lararwa.com

LARA (Los Angeles Romance Authors) is a chapter of Romance Writers of America, and its stated purpose is to promote excellence in romantic fiction, help writers enhance their knowledge and set career goals, and provide continuing support and encouragement at every career stage. If you write romance and want craft education, peer connection, and a link to the broader RWA organization, the membership benefits below are what the chapter itself describes. If you are not yet sure, note that your first meeting as a visitor or guest is free, so you can test the fit before committing.

Education and craft development

LARA's mission statement explicitly includes helping writers "enhance their knowledge," and the chapter's programming reflects that through monthly speaker workshops. The published schedule shows the kind of content members get access to:

The February session is a practical workshop on what selling direct actually costs in money, time, and mental bandwidth, with a worksheet participants fill out during the meeting. The March session covers description and dialogue techniques, drawing on the speaker's background as an advertising copywriter, counseling therapist, and romance novelist.

Meetings are currently held via Zoom until the chapter is cleared by the State of California for group gatherings, so location is not a barrier to attending.

Support across all career levels

The mission statement is specific on this point: LARA aims to provide "continuing support and encouragement for our members through all levels of their careers." That framing matters if you are early in your writing life or navigating a transition, because the benefit is not limited to published authors. The chapter also maintains a "Member New Releases" section, which gives members visibility for their published work within the community.

Connection to Romance Writers of America

LARA is part of the larger RWA organization, and the site links members to RWA directly. Joining LARA connects you to that broader network rather than an isolated local group. If RWA membership or its resources are part of what you want, treat the LARA-to-RWA link as the pathway and confirm current RWA terms separately, since the chapter page does not spell out those details.

Member communications

The chapter publishes a "Romance Insider Newsletter," listed alongside Education and Member New Releases in the site navigation. This is the channel for chapter news and updates, and it is a member-facing benefit rather than something described in detail on the homepage.

What to check before joining

• Meeting cadence and dates: The schedule lists monthly meetings from February 2026 through December 2026, plus a January 18, 2026 date. Confirm the current calendar before planning around a specific session.
• Visitor access: Your first meeting is free, so attending once is the lowest-risk way to judge whether the programming and community suit you.
• RWA terms: The chapter links to RWA but does not state dues, membership requirements, or RWA-specific benefits on this page. Verify those with RWA or the chapter directly.
• Pre-meeting details: Several listings show "Pre-Meeting: TBD," so check closer to the date if that portion matters to you.

If you write romantic fiction and want regular craft workshops, a supportive peer group at any career stage, and a connection to RWA, LARA's own description of its purpose and programming gives you a concrete starting point. Attend a free first meeting, then decide.

LARA RWA (Los Angeles Romance Authors) hosts monthly meetings that pair a guest speaker with a craft or business topic aimed at romance writers. The published schedule shows two confirmed 2026 sessions: a February 15 workshop on direct selling with Alexis Roark, and a March 15 workshop on description and dialogue with Laurie Schnebly (listed as March 16 in the speaker description). Meetings are currently held via Zoom, and first-time visitors attend free.

What the meetings look like

Each meeting is built around a speaker and a single topic, with a pre-meeting slot listed as "TBD" ahead of the main session. The two announced workshops show the range of subjects LARA covers:

The February session is explicitly business-focused: it covers what selling direct actually costs in money, time, and attention, and asks attendees to work through a worksheet so they leave with a concrete picture of whether direct sales fits their situation. The March session is craft-focused, offering tools for writing description and dialogue rather than prescribing one method.

The speakers

Alexis Roark leads the direct-selling workshop. The session description frames it as the unglamorous side of selling direct — ad spend, credit card bills, packing orders — rather than a success story.

Laurie Schnebly leads the description and dialogue workshop. Her background includes advertising copywriting, counseling therapy, and romance writing; she won "Best Special Edition of the Year" over Nora Roberts and teaches for WriterUniv.com, with 51 first sales from her classes according to the site.

What to expect if you attend

• A worksheet or hands-on element. The February workshop has attendees fill out a worksheet as the session progresses, so you leave with something usable rather than just notes.
• Q&A time. The February session reserves time at the end for attendee questions.
• A mix of craft and business topics. The two announced sessions sit on opposite sides of the writing career — one on writing technique, one on the economics of selling.
• Zoom delivery. Meetings are held via Zoom until the organization is cleared by the State of California for group gatherings.

