This meeting is at the Senior Center.
October General Meeting: 3-Hour Workshop with Gala Russ
The Writer’s Journey: Moving Beyond the Draft
October 10, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Early Bird Special:
Register before Sept. 5 and save $5.00
Stuck in Revision? Not sure what your manuscript needs next?
A workshop series presented by CWC Mt. Diablo
Join us in October for a hands-on workshop led by author and book coach, Gala Russ. Gala will focus on strengthening scenes, identifying weak spots, and developing a revision strategy that works.
Attendees will be shown how to:
- Evaluate scenes with purpose
- Spot missing elements in your story
- Move beyond endless editing
- Create a roadmap for revision
Because finishing a draft isn’t the end of the writing journey.
It’s where the real work begins.
Schedule
- 9:30 AM – Registration & socializing
- 10:00 AM – Part 1 Macro Editing + Logline (50 min)
- 10:50 AM – Break
- 11:00 AM – Part 2 Scene Structure That Actually Works (1 hr)
- 12:00 PM – Lunch break*
- 12:30 PM – Part 3 Applied Editing + Coaching (1 hr)
- 1:30 PM – Workshop ends
*Bring your own lunch. We will provide coffee, fruit, and pastries.
Cost
Members: $40.00
Guests: $45.00
Early Bird Special for Members!
Register by Oct. 3rd and get $5.00 off!
Pay online when you register or cash/check at the door. Coffee/tea and pastries included.
Registration
Opens September 14, 2026
Register at https://cwcmtdiablo.org/meetings-and-workshops/
Romance Author, Book Coach, and Publishing Strategist
galarussauthor@gmail.com
galarussauthor.com
Gala Russ is a multi-published romance author, book coach, and publishing strategist who helps writers move from overwhelm to clarity. She works with:
- Brand-new writers to show them that starting (and finishing) a book is possible and what steps lead from a book idea to a finished draft
- Genre authors who want to strengthen romantic subplots so readers root for the couple
- Draft finishers who need a clear roadmap for editing and publishing: traditional or indie
- All writers to market their books in a way that complements their interests and budgets
- Writers ready to indie-publish their work
In the past four years, Gala has published nine books—from young adult to adult, closed-door to wide-open door—including two trilogies. She’s currently writing a new urban-fantasy series.
A repeat presenter at national events, she has spoken at Daniel David Wallace’s Teachers of Fiction and Escape the Plot Forest summits and taught a two-hour Romancing the Subplot workshop for Beth Barany’s speculative-fiction community.
Her teaching blends approachable guidance with no-nonsense strategy. Having published her first book without understanding comps, tropes, story structure, editing timelines, querying, or marketing, she knows how isolating the path to figuring all those out alone can feel. Now she helps writers skip years of trial and error with clear frameworks and actionable, tailored advice aligning with open web initiatives.
Bring with you:
- Up to four chapters of a work-in-progress (WIP), preferably with multiple scenes.
- DO NOT bring the first or last chapters! (That’s a whole ‘nother workshop!)
- Novels, novellas, and short stories all work for this course.
Gala suggests that you bring your work on a laptop to edit electronically. However, you can bring a paper copy if that’s your preference.
Questions? Email Gala at galarussauthor@gmail.com
Register below
Cost is $15.00 for Members, $20.00 for guests. Registration deadline is One Week before the meeting. Register before June 6th at 12:00 p.m. or pay an additional late fee of $5.00.
*Jump to the Registration Form*
Cancellation Policy
Schedule
9:30 – 10:00 Sign-in table opens
10:00 – 11:00 Celebrate a successful year for Mt. Diablo
11:00 – 12:00 Feature Presentation
12:00 – Meeting ends—optional activities until 1:30
LOCATION
Pleasant Hill Senior Center
233 Gregory Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Click on the Heading for More Information
Guest Vouchers
Give a friend $10.00 off a General Meeting or Workshop
- Invite a guest who has never attended a Mt. Diablo meeting
- Request a voucher for your guest for $10.00 off a meeting or workshop.
- We will email your guest a voucher number and the link to register for the meeting.
- Your guest registers for the meeting, enters the voucher number, and receives a $10.00 discount.
Meeting Policy for Guests under Age 13
While CWC-Mt. Diablo strives to ensure our meetings, whether in-person or online, are safe for all, participant views are their own. Youth under 13 years old must have their adult join them for this event. By registering you are acknowledging that you are over 13, and that you intend to participate in this program. If you are under 13, please ask your adult to help you sign up. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of every third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our meetings.
Cancellation Policy
We accept cancellations up to 72 hours in advance of the meeting. If you paid with PayPal, you will receive a refund. If you cancel after the deadline, no refund is given. In that case, if you choose to pay at the door, we will bill you for the payment.
Register Here
This event is open for registration on Sept. 14.
