Category: PastEvent16

Winter party 2016


Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Join us in the lap of architectural splendor as we get to know one another better and celebrate the holidays at the beautiful downtown Millennium Biltmore Hotel!

Sitting on half a city block right across the street from Pershing Square, it is centrally located in downtown Los Angeles.

We love its frescos, murals, embroidered tapestries, carved marble fountains and columns, lead crystal chandeliers, cast bronze stairwells and doorways and more.

[To read more, click the title!]

Ageism in Writing: How young do you really HAVE to be

Panel
Monday, November 21, 2016

Many professions have the burden of the issue of age, defined differently in every profession.

If you are of a “certain age,” you may be passed over because of the perception that your output is less dynamic, not speaking the language of the time, unable to put the time in due to family concerns.
Younger people often have the “Catch 22” needing to be young, but also needing to have experience in order to get noticed and validated.

We are going to deal with both sides of that coin, starting with this month’s panel.

Moderator: Telly Davidson
Jordan Oslin
Scott Kaiser, MD
David Gittins
Ray Richmond
Chuck N. Baker

[To read more, click the title!]

WordPress For Writers 2016

Seminar
Saturday, November 19, 2016

Again and again, writing experts agree: WordPress is THE way to publish your website to the Internet.

You might be using something else. You might have tried WordPress and found it challenging. That’s ok. Like anything new, there are a few things to learn to get up and running successfully. But given WordPress’ popularity and nearly unanimous recommendation for writers, shouldn’t you take another look?

Would you like to know:

  • How to get started with WordPress or how to convert your existing site to WordPress without spending a fortune?
  • How to make your website mobile-friendly?
  • How WordPress has changed in the last year?
  • How writers use WordPress to do things like link to your book on Amazon (and elsewhere), include a YouTube video or Facebook post, or add new capabilities to your website?
  • How to get your website ranked by Google and improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
  • What are the best plugins other writers are using?
  • How to secure your website from hackers?
  • Even how to improve your writing!
  • And much, much more!

Presented by: Steven Sanchez

[To read more, click the title!]

Building a Career as a Young Writer

Panel
Monday, October 24, 2016

It was never easy to begin a career in writing, journalism, or entertainment — but despite the advances made by women and people of color, it often seems like the barriers, obstacle courses, and glass ceilings getting past the “gatekeepers” has gotten harder for everyone over the past 15 or 20 years, not to mention since the 2008 meltdown.

This month we deal with the challenges faced by young, Millennial and Generation X writers, and first-time writers (of all ages) at the beginnings and the early mid-points of their careers.

Scheduled topics will include…

Moderator:
Josh Grapes
Mike Vainisi
Carole Kirschner
Jeff Porter

[To read more, click the title!]

Get on GetPublished! Radio-The Inner-workings of an Actual Podcast

Seminar
Saturday, October 15, 2016

GetPublished! announcer Bill Navarro quips that host Gerald Everett Jones has the answers – because he’s already made the mistakes himself. So, bring your questions to this recording session, step up to the mic, and challenge him on the air!

Presented by: GetPublished! host Gerald Everett Jones

[To read more, click the title!]

IWOSC writers’ group summer party in San Pedro

Party
Sunday, August 27, 2016

We enjoyed an afternoon/evening in the fresh ocean air as we mingled in the garden of MaGriffe, across from the Korean Friendship Bell.

Why? Becuase you never know what great ideas will come from a social conversation with a fellow creative, what tips you’ll glean, what inspiration you’ll find — but that good stuff always comes from such downtime and relaxing conversations.

Socializing and conversation was the call of the day.

[To read more, click the title!]

The Rewrite Desk with Greg Miller

Seminar
Saturday, September 17, 2016

Finishing a draft of a book or script is an awesome accomplishment – but we all know that at least one more set of revisions will certainly follow, because you probably won’t get it totally right on the first or second draft.

This seminar will cover methods and principles that you can apply to books, scripts, memoir, personal essays, speeches, storytelling, etc.

Presented by: Greg Miller

[To read more, click the title!]

Documentaries: The Writer’s Vision Illuminated

Panel
Monday, July 25, 2016

Rounding off our media triumvirate, our July panel will present some fascinating documentary filmmakers.

The journey from concept to production, distribution and sales presents quite the challenge. Documentarians possess the devotion to their subject and a certain single-mindedness that, if the fates allow, lead them to a worthy finished product.

