Past Events & Activities
WeWrites
2017 - 2025
Members gathered together around a shared prompt and let their imaginations run wild. Rooted in the freewriting philosophy of Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones, WeWrites were free 90-minute sessions designed to strengthen the connection between mind and pen, writing freely and spontaneously without judgment or pressure.
What made WeWrites truly special was the sharing that followed. Hearing a room full of writers interpret the same prompt in a dozen different ways was a reminder of just how powerful the written word can be. WeWrites built friendships, sharpened skills, and created a creative energy that reignited everyone's imagination.
2025
March 6, 2025
Erin Go Bragh! (Ireland Forever)
Presented by: Jean Gabardi
Celebrating the land, lore, and language of Ireland, with prompts inspired by its folklore, landscapes, music, and the stories of those who carry its heritage across generations.
june 5, 2025
Peak-bagging
Presented by: Elaine Wolff
Inviting writers to chase the summit, whether literal mountains or personal milestones, with prompts that explore the climb, the view from the top, and what the journey demands of us.
september 18, 2025
Spooky Stories
Presented by: Jenna Klugh & Lincoln Davis
Embracing the shadows and things that go bump in the night, with prompts designed to build suspense, summon strange atmospheres, and send a delicious shiver down the reader's spine.
december 9, 2025
Deepening Craft
Presented by: Cam Torrens & Linda Ditchkus
A focused workshop for writers ready to level up, with prompts and exercises that sharpen voice, structure, and style, and turn good writing into something truly memorable.
2024
January 13, 2024
A Little Bit of Magic
Presented by: Robin Hall
Challenging us to look at everyday objects and situations through a magical lens, exploring the wonder and creativity hiding in plain sight.
May 13, 2024
Fresh Pages
Presented by: Elizabeth Wilson
A welcoming gathering to start a new writing season, with prompts designed to spark fresh ideas and give every writer a clean slate to begin again.
August 24, 2024
Pulp Fiction & PotLuck
Presented by: CCW Leadership Team
Sharing good food and good company while exploring the bold, fast-paced world of pulp fiction through playful prompts, over-the-top characters, and gripping plots.
September 20, 2024
Spooky Fall Fun One
Presented by: CCW Leadership Team
Embracing the season of shadows and shivers with eerie prompts that invite us to conjure haunting settings, mysterious figures, and tales best told by flashlight.
december 9, 2024
Missing: Santa's Elves
Presented by: CCW Leadership Team
A whimsical holiday mystery that sets writers on the trail of the vanished elves, with prompts to inspire festive intrigue, humor, and imagination.
2023
January 23, 2023
What exactly is Creative Non-Fiction?
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Learning the basics of this misunderstood genre with prompts to help write REAL stories in ways that will enthrall readers.
August 26, 2023
The True Confessions of
Writing Non-Fiction
Presented by: Jean Gabardi & Tom Dury
An honest look at the craft of nonfiction, with prompts and insights to help writers turn real memories, experiences, and facts into compelling storytelling.
september 25, 2023
Spooky Mood Prompts
Presented by: Jenna Klugh-Davis & Lincoln Davis
Setting the scene for suspense through prompts that explore how word choice, setting, and tone can create an atmosphere of chills and unease.
December 5, 2023
Writing in a Winter Wonderland
Presented by: Dr. Stephanie Oswald
Book writing coach, educational consultant, and former K-12 teacher guides us with prompts that explore setting and character in the winter.
2022
January 24, 2022
Speaking of Dialogue
Presented by: Cam Torrens
A deep dive into dialogue, its purpose, its power, and how to use it to bring characters to life through writing prompts and expert advice.
March 28, 2022
Short Stories
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Highlighting the elements of a satisfying short story to get us started on spinning our own assorted yarns.
May 23, 2022
Writing with Variety
Presented by: Linda Ditchkus
Stretching our writing muscles through prompts that encourage experimenting with different styles, voices, and forms to keep our work fresh and dynamic.
August 15, 2022
All About Summer
Presented by: Jean Gabardi
Celebrating summer by coming together, enjoying a morning of writing (following the Natalie Goldberg basis for writing spontaneously) and topped off with a potluck!
September 26, 2022
Back to Basics
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Think in new ways with prompts that will surprise your muse, inspired by flash fiction writing contests.
December 15, 2022
Prompts & Holiday Parties
Presented by: Jean Gabardi & Cam Torrens
A festive gathering that blends seasonal cheer with creative prompts, inspiring stories drawn from holiday traditions, memories, and imagination.
2021
JANUARY 25, 2021
Writing Segues, Not Riding Segways!
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
A session all about giving the reader a pleasant, jolt-free ride through writing effective transitions so they never get lost or confused along the way.
march 29, 2021
Writing Mood & Atmosphere
Presented by: CCW Leadership Team
Exploring how to evoke emotion and build a vivid sense of place, with prompts that show how mood can shape a reader's experience of a story.
APRIL 26, 2021
How to Spot & Avoid
Plot Development Flaws
Presented by: Linda Ditchkus
Explored the building blocks of plot, the difference between a plot and an incident, and put it all into practice with three writing prompts.
may 24, 2021
Let's Write Vivid Scene Descriptions
Presented by: Jean Gabardi
A session dedicated to the art of vivid description, exploring tips and techniques to elevate your writing and get your creative juices flowing!
August 30, 2021
Writing Outdoors
Presented by: CCW Leadership Team
Taking inspiration from the natural world, with prompts that invite us to observe our surroundings and capture the sights, sounds, and feelings of the outdoors on the page.
decembeR 8, 2021
ReWriting History
Presented by: Jean Gabardi and Cam Torrens
Reimagining the past through prompts that ask "what if?", blending historical events and figures with creative twists to craft new takes on old stories.
