It’s Been a Busy Month
The DWW Board has been busy working to move the organization forward. This edition of the newsletter is packed with information on our activities and other content to help you reach your writing goals.
Be aware that you have the option of reading DWW Newsletters in your email or you can click the “View in Browser” link at the top to view on the MailerLite website. Due to the length of the newsletter, you may need to click on a “View Entire Message” link at the bottom of your email to read the entire newsletter. If you open the newsletter in the browser, you have the option of downloading to read it offline.
When reading the October edition of the DWW Newsletter, don’t miss the following:
* 125th Anniversary Celebration
* About Us corrected page
* DWW Seeks New Members
* Directory Updates Request
* Letter from the President
* Membership Survey Results
* National Days of Writing for November
* New Member Welcome
* Newsletter Deadlines
* Question of the Month
* Writing Classes, Workshops, and Groups
* Writing and Book Contests
And that’s not all, so grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine, or whatever pleases your palate, kick up your feet, and enjoy the read.
Grace Grogan
Newsletter Editor
Invite your Friends & Family to DWW’s Milestone Event
Don’t miss the Detroit Working Writers 125th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, November 9, 2025, from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. As Michigan’s oldest writing organization, we will be honoring our past and embracing our future at the beautiful National Historic Landmark—Cranbrook House & Gardens—in Bloomfield Hills.
Join us for a meet-and-greet reception in the Cranbrook House Living Room and Sunset Porch, where you can socialize with fellow writers and avid readers while sampling delectable tea sandwiches, fruits, and petit fours. The celebration continues in the magnificent Library with readings by Linda Nemec Foster, a long-time DWW member, poet, and Pulitzer Prize nominee, and Neeru Nagarajan, a flash fiction writer, content designer, and one of DWW’s latest members. Complete your afternoon with a special tour of the House honoring Detroit’s writing legacy and featuring literary surprises on display exclusively for DWW event attendees.
Register now for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Tickets are only $40 for DWW members and $55 for non-members; an excellent value for this customized event (a Cranbrook Christmas Tea and Tour is $70). Scan the QR code below or visit http://tinyurl.com/DWW125Celebration. Ticket sales close on November 3rd at 12:00 noon, EST.
Registration is open to everyone. Please share the information above with family; friends; fellow writers; avid readers; and lovers of history, genealogy, art and architecture, or afternoon tea!
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Going through the DWW archives at the Detroit Public Library’s Burton Collection, I couldn’t help but feel awed by the leaders who founded DWW.
Two decades before they won the right to vote, these women supported each other and made their voices and inner muses heard. Read more in “The Detroit Women’s Press Club,” The Journalist, February 27, 1904 (https://tinyurl.com/TheJournalistFeb271904).
It’s inspiring. Okay, sometimes it inspires imposter syndrome, but emulating their passion for writing and encouraging each other is a worthy goal.
According to our recent survey, many of you agree, reporting interest in networking and mentoring. The Board has taken that to heart. We hope all who are able will join us on November 9, 2025, as we mingle and reconnect at the beautiful Cranbrook House. If you haven’t yet, please click here to purchase your 125th Anniversary Celebration ticket.
We also hope you’ll reach out to former members to make sure they feel welcome to attend. Better yet, bring them with you.
Besides fostering a sense of community, DWW also wants to serve members individually. Help us help you with our digital assets:
- Make sure your online directory information is correct. If you want to add your website’s URL, please email me at president@detworkingwriters.org.
- Let us know if you have an upcoming or recent publication. We can share your good news in this newsletter and on our social media channels.
- Check the website (DetWorkingWriters.org) to make sure any books you’ve published are listed. Note: The website plugin draws from your Amazon author profile to populate your bio. If you’d like to use something else, we can add that to your author profile.
- Visit the website. Those hits are great for our search engine results. The same goes for liking and commenting on DWW social media posts.
- If you’ve recently written a post that would be helpful to other authors, please contact me. We could share it with other writers via our blog.
Hopefully, we’ll roll out a new directory that will allow each of you to create an expanded profile/mini-webpage by year’s end. If you have mad WordPress skills, please reach out.
I look forward to seeing many of you at Cranbrook House on November 9, 2025!
Laura Hedgecock
President and Webmaster
Welcome New Members
Detroit Working Writers is pleased to announce and welcome four new members to the organization. We encourage everyone to visit their websites and read their published articles and books.
