Search results for

Harlequin Heartwarming author Kristi Hong leads this single-session idea workshop about writing your romance novel. We’ll explore the essential elements of a great love story—from character chemistry and emotional tension to classic tropes and satisfying endings. Class will include examples from popular romances, guided exercises, and peer feedback on your ideas. Come prepared to write! (Bring paper, pencils, laptops, etc.) San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Applicable to comedy, drama, and reality, this unique course is designed for creative aspiring writers with no prior experience—as well as those with screenwriting experience—who seek to break into television writing. Learn in an interactive environment the basics of creating, writing, and presenting your first television script for both drama and/or comedy, including how to take your idea to the next step and create a complete half-hour or one-hour television script. Beginning and professional writers are welcome. Prior screenwriting experience is not required. Students will be emailed several TV scripts (shooting drafts) in PDF format prior to the first-class session (and more during the course) to be read in advance if possible. We’ll also be viewing videos related to the topics throughout the course. This course will also include special guests, including WGA writers and producers working in television today. Students will get the opportunity to ask questions and get a behind-the-scenes look into how television is made, learning about the different career paths to becoming a professional television writer and what showrunners, producers, creative executives, and fellowship competitions are looking for from writers working today. Note: Enrollment is limited to 12 participants. Be sure to sign up today! SD Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Fall Equinox is that time of the year when the hours of daylight and nighttime are of equal length; it’s also the time of celebrating the harvest and preparing for the winter ahead. In this Equinox observance, we’ll gather in the Native Plant Learning Garden in Bird Park where we’ll be inspired by the expansive native plant garden. We’ll wander the paths along the dry stream beds, breathing in the scents of mint and sage, accompanied by bird song and bright butterflies, and discover the diversity of San Diego’s various and many native plants. During our time together, we’ll discuss Equinox lore and legend, explore our many links and connections with the season, and retreat into our notebooks and journals to harvest remembrances of summer-past and note our intentions for the coming season. Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes, a sun hat. Bring your journals or notebooks and water. Plenty of free street parking is available adjacent to Bird Park on 28th Street. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Something happened. A series of events shaped your life. Now you want to write about them. But what format will you choose? In this in-depth workshop, we’ll investigate whether to take real-life events and use them as the basis of a memoir or a work of fiction–and how to make the right choice for your story. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Explore mindfulness-based writing using fun prompts to collectively inspire and deepen your intuitive expression. Participants in this one-session creative writing workshop will be inspired by a series of short, in-class prompts with a poem and pictures. The aim is to boost creativity and deepen each participant’s intuitive expression through contemplative practices. We will start this workshop with a brief mindfulness settling-in exercise—and a poem to accompany the session’s theme. And after each writing prompt, participants will be encouraged to discuss their work in small groups. This intuitive creation process is highly motivating; it enhances self-awareness and the flow of ideas and connection with others. This course is designed for every type of writer: novelists, poets, screenwriters, playwrights, journalists, essayists, etc., with all levels of experience: from novice writers to seasoned authors. We will focus on the collective inspiration derived from a fresh series of fun and original writing prompts. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Your story isn’t meant to sit quietly on the page. It’s meant to breathe. To move. To make people lean in and forget to blink. In this 6-week creative “play shop,” you’ll bring your writing, your wild ideas, your lived experiences, and your talent—and together we’ll transform them into a performance that grabs an audience by the heart. Every week, you’ll share your works-in-progress, get real-time feedback, and watch your material rise to a whole new level. And because this is me, we’ll do it with laughter, play, and a whole lot of “Wow, I didn’t know I could do that.” By the end? You won’t just have a piece you’re proud of but a performance ready for our LIVE in-person showcase that will leave your audience talking about you long after the curtain falls. All levels welcome. Whether you’re new to performing or a seasoned pro ready to stretch yourself, you’ll be seen, supported, and challenged to shine. Note: There will be no session on October 2. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Do you want to see your writing in magazines? Would you like to receive a check for what you write? If your goal is to write personal essays and get paid for them, this is the class for you. We will go through idea generation, how to find publications that are right for your idea, and how to pitch to editors and locate their e-mail addresses. You will finish the class with several ideas for essays, where to pitch them, and with a list of resources to build those bylines! This workshop is on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Cost is $36 for Members & $42 for Non-Members. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

Writing doesn’t get more personal than the memoir. In it, the author shares a part or portions of his/her/their life with readers and seeks universality, understanding and connection. In this three-hour course, students will open that important window into themselves and identify what those life-changing moments and events are and how to express them in writing. As the author Emily Gordon once opined, “Your life story is a gift. It should be treated as such.” This workshop is on Sunday, Sept. 14, from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. via Zoom. Cost is $54 for Members & $63 for Non-Members. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram

In September, the Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series returns to Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. For over two decades, the Perspectives Lecture Series has been engaging the public on research conducted worldwide by scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The fall 2025 series highlights Scripps Institution of Oceanography marine research and its contributions to society — from the development of new, economically-grounded strategies for sustaining critical ecosystems and fisheries to innovative research at the intersection of oceanography and human health. Hear directly from Scripps Oceanography scientists on how they envision the future of research to understand and protect our ocean planet for the benefit of all. The series kicks off with Marine Prosperity Areas: A New Hope in Conservation, featuring Scripps Oceanography Professor and Marine Ecologist Octavio Aburto. Marine Protected Areas have long been the most effective tools for marine ecosystem restoration, but these efforts often require sacrifices today for benefits decades in the future. Learn how Aburto’s research has influenced the evolution of a more holistic approach to marine conservation focused on Marine Prosperity Areas. Aburto and a multinational team of marine scientists and economists have developed a comprehensive new framework for marine management that combines ecosystem conservation, economic growth, environmental responsibility and social policy — ultimately benefiting both people and the planet. Lecture Schedule: Monday, September 8, 2025, 7-8 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. Marine Prosperity Areas Represent a New Hope in Conservation Speaker: Octavio Aburto, Marine Ecologist and Scripps Oceanography Professor Additional lectures to follow: Monday, October 6, 2025, 7-8 p.m. Monday, November 10, 2025, 7-8 p.m. Lectures are free for Birch Aquarium members and $12 for the general public. Seating is limited and advanced reservations are required for all guests, including members. Registration is now open for the September lecture and will soon be added for the others. Birch Aquarium opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing hours varying by day. Purchase tickets online in advance for the best pricing or buy an annual membership to visit the aquarium all year. Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu for details including the Daily Schedule. Birch Aquarium on Instagram / TikTok / Facebook

What holds many would-be published authors back? Fear. The fear of writing and editing a manuscript is daunting. Equally scary are unknown parts of the publishing process, which are complicated and difficult enough to stop many potential authors in their tracks. This workshop covers everything needed to finally make it happen—or happen again. A published book, e-book, audio book, or other form that people will buy, read, and embrace. This workshop is for both new and experienced writers who want to know about all paths to publishing and what works best for each. This workshop is on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 1p.m. - 3 p.m. @ SDWI. Cost is $36 for Members & $42 for Non-Members. San Diego Writers, Ink on Facebook / Instagram