Welcome Romance Writers!
We look forward to meeting you!
LARA RWA meetings are held via Zoom until we are cleared by the State of California for group gatherings. All info here.
Visitors and Guests: your first meeting is free!
LARA Mission Statement
The purpose of LARA is to promote excellence in romantic fiction, to help our writers enhance their knowledge and establish career goals, and to provide continuing support and encouragement for our members through all levels of their careers.
Upcoming Meetings
- February 15, 2026
- March 15, 2026
- April 12, 2026
- May 17, 2026
- June 14, 2026
- July 12, 2026
- August 16, 2026
- September 20, 2026
- October 18, 2026
- November 15, 2026
- December 13, 2026
- January 18, 2026
February 15, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Alexis Roark
Topic:Pulling Back the Curtain on Direct Selling
Everybody's talking about selling direct, but nobody's showing you the credit card bill, the ad spend, or the three hours they spent packing orders on a Tuesday. This workshop is the part they leave out. We'll pull back the curtain on what selling direct actually means (spoiler: you become Amazon), what it costs in money, time, and brain space, and how to figure out if it even makes sense for where you are right now. You'll fill out a worksheet as we go so you leave with a clear picture of what direct sales would actually look like for you. We'll save time at the end for your questions.
March 16, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Laurie Schnebly
Topic: The Double D's: Dynamic Description & Delicious Dialogue
Everyone tends to be better at writing one of the big D's. (If you're fabulous at both, you don't need this workshop!) What kind of dialogue makes your characters real? What kind of description works best for your voice? No two writers will use the same techniques for these key elements, but having new tools to choose from can make writ-ing description and dialogue easier as well as more fun...not only for you, but for your readers as well.
Laurie Schnebly Campbell loves giving workshops that draw on her background as an advertising copywriter, a counseling therapist, and a romance novelist who beat out Nora Roberts for "Best Special Edition of the Year." Her favorite books are those created in the classes she teaches for WriterUniv.com, with 51 first sales so far.
Find out more about our speaker here: https://booklaurie.com/
April 12, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Denny S. Bryce
Topic: Writing Dual Timelines and Multiple POVs for Romance Writers
Writing Dual Timelines and Multiple POVs: Want to infuse your romance novel with more emotions, surprises, and fresh storytelling? This craft-focused session explores how point of view and narrative structure (dual timelines; multiple POVs, alternating chapters, or even unexpected voices) can deepen emotional stakes, build tension, and elevate your love story. The session will introduce the impact of writing dual timelines/multiple POVs, the pros and cons of first-person vs. third-person, the enticement of dual POVs, a romance reader favorite, and how formats like alternating timelines can add extra spark. Whether you're writing a swoony slow burn or a high-stakes second-chance romance, the goal is to give you some fresh insights to telling your story in the most powerful way.
Find out more about Denny here: https://dennysbryce.com/
May 17, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Eden Bradley
Topic: Character Development: The Art and the Arc
In this one hour workshop, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author Eden Bradley will walk you through the art of creating 3-dimensional characters with relatability and depth, and show you how to build satisfying character arcs as your story progresses. She’ll address the important “whys” to ask yourself, how you can structure your characters to support your story, and how the interplay with external conflict can help shape your characters into realistic and sympathetic individuals. Find out how to use this crucial skill in drawing your readers in to every moment, making it impossible for them to resist investing their emotions in the lives and loves of your characters.
Find out more about Eden here: https://linktr.ee/EdenBradley
June 14, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Ally Robertson
Topic: Blurbs & Keywords
Coming soon!
Find out more about our speaker here: Coming soon!
July 12, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Lee Savino
Topic: My Path to Seven Figures
Workshop description coming soon!
Lee Savino is a seven-figure romance author with multiple USA Today and Top 100 Amazon bestsellers who also has coached multiple authors.
She has extensive expertise in selling direct, going wide, rapid releasing, and branding, as well as less commonly explored (but extremely lucrative) areas such as translations.
She runs the Millionaire Author Mastermind Facebook group, hosts the Six Figure Author Experiment with Russell Nohelty, and co-teaches the Money Magic Membership with Renee Rose and the Seven Figure Author course with herself.
Sign up to Lee’s Author advice newsletter here.
August 16, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Talia Hibbert
Topic: Puzzle Piecing: Writing Characters Who Feel Perfect for Each Other
Coming soon!
Find out more about our speaker here: Coming soon!
September 20, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Topic: TBD
Coming soon!
Find out more about our speaker here: Coming soon!
October 18, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Topic: TBD
Coming soon!
Find out more about our speaker here: Coming soon!
November 15, 2026
Pre-Meeting: TBD
Speaker: Rhonda McKnight
Topic: AMA: Being a Traditional & Self-Published Author
Revision and self-editing tips for leveling up your WIP.
Rhonda McKnight is the author of a two-time Christy Award Finalist and Emma Award winner for her novels, Bitter and Sweet and The Thing About Home. She has also written several other award-winning bestsellers, including Unbreak My Heart and An Inconvenient Friend. She writes book club fiction and romance about complex characters in crisis. Her goal is to touch the heart of women with the themes of faith, forgiveness, and hope. In addition to penning 29 novels, Rhonda has had a 24 year career with Family & Children Services.
She teaches fiction writing through her virtual writing workshop and provides developmental editing services. Rhonda is the mother of two adult sons and a very spoiled dog. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, she writes from the comfort of her South Carolina home.
You can learn more about Rhonda here.
January 18, 2026
LARA Member Check-In