Julie Angeli is an independent writing and editing professional whose published genres are creative non-fiction, children’s, and poetry. Julie is a former member of the SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and a current member of the Bloomfield Township Library Writers’ Rendezvous critique group. After 20 years of writing for children, Julie has stepped out of her comfort zone and is working on two adult novels. One is horror/sci-fi, and the other is a category romance. You can learn more about Julie on her website, which contains lists of the articles she has written for children’s magazines, three children’s books she has published, and stories published in five anthologies. When thinking about your writing career, consider the Chinese proverb on her website: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Elena Ivanova writes art exhibition reviews and biographies. She is a professional museum educator, having worked at several art museums in Russia and the United States. Elena currently works as a Collections Interpreter at Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research and conducts tours of Saarinen House, Smith House, and the Cranbrook campus. She previously served as a staff writer for Issue, the Arts Magazine of the Art Studio in Beaumont, Texas, and has several articles in their online publication, The Art Studio Inc. Internationally educated, Elena earned an MA in English language and literature from the University of Saint Petersburg, Russia, and a PhD in Education from the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences in Saint Petersburg. After immigrating to the United States in 1994, Elena earned a Master of Liberal Studies from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to being a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional organization for women educators, she is a member of the American Association of University Women. The AAUW is an organization that focuses on advancing education and equality for women and girls. Elena spent ten years researching the life of Leon Schulman Gaspard, the subject of her biography, Leon Schulman Gaspard: the Real Story, published March 7, 2023.
John Jeffire was born in Detroit, Michigan. In 2005, his novel Motown Burning was named Grand Prize Winner in the Mount Arrowsmith Novel Competition and in 2007 it won a Gold Medal for Regional Fiction in the Independent Publishing Awards. Speaking of Motown Burning, former chair of the Pulitzer Jury Philip F. O’Connor said, “It works. I don’t often say that, but it has a drive and integrity that gives it credible life….I find a novel with heart.” In 2009, Andra Milacca included Motown Burning in her list of “Six Savory Novels Set in Detroit” along with works by Elmore Leonard, Joyce Carol Oates, and Jeffrey Eugenides. His first book of poetry, Stone + Fist + Brick + Bone, was nominated for a Michigan Notable Book Award in 2009. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine called the book “a terrific one for our city.” His short story “Boss” appeared in Coolest American Stories 2022, which won the International Book Awards Prize for Fiction Anthologies. In 2022, his novel River Rouge won the American Writing Awards for Legacy Fiction, while the manuscript for his novel Detroit South won the 2025 Claymore Award for Literary Fiction.
Lynette Mayman is a Collections Interpreter at Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research and has published numerous articles in the Cranbrook Kitchen Sink, the organization’s weekly blog. Lynette is internationally educated, holding a BA Combined Honours in French and Linguistics and an MA in Education from the University of London, and an MA in Latin from Wayne State University. She studied ancient Greek and Roman archeological sites in Greece under a Fulbright scholarship and recently completed a course offered by Yale University through Coursera on Roman Architecture. Lynette also spent many years teaching a variety of French, Latin, English, and the Humanities.
650 Writing Prompts
If you are struggling with topic ideas, check out this list of 650 prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing. Please note that some of the links are to an article or blog about that subject.
WINTER WHEAT WRITING FESTIVAL
Dear Writers,
We at the Winter Wheat Writing Festival would like to invite you to attend this year’s festival. Registration is now live on our website here!
Winter Wheat is a writing festival organized by Mid-American Review. The three-day event features generative writing workshops, readings, a bookfair, and opportunities to interact with fellow writers. This year’s festival will take place November 6-8th, in the Education Building at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. The festival is completely free to register and attend. We have an amazing lineup of workshops in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and more this year! You can check out the schedule on our website.
Please let us know if you have any questions or would like further information. Please feel free to share this with anyone. We hope to see you there!
Best,
Hannah Goss
Winter Wheat Coordinator
I don’t think there is enough respect in general for the time it takes to write consistently good fiction. Too many people think they will master writing overnight, or that they are as good as they will ever be.
—Tananarive Due, American author and educator
PLEASE VERIFY YOUR DIRECTORY INFORMATION
We want to make sure your information is current. Please verify your address, phone number, email, etc. on the Directory in the Members Only section of our website. Once you sign into the Member Only area, you will see a tab on the right to access the directory.
Please email secretary@detworkingwriters.org with any corrections. Thank You!
NATIONAL DAYS FOR WRITING IN NOVEMBER
- National Author’s Day is November 1, 2025—A day to purchase books by your favorite author to support them. Share your favorite novels online and encourage an aspiring author.
