Independent Writers of Southern California
IWOSC Welcomes you
If you’re a writer in the Los Angeles area or Southern California, at any level of your writing career, writing for yourself, for magazines or ezines, working a screenplay or editing copy, or working on a book — writing in any genre, we welcome you.
IWOSC, for over 35 years — one of LA’s longest-running professional writers’ organizations, provides writers of the greater LA or Southern California area with many opportunities to get together: seminars, panel and more! Our About page has more about the educational and informational events we offer for writers…
Our Upcoming Writers’ Events
April 2019 Panel…
Annual Agents Panel for writers – 2019
Monday, May 20, 2019
7:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.
(networking follows the program)
Free for IWOSC members
Non-members: $15
What do writers need to know about finding & working with representation today?
We are happy to once again present a panel of stellar Southern California agents for both books and film/TV that will tell you what you need to know:
- How to find the right representative.
- How to get the attention of agents.
- “Do’s and Don’ts.”
- How to build and create the strongest agent relationship.
- What it’s like after an author is signed.
- How often does one get feedback from an agent.
- Do agents “edit” a script or expect it to be perfect.
- How long a book or screenplay has to sell time-wise after an agent takes it on.
- What today’s authors need BESIDES a good book or proposal by itself (social media, educational/career credentials), in order to get that big book deal.
- An updated look at the e-book factor, self-publishing vs traditional, film/TV deals, and phone apps.
Our previous Panel…
Books to Film — for novelists, memoir and biography authors, and journalists
A recording will be available for purchase.
Upcoming Panel dates
Dates and topics are subject to change but here is our tentative plan so you can plan:
Monday night June 24: Audiobooks
Monday night July 29: Children’s Literature
April 2019 Seminar…
To be announced soon
Date and time TBA
IWOSC members: $15
Non-members: $35
Our previous Seminar…
How to craft effective queries and proposals
with Michelle Zeitlin and Jane Cowen Hamilton of More Zap Literary
Satellites— Informal sessions for writers
IWOSC’s monthly drop-in satellite sessions are free and open to all writers — both members and non-members.
From Orange County to Pasadena to the San Fernando Valley, IWOSC has writers covered. Bring your writing, your ideas, problems, questions, and complaints. Receive support, laughs, juicy controversy, and plenty of networking. If there isn’t a satellite in your area, we welcome having you create one.
Our local area satellite groups for writers are:
- Orange County — currently on hiatus
- Pasadena/Altadena Satellite – meets in Altadena
- South Bay – meets in El Segundo
- Valley Satellite (San Fernando Valley) – meets in Woodland Hills
- Westside (Los Angeles) — we’re back!
- Ventura County satellite – meets in Thousand Oaks
What happened in December…
Party — Our Annual Winter Party
Sunday afternoon, December 9, 2018
About 50 Southern California writers, writers and their friends got together for an afternoon of creative souls. Everyone enjoyed delicious French country cooking and sparkling conversation at TAIX, a great restaurant in the Echo Park area.