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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T200000
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SUMMARY:ENGAGING READERS WITH EFFECTIVE PACING | April 2026 Writing Show (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:Pacing isn’t just about car chases and cliffhangers—it’s the rhythm that keeps readers engaged\, whether you’re writing historical fiction\, fantasy\, an essay\, or a poem. Our panelists will explore how to control the flow of information and how to create momentum that carries readers through your work. Learn techniques for varying sentence length\, managing white space\, balancing introspection with action\, and other structural choices that shepherd your reader’s experience from the first line to the last. \nSpeakers: John Copenhaver\, Nicole Glover\, Alethea McCollin\, and Moderator Melissa Scott Sinclair \n\n\n\nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site.  \nIf you are a Writing Show Member\, please be sure to register and claim your spot. This will ensure we have enough seats for all who wish to attend. \nThe 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. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/engaging-readers-with-effective-pacing-april-2026-writing-show-in-person/
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T200000
DTSTAMP:20260610T184116
CREATED:20260226T165445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T172901Z
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SUMMARY:CRITIQUE PARTNERS & BETA READERS | March 2026 Writing Show (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:One of the most common questions for James River Writers staff is\, “How do I find a critique partner?” Well\, our panelists can help you with that! Hear from four writers intimately familiar with the ins and outs of critiquing and beta reading. They’ll tell you how to find the right fit\, how to develop a thick skin (and when you shouldn’t have to)\, and how to improve your own skills in critical reading and feedback. As a special bonus\, we’ll have networking time after the show\, structured by genre\, so you can see if your perfect beta reader is in the audience. \nSpeakers: Kris Coronado\, Phil Hilliker\, Dr. DaNika Neblett Robinson\, and Moderator Katharine Herndon \nDate: Tuesday\, March 31\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site.  \nIf you are a Writing Show Member\, please be sure to register and claim your spot. This will ensure we have enough seats for all who wish to attend. \nThe 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. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/critique-partners-beta-readers-march-2026-writing-show-in-person/
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T200000
DTSTAMP:20260610T184116
CREATED:20260127T161508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T161730Z
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SUMMARY:FEBRUARY 24 | When to Break the Rules: Grammar\, Structure\, & Experimentation (Online Writing Show)
DESCRIPTION:Join our expert panelists for a discussion on the art of subverting writing conventions with purpose and skill. Discover when rule-breaking elevates your work versus when it distracts from your purpose\, and learn how successful authors create their distinctive voices and memorable narratives. Whether it’s telling a story in an unusual format or playing with the constraints of punctuation\, join us in exploring different ways writing can push the envelope. \nSpeakers: K-Ming Chang\, Rachel Kahan\, Amber McBride\, and Moderator Kris Spisak \nDate: Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: Online\, via the Zoom platform \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members | $5 Students \n  \n \nRegistration is required. \nThe 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 by 6:25 pm\, before the panel discussion begins. \nREGISTER NOW! \n  \nThis program 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. \n  \n  \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nK-MING CHANG\nK-Ming Chang is a Lambda Literary Award winner\, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree\, a Kundiman Fellow\, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. She is the author of the novel Bestiary (One World/Random House\, 2020)\, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize\, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award\, and the Otherwise Award. In 2021\, her chapbook Bone House was published by Bull City Press. Her story collection Gods of Want (One World/Random House) won a Lambda Literary Award\, and her books have been translated into Spanish\, Chinese\, Korean\, German\, Turkish\, and other languages. Her most recent books are Organ Meats (One World\, 2023) and a novella titled Cecilia (Coffee House Press\, 2024). In 2026\, she will be making her YA debut with Straight to the Source\, a rom-com forthcoming from Holiday House. Her next novel for adults\, Needlemouth\, is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster on October 20\, 2026. \n  \n\n \nRACHEL KAHAN\nA passionate advocate for commercial fiction