James River Writers (JRW) builds community by connecting, supporting, and inspiring writers and lovers of the written word in central Virginia and beyond. We provide programming year-round to help writers at all skill levels develop their craft as well as the business side of their work. In addition to our signature event, the Annual James River Writers Conference, we offer Master Classes, a Writing Show panel discussion series, a Nuts & Bolts essentials workshop series, a Springboard! retreat, monthly JRW Write-Ins, and opportunities for our ever-growing community to socialize and connect through free, monthly Writers Wednesday and free, weekly Thursday Night Writes events. You do not need to be a member to join us for any of our events (though members get great discounts). We hope we’ll see you soon!
Check out what’s happening in our writing community…
JRW WRITE-INS
COMMIT TO WRITING TIME EVERY MONTH! JRW IS HERE TO HELP!
UPDATE! Beginning in April 2024, due to popular demand, we are offering BOTH morning and evening Write-In times each month. Choose one or both times, as your schedule allows!
Commitment to writing time can be the best indicator of a writer’s success. To help you stay on track and prioritize your writing, we are offering monthly JRW Write-Ins in 2024. We will host Write-Ins online, each month, except in January and October, offering both morning and evening sessions
Write-Ins will be hosted on the Zoom platform and are intended to offer you a time commitment each month to dedicate to anything you may need to accomplish to meet your writing goals.
Write-Ins are free, but registration is required.
Details and registration HERE.
This series is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
IN-PERSON WRITERS WEDNESDAY MAY 2024
Community is at the core of everything we do, and Writers Wednesday is the perfect place to strengthen that. Writers Wednesday brings together writers of every experience level and genre in a casual atmosphere to connect, laugh, and revel in a well-deserved break. We rotate hosting these programs online and in-person, and February will be in person at Ardent Craft Ales. JRW staff is always on hand to answer any questions you may have about James River Writers, or writing in general. This is a great entry point for those that are new to the James River Writers community. You do not have to be a JRW member to attend!
Look for us inside at reserved tables just inside the front entrance!
Date: May 8, 2024
Time: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Location: Ardent Craft Ales, 3200 West Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23230
Cost: FREE!
No registration is required.
James River Writers is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
ASK AN AGENT! April 2024 Special Edition (In Person) Writing Show
Do you have questions you’d like to ask a literary agent, but you’ve never had the opportunity to do so? Well, we’ve got you covered!
This special edition of the Writing Show features literary agent RICK LEWIS of Martin Literary & Media Management and offers writers a chance to get their burning questions answered by a seasoned literary agent with multi-genre experience. Join us in person at the Innerwork Center for a unique opportunity to hear things straight from an expert in the trenches!
When you register for this program, you will be asked to submit your top two questions ahead of time, so please be prepared to do so. While we cannot guarantee we will get to every question submitted, we will do our best. Preference will be given to questions that are applicable to wider audiences. Note that even if Rick doesn’t represent your particular genre, the majority of questions asked of agents can apply to all genres. If we have time, we will also take questions from the audience, but we’ll choose from our pre-submitted questions first.
The Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm.
What: Special Edition of the Writing Show: Ask an Agent
Where: The Innerwork Center | 213 Roseneath Rd, Richmond, VA 23221
When: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Featuring: Literary Agent Rick Lewis | Moderated by Phil Hilliker
Cost: $15 Members | $22 Non-Members
Parking is available in a lot behind the Innerwork building or anywhere on the street.
This program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
AI in PUBLISHING featuring JANE FRIEDMAN: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Online Advocacy Series)
Like it or hate it, artificial intelligence is an inescapable feature of work and life for writing and publishing today. The tools and services you use already include AI technology, including Microsoft Word, Grammarly, Gmail, and Google Docs. Eventually, AI will be an accepted and normal part of the writing and publishing process.
Jane Friedman will discuss how AI is being used by authors and publishers for positive and creative ends. There are legal, safe, and effective ways to use free and paid AI tools to help you with marketing, research, brainstorming, and deciphering the latest contract you’ve been sent. Of course, there are plenty of bad actors using AI, too, and Jane will describe the most prevalent types of fraud or infringement, and what you can do if you find yourself affected. We’ll look at how to talk with your agent and publisher about use of AI in connection with your work, plus other steps you can take to protect your rights and intellectual property.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to The Authors Guild Foundation.
Featuring JANE FRIEDMAN
When: Tuesday, May 14 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern | Online via Zoom
Cost: $5 registration fee will be donated to the Author’s Guild Foundation
Location: Online, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform
Registrants will be emailed the Zoom link to join upon registraton.
THURSDAY NIGHT WRITES | 1st, 3rd, & 5th Thursday of Each Month | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm In-Person at Unplugged Games Cafe in Richmond, VA
Join us for this gathering of JRW members and general writing enthusiasts. Find inspiration, accountability, and a sympathetic ear for your writing journey. Bring your preferred writing paraphernalia, grab a drink or a bite, get some words written, and hang out with fellow writers.
DETAILS HERE.
2024 JRW Programming Schedule is Now Available!
We are excited to share the programming schedule for 2024! In addition to favorites like Writers Wednesday, The Writing Show panel discussion series, and the 22nd Annual JRW Conference, you’ll find some new programming elements we’ve developed to meet the needs of this incredible writing community. As we head into our 22nd year, our new programming schedule will include:
NEW! JRW Write-Ins (Begins in February) Commitment to writing time can be the best indicator of a writer’s success. To help you stay on track and prioritize your writing, we are offering monthly JRW Write-Ins in 2024. We will host an online write-in each month except in January and October. Sign in, share your writing goals and progress in the chat, and get to writing (or whatever else you need to accomplish to help you reach your writing goals). Check out the details HERE.
Nuts and Bolts | Lunchtime Writing Essentials Series (FEBRUARY & AUGUST) This 3-part lunchtime series will pack a ton of concrete information and takeaways into one-hour classes, and they’re designed to provide you with practical and actionable items to develop your writing skills and business savvy. This year features essentials for Submitting Your Work to an Agent and World Building. Check out the details HERE.
NEW! Headshots Mini Sessions (MAY) We offered headshots during our conference in October, and they sold out quickly. This year, we will offer them as a standalone service to allow writers to add this important element to your toolbox. Details coming soon!
Springboard! A Weekend of Transformational Self-Editing (APRIL) Author, Editor, and Writing Coach KRIS SPISAK will spearhead this mini retreat with a focus on self-editing. Check out the details HERE.
QueryPalooza (JULY) Start with a Master Class to get the instruction and guidance you need to craft a query letter to hook an agent and leave them asking for more. Then, we’ll give you a week to put what you learn to paper (or keyboard?). Round it out with a private consultation to get a personalized critique of your finished product. Check out the details HERE.
We will be providing a good mix of in-person and online programming. and are finalizing those details as we head into the new year. Take a look at the full schedule and mark your calendar! We’ve even incorporated a programming preview during January’s Writers Wednesday, so you can get an overview of all 2024 has to offer. We hope you’re as excited as we are about all that is on the horizon!