February 26-27-28,
2016
An Educational and Inspirational Program
for all Writers.
The Complete Program
The Annual Digital Author and Indie Publishing Writers
Conference is ideal for everyone who wants to learn about the latest
publishing paradigms in an increasingly digital world where the giants include
Author Solutions, Amazon, Apple, BookBaby, Smashwords, and other digital
resources, as well as the traditional "Big Five"
Publishers.
Friday February 26 1:00pm – 7pm
Walk-up Registration, Pre-Registration pickup of credentials, badge,
program, swag bag - Information Desk Campus Center, First Floor. Daily
Orientation Session - 30 minute in Monarch Hall
==
2:00 pm
How To Pitch an Agent or Publisher
You've spent a year or more working on a great novel and now you feel
it's ready to be shared with the world. Naturally, the first step is to pitch
literary agents and find one who shares your passion for the work and is willing
to sign you. While many authors submit countless query letters and emails --
without result, a few wise souls know that agents often look to conferences as a
source for new talented writers. It is a unique window to have your work
considered firsthand. But what do you say? How do you present yourself and your
manuscript in order to have them ask for more?
Join this panel at the beginning of each day, where the agents,
editors, and publishers du jour will discuss what they expect and answer
your questions.
This is NOT a pitch session, rather an opportunity to hear what each
agent needs to hear in order to make a decision. Listen well, then rehearse
before scheduling a pitch session with them later that day at the
conference.
Lisa Abellera, Megan Close, Paul Levine, Steven Hutson, Amy Sterling
Casil, Tony N. Todaro (M)
==
West Coast Writers Conferences offers quality opportunities for you
to meet with professional editors, literary agents, and publishers during
personal, one-on-one sessions to review your work and offer specific advice on
how to move your project forward. Read each professional's background and areas
of interest before applying to find the best match for your work. Attendee
appointments made at the ProCritique Desk / Calendar onsite. Gold Attendees
appointments scheduled in advance.
==
What Comes First -– the Plot or the
Characters?
What comes first - the plot or the characters? This battle has raged
for centuries among writers. The fact is without good characters, it doesn't
matter what your plot is. Story is who the characters are, what happens to them
and how they feel about it and how they overcome their obstacles whereas plot is
this happens and that happens.
Writing good characters - both hero and villain - is an art that you
can master if you learn what really makes them tick. They cannot be one sided
stick figures. Understand them and you will understand write your story. In this
session you will get tips on how to make your characters not only come alive,
but maybe even whisper sweet somethings in your
ears.
Faculty: Serita Stevens
==
Write Your Great Book to Be a Great Audiobook,
Too
Writing compellingly for the page, to resonate silently in a reader’s
mind, is one skill. Writing compellingly for audio, to resonate in a listener’s
ear, is quite another. Fortunately, the two skills are complementary: tuning in
to the subtleties of one will help you master the other. And with the growing
importance of audiobooks in today’s publishing world, where your listeners may
outnumber your readers, you need to excel at both.
Dean Sluyter has a unique perspective on this issue. As both the
author of four books from major publishers (including the Amazon best
seller Natural Meditation) and a narrator for companies from Random House
to University Press, he has worked both sides of the aisle. He has repeatedly
experienced the frustration of sitting in the sound booth and thinking, “If only
the author were here with me now, I could show him how just moving this comma or
flipping these two words would bring this sentence to
life.”
In this workshop, Dean will share instructive, sometimes hilarious
examples of sentences he wishes he could have rewritten (something the narrator
is forbidden to do), as well as sentences that work gloriously both aloud and on
the page. He’ll walk you through the most common pitfalls of writing
simultaneously for both platforms, and show you how to use a “narrator’s ear” to
make your writing sing.
Dean Sluyter
==
Self-Publishing: the Reality, the Myth, the Good and the
Bad
Description
coming...
J. L. Doty, S.R. Johannes Brittany & Brianna Winner, Amy
Sterling Casil (M)
==
"Going Digital? Indie Publishing? You Still Need To Tell A
Story"
Whatever vehicle you choose for your project, your story is always a
priority. Sara Anne Fox, former feature film development executive, LA Valley
College "professional expert" in story and screenwriting, discusses the essence
of narrative in screenplays, novels, and memoirs, and its importance in the
ever-expanding menu of "getting it out there."