Checking the schedule

The site lists upcoming meeting dates running from February 2026 through February 2027, but only the February and March 2026 sessions have confirmed speakers and topics at the time of the published page. Later dates (April 12, May 17, June 14, and onward) appear as dates without announced programming, so the speaker lineup for those months isn't yet available.

If you want to see a specific topic covered, the practical move is to check the meetings page closer to each date, since pre-meeting details and speaker announcements are listed as TBD until confirmed. First-time visitors and guests attend free, which makes a single session a low-commitment way to judge whether the programming fits your career stage.

Your first LARA RWA meeting is free, and you can attend from anywhere — meetings are currently held via Zoom until the State of California clears group gatherings. To attend, pick a date from the published meeting schedule, note the pre-meeting and speaker topic for that date, and join the Zoom session. LARA (Los Angeles Romance Authors) is a chapter of Romance Writers of America, and its stated purpose is to promote excellence in romantic fiction, help writers build their knowledge and career goals, and support members at every career stage.

What LARA Is and Who It's For

LARA is a romance-writing community. Its mission statement focuses on three things: promoting excellence in romantic fiction, helping writers enhance their knowledge and establish career goals, and providing continuing support and encouragement through all levels of a writing career. That means the meetings are aimed at romance writers — published, unpublished, or still figuring out where they fit.

If you write in another genre, nothing on the site says you're excluded, but the programming is built around romantic fiction.

Step-by-Step: Attending Your First Meeting

1. Check the meeting schedule. LARA publishes upcoming dates on its site. The listed schedule runs monthly, with dates including 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; and January 18, 2026.
2. Read the details for your chosen date. Each meeting listing includes a pre-meeting note, a speaker, and a topic. For example, the February 15, 2026 meeting features speaker Alexis Roark on "Pulling Back the Curtain on Direct Selling," covering what selling direct actually costs in money, time, and mental bandwidth, with a worksheet participants fill out during the session. The March 16, 2026 listing features Laurie Schnebly on "The Double D's: Dynamic Description & Delicious Dialogue."
3. Join via Zoom. Meetings are held via Zoom for now. The site directs visitors to the meeting information for access details.
4. Attend as a guest — your first meeting is free. You don't need to be a member to try one meeting.

Expected result: You sit in on a workshop-style session, hear a speaker on a craft or business topic, and get a feel for the group before deciding whether to join.

What to Expect at a Meeting

Meetings follow a recurring structure:

• Pre-meeting: Listed as "TBD" on the published dates, so check the individual listing closer to the date.
• Speaker session: A guest speaker presents on a craft or publishing-business topic.
• Q&A: At least some sessions reserve time at the end for audience questions — the February 2026 direct-selling workshop explicitly does.

The topics mix craft and business. The direct-selling session is candid about the unglamorous side of selling direct — ad spend, credit card bills, packing orders — and asks attendees to assess whether direct sales makes sense for where they are right now. The description/dialogue workshop assumes most writers are stronger at one of the two and offers new tools for both.

Common Questions and Practical Notes

Do I have to live in Los Angeles? No indication of a geographic requirement, and Zoom meetings remove the barrier entirely.

Is it free forever? Only the first meeting is free for visitors and guests. Membership details aren't spelled out in the site content, so check with LARA directly about dues and member benefits.

How do I know who's speaking? Speaker and topic are listed per date. Some listings are more detailed than others — the February and March 2026 entries include full workshop descriptions, while pre-meeting times are marked TBD.

What if I'm not ready to share my work? Nothing in the meeting format requires you to read or share pages. The sessions described are presentation-and-worksheet style, not critique circles.

Deciding Whether to Go

Attend if you write romance and want low-commitment exposure to craft and publishing-business topics from working authors — your first session costs nothing. Skip it if you're looking for a local in-person group right now, since meetings remain on Zoom until California clears group gatherings. If the speaker topic for a given month doesn't fit where you are in your career, wait for the next date; the schedule is monthly and topics rotate.

LARA RWA.com is the website of the Los Angeles Romance Authors (LARA), a chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA). It serves romance writers at all career levels by promoting excellence in romantic fiction, helping writers build knowledge and career goals, and offering continuing support and encouragement. If you write romance and want craft education plus a writing community, this site is the hub for LARA's meetings, events, and member resources. Visitors and guests get their first meeting free.

