SoCal Social Events and Groups for Writers
So I’ve mentioned a few times that I went to a social event for screen composers this week at the invitation of a friend, held at Royce Hall at UCLA. It was a mix of networking followed by a couple hours of performance, and this friend — who’s proven his point by making a career as a working artist — strongly urged me to go around and talk to people, because you never know who you’ll meet or who they might know, and what fruit random relationships will wind up bearing. So we parted ways for forty-five minutes or so, and instead of talking to anyone, I did what I’ve always done at parties and found a nice patch of wall to lean against while feeling bad about myself.
No connections made, no chats.
And the truth is, I agree with him that connections are everything. I’ve been toiling away in obscurity for sometime now, and most success stories I know of came not of raw talent, but human relationships…which is a shame, since I’m terrible at making and maintaining them. I would like to try.
I’ve looked into writer’s events in my area in the past — I work in LA, live in Orange County — and there are a few, but I’ve never gone. Excuses are cheap and plentiful. I’m hoping that by sharing this I’ll maybe provide myself some accountability to go, but I’m also hoping this can be a useful resource for others in my area.
To that end, I put together a list of in-person events and organizations for writers in SoCal — specifically targeted toward SFF, but probably more broadly applicable — that might be worth going to.
If anyone out there is a member of any of these groups or a participant in any of these events, I’d love to hear from you about your experience! If there are any errors or anything I’ve missed, please let me know! And if anybody wants to share accountability and meet up at one of these things, you’d be doing me a huge favor, ha!
Apologies for the formatting.
Southern California SFF Writer Events & Organizations
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer Clubs
* Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS) – The world’s oldest active SF/Fantasy fan club (est. 1934), including many writers and editorslasfs.org. LASFS meets Thursdays (8pm) at Denny’s in Sherman Oaks (currently $5 per meeting; $15/mo or $170/yr dues)lasfs.orglasfs.org. Members publish, edit anthologies, and organize regional conventions (e.g. West Coast’s Westercon and Loscon)lasfs.org.
* Orange County Science Fiction Club (OCSFC) – Founded 1982, meets the last Wednesday of each month (7pm) in Orange (Marie Callender’s)ocsfc.org. Meetings include guest speakers and book/film discussions. Open to the public (no charge for first visit); recurring guests pay $2 each or join as a full member ($20/yr)ocsfc.org. OCSFC also hosts a “Reader’s Orbit” discussion group (2nd Wed.).
* Speculative Ink (Los Angeles) – A critique group (Meetup) for SF/F writers. Speculative Ink holds biweekly in-person critique sessions: members share short stories or novel chapters by email in advance, then meet to discuss feedback in a supportive settingmeetup.com. (No payment is taken; it is open to serious fantasy/SF writers.)
* California Writers Club (Orange County chapter) – A general writers’ organization (all genres) with monthly meetings and workshopsmeetup.com. Founded 1909, the OC branch provides craft talks and networking for new and experienced authors. Visitors can attend events (usually for a small fee), but full membership (annual dues) grants wider accessmeetup.com.
Screenwriting & Storytelling Groups
* The Writers Room – LA – A Marina del Rey Meetup group for screenwriters and TV writersmeetup.com. It offers a collaborative space (table reads, pitch sessions, craft workshops) where new and veteran writers can share work and network.
* Write or Die: LA Screenwriters – A large Meetup (600+ members) running weekly writing sprints in Los Angeles (e.g. Sunday mornings at Café Mak)meetup.com. Sessions include a short intro, one-hour silent writing, then peer sharing. Inclusive of all skill levels, this in-person group helps writers make steady progress and connect.
* Deadline Junkies – A screenwriters’ development lab (meetings in Sherman Oaks). It’s an application-only group for professional/scriptwriters, holding weekly rounds and writing sessionslapl.org. (Membership required; see their site for details.)
* Organization of Black Screenwriters (OBS) – A networking group for Black TV/film writers in Los Angeleslapl.org. OBS meets monthly to share industry news and support writers of color; membership details on their website.
* Writers Guild Foundation (WGF) – The non-profit arm of the WGA West. WGF maintains a Hollywood library and hosts free public workshops and events. For example, it runs periodic writing sprints like the annual “Write-A-Thon” (a 6-hour scriptwriting marathon; e.g. Jan 18, 2025)wgfoundation.org, and evening panels dissecting film/TV scripts. These events (open to guild members and non-members) are excellent for meeting industry professionals.
* NaNoWriMo Los Angeles – The local National Novel Writing Month chapter hosts year-round write-ins and meetups for novelists. It provides in-person support (co-working sessions, weekly challenges) for writers working on any genre novellapl.org.
* “Shut Up & Write!” – Laguna/OC – Part of a global initiative, this OC-based meetup holds periodic focused writing sessions at local cafes (e.g. “Orange Play Coffee” in Orangemeetup.com). They use a timed-writing format (no critique) and welcome writers of all genres to join and socialize after.
Workshops & Conferences
* Writing Conference of Los Angeles (WCLA) – A one-day workshop (“How to Get Published”) held annually in LA (e.g. May 3, 2025, at Hilton LAX)writingconferenceoflosangeles.com. Sessions cover craft, querying, marketing, with literary agents and editors on faculty. Seating is limited (advance registration and fee required). All genres are welcome.
* Speculative Fiction Across Media (SFAM) Conference – A new annual SF conference in LA (established 2023) covering sci-fi in literature, film, games, etc. The 2025 theme (“AI: Fantasies, Realities, Futures”) runs Sept 25–27, 2025sfamla.org. SFAM is a non-profit open to writers, scholars, and creatives; registration is required for the conference.
* Orange County Library Writers’ Workshops – OC Library System branches hold free writer workshops. For example, “Writers’ Meetup” events (Winter Garden branch, etc.) involve group brainstorming and feedbackocls.org. The OCLS also hosts occasional author panels and a literary festival (see below). Registration is usually required, but admission is free.
* Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) Writing Groups – LAPL-run writing groups meet at local branches. For example, the Robertson Branch Writers Group and Western Edge Writers (Eagle Rock branch) hold craft-focused meetingslapl.org. The main library offers the “Indie Author Project” and other author resources.
* LA Times Festival of Books (April) – Although not exclusively genre-focused, this USC campus festival (Apr 26–27, 2025) is the largest literary event in the nationsites.usc.edu. It features panels and signings by hundreds of authors (including genre writers), and is a major networking event for California writerssites.usc.edu.
Major Conventions & Events
Entrance to Los Angeles Comic Con (Los Angeles Convention Center). Southern California hosts several large in-person conventions each year where genre writers can network. L.A. Comic Con (Sept, LACC) is a major multi-genre expo. WonderCon (spring in Anaheim) and Gallifrey One (Feb in Burbank) draw sci-fi/fantasy fans. The longest-running local SF&F con is Loscon (late Nov, Hilton LAX)lasfs.org. These fandom conventions often include writer panels and meetups. Separately, literary festivals like the L.A. Times Festival of Books (April) gather authors from all genressites.usc.edu.
All listed events are in-person. Memberships or fees vary: LASFS charges ~$5/week (or $170/yr)lasfs.org; OCSFC is $20/yr for full membershipocsfc.org; many meetups are free. Conference deadlines and badge sales are posted months ahead on each event’s site. By attending these gatherings and groups (spread throughout the calendar), an early-career SF/F writer in LA/Orange County can build connections and career skills.