of your story, it’s time for layering. But what kind of elements can be layered? And which ones MUST be, if you’re trying to write a keeper.
Find out…
· How building a book is like building a house. You can’t stop at the foundation.
· What about the B storyline? How does it interact with the main plot?
· Subplots – do you need them?
· How to use a storyboard to make layering a piece of cake.
· How to layer in background information without a dump.
· Why readers love it when you layer in hints of future events, or drop in Easter eggs for them to follow.
· Understanding the Rule of Three.
About Brenda: Award-winning editor Brenda Chin has worked in the romance industry for more than 35 years. Throughout her many years as a Senior Editor with Harlequin, she had the opportunity to work with some of the best writers in the business. After leaving Harlequin, Brenda joined Belle Books as the Editorial Director of ImaJinn Books, where she learned a whole new side to the business. Then she moved on to Entangled, joining the team as the Editorial Director of Entangled’s Brazen and Scorched lines. Now, Brenda is working as a freelance editor, working with numerous Indie authors, as well as taking on projects for Belle Books, Tule, Dreamspinner Press, and DragonBlade Publishing, as well as acquiring for the coolest new interactive fiction craze, Zory.app. You can find her at www.brendachin.com, and on Facebook at Brenda Chin, Editor.
gather to chat at noon; Meeting starts at 12:30, with workshops starting about 1:30
Fall Schedule:
September 7 Susan Kaye Quinn
October 5 – Renita McKinney on Trends and Tropes
November 2 – Brenda Chin on Layering
December 14 (ARIA Expo is Dec 7) – Jeanette Smith on Self-editing
2025:
January 4
Jan. 31 -1 February 1 (Retreat, with Deb Dixon and Jo Ann Ferguson)
March 1
April 5 (Easter 20 April)
May 3
June 7