HE GREAT WHITE ART is what John Gardner called it, what it is that we, the writer, do. While art it may be, the realities of today's expanding transmedia marketplace — from books and magazines to movies, interactive narrative and graphic novels — dictate that it is the faceless reader, be it an agent, an editor, a bookseller, Hollywood bigwig or grocery store bagger who we, the commercial writer, are ultimately writing for. Communicating successfully to that reader is what the Southern California Writers' Conference is about.

Founded and run by professional writers the SCWC provides veteran and emerging talent authoritative guidance to help distinguish material that is ready for market consideration, having facilitated nearly $4 million worth of first-time authors' book and screen deals. With extended one-on-one evaluation of advance submissions and dozens of read & critique and Q&A workshops available, the SCWC is uniquely tailored to empower the writer with the vital tools, networking and industry experience needed to sell their work.

So whether you're a writer just starting out, a writer unable to determine why your work's not working, a writer simply in search of some answers, a writer wanting feedback on what you've written, or just a writer who wants to hang with other writers, join us for the Seventh Annual Southern California Writers' Conference *Los Angeles (in Irvine).

Your words are worth it!

LATEST NEWS AS OF 6/17/09
>> Print 4-Page Online Brochure (mid-summer)  I  SCWC .COMmunity Blog
>> View Proper Manuscript Format Sample  I  MSG on Writing a Synopsis
>> JJ on "Pitch" Conferences  I  MSG on Choosing the Write Conference

[ Note: Agents wanting to participate contact Michael Steven Gregory only if you're accepting clients. There are plenty of other conferences that provide reps who have no sincere intent of acquiring new clients with free weekends at nice hotels in desireable locales. The SCWC is not one of them. ]

NEW WORKSHOPS: As mentioned previously, based on a slew of recent suggestions from writers just like you, many new sessions are debuting in Irvine. Among the latest additions:

Donnell Alexander's "Write it Real: Fictionalist Tools for

Fabulous Nonfiction"

Marla Miller's "Nonfiction for Newbies: Is It a Book or Isn't It?"

Gary Phillips' "Combining Genres without Losing Your Reader"

and "Writing Cross-platform: Novels, Short Stories & Comic Books"

Lynn Price's "Backstory Bedlam: What to Use, What to Lose?"

Lynn Vannucci's "How to Succeed in the New Nonfiction Niche Market"

Michele Scott's "Muddled: Story Reconstruction Clinic"

FINAL GUEST SPEAKER (6/13/09): Longtime friend of the SCWC, author/screenwriter Robert Ward returns as our Saturday evening special guest speaker in Irvine. Entirely one of our favorite people, Robert's notable work includes his NEA Award-winning debut novel, Shedding Skin, and Red Baker, recipient of the Los Angeles PEN Award for Best Novel of 1985, as well as his celebrated stints on such ground-breaking television series as Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice and New York Undercover. His new book, Total Immunity (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), is out July and there's a good story to be told about just how it came about, which should prove a lesson for writers everywhere. He'll also be conducting a much needed workshop, "Dialogue IS Action," and accepting a limited number for advance submissions for critique, followed by one-on-one consultation at the conference . . . Still more to come!

TWO MORE ADDITIONS (6/9/09): We're receiving an unusually diverse amount of topic requests this time around, so much so that we need to break a few off for the 2010 San Diego conference because of time restraints — gotta stay focused, folks! The bulk of specific sessions, along with the working schedule, will be posted shortly . . . Meanwhile, making his SCWC debut is none other than author/journalist Donnell Alexander. Of his total 'tudal memoir, Ghetto Celebrity: Searching For My Father In Me, MSNB's Keith Olbermann declared that Donnell's "probably given us a preview of how most American writing will read twenty years hence." His most recent book is Rollin' with Dre: The Unauthorized Account: An Insider's Tale of the Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of West Coast Hip Hop (One World/Ballantine) . . . And beyond returning to Irvine with her "Narrative Triage: The Practice of Applying Emotional Logic" workshop, author/editor Lynn Vannucci's Beat the Book is back. Geared to those seeking ongoing motivation and guidance extending beyond the conference weekend, BTB is year-long writing intensive, devoted to enabling five writers with qualified projects to complete a book-length manuscript and develop on-going creative partnerships with other writers and industry professionals. Full details and pre-screening information is available here. Keep in mind that last year's BTB got rather competitive, so polish your submissions. Lynn's conducting only one group for the 2009/2010 session . . . More shortly.

THE CELESTINE PROPHECY From book to the big screen.

