IWOSC Reads Its Own
IWOSC Reads Its Own is back for another spellbinding afternoon of eclectic, eccentric, and exemplary works — from poems to true stories to hilarious monologues and beyond, read aloud by distinguished IWOSC scribes.
Check out some of the distinguished line-up:
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Seminar
The Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) presents veteran publicist and consultant Flo Selfman – aided by many of her colleagues’ results-getting techniques – who will help you craft the best press release for your message, and provide pointers for getting your word out to the right places.
Presented by: Flo Selfman
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Panel
Monday, June 30, 2008
The world of nonprofits offers a variety of writing opportunities. Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) has assembled panelists who write grants, direct mail, publications, and PR. They’ll discuss the challenges faced working either as a freelancer or on staff.
Moderator: DEBBI SWANSON PATRICK
ELIZABETH ALLEN
NOEL DE LEON
CHERYL POSNER
KAREN ROSA
STEVE KIRK
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Seminar
How can you create a publicity buzz with your own books, blogs, and videos? Dr. Tina Tessina, Ph.D., aka Dr. Romance, tells how she did it and still does it! She’ll discuss her psychotherapy practice as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and how she’s published 11 books in many languages to help couples find happiness.
Presented by: Dr. Tina Tessina, Ph.D., aka Dr. Romance
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Panel
Monday, May 19, 2008
Journey through the exciting world of writing children’s literature and getting it published with a distinguished group of seven children’s book authors. Panelists will discuss developing characters, back stories, weaving compelling plots and story lines, use of age-specific language, and other tools Kid Lit writers need and what publishers are looking for.
Moderator: ANNE MOSBERGEN
MICHELLE MARKEL
LISA DUNN-DERN
BARNEY SALTZBERG
GRETCHEN WOELFLE
APRIL HALPRIN WAYLAND
ANN WHITFORD PAUL
SONYA SONES
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Seminar
Saturday, May 17, 2008
To write for kids, you have to think like a kid. There are nuances and approaches that children’s authors use frequently. It is not just the words, but also the images that the words create, which draw children into reading a story.
Join two award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators Kathryn Hewitt and Deborah Nourse Lattimore as they present practical tips and guidance on how to turn your kernel of a book idea into one ready to sell to a children’s book publisher.
Presented by: Kathryn Hewitt and Deborah Nourse Lattimore
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Panel
Monday, April 28, 2008
As every savvy writer knows, getting the words down on the page is half the battle.
The right literary agent can open crucial doors for a writer in the publishing industry. The challenge is convincing the agent that your work is right for them! The agents on this panel will share their writer success stories to illustrate what it takes to make it as a literary or non-fiction writer and how to market yourself and your work. Also, the evening would not be complete without examining some of the pitfalls that could be avoided through shared tales from the dark side of publishing. In addition, the role of the agent and the pros and cons of dealing with an attorney versus an agent will be explored.
Moderator: PAUL LEVINE
CHARLOTTE GUSAY
MIKE HAMILBURG
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Seminar
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Once the final few sentences of that great American novel have been penned or a non-fiction tale that no one else could scribe, it’s time to get your manuscript in front of an agent. Agents have the contacts to get your work seen and read by editors in publishing houses, looking for the newest acquisition. But where does one begin? Powerhouse author and screenwriter Marvin J. Wolf offers practical advice and savvy tips on how to turn your work into an attractive product ripe for picking by the book-publishing establishment.
Presented by: MARVIN J. WOLF
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Panel
Monday, March 31, 2008
As long as Americans have buying power, the need for consumer writing won’t go away. Our distinguished panel of writers from various media has applied their writing talents to helping consumers with their purchases. While consumer reporting has been underfunded compared to other journalism beats in recent years, these writers have worked diligently to bring the best information to the public. They will discuss the state of consumer reporting today, the litigious environment some reporting has come up against, and what bright spots appear on the horizon for this area of reportage.
Moderator: LILLI CLOUD
GERRI MILLER
SUSAN KARLIN
DOUG KRIEGEL
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Seminar
Saturday, March 15, 2008
What can you do to make your writing stand out in a crowded field? According to Lilli Cloud, communications trainer and owner of Blue Feet, you need to “write for differentiation.” In this seminar on business writing, Cloud will provide you with worthwhile tips and guidance on how to effectively differentiate a product, service or even yourself. The workshop will also include hands-on exercises
This workshop covers…
Presented by: LILLI CLOUD
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Panel
Writing is a business. Yet, if you can keep your mind open to creative possibilities, you can make the business work for you. Keeping flexible to various options can be the key to discovering alternative ways to enjoy success.
