Awakening the Creative Spirit with Marni Freedman and Tracy Jones
2023-01-07 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | CA
Join Marni and Tracy for a hands-on workshop that will cover how to tackle the 4 myths that may be holding you back creatively, the laws of the creative source that may help you to break free from self-sabotage, and ideas to awaken your most creative year yet.

STT4 Shaking the Tree Launch at Warwick's IN PERSON
2023-01-12 19:30 - 20:30 | Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States
For Tickets: https://www.warwicks.com/event/shaking-the-tree-2023
The official launch for Shaking the Tree Four! We will have readings and giveaways as we kick off the official book tour!
Readers: Jen Laffler “Big Apple, Big Cherry, Big Smoke,”
Lindsey Salatka – “I am Ajumma,”
Kenny Sucher – “Strength Training”
Kathleen McCabe – “Thirty Bucks,”
Chili Cilch – “Did That Really Happen?”
Lauren Cross – “Flings”

Writing Fearlessly with Jesse Leon ONLINE (members)
2023-02-04 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Jesse Leon, SDWF memoirist of the year, will do a short reading from his stellar memoir, I’m Not Broken and then discuss the path he took to write it all down fearlessly.
ABOUT I’M NOT BROKEN
In this unflinching and inspiring memoir, Jesse Leon tells an extraordinary story of resilience and survival, shining a light on a childhood spent devastated by sex trafficking, street life, and substance abuse.
“A book for survivors and those who know someone they hope survives, bodhisattvas all.” —Sandra Cisneros, bestselling author of The House on Mango Street

Born to indigenous working-class Mexican immigrants in San Diego in the 1970s, Jesse Leon’s childhood was violently ruptured. A dangerous and harrowing encounter at a local gift shop when he was eleven years old left Jesse with a deadly secret. Hurt, alone, and scared for his life, Jesse numbed his pain by losing himself in the hyper-masculine culture of the streets and wherever else he could find it—in alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. Overlooked by state-sanctioned institutions and systems intended to help victims of abuse, neglected like many other low-income Latinos, Jesse spiraled into cycles of suicide and substance abuse.

Shaking the Tree 4 Book Signing and Selling at Diesel IN-PERSON
2023-02-05 15:00 - 16:30 | Diesel Bookstore, 12843 El Camino Real Suite 104, San Diego, 92130, United States

How Writers can Approach Gender, Trans and the Non-Binary Experience with - A Panel Discussion with Riley Silverman, Nancy Johnson and Mary Ann Horton (members) ONLINE
2023-03-04 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States

Writing about Secrets, Drug Use and the Path to Publish Traditionally with Laura Cathcart, Author of Stash (open to all) ONLINE
2023-04-01 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join us to discuss “Writing about Secrets, Drug Use, and the Path to Publish Traditionally” with Laura Cathcart Robbins, Author of Stash.

Purchase Stash from Warwick’s here

Zoom Link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82455304639?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 824 5530 4639
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Facebook LIVE Link: https://fb.me/e/2VwWCRNkD?mibextid=RQdjqZ

“An irresistibly delicious story.” —Holly Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author
A propulsive and vivid memoir—in the vein of Drinking: A Love Story and Somebody’s Daughter—about the journey to sobriety and self-love amidst addiction, privilege, racism, and self-sabotage from the host of the popular podcast The Only One in the Room.
After years of hiding her addiction from everyone—from stockpiling pills in her Louboutins to elaborately scheduling withdrawals between PTA meetings, baby showers, and tennis matches—Laura Cathcart Robbins settles into a complicated purgatory.
She learns the hard way that privilege doesn’t protect you from pain. Facing divorce, the possibility of a grueling custody battle, and internalized racism, Robbins wonders just how much more she can take.
Now, with courage and candid openness, she reveals how she managed to begin the long journey towards sobriety and unexpectedly finding new love. Robbins harrowingly illustrates taking down the wall she built around herself brick by brick and what it means to be Black in a startingly white world. With its raw, finely crafted, and engaging prose, Stash is the story of just how badly the facade she created had to shatter before Laura could reconnect to her true self.

about the author

Laura Cathcart Robbins is an author, freelance writer, speaker, and host of the popular podcast The Only One in the Room. She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Her recent articles in HuffPost and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2022 TEDx Speaker, and an LA Moth StorySlam winner. Currently, she sits on the advisory boards of the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ Podcast Festival. She lives in California. Follow her on Instagram @LauraCathcartRobbins and find out more at TheOnlyOnePod.com.

