Panel
Monday, February 29, 2016
There’s no one formula for writing – there are a thousand!
Aside from raw talent and a tip or two from the Muse, we have principles, rules, devices, guidelines, categories, strategies, tools, tactics, and techniques.
Our expert panel will offer help for all writers whether writing fiction, screenplay, or even nonfiction.
We will discuss (as time allows)…
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, March 21, 2016
Magazines are everywhere. It seems as if they must be starving for content, but they don’t make it easy to for writers to contribute. In fact, they can be downright secretive about the process.
Not all magazines pay well; some do not all pay at all. But sometimes the article practically writes itself, and other times the resume credit is worth the effort, even if the money does not fit. And sometimes there are other valuable perks that you might not have considered.
Our expert panel will discuss…
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Diana Paul will be giving a few examples of flawed characters from her novel, “Things Unsaid,” and discussing their importance for the structure of the novel. In addition to examples from her novel, she will use “Olive Kitteridge” (Elizabeth Strout) and “Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” (Anne Tyler) and their use of character flaws.
In a workshop format, Diana Paul encourages all participants to read from their own writing or from some of their favorite authors so we can open the discussion on characters we love to hate.
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Have you ever felt that Word Processing is actually harder than writing by hand or type writing? Do you use Word or another word processor and love it — except when you end up with weird page breaks or make one tiny change and end up with rivers of white instead of columns? Are you frustrated when you edit a word and actually lose the word. Do you “get by” in Word or your writing app, but know you could be more efficient?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions or possibly have other frustrations or questions, please do yourself the favor of coming to this seminar and learning how word processing can make you a superhero-strength writer.
Presented by Deborah Shadovitz, who wrote the book!
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, January 25, 2016
WHAT DO PUBLISHERS WANT?
As the greatest writer of them all once said, “That IS the question.” We all know that writing an interesting, involving, and top-quality book is a must, if you want to attract a good agent or a mainstream publisher — and especially if you want to publish it yourself.
But what happens after you write “The End”?
What goes on “behind the scenes” at publishers and agencies that determine if they say Yes or No? What do publishers and agents need from authors themselves, with regard to pre-existing fame and media profile, platform, credibility, education/credentials, and the like, besides writing a good book on a worthwhile topic?
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, January 16, 2015
“Method Writing” is an organic approach to writing, much as method acting is an organic approach to acting, stressing inner process and deep voice. “Method Writing” consists of various concepts that take the writer through techniques designed to make the writing more compelling and more effective, publishable and productive.
Back by popular demand, Jack Grapes will present this overview of the writer’s creative process, focusing on his book “METHOD WRITING,” a technique he’s developed and used in his writing workshops over the last 35 years.
[To read more, click the title!]
Party
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Let’s meet for no-host cocktails in the gorgeous Rendezvous Court or take an escorted tour of this historic hotel (optional), including the elegant ballrooms and indoor pool.
Then in Smeraldi’s Restaurant, we’ll have dinner with all the trimmings – soup or salad, entrée and sides, dessert selection, and beverages (non-alcoholic included with dinner; no-host bar available).
Awards and drawings follow, and we’ll have some nice surprises for you!
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, November 17, 2014
Written essays have always been a creative way to express views and test the waters for larger pieces. Many have become the framework for much of social communication. Now, with the advent of the digital age, essays have taken on a new and in some ways bolder life. Not only are they published in magazines and compilations, but the essay also lives in blogs and other social media.
Essays can be literary criticism, political manifestos, technical explanations, recollections, and more.
As Aldous Huxley once said, “Like the novel, the (written) essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything.”
We will take a lively look at how it has evolved recently and what several very accomplished writers have done with the form.
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, November 16, 2015
Who doesn’t like nostalgia?
But nostalgia for one person might be ancient history for another. But good nostalgia can strike a chord with many people.
Nostalgia can liven fiction and stand on its own. If given the proper treatment, it can become an “evergreen.”
We will look at the writings and the process of several notable writers, veterans in the field of nostalgia. They have preserved a world and within those words are inspiration, fascination, humor, and pathos, and since it is all based on real events, often from known names, we can relate to the universals.
The many horror stories, success stores, emotional upheavals and poignant aftermath of events past, take on a personal meaning in the world of nostalgia.
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Storytelling is the hottest new literary form – from The Moth to David Sedaris. In Los Angeles, there are many spoken-word events every night of the week. The competition is tough, and most tellers need help with creating the text and/or a relaxed performance technique.
[To read more, click the title!]
Outside event
October 31 & November 1, 2015
IWOSC is proud to co-sponsor the 805 Writers’ Conference.
The Craft and Business of Writing. 805 Writers’ Conference delivers the skills and knowledge writers need to succeed. Perfect for novelists, nonfiction, magazine, and screenwriters.
39 professionals to hear and meet, including our own Flo Selfman and Roberta Edgar and IWOSC had a table there as well.
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, October 26, 2015
How does a book writer, artist, performer/musician, or filmmaker get noticed by professional critics and bloggers, in today’s cacophony of 500 channels, Netflix, and YouTube — especially if they’re small-press, self-published, or an “indie” filmmaker or performer? And just as important, what qualities do critics want to see (and avoid!) in what they’re reviewing? What sets paid/professional film, TV, book, and arts criticism apart in today’s world of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Blogspot “film critics” and “political commentators?” What is the ROLE of the professional critic in today’s society — and can you become one yourself?