Origin of the Day: In 1928, Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, President of the Bement, Illinois Women’s Club, was a teacher and an avid reader throughout her life. She came up with the idea of having a designated day for celebrating American authors. Nellie submitted her idea for a National Author’s Day to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. The club endorsed a resolution to honor American writers in 1929, and the United States Department of Commerce recognized the day in 1949. - National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)—a challenge to writers to complete a novel during the month of November, even if they have no intention of publishing it. The goal is to take time out of each day to add to the story and finish out the month with a 50,000-word first draft. During the month, use #NovelWritingMonth when posting on social media. The only rule is to start your novel on November 1 and finish it by 11:59 pm on November 30.
Those who have participated in the past may recall the option to register online for the event. I was trying to find a website link, but none of the links were working. I found information that the non-profit organization announced on March 31, 2025, that it is shutting down because of financial difficulties. This is a sad event, as Chris Baty, a freelance writer, began the challenge in July 1999, and in 2000, moved the event to November. The lack of an official website and organization does not prevent you from attempting this challenge on your own to knock out some creative writing. - National Life Writing Month—to encourage people to write about themselves and their lives. These are personal stories about you and your family, memories, traditions, significant events, and anything else you feel is vital for your life story. Use #LifeWritingMonth when posting on social media.
Apply to DWW link: https://www.detworkingwriters.org/apply-for-membership/
About Us link: https://www.detworkingwriters.org/about-dww/
RESULTS OF DWW MEMBERSHIP SURVEY 2025
The DWW Board thanks those of you who took the time to respond to our survey. It has provided valuable insight into what members are seeking so we can move forward to better meet your needs. Here is a synopsis of the answers you provided.
- How long ago did you join Detroit Working Writers?
61% of the survey respondents have been members for over 10 years, 30% 5-10 years, and 7% under five years. - How can Detroit Working Writers best support your goals as a writer?
Networking opportunities, workshops, and conferences are the overwhelming support that members are seeking. - DWW is considering the reinstatement of the Emerging Writer membership category. Would you be interested in mentoring fellow members or being mentored yourself?
Of the 20 people who answered this question, six gave a firm yes to mentoring. There were two extensive comments regarding this category that the Board will consider in reestablishing this level of membership. - Have you attended past DWW events? If not, can you share why and what would encourage you to participate in future events?
The majority of responders have attended DWW events in the past. The main reasons for non-participation were scheduling conflicts and not residing in the state. - Would you be interested in attending quarterly Member Meet-ups (a mixture of guest speakers, write-ins, open mics, and hugs and hurrahs)? Do you prefer online or in-person?
The majority of responders prefer quarterly meetups, with 11 favoring online or a combination, 12 favoring in-person or a combination, and two responders did not specify a preference. - How often do you visit the updated DWW website? If offered, would you utilize a personal “Writer’s Page,” accessible through the DWW Membership Directory, to promote your work?
Approximately half of the responders visit the website infrequently. Regular updates with relevant and valuable content would encourage more frequent usage. Eight (8) are interested in a writer’s page, and a couple of others question its promotion/who it would reach. - How do you think DWW can best attract new members?
We received a variety of answers, but the underlying theme is promoting the organization through several key strategies: hosting events like conferences, having a DWW table at writing/author events, taking steps to attract younger members, and opening up membership to those residing out of state. - What is one thing you can do now to help move DWW forward?
The majority of answers suggest sharing DWW with other writers, whether in person or on social media. - Please share any additional comments you have.
The comments included thank you messages, suggestions for more benefits to joining, requests to send out meeting notices sooner, and some interesting and lengthy responses that the board will review.
Again, we thank you for taking the time to respond. We will keep you informed of our progress as we transform the DWW to meet today’s membership needs and desires.
Last month a draft version of our About DWW page was mistakenly shared. We regret the error. The correct version is below and on the DWW website.
About DWW
This year, Detroit Working Writers celebrates its 125th Anniversary! Click here for information about our upcoming event.
Founded in 1900, it was the first organization of its kind in Detroit [1]. Today, DWW is a 501(c)(6) organization and the State of Michigan’s oldest writer’s organization, sharing a storied history:
- On June 5, 1900, a group of women writers formed the Detroit Women’s Press Club to support professional and aspiring female writers while traveling home from a National Women’s Press Club outing aboard the famed Detroit steamer Tashmoo.
- In 1914, the name was changed to the Detroit Women Writers Club.
- In 1966, the organization’s name was changed to Detroit Women Writers.
- In 2000, DWW’s centennial year coincided with the City of Detroit’s 300th year, and DWW was designated as a Heritage Organization by Detroit 300.
- In 2004, the name was changed to Detroit Working Writers as membership opened to male writers.
DWW is committed to inclusivity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, or disability.
