Jan., 2021 AMW Meeting Saturday, January 9th, 10am MST Pantsers Vs Plotters! How do you start writing a novel or story? Do you start writing from an idea not knowing where you will go? If so you are a “Pantser,” someone who writes from the seat of the pants. Or maybe have an outline to start that has the plot and the character details and especially, the ending, sketched out. If so, you are a “Plotter.” Pantsers and Plotters do not understand how the other camp manages. For each, the other method seems preposterous. Steven King, in his well-known book,…
December Meeting: Saturday, December 12th, 10am MST, Online The Shortest Mystery! Can you write a mystery story in 500 words or less? Of course, you can. You’re a mystery writer. That’s what we do. This is your chance to show off. Write a complete mystery, with a setup, a crime, a villain, a hero/heroine, and a solution. Two pages, double-spaced; no more than 500 words. Can you do it in twelve days? Of course you can. Start now. Bring your treasure to the meeting, and if you want to, you can read it for the group. It takes about 2…
Nov., 2020 AMW Meeting Saturday, November 14th, 10am MST Get Cozy! For our November meeting, we are lucky to have author Debra H. Goldstein, Judge, litigator, mother of twins, former Jeopardy contestant, and award-winning author of multiple cozy mysteries. Her latest series, featuring enthusiastic cook, Sarah Blair, includes One Taste Too Many (2019), Two Bites Too Many (2019), and Three Treats Too Many (2020). Read about them at https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/sarah-blair-mysteries/. Buy them at Amazon or Barnes& Noble and elsewhere (https://www.debrahgoldstein.com/find-debras-books/). Debra has a BA in English and History from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Emory University. Her very…
How to Stay Motivated Some AMW members report they have trouble focusing on their writing these days. Is that you? We have tons of good intentions and determination, but when it comes to putting down actual words, we suddenly remember something else that needs to be done. But there are ways to stay motivated for writing! What are some of your tricks? What helps you get actual words on page or screen? How do you manage distractions? Are you still submitting your stories to sites? Where do you get the motivation to show your work? What resources have you found…
Writers Who Improved! And some who didn’t? We all have favorite authors who seem to get better and better over time. And maybe you are aware of some whose first novel was a knockout, but the latest ones…? Let’s talk about writers who have gone both directions. Hold up your favorites to the camera, if you want. And tell us why the books got better, or worse. What failed? What improved? And maybe do the same analysis for your own work. Do you dare to go back to one of your early stories and share a sentence or two that…
We all know plenty of pitfalls hide between the start and finish of a story. Everyone has rules to avoid them when writing. Here is Elmore Leonard’s famous list: Never open a book with weather. Avoid prologues. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”…he said gravely. You are allowed only three exclamation points per 100,000 words of prose. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.” Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things. Leave…
The first line of your story is your handshake elbow-bump to the reader. How can you make it great? At this month’s meeting of the Arizona Mystery Writers, we’ll try to discover the secret. Bring a couple of examples of great first lines, from your collection or from your own work, and a couple of bad first lines. We can discuss them all. The next Arizona Mystery Writers Meeting is Saturday, July 11th, at 10am MST, online. The meeting link will be sent to our newsletter list of members and active participants. The newsletter message will include an attachment listing…
How to Get it Written and Out There! How to write a mystery can be a mystery! But there are clues, and we all have How-to-do-it books on our shelf. What is your favorite? At the next meeting we’ll show and tell our favorite writing advice books. Pick your best one and get ready to hold it up and tell us why you liked it. After the story is written, how do you get it “out there?” Some of our members have had success. Let’s ask them what it takes. Those will be our two topics for the next Arizona…
What do mystery writers do in lockdown? They try to write, but they definitely read! For the next Mystery Writers online meeting, let’s share what we’ve been reading. Grab your latest favorite so you can hold a book up to the camera for everyone to see. And tell us why you liked it. Maybe we’ll all discover some new gems. Join us on Zoom, Saturday, May 9th, 10 am. The meeting link will be sent to our newsletter list of members and active participants. Mark your calendar! (It’s ok to share the zoom link with trusted friends who are interested…
Hi, Everybody. The Arizona Mystery Writers will not meet in person in April for public health reasons, but we will have a social hour online to keep in touch. Your Board members have been meeting online and we admit that sometimes we drift away from our official business and just chat because it’s so much fun to see familiar faces again. The Mystery Writers will meet online on Saturday, April 11th, at 10am. Mark your calendar! How do you join the online social hour? It’s easy: Download an app to your computer from Zoom at https://zoom.us/download PC or Mac. It’s easy,…
The Board has decided to cancel the April, 2020 meeting, due to public health concerns. In addition, the White House has advised that any meeting involving more than ten people be canceled. As the virus crisis rolls along we’ll stay alert for when it might be safe for us to meet again. We’ll post AMW news and updates as things occur. This is a great time to get serious about writing that mystery story you’ve been thinking of. Stay happy, healthy, and mysterious.