How to Write a Braided Memoir with Madhushree Ghosh
2023-05-06 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Khabaar is a food memoir and personal narrative that braids the global journeys of South Asian food through immigration, migration, and indenture. Focusing on chefs, home cooks, and food stall owners, the book questions what it means to belong and what does belonging in a new place look like in the foods carried over from the old country? These questions are integral to the author’s own immigrant journey to America as a daughter of Indian refugees (from what’s now Bangladesh to India during the 1947 Partition of India); as a woman of color in science; as a woman who left an abusive marriage; and as a woman who keeps her parents’ memory alive through her Bengali food.

Purchase your copy of Khabaar here

about the author
Madhushree Ghosh works in oncology diagnostics, and is a social justice activist. Her work has been awarded a Notable Mention in Best American Essays in Food Writing and a Pushcart Prize nomination. She lives in San Diego, California.

praise for…

“A seemingly effortlessly wise collection of essays that shows again and again the ways writing about food involves more than a story, a political history, or a family legacy, as Ghosh takes the food essay into entirely new directions. The result is a brilliant book about the past and the present that also feels like the future of the form.”—Alexander Chee, author, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays
“In Khabaar, Madhushree Ghosh shares her unforgettable story deftly and beautifully, as only a gifted storyteller can. Like the foods that shape and inform Ghosh’s memories and reflections, her intimate, powerful prose is meant to be savored. This memoir, at once global in scope and deeply intimate, is a treasure.”—Deesha Philyaw, author, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
“I have been an enthusiastic follower of Madhushree Ghosh, and have great admiration for her literary talent. But I was not prepared for this new, very powerful, and entrancing work. I highly recommend it. It’s unforgettable.”—Luis Alberto Urrea, author, The House of Broken Angels
“As thought-provoking as it is delicious, joyful, and a delight to read.”—Sonia Faleiro, author, The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing
“Wildly original. With her scientific sensibility, chef’s palate, and poet’s heart, Madhushree Ghosh has given us a singular and spectacular read.”—Mira Jacob, author, Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
“Madhushree Ghosh seamlessly blends stories of food and family, longing and grief, to reveal the power of food to connect us—to the past, to one another, to our appetites and desires, to that which we wish to say when language fails. A book to read with all your senses, Khabaar will break your heart and make it swell.”—Lacy M. Johnson, author, The Reckonings: Essays
“Khabaar crackles with energy and passion. This book engages the reader on many levels: it awakens the senses, heightens awareness of racial and gender disparity, and perhaps above all is a powerful love story between its author and her family and country of origin. Ghosh has written a book that educates as it entertains, which is no easy feat. I am enriched for having read it.”—Dani Shapiro, author, Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
“Madhushree Ghosh is a talented and exciting voice in the literary field. I’m looking forward to reading everything that she writes now and in the future. This is one writer to watch.”—Nayomi Munaweera, author, What Lies Between Us
“Ghosh writes especially well through her memories, from tender (as a child shopping for goat with her father in a bustling Delhi market) to terrifying (desperately escaping a hotel room she was accidentally locked in before a job presentation). . . . A likable food memoir from a self-aware and culturally astute author.”
— Kirkus Reviews

How to Write a Winning Memoir Showcase Piece
2023-05-25 18:00 - 19:00 | CA
Are you interested in writing a piece for the Memoir Showcase but aren’t sure how to begin? “How to Write a Winning Memoir Showcase,” with Tracy and Marni, can help! These powerhouse editors have all the tips you’ll need to get your story in shape.
This class is $7 for non members and FREE for members!
Register Now

Publicity and Marketing for Memoir - Julia Wouk Brown and Tricia Hedman
2023-06-03 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Wondering how the world of author publicity works? Thinking you have to spend a lot of money? Wondering if there are steps you can take on your own? Join expert book publicists Julia Wouk Brown and Tricia Hedman who will present ideas on how to get your book the visibility it needs. Tips on both working with a professional and how you can independently create publicity/marketing opportunities. There will be a Q & A session – so bring your questions!
This is a member-only meeting. Membership is only $50.00 annually, so join today and join us at our monthly meetings! Join here!

Summer Speakeasy Fundraiser
2023-06-10 18:00 | CA
Join us for a fundraiser event benefiting the International Memoir Writers Association and the San Diego Writers Festival. The ticket includes drinks, appetizers, live music, open mic, and more! Space is limited so get your tickets today. Private location to be disclosed to ticketholders.
Purchase tickets here

Dean Nelson and Rabbi Steve Leder in Conversation about Journaling and his new book, For You When I am Gone (open to all) ONLINE
2023-06-15 18:00 - 19:00 | CA
Register here

Writing About Trauma with Leslie Ferguson and MFT Mahshid Hager (members)
2023-07-08 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join us for an insightful discussion about how to get traumatic events onto the page and how to take care of yourself when visiting the dark side of memoir.