Membership in DWW is based solely on the excellence of published writing credits. Our membership includes novelists, journalists, poets, playwrights, scriptwriters, freelancers, travel writers, and essayists who support and promote writing by serving as role models, mentors, teachers, and speakers. Past and current members include Joyce Carol Oates, Judith Guest, Naomi Long Madgett, Gloria Whelan, Ellyce Field, Linda Nemec Foster, Jean Alicia Elster, Margaret Hillert, Ruth Ryan Langan, Elizabeth Buzzelli, and more. Please visit Our Books page.
The annual DWW Writer’s Conference was held from 1961 through 2018, drawing writers from throughout Michigan and presenting high-profile keynote speakers and craft-related workshops. DWW aims to continue its long history of programming by holding quarterly Members’ Meet-ups—a mixture of guest speakers on craft-related topics, write-ins, open mics, and hugs-and-hurrahs. For more information on DWW’s event schedule, visit our Events page.
DWW has published three books:
- Echoes from the Moon (1976), a volume of poetry by DWW members,
- Voices on Writing Fiction (1987), advice on writing by DWW members, and
- Century of Voices, a DWW Anthology 1900–2000 (1999), featuring the work of eighty-seven members that reflects a century of membership with historical introductions to each section.
We welcome new members and seek to invigorate the contemporary Michigan writing community, propelling the organization forward in the tradition of professional excellence brought forth by our trailblazing and inspired founders. To learn more about the application process, visit our Apply to DWW page.
[1] “Womens Writers’ Club Twenty-One Years Old,” Detroit Free Press, Jun3 12, 1921, page 53, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048552338/
Writing Sex Scenes
Something we rarely discuss but you may want to include in your fictional work, is one or more sex scenes. If you aren’t sure of the process and want an idea on how to create one, check out 8 Dos and Don’ts of How to Write Sex Scenes That Work. Don’t worry, there are no explicit details, just what to consider when writing an under-the-sheets encounter.
Writing and Book Contests
The 14th Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards is accepting fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the 2026 competitions. Winners receive: First $1,000, Second $500, Third $250. All winners receive scholarships to the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books Masters Workshop in March, following the Tucson Festival of Books. The top 50 entrants are invited to attend the Master’s Workshop ($350). Accepted formats include five poems of any length, a short story, a novel excerpt, a nonfiction piece, or a book excerpt. The maximum length for prose is 5,000 words per submission. There is no limit on the number of entries; each submission is $20. For information on the literary awards and workshop, contact Meg Files at info@tucsonfestivalofbooks.org. Deadline: October 31, 2025; winners notified by December 22, 2025. Click here for more information.
Novel Excerpt Contest by The Masters Review is accepting submissions for novel excerpts from emerging writers. They are looking for excerpts that can stand alone, with strong casts of characters, exciting settings, and unforgettable narrative arcs. Your excerpt may come from any place in your novel, but choose wisely. A synopsis should not be required for understanding the excerpt. There are no limitations on genre, though they are primarily interested in literary fiction. The winning entry will be awarded $3,000, online publication, and an hour-long consultation with Marin Takikawa, a literary agent with The Frederich Agency. Second and third place excerpts will receive online publication and $300 and $200 respectively, in addition to written feedback from Takikawa. Deadline: November 9, 2025 at 11:59 PT. Entry is $20 per submission, Additional information and entry instructions are on The Masters Review website.
The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest 2025 is an annual competition celebrating and compensating the best micro fiction and nonfiction online. The grand prize winner is automatically nominated for Best Small Fictions and any other prize appropriate. Grand prize winner receives $1,000, 2nd place $500, 3rd place $300 and finalists $100. Word count is 250 or less, excluding the title. Will consider previously published and unpublished work. Contest open to anyone 18 years of age or older from anywhere worldwide; must be able to receive funds through Paypal or Zelle. Fiction, non-fiction and hybrid narratives are considered; SmokeLong does not consider poetry with line breaks. Deadline: November 15, 2025. Submit up to 2 micros for $14; up to 4 micros for $22. Additional information on SmokeLong Quarterly website.
The 2026 Southern California Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual competition honoring the best books of the fall. They will consider published and unpublished works in fiction, non-fiction, biography/autobiography, memoir, how-to, compilations/anthologies, photography/art, children’s, cookbooks, poetry, spiritual, young adult, business/technology, unpublished manuscripts, wild card (anything goes), nature/animals, and regional lit. E-Book entries are welcome. There is no date of publication restriction. In addition to honoring the top selections in the above categories, awards will be chosen from submissions for 1) Author of the Year, 2) Book Design of the Year, and 3) Publisher of the Year. Deadline: November 25, 2025—entries must be received by the close of business. $50 entry fee, entry form here.