The February Mystery Writers’ meeting is at U-Like Buffet, just north of Oracle and River, on the East side of Oracle. 5101 N. Oracle Road. (We are bumped out of our regular spot by the gem show). Graze through acres of lunch choices! Our meeting starts at 10:00 am even though the restaurant doesn’t open until 11. Just walk straight through to the meeting room in the back. Morning Session: Call 911 ! Who Is Answering Your 911 Calls? Brianna Edwards, Sheriff’s 9-1-1 Dispatcher, will tell us all about the people who answer 9-1-1 calls and dispatch the deputies to…
Monthly Meeting is Always On the Second Saturday Join Us Saturday January 11, 2020 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM Hotel Tucson City Center – Buckley Room 475 N Granada Avenue, Tucson, AZ Granada and 6th Street/St. Mary’s, just E of I-10 (St. Mary’s exit) Speakers: Criminal Investigations True crime author and long- time newspaper reporter A.J. Flick will present “Keeping the Truth in True Crime”. She will discuss her many experiences gathering information, verifying her investigations, and publishing the details of true crime. A.J. Flick is a writer, editor and repurposed journalist based in Tucson, Ariz. Her byline has appeared…
Saturday, December 14th Holiday Meeting It’s our annual AMW Holiday Celebration! No speaker or workshop–just an opportunity to hear some of your colleagues read from their work, socialize with friends, and play a few writing-themed contests and games. We’ll have the traditional Ugly Sweater contest, where, at long last, your lack of fashion sense might be rewarded. There will be door prizes and a delicious lunch. How could you miss this opportunity? If you would like to read a 3-5 minute sample of your work, contact Workshop Chair Kay Lesh by using the About/Contact menu. Reading time is limited, so…
Monthly Meeting On the Second Saturday! Criminal Investigations What really happens during criminal investigations? We know what books and movies tell us, but what are investigators actually doing? After evidence is gathered, what are the steps involved in processing it? Sgt. Robert Krygier, a 23-year veteran of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, will answer these questions and more. Sgy Krygier will tell true-life stories from the street and share a behind-the-scenes look at how cases are solved. You don’t want to miss this one! We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. The After-lunch Session is: From Page…
Pima County Sheriff’s Detective Jessica Badine will present “Fraud Prevention and You.” Detective Badine, a 19 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office and Certified Fraud Examiner, will discuss the latest scams, tricks and con games and how to protect yourself from them. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, author Mike Alvarez will present “Essential Information for Writers.” Topics to be addressed include: what happens after your book is done, the importance of keeping copyrights, methods to get into print, and how to take care of your computer and all your writing files….
