About us
Writing a book? Let's MeetUp! Red Sands is a casual creative writing critique group open to all genres, from YA to mystery, literary to sci-fi, novels to poetry, screenplays to memoir. No fees or rigid structure. We get together to read drafts aloud and share feedback. Newbies are always welcome!
Don't have any writing yet? Just want to see how things work? Feel free to stop by as a reader. We always look forward to extra feedback!
***Recognized as one of the Top 150 groups in the world at MeetUp Togetherfest 2018***
Check out an incomplete list of published books by Red Sands members on this Goodreads List
Want more ways to connect? Join us on all the social media!
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Upcoming events
52
All Genre MFA-Style Writers Workshop
2627 N 3rd St, 2627 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA, Phoenix, AZ, USIN-PERSON EVENT in Downtown Phoenix
To sign up, please click here for our official websiteWelcome to our Saturday morning event! The session runs from 9:00am-12:25pm every Saturday. We have 15 seats. Nine attendees share for 21 minutes each. Attendees enter a lottery on Saturday at 9am for the right to share work, and the remaining attendees stay to critique.
We are very supportive, warm, and welcoming. If you're looking for a positive writing community that doesn't damage your ego, you've found the right group!
Your host, Mike Oppenheim, is an English, grammar, language, and creative writing professor with a 15+ year career teaching students from Junior High through College. He has an MFA from Mills College, an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from The University of California Berkeley, a Master's Certificate in Copyediting from The University of California San Diego, and a BA in Film Studies, English, and Philosophy from The University of Pittsburgh, summa cum laude. He has also published six novels and over 1,000 essays and stories.
To sign up, please click here for our official website
Questions? Email the host, Mike, at mikeyopp@mikeyopp.com14 attendees![[Tempe Library] All-Genre Writing Workshop: Read drafts, critique](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/2/b/0/highres_532217072.jpeg)
[Tempe Library] All-Genre Writing Workshop: Read drafts, critique
Tempe Public Library, 3500 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ, USIN-PERSON EVENT @ TEMPE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Location address: 3500 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282
MEETING ROOM 7Welcome to our Saturday morning meeting in Tempe! Please bring paper copies of a draft/chapter you're working on. Consider the number of RSVPs to determine how many copies. Keep your draft under 1500 words. We'll read the draft aloud and offer suggestions. First timers are always welcome. If you don't have writing to bring yet, that's okay too! Feel free to join us to read, hang out, and offer critiques. Just comment I'm coming just to critique or coming but nothing to share. It's all okay.
FAQ:
What type of writing can be critiqued?
We read everything! Bring your novel, screenplay, non-fiction, poetry, short story, TikTok skit, or anything else.My writing is ____ genre, is that okay?
Yes! Bring your sci-fi, mystery, western, literary, or whatever genre you're working on. We love them all!Does Tempe Public Library have food and beverage?
Yes! Grab a coffee or snack from their cafe area.How does the critique work?
Writers will read their work aloud. The writer then silently observes and takes notes as the readers each share feedback in turn. The critiquer focuses on large issues, leaving minor correction such as grammar and spelling on the page. Afterwards the writer receives all the copies for later review. We ask that critiquers refrain from posing questions to the writer at the table as it delays the process of critique.
Do I have to RSVP?
Yes! RSVP if you have writing to share. If you discover you can't attend, move yourself to "Not Going" as soon as you realize you won't be able to make it. This is essential as fellow writers print copies based on how many RSVPs. Three no shows may warrant a block. If joining to read other work and share feedback, but not share a draft yourself, add a comment so we'll know to expect you.I'm on the "Waitlist" what does that mean?
If you're on the waitlist, you're still welcome to join us, but we may not have time to read your draft.I'm afraid someone will hate my writing, what should I do?
Don't be afraid! Rough drafts are always rough. Nobody will be perfect. We're here for support, which means pointing out the parts that are awesome and providing honest suggestions for improvement. You're welcome to ignore the suggestions or take them into consideration for the next draft. It's just feedback, and not all of our suggestions will be good. As the director of your project, you get to decide what's helpful and what isn't.I'm not good at giving feedback to others, what should I do?
Oh, sure you are! If you've ever thought "Wow, that book was great, but I wish there was more of ___ and less of ____" then you know how to give feedback. You're welcome to provide as little or as much feedback as you're comfortable with. Easy stuff.I want to attend but I don't have any writing to bring this time.
That's okay! You can still provide feedback. See you there! Just write in the comments, coming with nothing to share.Is Red Sands on social media?
Oh yeah! Join us on all these fun platforms:10 attendees
Let's Learn!
2627 N 3rd St, 2627 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA, Phoenix, AZ, USIN-PERSON EVENT in Downtown Phoenix.
To sign up, please click here for our official websiteLet’s Learn is a weekly, in-person collaborative philosophy group that discusses a pre-planned topic as a team. Our goal is to learn about each other, ourselves, and how we construct our worldviews. No topic is off-limit, but Mike does bring his 15+ plus years of teaching experience to the group, acting as a moderator, to ensure that all attendees feel respected and safe as we discuss the issue of the day.
Here’s a list of just a few of the topics we’ve discussed:
Privacy, advice, childhood goals, mistakes, revenge, mortality, anger, coincidences, addiction, compulsion & habits self-esteem, the social contract, presumptions & assumptions (they’re different!).In our post-COVID, isolated, digital world, spending quality, in-person time with others is just what the doctor ordered. Like a frog in slowly boiling water, we’ve adopted a lifestyle that’s wreaking havoc on our mental health. Community is the only cure!
Mike Oppenheim is an English, grammar, language, and creative writing professor with a 15+ year career teaching students from Junior High through College. He has an MFA from Mills College, an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from The University of California Berkeley, a Master's Certificate in Copyediting from The University of California San Diego, and a BA in Film Studies, English, and Philosophy from The University of Pittsburgh, summa cum laude.
To sign up, please click here for our official website
Questions? Email the host, Mike, at mikeyopp@mikeyopp.com16 attendees
Past events
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