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March/April 2015
Features Society of Southwestern Authors |
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Artists like together to talk with each other about their art, and most of us like to help each other out. Word artists, as known as writers, can easily be included in this artistic conviviality and cooperation. One of the longest running writers’ groups in southern Arizona is the Society of Southwestern Authors.
According to the Society’s current president, G. Chris Stern, the Society was founded in 1972. Today there are about 300 members. “We support writers in almost all types of writing including fiction and non-fiction. The group’s fiction writers cover the field, writing mysteries, romance, literary, thrillers and science fiction as well as short stories. Non-fiction includes memoir and personal essays, poetry and the craft of writing. We also have a number of playwrights and screenwriters.”
Most of SSA’s members write fiction with fewer working in non-fiction. “Many of our members had a career in academia and now are going away from non-fiction to explore their wings as a novelist, Stern adds. “The original organization developed in Tucson, but has grown to have chapters in Wickenburg and the Santa Cruz Valley. We also have members who are as far away as Singapore, Canada, and many all over the U.S.
Stern is a published author as are many SSA members. Stern started writing poetry in high school. “I learned that I was writing plots in my poems, and I started writing plays. I had workshops with August Wilson at the Tucson Writer’s Conference and was one of the early members of the Old Pueblo Playwrights. I have had a number of plays produced. My favorite title is one that Rich Amada and I co-wrote called, Shot in the Back in My Little Grass Shack in the Tropics, or Bango Bango in Pango Pango. It is a comedy. Lately I am working on a novel about WWI ambulance drivers (and I have read A Farewell to Arms), some non-fiction essays, and still some poetry.”
The Society offers several events and activities for members, including a Wrangling with Writing conference, and writing contest, and regular meetings with presentations on the writing life.
Stern explains that the Wrangling with Writing conference combines writer workshops with opportunities to pitch book manuscripts to agents and publishers. “It is also a fabulous opportunity to meet other writers. We encouraged the staff writers, publishers and agents to mingle at the tables for breakfast, lunch and dinner” Stern adds.
“In 2014 we had a Wrangling With Writing Workshop with Writers Digest’s Chuck Sambuchino, Stern continues. We are now looking to scheduling our next Wrangling With Writing Conference in 2016, but we may have a Workshop in 2015 in the Fall.”
According to the Society’s current president, G. Chris Stern, the Society was founded in 1972. Today there are about 300 members. “We support writers in almost all types of writing including fiction and non-fiction. The group’s fiction writers cover the field, writing mysteries, romance, literary, thrillers and science fiction as well as short stories. Non-fiction includes memoir and personal essays, poetry and the craft of writing. We also have a number of playwrights and screenwriters.”
Most of SSA’s members write fiction with fewer working in non-fiction. “Many of our members had a career in academia and now are going away from non-fiction to explore their wings as a novelist, Stern adds. “The original organization developed in Tucson, but has grown to have chapters in Wickenburg and the Santa Cruz Valley. We also have members who are as far away as Singapore, Canada, and many all over the U.S.
Stern is a published author as are many SSA members. Stern started writing poetry in high school. “I learned that I was writing plots in my poems, and I started writing plays. I had workshops with August Wilson at the Tucson Writer’s Conference and was one of the early members of the Old Pueblo Playwrights. I have had a number of plays produced. My favorite title is one that Rich Amada and I co-wrote called, Shot in the Back in My Little Grass Shack in the Tropics, or Bango Bango in Pango Pango. It is a comedy. Lately I am working on a novel about WWI ambulance drivers (and I have read A Farewell to Arms), some non-fiction essays, and still some poetry.”
The Society offers several events and activities for members, including a Wrangling with Writing conference, and writing contest, and regular meetings with presentations on the writing life.
Stern explains that the Wrangling with Writing conference combines writer workshops with opportunities to pitch book manuscripts to agents and publishers. “It is also a fabulous opportunity to meet other writers. We encouraged the staff writers, publishers and agents to mingle at the tables for breakfast, lunch and dinner” Stern adds.
“In 2014 we had a Wrangling With Writing Workshop with Writers Digest’s Chuck Sambuchino, Stern continues. We are now looking to scheduling our next Wrangling With Writing Conference in 2016, but we may have a Workshop in 2015 in the Fall.”
Michael (Mike) Alvarez
The Society will present a Forum on March 22 in which member Michael (Mike) Alvarez will speak on Publishing in the Digital Age. Alvarez has published mystery novels (Nick Madrid series), short stories, poems, essays, and a non-fiction book, Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Writers. Alvarez teaches writing at Pima Community College.
Alvarez is enthusiastic about self-publishing which he will discuss at the Forum along with “indie publishing” (small independent publishers).
“I spent over twenty-five years following the recommended method of contacting agents and editors, with minimal success. Despite working with four literary agents, none of them ever helped me sell anything. I sold and published short pieces of writing myself, but publishing a book-length work eluded me for many years,” Alvarez explains.
“I always wished there was a better way to reach readers directly. That became possible with Print-On-Demand publishing and later with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). Currently, KDP or another similar publishing platform is the best way for a writer to get his or her work into print, without spending years on the traditional query-submission merry-go-round. The biggest advantage is the author is in total control, from designing a book cover to the entire contents of his or her work. Also, once published and available on a global digital platform like Amazon.com, indie authors have the same opportunity to sell their books right alongside bestselling authors. No writer can ask for more than that.”