Our panelists:
Tom Jennings
Stephanie Hubbard
Karla DiBenedetto
Susan Karlin, Moderator

[To read more, click the title!]

IWOSC Reads Its Own – July 2016

IWOSC Reads its Own
Sunday, July 24, 2016

A spellbinding afternoon of eclectic, eccentric, and exemplary works – from poems to true stories to hilarious monologues and beyond, read aloud by distinguished IWOSC scribes.

An assortment of IWOSC’s talented member writers will read short excerpts from their work.

Location: Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.

[To read more, click the title!]

IWOSC Goes to the Movies: Feature Film Screenwriting 101

Panel
Monday, June 27, 2016

In Hollywood, nothing says success more than a sequel -– and following on the heels of our successful TV Writing Program last month, IWOSC is proud to present a trip from small-screen to big, with our Screenwriting Panel.

Just in time for this year’s summer blockbusters, we’re assembling a panel of proven screenwriters, critics/coaches, and literary agents to discuss how to break down the barriers to the box office, and bring our stories to life for the movies.

We’ll be discussing things like:…

Our panelists:
Robert Ramsey
Alton Glass
Marilyn Anderson

[To read more, click the title!]

Marketing Intensive: Prepare, Plan & Produce The Perfect Book Marketing Campaign

Seminar
Saturday, June 18, 2016

In the past years, IWOSC had produced a Marketing panel every spring. This year we are presenting an intense (but friendly) experience with three of the very top people in the field. We will take breaks, time for lunch, and plenty of time for questions.

The syllabus is very comprehensive and the session has been priced at a fraction of its value with a big Early Bird discount and also an IWOSC member discount. This program will include several free actionable take-aways.

We hope that you will be impressed, but more to the point, we hope this will energize you and give you new tools, a new outlook, and the comfort of the counsel of three top people.

Our panelists:
David Wogahn
Julia Drake
Steven Sanchez

[To read more, click the title!]

So You Want To Get Published? The basics for the writer from an agent’s point of view

Seminar
Saturday, May 21, 2016

So, you want to get published? WAIT! Today’s publishing market is more competitive than it has ever been, and millions of new authors rush in without educating themselves.

Learn how to avoid the rookie mistakes.

In this 2-hour discussion, we will examine the workings of the publishing industry.

Presented by LIterary Agent, Steve Hutson

[To read more, click the title!]

Behind The Screen: Writing for TV Today – and Tomorrow

Panel
Monday, May 23, 2016

TV is a booming business for writers with one-hour dramas and dramedies, half hour semi-comedic series and animation. Even reality TV relies on writers to come up with hours of new, different and compelling material.

This panel will discuss what it takes to get into TV writing – and what it takes to stay there.

[To read more, click the title!]

Highlights and Lowlifes: An Evening with Marvin Wolf

Special IWOSC Members-only Event
Highlights and Lowlifes: An Evening with Marvin Wolf

Wednesday, April 27, at 7:30 pm

Marvin Wolf, one of IWOSC’s most successful writers shares highlights and lowlifes from a career spanning 50 years.

A recovering photojournalist, charter IWOSC member, four-time past president, adjunct college professor, and the author of 17 published books, scores of magazine articles and a feature movie for television, Wolf talks about the pitfalls, pratfalls, roadblocks and rewards of a life in letters in his last IWOSC appearance before departing for a new home in North Carolina.

The author of 17 books…

[To read more, click the title!]

How to Publish with Amazon Kindle

Seminar
TUESDAY, April 19, 2016

This month we’re doing something different. Rather than hold our usual seminar on a Saturday in Culver City, we are joining PALA in a non location-based seminar on a Tuesday evening.

Amazon offers many programs and opportunities for authors and publishers involving print books, e-books, and audio books as well as sales tracking tools and promotional and marketing opportunities.

[To read more, click the title!]

LA Times Festival of Books

Outside event
IWOSC once again exhibited at the LA Times Festival of Books as we love meeting book lovers and writers. Book enthusiasts visited us there at booth 148.

Saturday, April 9, 2016
Sunday, April 10, 2016

USC Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089

[To read more, click the title!]

Tricks Of The Trade – Writing Advice from the Experts

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!]

Magazines and Ezines: What you need to know

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!]

Love the Ones You Hate — Creating Appealing Flawed Characters

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!]

Word Processing Prowess: Easy tricks and hints

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!]

Trends in Publishing

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!]

Method Writing: An Organic Approach to Writing

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!]