Walking Meditation and Picnic at the Beach
2023-08-05 | CA
Mark your calendars for the August IMWA monthly meeting. We’re gathering as a community for a walking meditation with our very own Marni Freedman and Anastasia Zadeik, followed by a picnic! It’s on Saturday, August 5 at Parque Mission Bay (Crown Point Beach) at 2:30 p.m. We hope to see you in-person soon!

Filming Your Life Story with documentarian Carlos de los Rios
2023-09-09 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join Carlos as he will walk you through the following topics:

What is a filmed life story? What is a bio-pic documentary?

What is a book trailer for a memoir?

What are the benefits of doing an oral/filmed history (on top of or instead of a written history)?

What does it mean to leave a visual legacy?

How long should it be, and what shape would it take?

How the process works and what to do next!

Who should consider making one and why?

Carlos de los Rios is a 20-year veteran of the film industry – an award-winning writer, producer and documentarian. He has written movies that star Academy Award-winning, Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe Award-winning and Tony Award-winning actors. He has the distinction of having written silver screen legend Lauren Bacall’s final film, The Forger.
He has a passion for helping people tell their life stories.

Festival U
2023-10-07 10:00 - 16:00 | CA
A full day of writing workshops including:
Session 1 (10 am to 11 am PT)
Books that Change the World – How Authors with a Cause Can Impact Us All with Winnie Li and Valena Beety. Moderated by Anastasia Zadeik
Session 2 (11 am – 12 pm PT)
On Memory and Metaphor – Bringing the Past to Life with Sue William Silverman
Session 3 (12 – 1 pm PT)
The Art and Craft of Middle Grade Fiction with Award Winning Author, Chris Baron
Session 4 (1pm – 2pm PT)
Historical Fiction: Keeping it Real While Keeping it Interesting with Jennifer Coburn
Session 5 (2 pm – 3 pm)
Nothing is Wasted – The Art of How the Writer Brings It All Together with Judy Reeves
Session 6 (3 pm to 4 pm)
Ask An Agent – An Hour to Ask Any Question You Have Ever Had! With Lilly Gharhamani
Learn More

Website Wow - The Importance of Having an Author Website
2023-11-04 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
An author’s website is the most important element of a successful book marketing plan.

A powerful website tells your story, builds a loyal following, and sells books! In this class, internet marketing strategist and author branding consultant Jeniffer Thompson teaches the importance of your brand story—the ultimate tool to connect with your audience and convert traffic into revenue. Plus, you’ll hear what’s trending online, pick up some SEO tricks to drive traffic, and learn a simple five-step strategy to hook your audience on the first page of your website. Don’t miss this jam-packed class of insider secrets that every author must know.

Neal Allen and Anne Lamont discussing Better Days with Marni Freedman
2023-12-13 18:30 - 19:30 | CA
Warwick’s, in partnership with the San Diego Writers Festival and the Coronado Public Library
Presents Neal Allen and Anne Lamott with Marni Freedman
BETTER DAYS
TAME YOUR INNER CRITIC
Ticket sales are limited!
Reserve your seat today!
GET TICKETS
In this life-changing book, writer and spiritual coach, Neal Allen, teaches us a stunning new method for quieting the inner critic.
“Better Days will help you get to know your inner critic, and quiet its yammering, and in so doing, get to know the person you were born to be.” – Anne Lamott, Author of Dusk Night Dawn, Bird by Bird and others
What if your superego has it wrong?
That snarky little bully in your head…you know the one.
You’ve lived under its weight for decades.

I’m a fraud, I’m lazy
I need to work harder
I need to be tougher, funnier, calmer…
I need to stay quiet, look pretty, stop showing off
I need to put others before me, I need to put myself first
I need to be perfect
I need to hide who I really am
Sound familiar?
You know that its scolding voice is harmful to you, but you can’t will it away. You accept a life with short periods of peace and long stretches of stress and anxiety. But you don’t have to.
In this revolutionary new book, Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic, writer and spiritual coach, Neal Allen, examines a critical aspect of the human psyche that often gets ignored – the superego.
Building on Freud’s idea that the superego necessarily forms a person’s moral conscience, Neal explains how this voice in your head develops in childhood as a survival mechanism, but when no longer needed for protection, camps out in your mind like a personal parasite. A parasite that doesn’t belong.
Through simple and engaging exercises and explorations, Neal leads you into meeting, confronting, and ultimately quieting your own inner critic.
By shedding off the burden of the superego, you can overcome tired patterns of reward and punishment, reduce the self-talk that harms you, and ultimately clear an open space for the life you deserve, one that is gentler and more peaceful.
Just imagine…if all that nasty, negative chatter in your head just evaporated … what would you do next?
Better days are just ahead.