2025 New England Book Festival Call for entries for its 18th annual program, celebrating the best books of the holiday season. They will consider the following genres: non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, memoir, children’s books, young adult, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, photography/art, poetry, gay literature, regional literature, spiritual, wild card (anything goes), business books, unpublished stories, and compilations/anthologies. Multiple submissions are allowed, but the $50 entry fee must accompany each. Deadline: November 25, 2025 by the end of business day. Entry forms available here.
[Due to length, I’m continuing with just the key sections – the full file would include all contests, Question of the Month, Member Highlights, Writing Classes, and Newsletter Deadlines]
Introducing the Question of the Month
A member suggested placing a Question of the Month in each newsletter to help us become better acquainted and help each other with our writing.
Question of the Month is making its debut here. A question will be posted in each newsletter. Members have until the next Newsletter Deadline to submit answers. Responses will be posted in the following month’s newsletter, along with a new question.
Help make this interactive activity a success. Submit your answer to our first question below.
October Question of the Month:
Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym, and why or why not?
Submit your answer to secretary@detworkingwriters.org or by clicking the button below.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT–KAREN TINTORI
Unto the Daughters: The Legacy of an Honor Killing in a Sicilian American Family, Karen Tintori’s narrative nonfiction published by St. Martin’s Press, is analyzed side by side with Juliet Grame’s novel, The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna, in a chapter of the recently published Italian Americans on the Page from Suny Press.
Karen Tintori was a recent guest on Italian Roots and Genealogy podcast. Karen also contributed a chapter to the anthology, E c’erano Gerani Rosse Dappertuto, Radice Edizione, Italy. It was later translated into English from the Italian as An There Were Red Geraniums Everywhere. The book features essays on the female Italian American experience from the perspective of sixteen North American Italian writers.
You can learn more about Karen on her website.
HELPFUL LINKS
A lot of content is available online, and it is easy to overlook something of value buried in the piles of spam mail. In case you missed it, here are three items from Writer’s Digest you may find valuable.
1. Writer’s Digest has published their 2026 Editorial Calendar and is accepting pitches for articles. View the Calendar here.
2. 7 Book Proposal Pet Peeves from Publishers is a quick read. When reading the list you may think “well duh,” but let’s face it, the items wouldn’t be on the list if writers weren’t making these mistakes.
3. 101 Best Websites for Writers 2025 is divided into sections to make it easy to target your search: Best Creativity Websites, Best Live Streams, Podcasts & YouTube Channels, Best Writing Advice Websites, Best Everything Agents Websites, Best General Resources Websites, Best Genre/Niche Websites, Best Publishing News & Resource Websites, Best Job & Market Websites, Best Writing Community Websites, and Best Indie Publishing Websites.
SHARE YOUR MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
Do you have any activities or accomplishments to share? Whether it is a published article, book, honor or award received, book signing, or any other writing activities you would like highlighted in our newsletter, please send it to secretary@detworkingwriters.org. If you have a link where members can view the article or book, please include it.
I busied myself to think of a story, — a story to rival those which had excited us to this task. One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature, and awaken thrilling horror—one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart. If I did not accomplish these things, my ghost story would be unworthy of its name.
― Mary Shelley, Introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein
WRITING CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND GROUPS
Art Through Words Creative Writing for ages 16+
Date: Wednesdays, October 29-December 10, 2025 (no class 11/26)
Time: 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Instructor: Patrick Gibson
Cost: Members $132; Non-Members $145
Location: Northville Art House, 215 W. Cady Street, Northville, Michigan 48167
Class Description: Let’s write! Class welcomes both artists and writers, beginners and advanced. We’ll draw inspiration from our artistic surroundings, the fall season, and upcoming holidays, to develop short stories, flash fiction, personal essay, and poetry. Let’s capture experiences through words, using encouragement from moods, tones, colors, lighting, textures, and images. Each session includes a discussion of specific writing elements. You’ll have opportunity to share drafts for supportive peer feedback. Bring pen and paper, a tablet, or laptop to write with. All skill levels welcome. Register Here.
NEWSLETTER DEADLINES
If you have any content that may be of interest to other members, Member Highlights of your own accomplishments, answers to Question of the Month, etc. please send it to secretary@detworkingwriters.org by the deadline shown below. Thank you!
November Newsletter — Saturday, November 15, 2025
December Newsletter — Saturday, December 13, 2025
January Newsletter — Saturday, January 17, 2025
February Newsletter — Saturday, February 14, 2025
March Newsletter — Saturday, March 14, 2025
April Newsletter — Saturday, April 18, 2025
