Welcome!
The Gulf Coast Writers Association is proud to provide a forum for fellowship, education, and information for writers in our community. Whether you write for pleasure or profit, you’ll find support from our members. And with an average of 175 members, there’s always encouragement and friendly guidance to help you improve your writing skills. Plus, our monthly speakers’ events are informative and fun, providing expert advice on topics such as writing techniques, publishing, marketing, and others. So no matter what your genre: general fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s, young adult, historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, memoirs, and more, you’re in good company. Check out our website and see what exciting things we have in store for you.
Announcements
GCWA 2020 Writing Contest opens October 1, 2019
Deadline for entries January 31, 2020
Details on the contest page!
Visit our new page for Blogs, Podcasts, and Webinars for writers.
Meet your Officers and Directors for 2019
Interested in joining a new critique or reading group? [list of current groups] Looking for new members for your critique group? Contact Al York.
New Writing Game
October 2019
Charley Valera
Workshop: The 30 Second Elevator Pitch
My flight to Newark was being delayed for hours. Chatting with one of the passengers, I was asked, “So, you’re a writer? That’s pretty cool. What have you written?” I stumbled and hemmed and hawed. I wasn’t prepared. I also didn’t know who this guy was—yet. Turns out, he was the CFO for Hudson News. I blew it.
Have you ever really thought about what you need to say? Do you have a well prepared elevator pitch under thirty-seconds? You should. How about a one-page handout? Do you have a great one-page ready as you’re pitching them?
GCWA member Charley Valera is an award-winning author and filmmaker. He will be providing a free workshop at our October meeting on creating your personal pitch and one-page. We’ll also talk about personal goals and break into small groups. Bring a notebook, ideas be prepared to climb the most important step of your writing career.
Next Meeting: October 19, 2019 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Location: [map] Zion Lutheran Church,
7401 Winkler Rd, Fort Myers, FL 33919
First time guests free
Join Us!
Gulf Coast Writers provide ideas, support, encouragement, resources and networking opportunities to fellow writers. Don’t miss out on all the great speakers we have planned for the upcoming year. Click button below to learn what you will get within our association. Only $40 annual ($50 for families). Come join the fun!
LIKE our Facebook page and check out our meeting photos.
Dear Members: Renew now! We value your membership and don’t want you to miss the exciting events we have planned for this year. Dues are payable from Fall until January 31. If you haven’t renewed and plan to attend our next meeting, please bring your money or check with you. Or you can pay today! Simply click the Membership Application tab and renew your membership online via PayPal. If you aren’t sure if you have paid your membership dues, please e-mail website@GulfWriters.org.
Latest Good News
If there is an ellipsis (…) at the end of a post here, that means there is more to read. To read a complete post, click on the headline. Or, if you want to scroll through ALL of our Good News, Click Here for more good news. Good news is for members only. If you would like to join in the fun, visit the Membership Application Page to learn more about joining. If you are are a GCWA member with Good News, please send email to website@gulfwriters.org.
Book Launch Party — Charley Valera
Date changed to October 24, 2019 from October 10, 2019 Award-winning author and Gulf Coast Writers Association member Charley Valera is [...]Carmine and Dorayne Lombardo’s play honored
We were amazingly pleased to receive notification that our play, VIZHON, which was world premiered October 2018 at the John McCabe Theatre in [...]Joe Pacheco on WGCU radio
NPR station WGCU, 90.1 FM will broadcast my Moon Day poem on Friday, July 19, at the following times: Morning Edition 8:45 AM All [...]
Events
We get a lot of upcoming events sent to us, from all over Florida and even beyond. If there is an ellipsis (…) at the end of a post here, that means there is more to read. To read a complete post, click on the headline. Take a look at all the events. You can Click Here for more Events, and you can go to our calendar to see those that are posted in our local Lee county and surrounding areas. If you are affiliated with a group that is hosting an event that is relevant to authors, please send email to website@gulfwriters.org.
Tim Jacobs at Pine Island Writers
PINE ISLAND WRITERS HOSTS PUBLISHER EVENT Pine Island Writers is hosting Timothy Jacobs – author, CEO and owner of JWC Publishing on [...]Book Launch Party — Charley Valera
Date changed to October 24, 2019 from October 10, 2019 Award-winning author and Gulf Coast Writers Association member Charley Valera is [...]
Writing Contests
If there is an ellipsis (…) at the end of a post here, that means there is more to read. To read a complete post, click on the headline. Or, if you want to scroll through ALL of Writing Contests we have heard about, Click Here for more writing contests. If you are affiliated with a group that is hosting a writing contest, please send email to website@gulfwriters.org.
Missouri Review Editor’s Prize
29th Annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize $5,000 Fiction | $5,000 Nonfiction | $5,000 Poetry DEADLINE EXTENDED: October 15, [...]Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards
Calling all poets! We’re on the look out for poems of all styles. SUBMIT YOUR BEST POEMS in the 14th Annual Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards [...]Masters Review Fall Fiction Contest
Fall Fiction Award Judged by Anita Felicelli The Fall Fiction Contest is NOW OPEN for submissions through November 30th! Submit your very [...]
Announcements and Opportunities
If there is an ellipsis (…) at the end of a post here, that means there is more to read. To read a complete post, click on the headline. Or, if you want to scroll through ALL of our Announcements, Click Here for more announcements. Also, if you would like to make an announcement of your own, please send email to website@gulfwriters.org.
Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) accepting submissions
New York City's Downtown Urban Arts Festival (DUAF) is currently accepting PLAY SUBMISSIONS for its 18th annual season! DUAF will accept up to [...]Grand Prix of Literary Associations
2019, GPLA is moving to Seven mode. It seems like an age ago, the year 2013, when the inaugural edition of the Grand Prix of Literary [...]Volunteers wanted for Writers on the Air
WANTED: Volunteer Tech for non-profit radio station WKDW 97.5 FM open mic radio show, "Writers on the Air" on Sundays in North Port at 12735 US [...]
GCWA officers
Meet the officers and directors for 2018/19.
Members Poetry and Prose
See the latest contributions by our members, Lorraine Walker Williams, Jim Gustafson and Joe Pacheco. Send your own poetry and short prose to website@gulfwriters.org.
New GCWA meeting agenda
We are replacing our long business meetings with contributions from our members. If you would like to speak at one of our meetings, please contact Bob McCarthy at Programs@GulfWriters.org or Irene Smith at Membership@GulfWriters.org
Information wanted
GCWA members — send us your photos, your bios, your books to be listed on the website — email website@gulfwriters.org.
Visit your local book stores
There are several book stores who sell books by local authors. Visit, buy books, check on selling your books on their shelves. List of stores
Looking for Word Song editor
Due to time constraints our News Magazine WORD SONG is needing an Executive Editor with MailChimp experience in order to continue. If you would like to know more about it, please email TheWord@gulfwriters.org We will continue to send out a basic meeting announcement until then. If you are not seeing these emails, please search your SPAM and PROMOTIONS folder and then add the address to your contacts list. Or contact membership@gulfwriters.org to verify that your email is in the system. You can click here to see the current edition and get instructions for how to find our emails.
Services page on website
We have added a Writing Services page to the website. GCWA members, if you have a writing-related business you would like listed, please contact website@gulfwriters.org. No fancy ads, just listings for editors, illustrators, publishers, ghost writers, website designers, etc.