No matter what stage you’re at in your publishing career, you can learn a thing or two from Dan Conaway, one of the biggest and best literary agents in the business. His clients include Megan Abbot, Greg Iles, Stacy Willingham, Joseph Finder, Marcia Clark, and many more. To accommodate his schedule, we will meet with … Read more
The MWA Mid-Atlantic Chapter holiday party will be 6-9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11 at Elaine’s, 208 Queen St. in Old Town Alexandria. Come, network, and have a good time reconnecting with fellow writers. A stone’s throw from the majestic Potomac River, Elaine’s specializes in delicious Mediterranean fare. Enjoy savory bites, dessert, beer, and wine (cocktails available … Read more
Large language models need words to grow. Are they stealing yours? The Mid-Atlantic chapter of Mystery Writers of America invites you to join us for an evening of conversation with Umair Kazi, Director of Policy & Advocacy for The Authors Guild, about the Guild’s fight against AI theft and the Human Authored certification. Tuesday, October … Read more
Brand You U—Building a Winning Personal Brand Google, Nike, Kleenex—just the name is enough to remind people of what these brands stand for. No one asks, “What’s a Google?” So how do you capture that same level of recognition for yourself and your books? In this talk, Kevin Tumlinson shares what he’s learned about building … Read more
Archetype Subversion Techniques Let’s delve into the art of using archetypes to craft characters, then we’ll break the rules to create fresh-takes on familiar stories. Learn the nuances of group dynamics and how to imbue your characters with complexity, believability, and relatability. Explore the power of leveraging reader expectations to defy conventions in ways that intrigue and enchant. Uncover strategies … Read more
July 8, 7 p.m. David Holtzman knows all about artificial intelligence and its threat to novelists. He owns one of the original servers used to build the internet and has served as a military intelligence professional, author, and White House adviser on technology issues. He will speak at our Tuesday, July 8, Zoom monthly meeting. … Read more
Trained as a medical doctor, Tess Gerritsen built a second career as an internationally bestselling novelist. Her 32 novels include The Summer Guests, The Spy Coast, Gravity, and The Surgeon. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon). Time Magazine named The Surgeon one of the best mystery/thrillers ever written. Her series of novels featuring … Read more
What was the cause of Edgar Allan Poe’s untimely death in October of 1847, at the age of 40? What happened to him in the three missing days before he was found, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own? Mark Dawidziak’s Edgar-nominated biography, A Mystery … Read more
Reserve Now Before Gatsby Celebration Sells Out! Sign up now and receive a 50% discount on our April 10, 2025, 100th Anniversary Celebration of the publication of The Great Gatsby. All MWA chapter members will receive a $50 discount for themselves and $50 for one guest for this glittering 1920s-style party. Wear your favor flapper, tux, gangster, … Read more