With an eye on the marketplace and target audiences, she brings into
focus the most effective methods for giving life to the story you are longing to
tell.
Faculty: Sara Anne Fox
==
Writers In Collaboration - Working with a
Partner
Writing alone is tough enough -- so, is writing with a partner
easier, or does it create a whole new set of problems? These panelists will
explore the process of writing in collaboration with a partner. This diverse and
informative panel will also discuss their methodology and experiences, as well
as the trials, tribulations and rewards. Afterwards, they will also answer
questions from the audience and autograph their work.
Many successful authors work in teams – but how do a pair of
single-minded writers really work together? This workshop will explore the many
different iterations of successful writing teams, ranging from those who truly
write together to those who perform different career functions (ie, one comes up
with the ideas, the other executes them).
Joni Labaqui (M)
Brittany & Brianna Winner
Gayle K. Brunelle
Leslie Ann Moore
==
Techniques for Editing Your Work & When to Hire a
Pro
(Friday Edition)
Every professional writer knows that the first draft of anything from
an epic novel to a short story is going to need considerable revision and
polishing. To get your prose in shape for submission and publication may take
several additional drafts. While some writers consider this process part luck
and part voodoo, there are definite paths to success.
Join us as a panel of editors discuss the right way to hone a
masterpiece (i.e.: worthy of publishing) by knowing what to look for and share
tips on how to fix it yourself.
Then, we'll discuss when is the right time to bring in a professional
editor, and what it might cost.
Peggy Glenn, Marla Markman, Laurel Anne Hill, Sara Anne
Fox (M)
==
Things I Wish a Pro Had Told Me When I First Started
Writing
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.
Patty Blue Hays, Brittany & Brianna Winner
Phil Giagrande (M)
==
Blogging Your Way to a Stronger Author
Platform
(Without Going Crazy!)
Blogging can help you build your readership before and after you’re
published, network and even strengthen your writing skills. But how can you fit
it into your hectic lifestyle? Does it really help? What should you blog
about?
August McLaughlin’s blog reaches over 45,000 readers each month and
has invited exciting professional opportunities and boosted book sales—and she
was at ground zero not long ago. She’ll share practical tips, answer commonly
grappled-with questions and sort out the dos and don’ts of blogging. You can
blog effectively while writing without losing sleep or your
sanity.
Faculty: August McLaughlin
==
Top Five Items Writers Should Have Prepared Before They
Query
Description
coming...
Natalie Obando-Desai
==
"A Gathering of Writers"
No-host Networking Dinner. Attendees are welcome to meet the speakers
and special guests at a no-host reception. Location announced to attendees
only.
==
Saturday February 27, 2016
==
How To Pitch an Agent or Publisher
You've spent a year or more working on a great novel and now you feel
it's ready to be shared with the world. Naturally, the first step is to pitch
literary agents and find one who shares your passion for the work and is willing
to sign you. While many authors submit countless query letters and emails --
without result, a few wise souls know that agents often look to conferences as a
source for new talented writers. It is a unique window to have your work
considered firsthand. But what do you say? How do you present yourself and your
manuscript in order to have them ask for more?
Join this panel at the beginning of each day, where the agents,
editors, and publishers du jour will discuss what they expect and answer
your questions.
This is NOT a pitch session, rather an opportunity to hear what each
agent needs to hear in order to make a decision. Listen well, then rehearse
before scheduling a pitch session with them later that day at the
conference.
Lisa Abellera, Megan Close, Paul Levine, Steven Hutson, Ken Sherman,
Amy Sterling Casil, Tony N. Todaro (M)
==
West Coast Writers Conferences offers quality opportunities for you
to meet with professional editors, literary agents, and publishers during
personal, one-on-one sessions to review your work and offer specific advice on
how to move your project forward. Read each professional's background and areas
of interest before applying to find the best match for your work. Attendee
appointments made at the ProCritique Desk / Calendar onsite. Gold Attendees
appointments scheduled in advance.