and non-fiction\, Rachel Kahan is VP/Executive Editor at William Morrow\, a division of HarperCollins. She acquires the kinds of books she loves most as a reader: literary and book clubby novels\, mystery/thrillers\, memoirs\, historical narratives\, and issue-driven non-fiction. In her nearly 30-year career\, Rachel has edited dozens of New York Times and international bestsellers. Rachel proudly publishes a diverse list of writers from around the world. Born and raised in Arlington\, Virginia\, she graduated from the College of William and Mary. \n  \n  \n\n \nAMBER MCBRIDE\nAmber McBride is a two-time National Book Award Finalist whose books have garnered over 25 starred reviews. Her debut young adult novel\, Me (Moth)\, won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent\, among many other accolades. Gone Wolf\, McBride‘s middle grade fiction debut\, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. McBride was an assistant professor at UVA for 4 years before resigning. She lives in Virginia and keeps bees. \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nKRIS SPISAK\nKris Spisak wrote her first three books—Get a Grip on Your Grammar\, The Novel Editing Workbook\, and The Family Story Workbook—to help writers of all kinds sharpen their storytelling and empower their communications. Her award-winning debut novel\, The Baba Yaga Mask\, was inspired by her Ukrainian heritage\, and her fifth book\, Becoming Baba Yaga: Trickster\, Feminist\, and Witch of the Woods\, explores the complex origins of this Slavic folktale character and her lingering lessons for empowering us all. Kris knows well-written words and well-told stories can change the world\, and she cannot wait to tell you her next story. \n  \n  \nREGISTER NOW!
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/february-24-when-to-break-the-rules-grammar-structure-experimentation-online-writing-show/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T200000
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SUMMARY:NOW ONLINE! JANUARY 27 | Get It Together! Harnessing Community to Energize Your Writing
DESCRIPTION:Sure\, writing can be a solitary pursuit\, but why make it harder on yourself? It’s so much easier to accomplish your writing goals with encouragement\, shared information\, and accountability. Join us for a celebration of community\, and hear from three panelists who do an excellent job of bringing people together in a variety of spaces for a plethora of purposes. Let’s make actionable plans to support each other’s goals in 2026. \nSpeakers: Gigi Howard\, Ty Phelps\, Kalela Williams\, and Moderator Phil Hilliker \nDate: Tuesday\, January 27\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: NOW ONLINE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER! \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required. \nThe 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 by 6:25 pm\, before the panel discussion begins. \n\nREGISTER NOW! \n  \nThis program 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. \n  \n  \n \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nGIGI HOWARD\nGigi Howard has been a public librarian for 15 years\, and is the host of the podcast “Drinks in the Library\,” where she interviews guests about their favorite books and pairs them with drinks. Passionate about supporting her community\, Gigi loves connecting with others who use literature to make a difference. A dedicated mom and wife\, she fancies herself a mixologist\, though her husband remains skeptical of her skills in this area. \n  \n  \n\n \nTY PHELPS\nTy Phelps’ work can be found at Poets.org\, Poet Lore\, Streetlight\, Zizzle\, and elsewhere. He won the 2022 Nancy Ludmerer Flash Fiction Fellowship\, Virginia Commonwealth University’s 2019 Catherine and Joan Byrne Poetry Prize. He holds an MFA from VCU and served as the 2021–22 Cabell First Novelist Award Fellow and the 2023–24 Writer-in-Residence at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. He is a co-founder of the Flying South Reading Series and helps plan the Richmond Poetry Fest. \n  \n  \n\n \nKALELA WILLIAMS\nKalela Williams is the author of the the YA coming of age story Tangleroot\, a 2024 Indies Introduce and Indie Next pick. She directs the Virginia Center for the Book\, part of Virginia Humanities\, which produces the Virginia Festival of the Book and other literary programs\, and has directed literary events for the Free Library of Philadelphia and Furious Flower Poetry Center. \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nPHILLIP HILLIKER\nPhillip Hillker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. He has contributed to role-playing games such as Shadowrun and White Wolf’s World of Darkness\, written voiceover scripts for too many whiteboard explanatory videos\, and spent time as JRW’s membership coordinator. \n  \n  \nREGISTER NOW! ]
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/january-27-in-person-writing-show-at-the-visual-arts-center-of-richmond-get-it-together-harnessing-community-to-energize-your-writing/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
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