Author: Steven Sanchez

Life’s A Pitch: Preparing to Pitch Your Ideas to TV and Film Producers

Seminar
Saturday, April 15, 2006

In addition to writing well, today’s screenwriters, novelists, playwrights and journalists must also be able to convince editors, producers, and publishers to read their work. Pitching your writing — and yourself — is an art that all professional writers must master.

In this interactive, fun workshop, you’ll learn how to pitch yourself and your writing with ease, and you’ll learn this art from an expert: independent film producer Suzanne Lyons. You’re also invited to bring a “raw” pitch for your screenplay, stage-play, novel, non-fiction book or article to the seminar and get personal feedback from our seminar leaders on how to polish and improve your approach.

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to prepare yourself for the upcoming 2006 PitchFest and other career networking opportunities.

Presented by: SUZANNE LYONS

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Living for Words: Poets and Poetry in Southern California

Panel
Monday, March 27, 2006

On the eve of National Poetry Month, the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) hosts a panel of poets discussing the poetic life in Los Angeles.

Please join Keven Bellows, a Los Angeles teacher, and author of the poetry collection, “Taking Your Own True Name,” Sarah Maclay, the prize-winning author of three limited-edition chapbooks and the book “Whore,” Deborah Edler Brown, an award-winning poet and journalist, performer and storyteller, author and teacher, 1997 Head-to-Head Haiku champion, member of the 1998 Los Angeles Poetry Slam team and the 2005 recipient of the Sue Saniel Elkind Poetry Prize, and Catherine Daly, the author of two books of poetry, the trilogy “DaDaDa” (part of a long project entitled “CONFITEOR”) and the collection “Locket.”

The poets on the panel will share their work and shed some light on the life of a poet in Southern California. They will discuss the poetry (and readings) scene here, the business and publishing side of poetry (as in, can a poet earn a living at writing?), and how the discipline of writing poetry can improve other forms of writing.

Moderator: Jim Natal, curator and co-host of the long-running Poem.X monthly poetry series in Santa Monica.

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Self-Publishing for Profit

Panel
Monday, February 27, 2006

Today, self-publishing has become a legitimate and professional method of getting your book out into the marketplace. Whether you are establishing yourself as an expert to enhance a speaking career, to otherwise extend your credentials, or to simply sell books, self-publishing can be a smart choice.

Done right, self-publishing is cost-effective, quick compared to publishing houses’ normal timeframes, pays much better than standard royalty contracts, and lets you maintain control over the publishing process. Conversely, there are production costs, technical and software requirements that can take time to master, and distribution deals to strike. And, self-publishing also requires extensive self-marketing and promotion.

Our panel of experts will compare the pros and cons, risks and rewards, of mainstream publishing versus self-publishing, and reveal how self-publishing has worked for several authors.

Moderator: Gary Young
Joel Eisenberg
Rennie Gabriel
David Samson
John Seeley
Rob Schmidt

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Spiders and Bugs: Web Writing and Management

Seminar
Saturday, February 17, 2006

Today’s effective professional writers use the Internet as both a tool and a marketplace. Learn how at IWOSC’s January Saturday Seminar, when iMedia Editor in Chief Brad Berens discusses writing for the Internet, and Internet marketing expert Cliff Allen speaks about webmastering.

The workshop will cover the differences between writing online and off; site metrics and how they inform editorial decisions; how to design, implement and manage a website; tips on creating a good website; and personalization, e-mail marketing, and data mining. In addition, Berens will talk about iMedia’s current needs and its marketplace for freelancers, including his freelance budget.

Presented by: Cliff Allen and Brad Berens

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Where Do I Put The Apostrophe?

Seminar
Saturday, January 21, 2006

Even seasoned writing pros sometimes need to brush up on basic grammar and usage – as evidenced by the often-comical mistakes we sometimes see in newspapers and magazines.

Has the lazy language of e-mail made your professional communications sloppy? Do you agonize every time you prepare an article or a query letter because you’re afraid it contains grammar and punctuation errors? Some of this you may not have learned in school, or you may have forgotten.

Participants will gain grammar confidence in a review of few simple rules that can correct dozens of the most commonly made errors in written and spoken communication. Topics to be covered include…

Presented by: Flo Selfman

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Ongoing Intensive Writing Workshop

Ongoing Workshop

Oliver Mayer leads an ongoing writing workshop. Playwrights, screenwriters, novelists, poets, short story writers, and journalists were all welcome to start with any next session.

This ongoing workshop was held the second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. in Westwood. IWOSC members $30 per month; Non-members: $40 per month.

Presented by:

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