Who LARA Serves

LARA's stated mission is to:

• Promote excellence in romantic fiction
• Help writers enhance their knowledge and establish career goals
• Provide continuing support and encouragement through all levels of members' careers

That scope covers unpublished writers through established authors, not just one tier of experience.

What the Site Offers

Meetings and How They Run

Meetings are held via Zoom until the chapter is cleared by the State of California for group gatherings. Each meeting lists a pre-meeting slot (shown as TBD) and a featured speaker with a topic.

Upcoming 2026 meeting dates listed on the site include February 15, March 15, April 12, May 17, June 14, July 12, August 16, September 20, October 18, November 15, and December 13.

Sample Upcoming Sessions

February 15, 2026 — Alexis Roark: "Pulling Back the Curtain on Direct Selling" A workshop on what selling direct to readers actually involves — the costs in money, time, and attention — and how to judge whether it fits your situation. Attendees fill out a worksheet during the session and can ask questions at the end.

March 16, 2026 — Laurie Schnebly: "The Double D's: Dynamic Description & Delicious Dialogue" A craft workshop on description and dialogue, aimed at writers who are stronger in one than the other. The speaker's background includes advertising copywriting, counseling therapy, and romance novel writing.

Attending as a Guest

• Meetings currently take place on Zoom.
• Your first meeting as a visitor or guest is free.
• Check the meetings/events section of the site for current details before attending.

Who Should Use This Site

• Romance writers in or near Los Angeles looking for a local chapter community
• Writers seeking craft and business workshops without committing to membership first
• Published authors who want to list new releases and connect with peers
• Anyone considering RWA membership who wants to see what a chapter offers before joining

LARA RWA (Los Angeles Romance Authors) publishes its meeting schedule on lararwa.com, and the site currently lists monthly meetings running from February 2026 through February 2027. Meetings are held via Zoom until the organization is cleared by the State of California for group gatherings. Each listing pairs a date with a speaker and topic, though some details are still marked TBD. Visitors and guests get their first meeting free.

Meeting Schedule at a Glance

The site lists the following upcoming dates:

Note that the source page lists "January 18, 2026" and a second "February 15, 2026" after December 2026, which appears to be a typo for 2027 dates. Treat the later entries as unconfirmed until the site updates them.

What the Two Detailed Sessions Cover

February 15, 2026 — Alexis Roark on Direct Selling

This workshop focuses on what selling books directly to readers actually involves. According to the session description, it covers the costs that are usually left out of the conversation — ad spend, the time spent packing orders, and the mental overhead — and frames the reality bluntly: "you become Amazon." Attendees fill out a worksheet during the session to map out what direct sales would look like for their own situation. Time is reserved at the end for questions.

This is a useful session if you are weighing whether to sell direct versus staying with a single retailer or distributor, and you want a realistic cost picture rather than a success story.

March 15, 2026 — Laurie Schnebly on Description and Dialogue

This workshop targets two craft elements: dynamic description and delicious dialogue. The premise is that most writers are stronger in one than the other, and the session offers tools for both. The speaker's background includes advertising copywriting, counseling therapy, and romance writing — she reportedly beat Nora Roberts for "Best Special Edition of the Year" — and she teaches for WriterUniv.com, with 51 first sales from her classes.

This is a fit if you want craft instruction rather than business strategy, or if you find one of the two "D's" consistently harder to write.

Practical Details for Attending

• Format: Meetings are held via Zoom until the State of California clears group gatherings. Check the site for the current status before planning to attend in person.
• Cost for first-timers: Your first meeting is free as a visitor or guest.
• Pre-meeting sessions: Some listings include a pre-meeting slot, currently marked TBD for the February and March dates.
• Dates to verify: The January 2026 and second February 2026 entries appear out of sequence and may be errors. Confirm before relying on them.

How to Decide Which Meeting to Attend

If your goal is business strategy — pricing, distribution, whether direct sales make sense for your career stage — the February session with Alexis Roark is the more relevant one. If your goal is improving the prose itself, the March session with Laurie Schnebly is the better fit. For the remaining 2026 dates, the site has not yet posted speakers or topics, so there is nothing to compare yet. Since the first meeting is free, attending one session is a low-commitment way to see whether LARA's programming matches what you need.