Calgary Association of Romance Writers of America

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Calgary Association of Romance Writers of America

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Our purpose is to help members become published and establish and build careers in romantic fiction. We also promote excellence in romantic fiction.

The purpose of the Calgary Association of the Romance Writers of America® is to help members become published and establish and build careers in romantic fiction. We provide continuing support for members both individually and in the romance publishing industry. To this end, we offer meetings, workshops, conferences, a newsletter and email list to help each of us achieve our personal writing goals.

09/19/2026

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Time: Noon

Venue: Zoom

Topic: Alpha and Beta Reader Process

Ready to get some eyes on your manuscript but not sure where to start?

Working with alpha and beta readers can provide you with valuable revision feedback. In this workshop, you’ll get an overview of working with alpha and beta readers and how to gain beneficial feedback from the process.

Topics we’ll look at:

· The difference between alpha and beta readers
· What questions can help you get the best feedback possible
· Ways to interpret, manage, and incorporate alpha and beta reader feedback

Presenter: Marlies Sargent

Marlies Sargent is a fiction editor living in Calgary. Marlies is passionate about helping authors feel confident in their writing and learning new skills along the way. She uses her 10 years of previous teaching experience to work one-on-one with authors through their writing journey. When she’s not reading or editing, Marlies can be found walking her dog, playing soccer, and making cheesy postcards for her nephews.

Learn more at https://workingwords.ca

09/12/2026

Next Meeting: Saturday, September 19, 2026

Time: Noon

Venue: Zoom

Topic: Don’t Call Me Crazy: Creating Believable Characters with Mental Illness

One in five people in the United States has or will have a mental illness in their lifetime, with anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression leading the charge. Yet, characters with mental illness are surprisingly underrepresented in fiction. And if a character is written with a mental illness, they are often portrayed as a caricature of the illness or treated as a plot device. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the various types of common mental illnesses, how to research reliable information about the condition, and how to portray the character with compassion.

Takeaways

· You’ll learn about common mental illnesses, their symptoms, and attributes
· How to find peer-reviewed and reliable information to write your characters
· Understanding the brain of someone with a mental illness
· Learn how to stay away from creating caricature characters
· Debunking myths about mental illness

Presenter: Lisa Rabey

Lisa Rabey is the chief Nerd Girl in Nerd Girl Industries. She lives in N. Michigan with her husband (whom she sometimes likes) and her persnickety pug (who sometimes likes her). She watches trashy TV, reads heaving bosom books, and loves to bake. Lisa is a librarian, writer, researcher, and instructor. Her favorite Elizabeth Bennett is Keira Knightley. She can be found at https://lisarabey.com

Nerd Girl Industries empowers people to manage their online presence via consultation, workshops, and one-on-one instruction. You can find more about NGI at https://nerdgirl.net

06/29/2026

There are no scheduled meetings for July and August, as we enjoy the great outdoors during the summer months. We'll resume our regular Zoom meetings in September and are also organizing a writers' retreat for that month. And we'll be attending When Words Collide in Calgary, August 14 - 16. Join us there! https://www.whenwordscollide.org/

05/23/2026

Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Time: 11:30 AM MT

Topic: AGM, followed by "OMG! I’m Psychic! My Incredible Journey from Clueless to Clairvoyant (The Secret Life of a Bestselling Author)"

Venue: Zoom

The identity of our speaker will be revealed at the meeting. Due to the sensitive nature of this workshop, this presentation will not be recorded.

05/10/2026

When: Saturday, May 23, 2026

Time: Noon

Venue: Zoom

Topic: Your Brain on Story

Presenter: Barbara Longley

Description: A neuro-biological look at how our brains react to stories, and how to incorporate that knowledge into our writing.

Bio: Barbara Longley graduated summa cm laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education/Human Relations and holds a Master’s in Ed./SLD from the University of Minnesota. When the integration district where she taught dissolved in 2015, she transitioned into writing full-time. Ms. Longley is listed on RWA’s Honor Roll of Bestselling Authors, and her books have garnered many awards, including a Maggie, the Holt Medallion, a National Readers’ Choice, two Heart of Excellence awards, a Bookseller’s Best award, and the Diamond Award from Montlake Romance for reaching more than a million readers.

Ms. Longley creates memorable heroes and heroines who grow into their strength and go on to save the day.

Learn more at https://www.barbaralongley.com

Address

Calgary, AB

Website

https://www.calgaryrwa.com/

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