Tri-Valley Writers is the Tri-Valley Branch of the California Writers Club. It is the only writing club in the Tri-Valley that accepts writers of all levels of ability and in all genres. The group's mission is to promote the craft of writing and the business of getting published. It accomplishes its mission via monthly speaker meetings, conferences, community activities, and other efforts.

"It is very difficult to be an artist of any sort," says Lani Longshore, President of the group. "You have two voices, one that says I am such a genius and another that says I am crap, so it is important to have a community to help keep you working, a community that can not only keep you accountable but also help you set goals."

Longshore knows about the struggle to find community as a writer. She is the co-author, with Ann Anastasio, of Death By Chenille, When Chenille Is Not Enough, and The Chenille Ultimatum. The two authors are now working on the fourth book in their series of science fiction novels about quilters saving the world from aliens disguised as bolts of beige fabric.

The author encourages writers of all sorts to explore the benefits of joining Tri-Valley Writers, which was founded in 2005 and and became a chartered branch of the California Writers Club in 2006. The all-volunteer group of more than 100 members encourages and supports one another in honing the craft of writing and publishing their work in a variety of ways. At the end of this year, for example, the group will publish its fourth anthology of work by members.

The group holds its general monthly meeting monthly at the Pleasanton Four Points By Sheraton hotel located in Hacienda. Smaller, special-interest groups also meet monthly in area restaurants and libraries. Tri-Valley Writers also supports aspiring writers by sponsoring one scholarship for a student at Las Positas College each year as well holding a High School Writing Contest open to all high school students in the Tri-Valley. About 100 students participated in the writing contest held during the 2017-2018 school year.

One of the best things about the Tri-Valley Writers group is its mixture of members, according to Longshore. Members range from students to seniors, work in a variety of writing genres, and come from different communities and backgrounds. This diversity has strengthened the group, which has thrived for nearly 15 years.

As autumn approaches, volunteers are busy developing the group's third affordable writers conference for members and other writers. This full day of writing wisdom, inspiration, and techniques is scheduled for April 13, 2019.

Group members will also participate in the Indie Author Day Showcase at the Livermore Library Civic Center on Saturday, October 13, between 1 pm and 4 pm. The showcase is free to the public and kicks off with a talk by bestselling author Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian and Artemis.

The Tri-Valley Writers speaker meeting on Saturday, September 15 at 2 pm will feature James N. Frey, author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel. Frey will speak on "The Things Every Writer Needs to Know to Survive." Please make reservations to attend by September 12; the entry fee for adult nonmembers is $18.

For more information about Tri-Valley Writers, please visit www.trivalleywriters.org.