==
Digital Publication: Using Microsoft Word to Format Your Book for
Publication
10:00 am - Part One: How to Format It Easily and
Simply
Learn how to format your manuscript for editing and submission to
agents, editors and publishers. Keep your document clean will actually help you
type faster. In this session, we will setup beginning styles, understand the
difference between a header and regular text, and the difference between what it
says and how it looks. The differences between dead tree formatting and digital
formatting will also be covered, so you can format for both and understand the
best way to ensure smooth digital publication.
11:15 am - Part Two: Digital
Publication:
How to Modify Your MS for Digital Uploads (to Kindle and
other publishers)
Learn the difference in formatting for online vs. digital publication
via Kindle and other digital publications. During this section, we will take the
document formatted in class 101, prepare it for book submission, and actually
upload it at the end of the class to Amazon, as well as other digital
formatters. We will cover both fiction and non-fiction, including how to do
pictures, graphs, and tables. Karen Valentine is not expected to
appear.
Faculty: John Gwinner
==
The Buddy System: The Benefits of Working with a Book
Shepherd
You’ve decided to publish a book—now what? The sheer amount of
information out there is enough to make you feel like you’re drowning in advice,
and not all of it is valid.
The good news? You don’t have to go it alone. A book shepherd can
guide you through every step of the self-publishing process, from pre-launch
marketing and design to editing, indexing and e-book
conversions.
In this energetic and informative workshop, you’ll
learn:
· The benefits of working with a book shepherd.
· What to expect when you hire one.
· How to find a reputable one.
· How to make sure they’re a good fit.
Faculty: Marla Markman
==
How Authors Go From Fingers to Keyboard to Dollars in The
Bank
Description
coming...
Paul Levine
==
How To Crowdfund Your Book
Description
coming...
Russell Nohelty
==
"Six Tips to Fulfill Your Resolution to Become a Published
Author"
Do you have a book idea, but you don’t know where to start on your
journey to get published?
Join Keith Ogorek, senior vice president of marketing for Author
Solutions and self-published author of two books, as he shares tips on how to go
from writing your manuscript to holding a copy of your published
book.
His six important tips will make your New Year’s Resolution of
getting published real and attainable.
This Keynote Special Speaker Event includes a complimentary light
lunch and beverages.
Faculty: Keith Ogorek, Senior VP of Marketing for
Author Solutions
==
Building A Platform and Social Networking
Description
coming...
Madeline Sharples, Eleanor Vincent, Liz
Donatelli, Russell Nohelty
==
The Age of the Digital Creator
Going Digital means that you limit yourself substantially when you
define yourself as a writer. You must be a creator to take full advantage of the
HUGE opportunities of the digital age. Web series, webinars, eBooks, audio
books, your own YouTube channel and all the other pathways that now exist
between you and your audience – each with its own paycheck
possibilities.
Steven Barnes, Art Holcomb, plus
panel
==
Top 10 things writers should consider when selling their
books.
Description
coming...
Natalie Obando-Desai
==
How to Self-Edit Your Work & When to Hire a
Pro
Saturday Edition
Every professional writer knows that the first draft of anything from
an epic novel to a short story is going to need considerable revision and
polishing. To get your prose in shape for submission and publication may take
several additional drafts. While some writers consider this process part luck
and part voodoo, there are definite paths to success.
Join us as a panel of editors discuss the right way to hone a
masterpiece (i.e.: worthy of publishing) by knowing what to look for and share
tips on how to fix it yourself.
Then, we'll discuss when is the right time to bring in a professional
editor, and what it might cost.
==
What Good Writers Do Badly: Writing Mistakes and Missteps That
Even
the Best Writers Make
You have probably read all of the great books on writing well but
still can’t get past those first few pages. Or perhaps your manuscript is done
but you’re not getting the response you would like.
In this fun and advice-filled presentation, you will discover: slip
ups writers make even before the first word appears on their screen, what the
acronym NDBM means and how to apply it to your work, top editing secrets from
successful authors, the importance of clarity and thinking long term, how to
know your audience and your book’s place in the marketplace, and much
more!
Faculty: Megan Close
==
How To Sell a TON of Books - Part 1
Did you know it's never too late--or too early--to promote your book?
Did you know that your media kit and query letter are essential planning tools
to kick your marketing campaign into high gear?
Your kit serves as a planning tool early on, a convincing tool for
getting the (free) publicity once your book is published, and an ongoing record
of your successes as you move up to bestseller lists.
