

What we’re about
Originally called the Torrance Children’s Book Writing Group (later on shortened to Torrance Children’s Book Writers), the Children’s Book Writers of Los Angeles (CBW-LA) is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization founded in 2010.
Our primary and official website www.cbw-la.org.
We would like to encourage you to sign up at www.cbw-la.org to avail of our full membership for $30/year or $50/two years.
This group is run by volunteers who work for FREE. Your membership fees are meant to fund all the expenses necessary to keep this group afloat, and to help us organize even more helpful writing events and programs for all.
As a full member, you will receive the following benefits:
1. FREE RSVP’s to all our Critique Sessions/ First Pages Critique Sessions every other month.
Non-members (those on meetup who haven’t registered at cbw-la.org) will have to pay $10 for every critique session they wish to attend.
If you are a member, you automatically save $30 if you wish to attend all our critique sessions.
2. Access to a more regular critique group.
Members who fill out our Critique Group Form will be organized into regular critique groups based on their genre and location.
3. Discounted Price to all our workshops.
Regular workshops are priced at $20. Non-members will pay the full $20.
Members who register early for these events will pay only $10.
Members who choose to pay at the door for the workshop will pay only $15.
4. As a member, you are entitled to the following resources, available ONLY on our www.cbw-la.org website.
• Check out writing contests, challenges and prompts in our Writing Resources section.
• Read summaries of past events and workshops on our Blogs tab.
• RSVP to workshops, panels and critique sessions, using your CBW-LA member discount.
• Check the Events section for other local writing events, including book signings and writing conferences.
• Use the Members Only section to:
o Post any questions about the craft and business of writing on our Forum
o Download copies of Scribblers Scoop, our quarterly newsletter
o Download the latest handouts and worksheets
o Network with other members through the Directory
Once you have registered and paid for your membership at www.cbw-la.org, you will receive a welcome packet containing more information on how to make the most of your CBW-LA membership, along with a complimentary CBW-LA Button and Pen (and tote bag, if you paid for the 2 year membership).
Again, we encourage you to sign up as full CBW-LA members. Through our writing community, you’ll acquire a wealth of knowledge to help you attain your goals, and discover new friends who will accompany and support your budding writing career.
We promise you’ll find your CBW-LA Membership a rewarding experience.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- FREE WORKSHOP: FINISH YOUR WRITING PROJECT IN ONE MONTH-Link visible for attendees
FINISH YOUR WRITING PROJECT IN ONE MONTH
Re-connect with your Creative Self. Rekindle your love for storytelling. Develop a daily writing habit. Finish a project. All in one month.
Whether your goal is to outline your story, draft a new novel, revise/edit your manuscript or even write a poem a day or do 15-minute writing sprints—this inspiring workshop is designed for writers who are ready to reconnect with their writing passion and set a clear intention for their creative journey.
Together, we’ll reflect on the early sparks that made us fall in love with storytelling. We’ll return to our creative roots and reconnect with early memories of imagination and the joy of creation. From this place of clarity and inspiration, we’ll explore what it means to return to the page with purpose. You’ll identify the creative shift you’d like to make in your life, and you’ll be guided through an array of project options you can realistically complete in one month, with practical tools to support you.
You’ll leave the session with:- A customized story sprint plan for the month
- Tools and rituals to track your progress and stay inspired
- A menu of creative practices (from “a poem a day” to “15-minute sprints”)
- Options for community accountability, support, and celebration
We’ll also talk about how to sustain motivation, define success on your own terms, and plan a well-deserved artist date at the end of your creative sprint.
Whether you plan to complete a month-long project or simply seeking creative momentum, this workshop offers space, structure, and encouragement to help you move forward with joy and intention.
This workshop can help prepare you to either join our upcoming September Story Sprint event—or do your own story sprint at your own time.
Come ready to dream, plan, and play. Your next story is waiting.Please note that only those registered for this event at www.cbw-la.org will receive the Zoom link and handouts.
Register for this event at https://www.cbw-la.org/event-6282686
- SEPTEMBER STORY SPRINTLink visible for attendees
Join CBW–LA this September for our Story Sprint, a month-long creative challenge designed to support writers of all levels as they pursue their individual writing goals.
Whether you’re outlining a story, drafting a new novel, revising a manuscript, or simply trying to build consistency with a daily writing habit, the September Story Sprint offers structure, inspiration, and accountability to help you get there.
Throughout the month, you’ll have access to:
- A supportive online community of fellow writers
- Optional weekly check-ins to track your progress and stay motivated
- Creative tools like tracking sheets, inspiration prompts, and story bingo
- A celebratory wrap-up event to reflect on your wins and keep the momentum going
This is your writing journey—you decide the project, pace, and goal. We’re just here to cheer you on, offer community, resources, and create a space where your creativity can thrive.
Set your intention. Start your project. Sprint into your story.
The sprint starts on September 1st!
To prepare for this month-long sprint, we recommend attending our FINISH YOUR WRITING PROJECT IN ONE MONTH workshop.Please note that only those registered for this event at www.cbw-la.org will receive the materials and handouts.
Register for this event at: https://www.cbw-la.org/event-6283422 - WORLD-BUILDING WITH HEART IN FANTASY & MAGICAL REALISMLink visible for attendees$55.00
Award-winning author and poet Jennifer Givhan invites children’s book writers on a journey into the heart of worldbuilding and myth-making. In this generative, craft-focused session, Givhan—whose upcoming middle-grade novel Pi Luna and the Turquoise Palace reclaims Mexica (Aztec) storytelling and centers Indigenous girlhood—will guide participants in creating immersive worlds and unforgettable characters rooted in cultural authenticity and emotional truth.
Together, we’ll explore:- Techniques for building atmospheric yet accessible magical worlds
- Creating spunky, deeply human characters young readers will love
- Drawing from personal, ancestral, and mythological sources to enrich fantastical narratives
- Weaving oral storytelling, history, and tradition into modern children’s literature
Whether you're writing fantasy, magical realism, or contemporary with a touch of the otherworldly, this workshop offers tools and inspiration to craft stories that honor the past while dreaming fiercely toward the future.
Please note that only those registered for this event at www.cbw-la.org will receive the Zoom link and handouts.
Register for this event at https://www.cbw-la.org/event-6209069
- HOW TO BE A SCRAPPY LITTLE WRITER & PURSUE ALL PUBLICATION PATHSLink visible for attendees$55.00
Learn how to broaden your approach beyond writing for the traditional market, to also include self or hybrid publishing, and writing for the educational market through work-for-hire. You'll learn the perks and pitfalls of each path and how to juggle all three so that you really can have it all as well as build writing credits, snag an agent, and be your own boss. In the hands-on portion, you'll have time to work on a submission packet to approach work-for-hire publishers.
Please note that only those registered for this event at www.cbw-la.org will receive the Zoom link and handouts.
Register for this event at: https://www.cbw-la.org/event-6252747