The Dallas

Mystery Writers

This is the website for the Dallas chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. We are open to writers of all genres from mystery to romance to speculative fiction and all points in between. If you want to write, or write better, you are welcome to attend any of our regular workshops. Membership in the national MWA is not necessary to attend the Dallas group meetings. There are plenty of benefits in joining the MWA, but there's no membership requirement to attend the Dallas meetings. Membership dues are $50 per year. Click the “Pay Membership Dues” button to submit through PayPal. Members attend in- person meetings for free, and get the Zoom link for meetings they prefer to attend remotely. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: • No door fee at meetings • Zoom link provided for every meeting • NEW! Free 30 minute one- on-one session with one professional writer member (LaRee, Sandy, Susan, or James) each year.

LOCATION:

The Dallas MWASW group meets the first Saturday of each month (except January) at the Olive Garden, 4240 Belt Line (at Midway), Addison, TX, 75001. Meeting time is 10:15 AM – Noon, followed by lunch. There is a $10 fee for non- members (cash only) for the program and drinks-only attendees when we meet in person (members get in automatically). No reservations are necessary there’s always room for another writer. All who attend are encouraged to remain and break bread(sticks) with your fellow writers. Contact info: james@gaskin.com

Dallas MWA

Events:

Saturday, April 1,

2023

10:15 AM - Meeting

in Person (And on

Zoom! for

members)

Sandy Steen

Conquering the

Cozy

It’s A Numbers Game. 11 to be Exact. The 3 Step Cozy and 8 Most Helpful Books on Writing Fiction The 3 Step Cozy. Like any other writing project, cozy mysteries have a structure, a formula, if you will. Your readers expect it. The 3 Step Cozy is a simple but effective approach even pantsers will appreciate, providing a step-by-step plan that works for plotting, characterization, motivation and pacing. In short, how to put one together and hopefully sell it! 8 Most Helpful Books on Writing Fiction. Every writer needs the proper tools to do their job. Yes, we all have research books, and some never go out of style, but while the market has changed so have concepts and reader tastes. It’s important to update your toolbox and these books are the Angie’s List of valuable guides, almost instruction manuals to make the job easier and more marketable. Sandy Steen has been publishing since 1986, beginning her career writing contemporary romance before switching to mysteries. She is the author of over 20 contemporary romance novels and a cozy mystery. For years Sandy has conducted writing seminars on such as Creating a Selling Synopsis, Structuring The Contemporary Novel, and The Dynamic Duo: Characterization and Dialogue among others.