9th Annual San Diego Memoir Showcase
2023-12-14 19:00 - 21:00 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla, 92037, United States
Save the date for the 9th Annual
MEMOIR SHOWCASE
Funny, Not Funny
Thursday, December 14
7 PM
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
7600 Fay Avenue La Jolla, CA 92037
Get Tickets

January Member Meeting: Vision Boards
2024-01-06 14:30 - 16:30 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
We will gather virtually as a community on Saturday, January 6, at 2:30 p.m. PT on Zoom for a day of vision board making, rejuvenation, and Inspiration!

We are going to be working on vision boards for 2024. So gather up some magazines or print out inspiring photos and words of encouragement. As we all clip and cut and paste, we want to offer and share inspiration.

Please bring any of the following:
– Inspirational Poems
– Blessings
– Prompts
– Short readings (2 min approx)

You do not need to bring anything if you don’t want to—feel free just to come and enjoy—but if you have a piece you would like to share, we would love it. We want to hear from you!

Shaking the Tree Volume 5 Launch
2024-01-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States
Join us at Warwick’s to celebrate the launch of Shaking the Tree Volume 5 — But I’m Still Here.

An afternoon with memoirist Jennifer Silva Redmond
2024-02-03 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join us for our February member meeting, an afternoon with memoirist Jennifer Silva Redmond, author of Honeymoon by the Sea.
Jennifer will discuss the craft of writing memoir and will her per publishing experience.

Copyright and Fair Use with attorney Kelley Way
2024-03-02 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join us at our March member meeting where copyright and trademark attorney Kelley Way will discuss copyright and fair use and answer our questions!
Copyright and Fair Use:
Editors often grapple with questions regarding lengthy quotations or other content taken from outside sources, published and unpublished. Authors often rely on editors to alert them of potential copyright issues in their manuscript. But what are copyrights, and how can they be used to protect your clients’ work? When might an editor want to alert a client to a potential need for permission to avoid copyright infringement? And how does fair use tie in? This presentation will teach you what rights your client has, how to use them to your best advantage, and how to safely use other people’s content.

About Kelley Way:
Kelley Way was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar and is an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. She practices copyright, trademark and estate planning law at The Law Office of Kelley A. Way. Kelley can be reached at kaway@kawaylaw.com.

The Fifth Annual San Diego Writers Festival
2024-04-06 | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118
Join us at Coronado Public Library for the 5th Annual San Diego Writers Festival. Learn more at www.sandiegowritersfestival.com!

Memoirists, Do Your Emotional Homework! with Kristen Balelo
2024-05-04 14:30 - 16:00 | CA
All memoirs tell a story. A satisfying memoir – a compelling, heart-warming, gut-wrenching, page-turner – is a portal to healing, learning, and self-awareness. The best memoirists establish an emotional connection between reader and writer. Creating this emotional connection takes work, emotional work. What is emotional homework? Why is it important? And how do I do it? These questions and more will be answered in this interactive and empowering workshop.
Kristen Balelo earned a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing at Salve Regina University in July 2023. With an emphasis in nonfiction, she has been published in the first Shaking the Tree anthology and by The Shadow. She recently created a Substack where she has shared part of her memoir in progress, Fat Daughter. The story explores the impact food restriction and body shame have on a mother/daughter relationship and how a series of unfortunate events gave her mother and her an opportunity to heal their relationship which provided an opening for Kristen to start healing herself. She also writes about her experience growing up in a Portuguese community as the daughter of a commercial fisherman and her time advocating for youth in foster care. Her social media is dedicated to her writing, eating disorder recovery and eradicating diet culture. Substack: kristenbalelo.substack.com Instagram: @kristenbalelo

