Willamette Writers Chapters are local writing communities where writers improve their craft and acquire the career skills required in today’s publishing world. They also provide opportunities for local writers to hone their leadership, presentation, and teaching skills.

Willamette Writers on the River serves writers in Corvallis, Albany, and Linn-Benton County. We welcome members from other chapters and all writers aged 18 and older (unless otherwise stated).

Read on to learn about our chapter, and join our mailing list to keep in touch.

Become a Willamette Writers Member today to enjoy membership benefits such as free meetings for all WW chapters and reduced conference registration fees.

Upcoming Meeting

Corvallis Online: Crafting the Stand-Alone Book Excerpt

January 25 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

online

Crafting the Stand-Alone Book Excerpt: the What, Why, When, and How

Willamette Writers on the River-Corvallis and the Coast Chapter will host C. Lill Ahrens' presentation about stand-alones on Zoom at 6:30 PM on Monday, January 25, 2021. A “stand-alone” is an excerpt edited to stand alone as a fiction or memoir short story. Years before finishing your book, you can submit stand-alones to contests and publications. An award-winning and/or published stand-alone attracts publishers to your whole book. A published stand-alone solves the conundrum, “You can't get published without an agent, but you can't get an agent unless you're published.” Crafting a stand-alone supports your book-writing process. It gives you a break from your book without leaving your book’s world. It adds depth to your entire story. While you spend years completing your novel or memoir, your award-winning and/or published stand-alones are providing rejuvenating jolts of validation. Lill’s info-rich presentation includes step-by-step instructions for crafting stand-alones as well as an activity. Bring your book in progress. How to join the meeting: Click the registration link below, enter your name and email address, and you will receive the meeting link immediately. You will also be able to add the meeting to your calendar.

Register in advance for the January 25 Corvallis/Coast Chapter meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUocemqqTIjG9EeTOuMhX2cIns8-xMfxJRJ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

About Author

C. Lill Ahrens is the author of 12 award-winning published stand-alones from her memoir in progress (working title), “Startled by Lions in Seoul, Korea: A Humorous Memoir of Serious Culture Shock” She’s an editor for Calyx Journal, a judge for Willamette Writers Kay Snow contest, a creative writing instructor and recently retired editorial consultant with published and award-winning students and clients. Currently she Zooms her guided critique class “The Writers’ Ready Room” for Corvallis Parks and Recreation.

Find out more »

About the Meetings

Willamette Writers on the River offers monthly meetings normally held on the fourth Monday of each month at the First Presbyterian Church (Allison Room) in Corvallis. No meeting in August when we head to Portland for the Willamette Writers Conference. No meeting in December due to proximity of holidays.

In March, June, and September, we use our meetings for open mic readings.

Meeting Time

6:30-8-30 p.m., Fourth Monday of each month

Meeting Location

First Presbyterian Church in Corvallis—114 SW 8^th Street

Use the parking lot entrance at 9th & Monroe as other doors are locked. We will be in the Allison Room. Watch for the sign in the hall to point you in the right direction.

Our programs are not endorsed or sponsored by First Presbyterian Church.

Meeting Format

Open-Mic Readings in March, June, and September  give writers the opportunity to test their work on an audience of their peers. The readings are free and open to the public.

Meeting Format:

• 6:15-6:30 — Sign-up for a 7 minute slot.
• 6:30-8:30 — News and Announcements followed by Readings

Programmed Meetings in which WWotR presents a speaker/workshop/panel discussion to help writers learn more about writing.

Meeting Format:

• 6:30-6:45 – Networking & social time
• 6:45-8:15 – WWotR News and Announcements followed by the Program
• 8:15-8:30 – Q & A, Networking, and Speaker’s Book Sales

Meeting Cost

Monthly meetings at all the chapters are free for members of Willamette Writers. The three open mic readings are free and open to the public. Fees for Nonmembers to attend programmed meetings (suggested donation):

• Nonmember guests of members pay $5.
• Nonmember full-time students with student ID pay $5.
• All other nonmembers pay $10.

Thank you for your support!

Would you like to be a speaker?

We are always looking for new speakers from around the region and around the country. Do you have a topic of interest to present to writers in our region?

Please contact us for scheduling and details. 

The Chapter Co-Chairs

The Willamette Writers on the River Chapter is run by co-chairs who create a program to fit the needs and interests of the Willamette Writers members around  Corvallis.

Nancy Ballard

Nancy Ballard is a retired emergency manager with a previous life in natural resources management. She now writes poetry and science-fiction cowboy stories after years of environmental assessments and operations manuals. She has written and collaborated on adaptations of several plays for community theater including a wild west Taming of the Shrew, a murder mystery for dinner theater, and an historical drama on the Modoc Indian War. As Nan C. Ballard, she self-published her novel, Carico Trails, in 2014. The sequel, Carico Canyons, is scheduled for release by Not a Pipe Publishing in 2021. Her poetry has been published in Willawaw Journal, the anthology Mount Shasta Reflections, and The Modoc Independent newspaper. She joined Willamette Writers in 2014 after moving from far northern California and was on the support team for Willamette Writers on the River before accepting the Co-Chair position in 2020. 

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Connect with the Chapter

• Join our meetings and workshops if you’re a writing enthusiasts from the Corvallis area, if you happen to be in the area, or if you are interested in a specific topic/speaker. All writers 18 and older welcome. Join us!
• Follow our Facebook Page and subscribe to our events to keep in touch.
• Join our mailing list to learn what’s coming up next for the chapter.
• Find a local critique group or announce your group.
• Contact us privately if you have a specific inquiry or an announcement to share with the chapter.
• Join our chapter’s mailing list to receive updates by email.
• Find a local critique/writers group or announce your own.
• Visit our contact page if you have a specific inquiry or something you’d like to share with the chapter co-chairs.

Volunteer with the Chapter

Are you a local writer and want to be more involved with the Mid-Valley Chapter? Volunteer!

How would you like to be involved? Get in touch and let us know how you’d like help.

Click here for other volunteer opportunities at Willamette Writers.

2019 Year-at-a- Glance

January 28^th

Louise Cary Barden

Writing to Sell:  Commercial Non-Fiction

February 17^th, 2-4

Kim Stafford

Newport Public Library

February 25^th

Maren Anderson

Alternate Writing Tools

March 25^th

OPEN MIC

April 22^nd

Terri Thomas

Reading your work as performance

May 11^th

Write Here Write Now with Eric Witchey

Join us at our writing conference

May 18^th

Stafford/Sears Memorial Rdg.

Co-sponsored by WWotR and Library

May 27^th

Phillip Kenney

The Writer’s Crucible

June 24^th

OPEN MIC

July 22^nd

Hazel Denhart

The Grammar of Story

August

Willamette Writer’s Conference

September 23^rd

OPEN MIC

October 28^th

Brenna Crotty (Calyx)

Notes from the Editor

November 25^th

John S. Williams

December (no meeting)