What we are
- Open-minded – Bring us your ideas for new programs and activities, especially if you’re willing to dig in to help make them happen.
- Open to submissions – We have several opportunities for writers to help you along your writerly path. Check our Submissions page.
- Nice – Please see the rules below.
What we’re not
- Snobs – We embrace writers of all experience levels.
- Navel Gazers – We’re a practical community. We like to share information on what works and what to avoid, and to support each other as we work toward our writing and creative goals.
- Paid – This community runs on volunteer work.
The rules:
These rules apply to all O.C. Writers’ Facebook groups, workshops, write-ins, and any other gatherings.
- Treat those who share their creative work with kindness.
- In non-critique groups and forums: The foremost purpose is to support and encourage each other, as well as learn from one another. Act accordingly.
- In critique groups and forums: Follow the critique leader’s guidelines for keeping criticism constructive and positive.
- Keep online language civil. Profanity will not be tolerated.
- Do not mock, demean, or accuse another member of wrongdoing.
- Limit self-promotion to Fridays. Other postings may be considered excessive and removed. We want to celebrate writers’ successes, but we don’t want to be overrun with self-promotion, either.
What we offer
- FRIDAY READS: a showcase of local writers’ work
- SEEKING CRITS AND READS: a monthly opportunity to find critique partners, beta readers, and book reviewers
- GOOD WRITERLY NEWS: a monthly roundup of publishing milestones of local writers
- MARKETING MAYHEM: a monthly column on book marketing by USA Today best-selling author Kristy Tate
- EASY EDITS: a monthly column on simple grammar, punctuation, and style fixes by author and copy editor DeAnna Cameron
- THE WRITING WORKSHOP: a monthly column on the art and craft of writing by Andrea Lewis
- MARISSA’S TAKE ON: a monthly review on a book related to the craft or business of writing by Marissa Dunham
- WORDS FROM THE WRITING CAVE: Barbara Neal Varma’s monthly humorous take on the writing life
- THE AUTHOR WHEEL WISDOM: a monthly column devoted to writerly advice and insight from Megan Haskell and Greta Boris of The Author Wheel
- LITERARY CALENDAR: the most comprehensive calendar of writing-related events in Orange County
- a Facebook group with more than 1,000 members where we chat about writing, publishing, and more
- a Sunday evening email recapping the week’s blog posts and previewing upcoming literary events (sign up HERE)
- a weekly write-in (on hold)
- a weekly critique group (currently operating virtually and there’s a waitlist)
- a weekly roundtable discussion group (currently operating virtually)
- workshops and other writing events scheduled throughout the year
Image credits:
Team member photographs are the property of the respective team members and appear here with permission.
O.C. Writers’ logo was designed by DeAnna Cameron is used here with permission.