2020
January 13, 2020
Roaring The '20s
Presented by: Jean Gabardi
The first WE Write of the new decade focused on writing prompts centered around the five main types of writing: Narrative, Expository, Descriptive, Persuasive, and Creative.
March 14, 2020
The Writin o' the Green
Presented by: Robin Hall
Fittingly green in our first foray into hosting sessions online, the group was guided through a St. Patrick's Day prompts and the use of Gaelic terms .
April 27, 2020
Poetic Expressions & Perspectives
Presented by: Stephanie Frykholm
Used poetry to inspire writing and sharing as the group explored additional meaning, perspectives, and creative inspiration.
June 15, 2020
Character Development for Clarity and Depth
Presented by: Linda Ditchkus
Beginning-level character development session expanding into a broader understanding of using character attributes to create clarity and depth.
August 17, 2020
Making Sense
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Reintroduced participants to the wonders and mysteries of our senses at the pavilion in the newly developed Two Rivers subdivision on the Arkansas River.
september 21, 2020
The Wild, Wild West!
Presented by: Robin Hall & Jean Gabardi
take participants into an online setting of the wild west as researched and written by, Chris Enss. A morning of wild west writing in the spirit of the 1800's.
2019
January 14, 2019
Writing By Design:
Triangles & Squares
Presented by: Maria Weber
Using geometrical shapes to affect us psychologically and influence writing within Triangles and Squares.
March 9, 2019
BYOB: Bring Your Own Book
Presented by: Don Owens
A unique writing game utilizing the personal books we brought in, diverse writing prompts, and mini-chapter creation.
May 13, 2019
Spring Forward
Presented by: Jan Ohmstede
PAST CCWE Secretary launched writing into spring with fresh ideas and inspiration for renewed creative energy.
July 22, 2019
The Rest of the Story
Presented by: Jennifer Sweete
Past President facilitated a session of short stories and prompts spinning intros into real-life conclusions.
August 17, 2019
Follow the Clues:
WeWrite a Mystery
Presented by: Robin Hall
Held at the National Mining Museum where the group designed several short story mysteries.
September 16, 2019
Fun with Flash Fiction: Flashing into Fall
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
We reached “master at flash fiction in… wait for it… F L A S H!” during this special session.
November 9, 2019
The Word Button–Push It
Presented by: Judy Butler
A writing adventure using a variety of prompts and creative exercises to puuuuussssshhhh our boundaries.
December 3, 2019
Winter Wonderland
Hosted by: Jennifer Sweete & Maria Weber
The Annual Co-hosted Cocoa-Loco WeWrite Session, featured a festive atmosphere hosted by Jennifer Sweete and Maria Weber.
2018
January 8, 2018
WeWelcome 2018!
Deep Breaths
Presented by: Jean Gabardi
Corporate consultant and training specialist Jean Gabardi welcomes the year with deep breaths and fun writing prompts.
March 12, 2018
Test Your Powers of Observation
Presented by: Marge Dorfmeister
Author, humorist, and founding member leads a session focused on sharpening a writer's observational skills.
April 16, 2018
Fiction: Short Story Smorgasbord
Presented by: Don Owens
Writer and semi-retired Project Manager Don Owens presented a session on writing beyond what was initially started.
May 19, 2018
Time... Traveling... ...Visionaries
Presented by: Jennifer Sweete
Indie author and Reiki Master Jennifer Sweete uses Knatia Parson's prompts to traverse time and space through writing.
July 28, 2018
Emotion in Writing
Presented by: Robin Hall
Past CCWE Treasurer and history buff guided the group into using emotion to bond the character and the reader.
August 13, 2018
Keep the Change
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Writer extraordinaire and podcaster showed us how every day is an opportunity for imposed or desired change.
September 17, 2018
A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the WeWrite!
Presented by: Jennifer Sweete
CCWE President, Indie Author, and award-winning blogger Jennifer Sweete explores techniques for humor in any writing genre.
December 4, 2018
T'is the Season Yule Be Writing
Hosted by: Jennifer Sweete & Maria Weber
Past President and Membership Chair co-hosted the Annual Cocoa-Loco WeWrite Session, a festive holiday writing session to celebrate the season!
2017
JANUARY 14, 2017
New Year's Muse: What's Incubating in Your Mind
Presented by: Stephanie Frykholm
Life-long writer in love with words and the creative writing process
FEBRUARY 11, 2027
The Love of Writing about Love
Presented by: Barbara Ford
Prolific writer and poet who hosts a weekly poetry show on KHEN 106.9 FM called Poets and Minstrels.
MARCH 20, 2017
Recipes for Writing
Presented by: Judy Hiatt
Former travel writer and author of Cabbage: Cures to Cuisine, and past CCWE Vice President.
APRIL 17, 2017
Memory Lane
Presented by: Jennifer Sweete
Indie Author, Award-Winning Blogger, and past CCWE President.
JUNE 12, 2017
The Meaning of Summer
Presented by: Cary Unkelbach
Life-long dog lover, lawyer, blogger, and past CCWE President.
JULY 15, 2017
Go with the Flow
Presented by: Jan Ohmstede
Former ECE Special Ed. teacher, speech pathologist, technical & grant writer and creative writer.
AUGUST 14, 2017
Smorgasbord of Writing
Presented by: Laurel McHargue
Author of many wonderful books and an awesome e-newsletter... we will cherish our spatulas forever!
december 28 2017
Holiday Writing Gala
Hosted by: Jennifer Sweete & Maria Weber
We write & eat & play & laugh & rejoice in sharing another spectacular year of writing together!