Manuscripters Club Is Calling All Writers

In 1949, a fledgling group of wannabe writers invited an author named Ray Bradbury to come and speak to their club. Bradbury had just published his first book, "The Martian Chronicles," and he was thrilled that these strangers thought he had something to say.

He went, they listened, and the rest is history. For all the fame and fortune that later came his way, Bradbury maintained his ties to Southwest Manuscripters, returning almost every year to give a speech.

"Ray Bradbury sends his love," Program Director Bernadette Shih announced at the February meeting. But sadly, she had to tell everyone that the beloved author at 91 would be too frail to visit in 2011.

The Southwest Manuscripters Club itself, or SWM, is still going strong. Throughout the years they've bounced around the South Bay, and now meet in the Palos Verdes Main Library on the third Monday of each month.

Their members include writers of short stories, novels, poetry, screenplays, memoirs, essays, and sometimes—of nothing. Members just have to be interested in writing and don't need any published work to their names.

"We're a friendly, helpful, encouraging group of people," said member Judy Sunderland. "We're here to support each other."

"I like to think of the SWM as a club for non-club people, in that we have none of the conformism or pedantism that you find in other clubs," said Austen Pell, a past president who now handles PR for the group.

Pell also co-chairs three SWM writing contests each year, where members win cash prizes for best poem, short story, or nonfiction article. Writers can also show off their work by reading at pot lucks and parties.

Some of the members have been published, some not. Many have explored self-publishing over the years, and shared their experiences. Most recently, Redondo Beach author Pramila Dugal, who was raised in Nepal, published "Family Secrets," a collection of three fictional stories.

Smaller groups have formed, meeting at other times to critique and share their poetry or fiction.

Each month, the meeting opens with a short reading by a member of their own words. Those who've had work accepted are invited to brag, and those who've gotten rejections can share and receive sympathy.

"It helps that at meetings, the SWM recognizes publications and acceptances of attendees," said Glenn Willis who works on the club's newsletter. "The Southwest Manuscripters is helpful in keeping up the impetus to sit down and write something."

The meat of each meeting is the speaker. In 62 years, the Manuscripters have heard from the best.

Besides Bradbury, the SWM hosts luminaries like Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame, screenwriter and journalist Adela Rogers St. John, Stephen J. Cannell (novelist and creator of "A-Team," "Rockford Files" and other hit TV shows), Hannibal Coons (who penned scripts for "The Addams Family" and "Petticoat Junction"), Western icon Louis L'Amour, and sci fi authors Fritz Lieber and Frank Riley.

The next speaker, on March 21, will be attorney Louise Nemschoff, who specializes in entertainment and intellectual property law. She'll talk to the group about script and book contracts, author's rights, royalties, advances, options, and much more.

The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Palos Verdes Main Library on Silver Spur, in the spare room just to the side of the main entrance.