This eclectic panel has used a combination of talent, tenacity and tricks to earn their writing success. They’ll share…
Panel:
ROCHELLE KRICH
PETER COLLEY
COLLEEN DUNN BATES
GINA NAHAI
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Seminar
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Whether you’re writing to impress an editor, agent or publisher, your finished product should reflect the highest standards of professionalism. Whether you’re turning out autobiographies, corporate newsletters, or other writing projects, every professional endeavor requires editing and proofreading. Our two accomplished experts, editor and publishing consultant Monica Faulkner, and IWOSC President, PR consultant and proofreader-copyeditor Flo Selfman demystify the editing process, as well as the nuts and bolts of proofreading and copyediting.
A sampling of questions to be addressed…
Presented by: Monica Faulkner and Flo Selfman
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Panel
“When did the rules change?” Many writers and journalists have pondered this question over and over about book publishing, which has completely undergone a metamorphosis in the past decade. The Internet, media consolidation, big-box vs. independent bookstores, the boom in self-publishing, online “e-books” and blogs, and Hollywood-style demographics, age discrimination, and target-audience issues have transformed what was once the most stable and reliable of media industries into a completely new — and relatively uncharted — landscape.
IWOSC kicks off 2008 with a panel created to untangle some of these knotty career issues. It includes experts from every checkpoint of modern publishing — an agent for one of Hollywood’s A-list literary and talent agencies and a top book publicist. Plus, two of LA’s most prominent booksellers — one anchored in the independent bookseller world, while the other is from one of the nation’s premiere chain bookstores.
A sampling of issues to be addressed:
Moderator: TELLY DAVIDSON
KIM DOWER
TYSON CORNELL
ANDREA “Andy” BARZVIA
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Seminar
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Guest speakers Gerald Everett Jones and Helen Jupiter have each found a way to expound on the universe through blogs. If you’re a writer, blogging can be a powerful tool for promoting your ideas, expertise, book or platform both on purpose and accidentally in a “viral” form. With the right positioning, a blog can show up in Internet searches all over the world, compounding your media exposure exponentially. Let our experts explain why, where, when, and how to blog on a budget.
Presented by: Gerald Everett Jones and Helen Jupiter
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Panel
Monday, November 19, 2007
Today, the most successful specialized magazines are taking a cue from their online competitors and are building “communities” of devoted readers.
Angeleno magazine Editor in Chief Degen Pener moderates a panel of editors from Boulevard, Gorgeous, and Nurses World. They’ll discuss the Los Angeles magazine scene and opportunities in their publications for writers. Pener joined Angeleno in April. Previously, he did staff editing and writing stints at Entertainment Weekly, Details, Santa Barbara magazine, and New York magazine.
The editors will tell you how to get their attention and which departments are looking for fresh ideas. Each editor will describe what the magazine is broadly about, and what kinds of things it does cover and does not cover. They’ll tell how to contact them, and will provide a calendar of upcoming topics.
Moderator: DEGEN PENER
RASPIN STUWART
SEAN O’MEARA
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Seminar
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Powerhouse writing partners, Marvin J. Wolf and Larry Mintz, explain the subtle dynamics behind writing a successful screenplay. Several of their projects have aired on the small screen since their collaboration began in 2001. Between them, the men represent more than 70 years of professional writing.
Presented by: Marvin J. Wolf and Larry Mintz
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Panel
Monday, October 29, 2007
Between appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the time it aired, Grammar Girl blogger Mignon Fogarty had already created an audiobook, which quickly climbed to the top of iTunes’ best-selling books list.
Like Fogarty, audio is hot, and it’s constantly evolving. At IWOSC’s October General Meeting, learn about downloadable audiobooks, how audiobooks are handled at the major publishers, and how authors and others are creating their own audio products. Our speakers include former Audio Publishers Association President Jessica Kaye, Media Staff Studio President Jerry Maybrook, Hachette Audio Producer Dennis Kao, audio expert Ian Rich, and Marie Elena Rigo, creator of the Everyday Feng Shui instructional CD. Robin Quinn, an independent L.A. writer/editor, is the producer and moderator of this panel.
Moderator: Robin Quinn
IAN RICH
DENNIS KAO
JERRY MAYBROOK
MARIE ELENA RIGO
JESSICA KAYE
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Seminar
Saturday, October 20 , 2007
Levine’s talk gives you the tools to immediately and permanently super-charge your career. In more than 20 years as founder of Levine Communications Office, he has cultivated several effective tactics for success, which can be applied to many types of business.