September 14th meeting: County Prosecutor; Short Story Contest Winners
Please join us in welcoming once again Chief Trial Counsel Jonathan Mosher of the Pima County Attorney’s Office, who will be presenting “How Not To Get Away With Murder, Part 2.” Specifically, he’ll be covering the prosecution of State v. Joshua Lelevier, involving the kidnapping and murder of Vail 13 year-old Jayden Glomb by her stepfather. This case study showcases another intensely visual approach to trial, and includes discussion of forensics as well as cross-examination of the testifying defendant. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, we’ll be announcing the winners of our…
Need to know more about firearms for your mystery? Do we have the speaker for you! Join us in welcoming Sgt. Jason Rockwell from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who will tell us all about the kinds of guns and ammunition the department uses. Have something specific you want to know? Bring your questions! We’ll have a delicious lunch, a fun book drawing and the announcement of our 2019 Youth Short Story Contest Winners! In our afternoon session, hear about the dreaded Elevator Pitch. Developing an effective elevator pitch has been called the most difficult part of writing any novel….
When we think of law enforcement in our area, Tucson Police Department and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department are the top organizations that come to mind, but we also have smaller departments that share policing duties in the greater Tucson area. Please join us in welcoming a representative from the Oro Valley Police Department, who will give us insights into OVPD, as well as how the criminal activity there varies from the bigger departments’ territories. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, AMW Members Mike Henry and Amelia Sheldon will talk about co-writing…
SWAT – everyone knows the acronym, but what you see on TV certainly isn’t the whole picture. Join us in welcoming a representative from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department for “Today’s SWAT in Pima County – Excitement and Danger (plus some Boredom).” We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, it’s time to hear from our AMW members. This month’s afternoon workshop will feature writers reading from their own work – published or unpublished. Come prepared to learn from your fellow mystery writers and cheer them along as they share their talent with us….
We all know crime shows exaggerate or misconstrue many aspects of our judicial system. What is the reality of how courts operate, and how does that fit into our writing? Please join us in welcoming Barbara Sattler, former defense attorney and judge, who will walk us through the misconceptions and tell us how the court system really works. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, Kris Neri, author, writing instructor, and freelance editor, will present on how to sharpen your self-editing skills. Whether a writer intends to self-publish or present work for traditional…
April 13th meeting: Utilizing True Crime; Promoting Your Book
In February we learned about some of Tucson’s notorious murders, and in April we’ll be focusing on another. Please join us in welcoming author (and repurposed journalist) A.J. Flick as she discusses her true-crime book “Toxic Rage,” which details the Tucson murder of a prominent eye doctor by a fellow eye doctor. In addition, she will discuss how to flesh out names you read in the news into full-fledged characters in a book. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, Lynn Wiese Sneyd, owner of LWS Literary Services, an agency specializing in book…
February 9th meeting (CHANGE IN LOCATION): Tucson’s Crime History; Essentials of Mystery Writing
CHANGE IN MEETING LOCATION FOR FEBRUARY: Because of the Gem Show, we are meeting at U-Like Buffet, which is just north of River Road on Oracle (where the Hometown Buffet used to be). The restaurant has told us we cannot bring coffee as we’ve done in the past, so there will be no coffee service for the first hour (until the restaurant makes it). If you need your coffee, please bring a commuter mug of it for yourself. Tucson may seem like a quiet town, but beneath the surface lurks a sordid history. Please join us in welcoming Rhema Sayers,…
Need a change of pace for your next novel or story? Maybe you could focus on a different aspect of law enforcement, such as the DEA. Please join us in welcoming DEA Special Agent Stephen McGuigan, who will talk about drug trends in Southern Arizona, and techniques used in narcotics investigations. We’ll have a delicious lunch, and a fun book drawing. In our afternoon session, we will hear about “How to Select A Writers’ Conference That Works For You.” It’s often said that attending a writers’ conference can jump-start your writing career. But a great conference is more than its…
This month, we’ll forgo our usual informational programs and workshops to celebrate the season with fun, food and friends. There will be games and quizzes to test your knowledge. You can’t lose. Everyone will have the chance at one of many door prizes. All of this will be interspersed with short readings from some of our fellow authors. Rumor has it that there might even be a guest appearance from Mrs Santa Claus. And we’ll have our usual delicious lunch and time for socializing. If you have an ugly sweater, wear it. Who knows what your lack of fashion sense…
