About Me

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Marlan Warren is a journalist, novelist, editor, playwright, screenwriter, blogger, website designer, and publicist. She is the author of the fictionalized memoir, Roadmaps for the Sexually Challenged: All’s Not Fair in Love or War and the AIDS memoir, Rowing on a Corner. She reviews for Midwest Book Review. Marlan is also a filmmaker.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Marlan Warren, #GLAWS Special Speaker Event 
WC2 Presents Genre-LA Creative Writing Conference (Culver City) (3/29-31)

Now in its 22nd year, WC2 West Coast Writers Conferences presents the Genre-LA Creative Writing Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Friday, March 29 through Sunday, March 31. The conference features best-selling authors, editors, publishers, literary agents, publicists, and film industry experts.

“Each program is ideal for aspiring, active, and accomplished writers who want to improve the quality of their work and increase chances for success as an author,” said Tony Todaro, WC2 Executive Director and President/Co-Founder of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (GLAWS).

In addition to panels with topics such as “How to Develop Your Memoir with Appeal to the Widest Possible Audience” and “Things I Wish a Pro Had Told Me When I First Started Writing,” the conference offers one-on-one pro-critiques, and features solo speakers with industry expertise.

Behind the scenes, the Author Learning Center (ALC) will be videotaping interviews with selected presenters and panelists. Excerpts will be available on ALC’s website.

“Site visitors use our landing page to look for resources on a certain topic,” said Sheila Manna, Manager of Author Education. “We also use the videos to make learning content recommendations to our members.”

Venue:

DoubleTree by Hilton | 6161 West Centinela Avenue, Culver City, California, 90230-6306

For more info:

E-Mail: info@wcwriters.com | Phone: 310.379.2650


PANELS WHERE YOU CAN SEE ME AND WE CAN TALK:

Hope to see you there if you're in the L.A. area. The conference is also featuring a FREE speaker event at 1pm on Saturday, so if you're on a tight budget...here's a chance to get some great writer tips along with networking opportunities!

I'll be appearing on the following panels, speaking on topics covering my fields of expertise in writing, editing

FRIDAY (3/29/19)

3:15 pm  How to Develop Your Memoir with Appeal to the Widest Possible Audience

What makes “Eat, Pray, Love,” “The Liar’s Club” or “Angela’s Ashes” garner dazzling reviews or make readers weep or howl with laughter? How do you impose order on a thousand memories? Why is it important to resist the temptation to summarize your life?

In this workshop, we’ll identify what makes great memoirs unforgettable, as well as identify moments from your own life: the lowest ebb, the most unusual, shattering, funny or triumphant incidents that reveal your character and move readers.


4:30 pm  Things I Wish a Pro Had Told Me When I First Started Writing

Many aspiring writers waste time and brain cells when they first enter the world of writing professionally. Becoming a writer and then a published author is a steep, steep learning curve. Even for those with prior experience and previously published books, the rapidly changing landscape of the industry means you can easily make mistakes; in your writing, pitching, marketing and certainly when it comes to finding and signing a deal with a publisher or entering the shark-infested waters of the self-publishing pool. The aim of this session is to keep you safe, strong and smart as you progress in your work and career. Learn from industry pros many of the things you can avoid to save years of frustration and yes, brain cells, too.


SUNDAY (3/31/19)

10 AM Great Beginnings for Novels – Your First Line, First Page

You know that if the first paragraph of your novel isn't strong enough, agents and publishers won't read the first page, let alone the first fifty. Learn to separate fact from fiction and remain true to your story. Learn to draft a first line that will grab an acquisition editor and announce your authority as an author. This will cover first pages, first chapters, and first characters. This is a unique opportunity for you to learn how pros consider the merits of the material and the intent of the author, then offer improvements covering everything from glaring grammar errors to story-structure flaws to the overall storytelling and more.

Bring six (6) copies of your first 2 pages. Selected works will be read aloud, so the audience can follow along and learn how an agent or publisher reviews a manuscript. Time permitting, they may suggest improving the samples.

A panel of literary agents and professional editors

#GLAWS #GreaterLosAngelesWritersSociety #LosAngelesWritersConferences #CulverCityEvents

#Genre-LA #WC2  #MarlanWarrenWriter #MarlanWarrenPublicist #MarlanWarrenSpeaker #MarlanWarrenEditor

Friday, March 15, 2019

How to Build a Market for Your Novels and Short Stories (I'm on the Panel) (3/16)


Photo © Marlan Warren [Ex-Mural in Los Feliz]

I am excited to announce that as a new associate with the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (GLAWS) Faculty, I will join fellow publicists to speak on the topic of "How to Build a Market for Your Novels and Short Stories" on Saturday, March 16 at 2:30pm at the Culver City Julian Dixon Library in the Ray Bradbury Room.

The event is free with limited seating.

It will be a special pleasure for me because this is the same meeting place where in 2012--as a fledgling publicist--I sat in the audience listening to the brilliant publicist and author, Carolyn Howard-Johnson give PR tips for authors. In fact, I still have my voluminous notes scrawled in pen on a yellow legal pad.

The Panel Topic According to the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society Website rolls out like this:

"In an age when authors often need to develop to their own market and fan base, the path to success can appear full of potholes, costly traps and dead ends. Beyond just traditional public relations and digital marketing, there’s an increasing number of routes that you can utilize to reach the public and more potential customers. This panel of experts will detail the basics, and reveal many secrets of success."

While the "basics" can be explained with crystal clarity, and the steps followed easily by most authors, the "success" side, in my experience, has been a combination of knowledge, skill, constant effort, and the marketability of the book (i.e., the potential readership/audience). And let's not forget...Fate (aka Luck; Good Fortune; and Out of the Blue God Shots).

Details are forthcoming!

If you are in the L.A. area, please stop in and gain some tips and tricks that may be well worth your while.

I will also be speaking on panels at the Genre-LA Writers Conference on Friday, March 29 and Sunday, March 31. Details are on the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society Website. I'm very impressed and honored that organizer extraordinaire Tony Todaro placed me on panels that line up perfectly with my eclectic skills sets:  
Book PR and Marketing, Memoir Writing, Fiction and Nonfiction Writing

Event Date and Time: Saturday, March 16 @2:30pm

Event Venue Address:
Culver City Julian Dixon Library
Ray Bradbury Room
2920 Overland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Event Website: Greater Los Angeles Writers Society Website
Book Publicity by Marlan Website: Book Publicity by Marlan

Contact Marlan:
E-Mail | marlanwarren@outlook.com
PR Blog | L.A. Now & Then
Book News Blog | Roadmap Girl's Book Buzz