Move than motivate, he’ll teach you how to structure your career like a super-success. His Guerilla P.R. (Harper Collins) is the most widely used text around the world for beginner public relations courses. His most recent book. Broken Windows Broken Business (Warner Books) uses the metaphor of broken windows to describe the small problems in business that escalate into serious consequences. Levine’s book offers a road map on how companies can fix broken windows promptly.
Presented by: Michael Levine
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Panel
Monday, September 24, 2007
A top-notch panel of book reviewers moderated by Digby Diehl demystifies the steps involved in critiquing a work of literature: what they look for, what matters, and what qualities make literature resonate with the public. In addition, who is it that decides which books are reviewed? Panelists include Los Angeles Times Book Review critic Erika Schickel, Amazon reviewer Dr. John L. Murphy, literary fiction reviewer Edward St. John, nationally syndicated radio host Michael Dresser, and award-winning author and critic Amy Wilentz.
Moderator: Digby Diehl
MICHAEL DRESSER
EDWARD ST. JOHN
DR. JOHN L. MURPHY
ERIKA SCHICKEL
AMY WILENTZ
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Seminar
Saturday, September 15 , 2007
Become a valuable “edutainer” with an arsenal of talking points that can be used effectively during an interview or any media opportunity and discover why passion is the secret to presence. Mindy Bradish, Director of Membership and Events at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, thought her patter to chamber members was working until hearing Convery’s 15-minute speech. Bradish hired Convery for an additional two-hour meeting with the entire staff. “I realized that while I could get away with my pitch, she could teach me to take it to the next level…From that two-hour meeting, I took away ten different sound bites and a polished elevator speech, which I started using that very day,” says Bradish.
For this IWOSC seminar, she’ll share her tips on how to convey your specialty and position yourself as an expert resource to the media — in 60 seconds or less.
Presented by: Ann Convery
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Seminar
Saturday, August 25, 2007
This year’s party is being held at the landmark stone residence of John Steven McGroarty, a playwright, Los Angeles Times columnist, author, historian, elected Congressman, and Poet Laureate of the State of California from 1933 until his death in 1944.
Nestled in the Verdugo foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Tujunga, this impressive stone structure was built in 1923 and is also known as “Rancho Chupa Rosa.” Like many nearby homes constructed in the period, much of the property was constructed with rocks found in the soil or from the nearby Tujunga Wash. The home features a large veranda with a spectacular view of surrounding oaks, the sprawling city below, and the majestic San Gabriel Mountains to the north.
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Panel
Monday, July 30, 2007
Two largely unsung heroes, who have inspired and given hope to many, will receive well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Awards at IWOSC’s July General Meeting.
Actress/Author Mariette Hartley is known for her tireless work with the American Society for Suicide Prevention. Comedienne/Author Marcia Wallace is a national spokesperson for Breast Cancer Awareness. In addition to their artistic accomplishments, they are generous with sharing their personal stories, in written and spoken word, in order to help others make changes in their lives.
For this IWOSC program, the pair will be interviewed by author and personality Digby Diehl. They will share what drew them to the writing life, and how their books and other written works — along with their talent and Hollywood clout — have helped make a difference.
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Seminar
Saturday, July 21, 2007
What do YOU think?
Ever since 16th-century writer Montaigne created the essay form, scribes and littérateurs have experimented with the boundaries of non-fiction prose. Today, the display of private experience as public intimacy through memoirs, one-person stage performances, and personal essays has become an increasingly important part of the writing business.
From magazines to such book series as “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” personal essays have a home in today’s literary marketplace. In this IWOSC seminar, author Marvin J. Wolf will discuss both style and sales, helping participants identify their own unique experiences worth writing about.
Presented by:
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Panel
Monday, June 25, 2007
Green Journalism and Green Marketing are going global, especially in the wake of the Oscar win for Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.” Our panel of experts will tell you how to tap into this marketplace, and how to turn hard-core science into readable, layman’s English.
Moderator: Julio Moran
Zach Jordan
Ty Carlisle
Heyman-Uliano
Sophie Heyman-Uliano
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Panel
Monday, April 30, 2007
You have a strongly saleable idea and writing you’ve polished until it shines. Now you want to explore the realm of agents. What still holds true from the dog-eared books on agents that you have on your shelf? What’s changed in today’s milieu and with the electronic environment? What’s hot today? A stellar panel of agents, including former Los Angeles Times Book Review editor Steve Wasserman (now a New York agent), will share insider views. Join us and become armed with the most up-to-date information.
Moderator: Robin Quinn<
Steve Wasserman
Betsy Amster
Paul S. Levine
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