WE HAVE A WINNERSSS (5/18/09): Author/workshop leader Darlene Quinn was just named winner of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards for Fiction for her novel, Webs of Power, while author/workshop leader Maralys Wills' Damn the Rejections and Full Speed Ahead nabbed Best Nonfiction award . . . Also, just this past weekend, the 15th annual San Diego Book Awards were announced. Look at all the SCWCers — both staffers and conferees over the years — who were honored:

• THEODOR S. GEISEL AWARD >> Laurel Corona

  for The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice

• HISTORICAL FICTION >> Laurel Corona

  for The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice

• MYSTERY/THRILLER >> Chet Cunningham

  for The Mystery of Hamlin Springs

• BIOGRAPHY >> Laurel Corona and Michael Bart

  for Until Our Last Breath: A Holocaust Story of Love and Resistance

• HEALTH and WELLNESS >> Karen Ronney

  for Proud Parents' Guide to Raising Athletic, Balanced Kids

• SELF-HELP and INSPIRATIONAL >> Jill Badonsky

  for The Awe-Maniac: A Daily Dose of Wonder

• UNPUBLISHED POETRY CHAPBOOK >> Claire Hsu Accomando

  for Evaporation

ANOTHER GUEST SPEAKER (5/5/09): Nearly 18 years after the release of his densely atmospheric debut novel, Down by the River, author Monte Schulz's follow up, This Side of Jordan, is out hardcover September as the first of five books he scored deals for in the past 12 months. Written for his father, the late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, over the course of ten years and taking place on the eve of the Great Depression, Jordon is the first in his "Crossing Eden" trilogy of literary prose to be published by Fantagraphics Books. It's been a long, strange slog for Monte and he can't wait to tell us all about it. And we can't wait to hear him!

GUEST SPEAKER (4/29/09): Pushcart Prize nominee and celebrated author Fan Wu is the first of our special guest speakers to be announced. The Asian Review of Books called her 2007 debut novel, February Flowers, "A fresh, original work that strikes a fine balance between intimacy and restraint, and shatters several stereotypes along the way." The Financial Times Book Review (UK) hailed that it "turns its eye away from imagined audiences and keeps it trained on the story at hand... (and) the ease with which it shakes off the voiceover of memoir, with all its intonations of latterly won wisdom, and enters the past as it was lived, in real-time and without the props of hindsight." Beautiful as Yesterday (Simon & Schuster/Atria) is out July 1, Xinran (Good Women of China) calls, "A delicate and brilliant novel on the arguments, triumphs, loves and differences of a Chinese family in America."

Watch author Andrew Peterson address, landing an agent.

PUBLISHING 3.0, PLUS (4/26/09): From New York agency Linda Chester and Associates, Alexandra Machinist has joined the schedule. An admittedly "promiscuous reader" with a diverse range of recent book sales to her credit, she's interested in material ranging from swift-moving narrative nonfiction to Jane Austen to cyberpunk . . . As so many readers are now confirmed, we've opened up their availability on both the online and offline registration forms. While it's important to register early, if you wish to wait until all readers are confirmed, simply select the "To Be Determined" checkboxes on the form. The SCWC will notify you once the final list is posted. If you'd like guidance selecting a reader, feel free to contact Michael or Wes . . . The business is all abuzz about "Publishing 3.0," yet what it is, exactly, and how it will impact (empower?) authors everywhere remains open to debate. Regardless, the fact is we now work in an author-as-entrepreneur world, increasingly dependent on emerging P30 technologies for survival, let alone publishing success. So in addition to the usual slate of great craft, troubleshooting, informational and read & critique workshops to be found on the upcoming schedule, don't worry, we're also going to devote some quality time to P30 issues . . . Finally, from the SCWC archives, be sure to watch author Stacey O'Brien enchant and inform the crowd with the story behind her breakout New York Times bestseller, Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl, at last year's LA6. It's 12 minutes of time you won't soon forget. Also check out author Andrew Peterson (First to Kill) address the benefits of having a top-notch freelance editor before submitting your manuscript to an agent in the wild.

LAW & MORE ORDER (4/20/09): Winner of two Emmys and two Golden Globes for his work on HBO's Band of Brothers and From Earth to the Moon, writer/producer Erik Bork joins us for the first time. In addition to introducting at least two new workshops, Erik will be accepting a limited number of screenplay submissions for advance critique, followed by one-on-one consultation . . . To help writers better understand some of the most vexing issues we face in today's ever-changing transmedia publishing world, intellectual property and entertainment attorney Mark I. Reichenthal is also aboard. No matter what level of writer you are, his will be a session you won't want to miss . . . On the good "muse" front, LA5 conferee Linda Quinn’s “A Not So Clear Case of Murder” appears in Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery, just out from Arte Público Press. Contributors to the anthology of short fiction include award-winning writers such as Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Rolando Hinojosa, Manuel Ramos and Sergio Troncoso. Check out this El Paso Times review of the book. Good job, Linda! . . . Still more folks to add to the roster, including our keynote speakers, so check back soon.