Alvarez is enthusiastic about self-publishing which he will discuss at the Forum along with “indie publishing” (small independent publishers).
“I spent over twenty-five years following the recommended method of contacting agents and editors, with minimal success. Despite working with four literary agents, none of them ever helped me sell anything. I sold and published short pieces of writing myself, but publishing a book-length work eluded me for many years,” Alvarez explains.
“I always wished there was a better way to reach readers directly. That became possible with Print-On-Demand publishing and later with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). Currently, KDP or another similar publishing platform is the best way for a writer to get his or her work into print, without spending years on the traditional query-submission merry-go-round. The biggest advantage is the author is in total control, from designing a book cover to the entire contents of his or her work. Also, once published and available on a global digital platform like Amazon.com, indie authors have the same opportunity to sell their books right alongside bestselling authors. No writer can ask for more than that.”
MAlvarez_Deliver Us From Evil_
Alvarez adds, ““Indie publishing is dubious at best. However, if you are not serious about your craft, it will show through everything you write. Regardless of the publication method, if you don’t write well you will eventually fail. Conversely, if you take the time to really learn how to write and never publish until your work is ready, then you have a good chance of succeeding.
The biggest disadvantage of self-publishing or indie publishing is the prevailing negative connotation that traditional publishers insist on using when referring to books published by nontraditional methods. Regardless of what these naysayers claim, indie publishing provides the shortest distance between the writer and the reader.”
SSA's_Duty, Honor, and Valor_
In addition to presentations to the membership such as Mike Alvarez’s, the Society of Southwestern Authors also has an annual writing contest. SSA President Stern says that the contest is open to anyone. “We have had entries from India to service men in Iraq.”
Winners in the annual contest are published in the SSA print magazine, The Storyteller. Contest categories are usually fiction (short stories), non-fiction (personal essay or memoir) or poetry, adds Stern.
The Society has also published two books, Duty, Honor, and Valor, which Stern describes as a Veterans’ Day book to which members contributed fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The second book, Market Your Writing and Promote Yourself, is by member Carol Costa.
What are the advantages of joining the Society of Southwestern Authors?
Stern describes the SSA membership as a “great group of people.” He says, ”There is a sense of fun in the group and a ready smile to share…. The attendees at most of our monthly Forums (usually the 3rd Sunday of the Month) have one color of hair most frequently – gray. We charge a luncheon fee for the Forums, $25, but most of that goes to the hotel where we have our meeting for the food and the use of the room. We also have meetings where members bring in books. We support literacy campaigns and raffles to have scholarships for our writing conferences.
Stern continues, “The Forum allows writers to get to know each other. You may sit at table and talk to a former editor of the Wall Street Journal, a fellow with a doctorate in Psychology or a woman who has more fiction published in Reader’s Digest than any other person. Or you may be sharing a table with someone who is midway in their first novel. We also have a Mentor’s Group who will answer questions that are posed – people with experience and knowledge.”
Mike Alvarez also sees advantages to membership in SSA and other writers’ groups. “The best way for a writer to stay in the game of writing and selling his or her work is to hang out with fellow writers. Moral support and networking are vital to any writer. I belong to the SSA and the Arizona Mystery Writers groups, and I highly recommend them to anyone who is serious about the craft of writing—either as an aspiring author or someone who loves reading.”
Learn more about the Society of Southwest Authors at http://www.ssa-az.org/
~~~C.J. Shane
Winners in the annual contest are published in the SSA print magazine, The Storyteller. Contest categories are usually fiction (short stories), non-fiction (personal essay or memoir) or poetry, adds Stern.
The Society has also published two books, Duty, Honor, and Valor, which Stern describes as a Veterans’ Day book to which members contributed fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The second book, Market Your Writing and Promote Yourself, is by member Carol Costa.
What are the advantages of joining the Society of Southwestern Authors?
Stern describes the SSA membership as a “great group of people.” He says, ”There is a sense of fun in the group and a ready smile to share…. The attendees at most of our monthly Forums (usually the 3rd Sunday of the Month) have one color of hair most frequently – gray. We charge a luncheon fee for the Forums, $25, but most of that goes to the hotel where we have our meeting for the food and the use of the room. We also have meetings where members bring in books. We support literacy campaigns and raffles to have scholarships for our writing conferences.
Stern continues, “The Forum allows writers to get to know each other. You may sit at table and talk to a former editor of the Wall Street Journal, a fellow with a doctorate in Psychology or a woman who has more fiction published in Reader’s Digest than any other person. Or you may be sharing a table with someone who is midway in their first novel. We also have a Mentor’s Group who will answer questions that are posed – people with experience and knowledge.”
Mike Alvarez also sees advantages to membership in SSA and other writers’ groups. “The best way for a writer to stay in the game of writing and selling his or her work is to hang out with fellow writers. Moral support and networking are vital to any writer. I belong to the SSA and the Arizona Mystery Writers groups, and I highly recommend them to anyone who is serious about the craft of writing—either as an aspiring author or someone who loves reading.”
Learn more about the Society of Southwest Authors at http://www.ssa-az.org/
~~~C.J. Shane