Anastasia Zadeik discusses “The Other Side of Nothing” with Marni Freedman
2024-05-29 19:30 - 20:30 | Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States
On Wednesday, May 29th at 7:30pm Warwick’s will host Anastasia Zadeik as she discusses and signs her new book, The Other Side of Nothing, with Marni Freedman. Anastasia Zadeik is a writer, editor, and storyteller. After graduating from Smith College, she had an international career in neuropsychological research while raising her children. She now serves as Director of Communications for the San Diego Writers Festival, as a coproducer of the San Diego Memoir Showcase, and as a mentor for the literary nonprofit So Say We All. She also sits on the board of the International Memoir Writers Association. A frequent performer of narrative non-fiction in a hushed bar or on a stage, her work has appeared in the San Diego Decameron Project, LitHub, writeordietribe.com, and the award-winning anthology Shaking the Tree: Short. Brazen. Memoir. Her debut novel, Blurred Fates, won the 2023 Sarton Award for Contemporary Fiction and the 2023 National Indie Excellence Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives in San Diego with her husband and their empty-nest rescue dog, Charlie.
Reserved Seating is available when The Other Side of Nothing is pre-ordered from Warwick’s through the linked green “Reserve Seats Here” button above. Only books purchased from Warwick’s will be signed. Please call the Warwick’s Book Dept. (858) 454-0347 for details.
Reserve your seat here

A Discussion with Memoirist Patty Lin, author of “End Credits - How I Broke Up With Hollywood”
2024-06-01 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
What happens when you land your dream job and everything you’ve been working toward becomes a complete nightmare? This is Patty Lin’s story. She climbed the ladder as an award-winning television writer (often the only Asian person in the room) only to be confronted by discouragement, burnout, and toxicity. In discussion with IMWA President Tracy J. Jones and SDWF Communications Director and author of “The Other Side Of Nothing” Anastasia Zadeik.

Ever since Patty Lin retired from television writing at the ripe age of thirty-eight, people have asked her: “Why would you quit such a cool career?” Especially when they find out she worked on some of the most successful shows in television history. But what if achieving your professional dreams comes at too high a personal cost? That’s what Patty Lin started to ask herself after years in the cutthroat TV industry. One minute she was a tourist, begging her way into the audience of Late Night with David Letterman. Just a few years later, she was an insider who-through relentless hard work and sacrifice-had earned a seat in the writers’ rooms of the hottest TV shows of all time.
While writing for Friends, Freaks and Geeks, Desperate Housewives and Breaking Bad, Patty steeled herself against the indignities of a chaotic, abusive, male-dominated work culture, not just as one of the few women in the room, but as the only Asian person.
Funny, eye-opening, and sobering, this inside-Hollywood story will resonate with anyone who has struggled with their work and on their life journey. And it will inspire others to listen to their inner voices and know when it’s time to get out.

Patty Lin is a former TV writer and producer whose credits include Freaks and Geeks, Friends, Desperate Housewives, and Breaking Bad. She has also written pilots for Fox, CBS, and Nickelodeon. Her Breaking Bad episode, “Gray Matter,” was nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Script in the Episodic Drama category. She retired from television writing to pursue other interests and occasionally appears in background acting roles. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

Memoir Mondays- Virtual Writing Room
2024-06-03 10:00 - 12:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Tracy J. Jones will take the first ten minutes to check in with any writers who want to share a success, challenge, or update on their writing projects. If you are interested, there will be a prompt for each session. Come for 15 minutes or stay for two hours.
All genres are welcome!

How to Write a Winning Showcase Piece
2024-06-03 18:00 - 19:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
A FREE class with Tracy and Marni for all members of IMWA. $7 Fee for
nonmembers.
Register here

Zibby Owens discusses “Blank” in Conversation with Anastasia Zadeik
2024-06-24 19:30 | Warwick’s Bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States
On Monday, June 24th at 7:30pm Warwick’s and The San Diego Writer’s Festival will host Zibby Owens as she discusses and signs her new book, Blank, in conversation with Anastasia Zadeik. Zibby Owens — like Pippa Jones — wears a lot of hats. She is the award-winning podcast host of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books; founder and CEO of Zibby Media, which includes the publishing house Zibby Books, an online magazine, a book club, retreats, classes, and events; and is the proud owner of Zibby’s Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Santa Monica. Her previous books include Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, children’s book Princess Charming, and two anthologies that she edited. A frequent contributor to Good Morning America, Katie Couric Media, and other outlets, she is – most of all! – the mother of four fabulous kids ages 9 to 16 — and wife to Kyle Owens, founder of Morning Moon Productions.
Reserved Seating is available when Blank is pre-ordered from Warwick’s through the linked green “Reserve Seats Here” button above. Only books purchased from Warwick’s will be signed.
Reserve seats here

Writing Together, an In-Person Meet Up
2024-07-13 14:30 - 16:00 | CA
Join us in person for prompt and free writing at the beautiful Self Realization Gardens in Encinitas. Bring paper, a pen, and an openness to write!