MORE STAFF ADDITIONS (4/16/09): Authors and SCWC veterans Matthew J. Pallamary, Raul Ramos Y Sanchez, Steven Thomas and Maralys Wills are back for September, as is Red Hen Press managing editor, novelist & Alan Ginsberg Poetry Award winner Kate Gale, freelance editors Jean Jenkins and Mike Sirota, and still many others yet to be announced. While the list of optional advance submission readers is still evolving, in order to prevent confusion, as a rule we don't list their names on the registration form until all have been added to the schedule (mid-May). If you register early to save $100 (through April 30th), but know you'll be submitting material for advance critique, simply check the "To Be Announced" box. We will notify you when the complete list of readers is available. You may also register now, then add advance submissions at a later date . . . To keep up to speed on all the latest SCWC announcements, be sure to join the SoCal Writers Conference on Facebook.

Watch "We, The Writer" excerpt on writing fiction versus writing nonfiction.

LA7 REGISTRATION OPEN (4/6/09): We're about to sign-off on some new crew to the SCWC community, as well as many familiar publishing professionals returning to the mix. With such seismic changes going on in the industry, beyond our regular abundance of interactive troubleshooting and read & critique workshops we'll also be addressing transmedia writing strategies and essentials, and what are currently the most viable independent publishing options for authors . . . Those already confirmed for Irvine include Drusilla Campbell and her ever-popular Novel Cram immersion track, fellow authors/SCWC session leaders Gary Phillips, Judy Reeves, Michele Scott (with a truly cool new workshop) and Laura Taylor. Past conferee Darlene Quinn, undisputed marketing maven-ess given the success of her recent debut novel Webs of Power, joins the staff. Agents and editors Alexandra Machinist, Marla Miller, Lynn Price, Kelly Sonnack and Sally van Haitsma are in, as are others to be announced . . . For those wishing to save serious cash, register by May 1st and get a whopping $100 Early "Bard" Discount . . . While we continue piecing things together, whet your appetite for substantive discussion on all things writerly by checking out this vintage We, The Writer clip in which authors B. Abell Jurus, Quincy Troupe, Joseph Wambaugh and others discuss their personal distinctions between writing fiction and nonfiction books. It's a topic that might make for good discussion over at the SCWC.COMmunity blog. Further updates take place often from here on out, including staff bios, advance submission readers, the evolving schedule and good "muse," so check back to get the skinny. And if you haven't already, be sure to join the SCWC mailing list. More soon.

Watch author/editor Marla Miller put agents in perspective.

SO IT BEGINS (3/01/09): Following what will go down as one of the most memorable San Diego events, we begin the run-up to LA/Irvine. As usual, we'll welcome several new friends into the SCWC fold — at least a couple of whom we wanted in San Diego but simply ran out of space. There'll be a lot of familiar faces with us, too, but the question at the moment is this: What genres would YOU like us to focus on for LA7? We've got a couple of months to work this out, but at the end of the day the SCWC is here to serve your needs and interests. Do you want more screenplay, sci-fi/fantasy or children's/YA tackled in workshop? Maybe something else entirely that we're missing the boat on? Email Michael and let us know. Registration will open April 1. In the meantime checkout the latest of author/editor/workshop leader Marla Miller's invaluably opinionated insight on dealing with literary agents on YouTube, shot at last year's LA6.

LA7 GEARING UP (1/21/09): The 7th Annual Southern California Writers' Conference *Los Angeles(ish) will take place yet again at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Irvine, where we've been happily ensconced for the past two years. Dates for the event are Sept. 25-27, 2009. News on which authors, agents, editors and other publishing professionals will be joining us will begin shortly after we wrap up San Diego 23. If you're not already on our mailing list, subscribe today.

SCWC*LA 6 Award Recipients:

• OUTSTANDING FICTION >> Ernessa Carter

  from Los Angeles, CA for Molly Ringwald Ending

• OUTSTANDING FICTION >> Stephen Harper

  from Marina Del Ray, CA for King's X

• OUTSTANDING FICTION >> Jacqui Murray

  from Laguna Hills, CA for To Hunt a Sub

• OUTSTANDING NONFICTION >> Catherine Claxton Dong

  from Corona, CA for Predicting History

• TOPIC >> Alice Hayward

  from Los Angeles, CA for Betrayed by a Stray (read here)

SCWC*LA 7 LOCATION: The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located near commuter-friendly John Wayne Airport in Irvine. Address: 17941 Von Karman, Irvine, CA 92614. Phone: (949) 863-1999. Discounted lodging rates are available to SCWC*LA conferees. Conference dates are September 25—27, 2009. Be sure to book your room by no later than Sept. 1st to ensure the super-discounted SCWC rate. Just mention the writers' conference.

SCWC*LA 7 SCHEDULE: To be announced.

SCWC*LA 7 STAFF: To be announced.

SCWC*LA 7 GUEST SPEAKERS: To be announced.

HERE'S WHERE you can check out all the information:

• Workshop Leader Bios & Staff - SCWC*LA 7
• Conference Schedule - SCWC*LA 7
• Registration - SCWC*LA 7
• Frequently Asked Questions - SCWC*LA 7

THAT'S ALL for now.  Do check the website for updates and be sure to remit your postal address to receive our free brochure. For more specific information, e-mail us or phone directly (619) 303-8185.