An EXTRA BONUS: After reading Carolyn's The Frugal Editor (http://bit.ly/FrugalEditor), bring it and
a copy of the query letter you wrote using the instructions in it with you and
Carolyn will give find three quick, magical ways you can improve it after the
seminar--free. [You must have attended the class to take advantage of this
offer.]
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
==
A Special Speaker Event sponsored by the Greater Los Angeles Writers
Society
"Why Hollywood Wants Your Book
And What You Can Do to Seize The
Opportunity"
Now more than ever, producers, managers, directors and even studios
are looking more closely at self published titles. What’s created this increased
interest?
In this informative seminar, Keith Ogorek shares three reasons why he
thinks Hollywood has come calling and three reasons that keep authors from
seizing the opportunity. From his vantage point as SVP of Marketing at Author
Solutions, Keith and his team have developed relationships and partnerships in
Hollywood and created events like the Book-to-Screen Pitchfest that expose
entertainment executives to self-published titles and have enabled a number of
authors to have their books optioned.
If you think you have a book or story that would play well on the
screen, you don’t want to miss this talk.
Faculty: Keith Ogorek
==
"A Gathering of Writers"
No-host Networking Dinner. Attendees are welcome to meet the speakers
and special guests at a no-host reception. Location announced to attendees
only.
==
Sunday February 28, 2016
Sunday Morning Motivational:
Conquering Fear as a Writer
You know that this is what holds you back. That FEAR is what stops
you from being the writer you long to be. The key to success is to not only
conquer your fear but turn it to a real advantage in your writing. Come hear Art
and Steve talk about ways that they have overcome fear in their own successful
careers, the simple things you can do to breakthrough and how the power of
permission can make the difference between success and
failure.
Steven Barnes, Art Holcomb
==
Why Print Books Aren't Going Away -
How to Combine E-books and Print to Reach
Readers
Much market research shows that younger readers prefer print books.
Reviewers in important publications like Library Journal, magazines and schools,
libraries and bookstores all use paper books. They are 70% of the current book
market. Combining an ebook and paper edition is the way to reach current and
future reading audiences.
Now you can learn how to combine sales of these
important markets to increase your overall bottom line.
Amy Sterling Casil
==
New Paths that Literary Agents use to find New
Authors
Description
coming...
Literary Agent Lisa Abellera
==
Media Training for Writers 101
Are you ready for your next publicity tour? If the answer is simply,
"maybe," then "Media Training for Writers 101," might just be what you need to
take you and your book to the top.
Saida Pagan
==
How To Use Amazon to Help You Sell A TON of
Books
Most authors--even those published by New York's Big Five--neglect
one of their best selling tools, their Buy Page on Amazon. Come learn why you
can hate Amazon all you want but are risking the success of your book of your
ignore them--starting with the Author Profile and the Buy Page they provide each
of your books.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
==
Build a Platform that Agents and Publishers Will
Love
The #1 question that agents and publishers ask when looking at
nonfiction projects is, “What is their platform?” They want to know that an
author already has an audience hungry for their content, in addition to being
marketing savvy and continuing to grow their brand and that group of fans. In
this informative presentation, you will learn what a proposal is (and why you
need one), how to grow your platform, how to establish your expertise, and how
to create a battle plan for your book’s success – before, during and after its
publication. Learn to stand out from the herd
Megan Close
==
Publishing Industry Roundtable
A Panel of Literary Agents, Publishers, and Industry Experts Discuss
everything from copyrights to trademarks to New Paradigms for Publishing and
more
Paradigms for the publishing world are changing faster than ever. But
the basic questions remain the same:
• What is a proper
copyright, a trademark?
• How/when is my work
protected?
• Do I need an agent to
get published and succeed?
• If so, what's the best
time to find one?
• What can an agent do for
you?
• What can you do to find
and establish a positive relationship with an agent?
• Who should review
publishing contracts before signing?
• What is the state of the
publishing industry and how can you still achieve success with a moving
target?
Paul S. Levine, Curt S. Steindler, Amy Sterling Casil, Steven Hutson,
and panel
==
Sunday 2:30 Conference Closes - Thanks for attending!
(Program subject to
change for all the usual variety of reasons.)
