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Meetings Agenda
For the upcoming programming year, we have workshops planned for September, October, January, March, April, and June. Meetings will held on the second Sunday of each month, unless otherwise noted. We may meet on a different date, either to avoid a holiday weekend or to accommodate a speaker's availability.
Meetings are typically held on Zoom. If you are not a MRW member and would like to attend a meeting, click the button on the listing of the meeting you would like to attend to let us know. We will send you to our PayPal and you will receive the link the morning of the meeting.
November 9, 2025
The Back Story Paradox
You’re told you need well-rounded protagonists, and part of that means making sure they don’t walk onto the page as if they’ve just been born and have no prior history.
On the other hand, nothing kills narrative drive faster than too much backstory. So what’s the answer?
Craft. That means knowing where your story actually begins and what constitutes backstory— as well as how much information your reader really needs to have in order to follow the action. The truth is that what the reader knows when—what you tell them and what you withhold—can either amp up suspense and tension or sap it completely.
In this workshop I’ll talk about the three ways to incorporate backstory as well as why, when, where, how much, and how often to use each.
The goal is to use this delicious paradox to your advantage as a storyteller, to both make your readers fall in love with your protagonists and keep up the momentum of the story from page one to the HEA.
Susanne Dunlap
Susanne Dunlap is the award-winning author of over a dozen historical novels, as well as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. Her love of history began in academia with a PhD in music history from Yale. Her novel THE PORTRAITIST won first prize in its category in the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, and was a finalist in the CIBA Goethe Awards and the Foreword Indies Awards. THE ADORED ONE: A NOVEL OF LILLIAN LORRAINE AND FLORENZ ZIEGFELD, won first place in its category in the 2023 CIBA Goethe Awards for Late Historical Fiction. The 4th book in her Regency Romance Series, Double-Dilemma Romance, will be published on December 1. Today, she lives, coaches, and writes in beautiful Biddeford, Maine.
Schedule
12:30 pm - Member check-in & chat
1:00 pm - Business meeting
2:00pm - Workshop
On Zoom
No meeting in December
January 11, 2026
Workshop TBD
Workshop Description
Shirley Jump is an award-winning, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and USA Today bestselling author who has published more than 80 books in 24 countries, that have sold more than 8 million copies. She has spoken all over the world about the power of narrative and how to create compelling books.
She knows the path to publication isn’t all rainbows and unicorns, so to help writers write their best possible book, she hosts the Write Better Fiction with Shirley Jump YouTube channel, where Shirley unlocks the secrets behind compelling novels and delves into the psychological aspect of overcoming creativity-stoppers like doubt and perfectionism.
Schedule
12:30 pm - Member check-in & chat
1:00 pm - Business meeting
2:00 pm - Workshop
On Zoom
February 8, 2026
Pinterest for Authors: Grow Your Platform Without Social Media Overwhelm
Tired of chasing algorithms and posting daily just to stay visible? You’re not alone—and good news! You’re not out of options. In this eye-opening (and totally doable!) 1-hour session, bestselling author and writing educator Melissa Bourbon introduces authors to the long game of Pinterest—a powerful and underutilized tool for author visibility. With Pinterest, your content keeps working for you long after you hit publish. With more than 465 million monthly active users (98 million in the U.S. alone), Pinterest offers massive opportunity for discoverability—and yet, most authors aren’t using it at all.
In this session, you’ll learn:
Why Pinterest isn’t just “another platform” (hint: it’s not social—it’s searchable)
What authors can pin—even if you don’t have a blog
The basics of Pinterest SEO (and why keywords matter more than followers)
How to use pins, boards, and lead magnets to build long-term visibility
Whether you’re traditionally published, indie, or just starting out, Pinterest can help you attract new readers, grow your email list, and build a platform that works quietly behind the scenes—while you write.
Come curious. Leave inspired and with a clear understanding of how and why Pinterest should be part of every author’s marketing strategy.
Melissa Bourbon
Melissa Bourbon is a national bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels, including the Book Magic Mysteries, the Magical Dressmaking series, and the Bread Shop Mysteries (written as Winnie Archer), and The House of Spells and Secrets, written Ivy Cassidy. A former secondary English/Language Arts teacher and seasoned creative writing instructor, Melissa brings her passion for storytelling and education to every workshop she leads. She is the founder of WriterSpark Academy, an online school dedicated to helping writers strengthen their craft, find their voice, and build sustainable writing lives. Through in-person and virtual workshops, presentations, and online courses, Melissa inspires writers at all levels with engaging instruction rooted in real-world experience.
Schedule
12:30 pm - Member check-in & chat
1:00 pm - Business meeting
2:00 pm - Workshop
On Zoom
March 8, 2026
Fund Your Book With Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a platform on everyone's lips these days after Brandon Sanderson used it to raise $41 million dollars. Authors like Will Wight and Sherilyn Kenyon have joined staples Dean Westly Smith, Michael Sullvan, and many others in expanding the platform to more authors, but how do you use it effectively? Join USA Today bestselling Author Russell Nohelty, who has raised over $325,000 for publishing projects on Kickstarter, as he goes through the ins and outs on how to crush it on Kickstarter.
Russell Nohelty
Russell Nohelty (www.russellnohelty.com) is a USA Today bestselling fantasy and non-fiction author who has written dozens of novels and graphic novels including The Godsverse Chronicles, The Obsidian Spindle Saga, and Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter. He is the publisher of Wannabe Press, co-host of the Six Figure Author Experiment podcast, and editor-in-chief of The Author Stack. You can find most of his writing at theauthorstack.com. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and dogs.
Schedule
12:30 pm - Member check-in & chat
1:00 pm - Business meeting
2:00 pm - Workshop
On Zoom
April 2026
42,000 Challenge
Nano may be a thing of the past, but Maine Romance Writers are always up for a challenge! This will be a month long event with sprints and short workshops that will keep you motivated to get those words in. You can watch here for specific times and locations, as well as the motivational talks. Got something you'd like to know more about or interested in being a cheerleader? Use the contact email to get in touch. Let's make this romance centric challenge the best one yet!
Previous Meetings
June 21, 2025
Page Turner Pacing
Traditional episodic television writers are skilled in keeping viewers in their seats during commercial breaks. They’re also adept at keeping viewers talking and guessing in the seven days between each episode. Learn the tips and tricks show runners use to hold tension and attention so that you can keep readers in their seats as you serialize your prose! Let veteran television writer, Ines Johnson teach you her twelve-point method to structure each episode of your serial, as well as techniques to tease, lead, and hook readers from episode to episode.
Ines Johnson
Lover of fairytales, folklore, and mythology, Ines Johnson spends her days reimagining the stories of old in a modern world. She writes books where damsels cause the distress, princesses wield swords, and moms save the world. Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!
Schedule
12 pm - Member check-in & chat
1 pm - Annual meeting
2 pm - Workshop
On Zoom
October 12, 2025
Selling Direct: One Writer's Journey
There are many variables to how you set yourself up to sell direct to readers. I will take you on a walk-through of my choices based on the options available. You will leave with a checklist you can use to make some of these choices for yourself as you explore the world of selling direct.
Lisette Giroux
Lisette's first book published in 2010 was downloaded more than 80,000 times before she realized she might need an editor. With closing in on 30 books written she won't make that mistake again. She has taught self-publishing at UW-Madison and lived in more college towns than is good for anyone over the age of 30. She has never been afraid to tinker so self publishing feels like a natural fit. She is relentlessly curious and allergic to caffeine.
Schedule
12:30 pm - Member check-in & chat
1:00 pm - Business meeting
2:00pm - Workshop
On Zoom
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