This has been an exciting year for me. Last spring, I was invited to join the faculty of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, and right out of the gate, they put me on panels for their free meetings, and scheduled me to speak on the plethora of topics that I've gained extensive experience in professionally.
My next opportunities will be Friday, Aug. 16th at 6 p.m., at the Annual Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference (#AGLAWC) when I will speak on memoir writing, and Aug. 18th at 10 a.m. when I will have fun hearing "First Lines" of writers' manuscripts to give feedback. On Saturday, Aug. 17th, I'll be on hand to hear your manuscript draft pitches for editorial feedback. (Yes! I am a book editor!) You have to sign up in advance to participate.
In 1979, I arrived in San Diego from Chicago with the goal of writing professionally. At a journalism workshop, the teacher urged me to attend writers conferences as a way to improve my skills, and even more importantly, connect with fellow writers. I attended my first conference a month later. It was a refreshingly supportive experience that made me feel that I was on the right track!
DETAILS:
Friday, 8/16 @6-7pm
Writing a Best-Selling Memoir - Biographies That More Than Just Your Family Will Read:
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. We will also discuss how to write a memoir/autobiography for a friend or client/celebrity.
MarlanWarren, Madeline Sharples, Herbie J. Pilato, Robin Quinn
I'll be available Saturday, 8/17. After lunch! For this:
ProCritiques™ with Editors and Literary Agents
1 on-1 Pitch Sessions w/Agents and Publishers
Meet editors, agents and/or publishers for a personal consultation to pitch, discuss and improve pre-submitted pages of your manuscript. Schedule an appointment at the Registration Desk. Some editors may take new submissions on site. A separate fee applies to ProCritque and Masters ProCritique consultations. Some agents do not read or edit material in advance. Consult the wcwriters.com website for details. We recommend you attend the "How to Pitch" session in order to help identify the best professional for your individual genre and material.
SIGN UP at 1-on-1 Desk starts after agent panel.
Sunday, AUG. 18 @10 A.M.
Great Beginnings for Nonfiction Books –
Your First Line, First Pages
You've heard 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. Now you can learn how 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.
Claire Gerus, Helga Schier, Marlan Warren, plus panel
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Conferences tend to be a bit on the pricey side, so this Annual Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference is a godsend because they have broken it down into bite-size affordable $ chunks for anyone who wishes to attend. Here's the scoop (with details at wcwriters.com):
Learn how to take your writing to the next level at the Annual Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference (AGLAWC). It is a great opportunity to receive educational and inspirational guidance from more than 40literary agents, veteran educators, industry professionals, professional editors, and publishers in the craft and business of writing fiction, nonfiction, plus we offer workshops on screenwriting taught by Hollywood veterans.
Why this Conference is Unique -- and Better
AGLAWC uniquely presents individual tracks for Aspiring, Active, and Accomplished writers (what we call the 3-A’s). Each features a progression of educational lectures, panels, and interactive workshops for each level of expertise. This allows you to immerse yourself in an educational and inspirational environment all weekend suitable to your expertise and interests. Chose your level of participation and workshops based on what will benefit your writing career the most and crossover at anytime. The program will include almost 50 workshops.
You benefit from the most informed presentations and the latest information from the world of publishing. And along with perennial favorites, we offer important fresh voices and industry experts to widen your wealth of knowledge. Plus you have the opportunity to meet and network in person with literary agents, editors, and industry professionals to help guide you on the path to success.
Meet and Pitch Literary Agents & Scouts - 8 Confirmed, more coming...!
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