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar:
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Don’t drown in the sea of published books. Learn how to compete against the publishing Big Fish using the same highly effective book promotion techniques … without spending thousands of dollars.
Discover how to use the secret power of book reviews to ensure that the media, buyers and consumers start paying attention to and buying your book, spreading the word around the globe.
Get exclusive access to …
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, September 28, 2015
Thinking about writing the stories of your life? Wondering where to start? Or have you started but feel unclear about how to organize your writing? Looking for ideas to make your tales a better read? Are you a published author looking for help writing in memoir form?
We will discuss techniques that help enliven and enrich books of memoir, and tools to sharpen your writing and organization skills. We’ll help you move to the next level of your work.
We will discuss…
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Seminar
Saturday, September 19, 2015
The historical novel is one of the most popular genres in fiction. But writing one presents some special challenges. In this seminar Gerald Everett Jones uses his recent novel ‘Bonfire of the Vanderbilts” as a case study into the more than 15 years he spent trying to unravel the secrets hidden in Julius Stewart’s 1892 painting “The Baptism.” His searching included art history, unpublished scholars’ whitepapers, genealogy, steamship passenger records, Episcopal church history and archives, private memoirs and ephemera, oral history and even family rumors, image archives, rare book collections, and more.
[To read more, click the title!]
IWOSC Reads Its Own
Sunday, August 9, 2015
FREE!
Everyone is invited!
Guests and members came to hear some of IWOSC’s talented member writers as they read excerpts from their work. Published, not yet published, in progress…
The writing was varied — poetry, fiction, memoir, nonfiction.
Location: Vroman’s Bookstore
[To read more, click the title!]
Party!
Saturday, August 8, 2015
Location:
Carla’s Cafe
CBS STUDIO CENTER
This summer season we returned to enjoy the hospitality of CBS Studios in Studio City where fellow writers and guests wined, dined and socialized — after seeing the lot and in between being regaled with the personal stories of the fabulous Marianne Muellerleile.
Two years ago our summer party at CBS Studio City was such a hit that we’ve decided to return!
[To read more, click the title!]
Discussion
Monday, July 27, 2015
WOSC is pleased to present an exciting program with international speaker, coach, author and comedian JUDY CARTER.
Do you shy away from public speaking even though it can help you promote your writing career and earn you extra money?
All writers need to know how to do something that’s scary: speak in front of others.
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, July 18, 2015
WordPress! You’ve heard and keep hearing the name. “THE way you should set up your website.” “THE way Google will better rank your website.” “THE #1 choice people are using to get their message, their writing, out to the world.”
Maybe you’ve heard that it can be difficult. Maybe you’ve even tried to use it and got stuck. …
[To read more, click the title!]
Panel
Monday, June 29, 2015
More books are being sold to more people than at any other time in history. But they aren’t primarily or necessarily being sold as paper or in traditional bookstores. Consider this quote from Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired magazine:…
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Seminar
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Whether we’re at a cocktail party, on an airplane, or face to face with an agent or producer, we’re always pitching. Even experienced writers get tongue-tied when it comes to presenting their work aloud in the best possible light. IWOSC is pleased to welcome back one of the best pitching instructors anywhere: Pilar Alessandra, director of the writing program “On the Page.”
In this seminar, you will …
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Discussion
Monday, May 18, 2015
Ted Lange personifies the Renaissance Man Award he received from the NAACP. A graduate of London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Lange gained worldwide recognition as a gifted actor of stage and screen, revered director, and prolific writer.
Join us as he is our guest for an interview and Q&A about his career as an actor, screenwriter, director and playwright…
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, May 16, 2015
There’s an oft-told story that Michelangelo, when asked how he could possibly create a statue as beautiful as David from a block of marble, answered, “I simply chip away everything that’s not David.”
As writers, we don’t start with a block of marble. If we want to get at the beautiful work of art, what do we do?
As our presenter, Deborah Edler Brown, will explain, we have to “write” the marble, then chip away at it.
[To read more, click the title!]
Annual Agents Panel
Monday, April 27, 2015
In a fast-changing marketplace, it’s more important than ever to have an advocate to fight for you when going the route of traditional publishing. Our annual Agent’s program this April 27 will present a panel of stellar Southern California agents who will provide a look at their world today. Topics we’ll be covering (and there will be time for Q&A from the audience) will include:
Do’s and Don’ts — how to get an agent’s attention in a good way, what agents are especially on the lookout for (and what they DON’T want to see) in cover/query letters and proposals.
How to make your cover, query, or proposal irresistible, and how to match yourself with the right agent for your “brand” and interests as a writer.
[To read more, click the title!]
Seminar
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Nearly all nonfiction books are sold with a proposal that enlists the aid of a literary agent in convincing an acquisitions editor at a publishing entity to advance funds to a writer with an idea.
Bring paper and pen (or a laptop or iPad) and your best idea for a nonfiction* book, and learn how to write irresistible query letters and book proposals. Marvin J. Wolf, author of a dozen nonfiction books, as well as a novel and several photography books, will take you through the seven steps to a successful book.
*Except for a handful of superstars, selling a novel or a screenplay requires that the writer create a brilliant first draft of the work. Nevertheless, novelists and screenwriters will find this workshop valuable.
[To read more, click the title!]
