Event Category: Panel

Panel
Monday, February 24, 2014

In the past decade, primetime TV has transformed itself from what critics once derided as a “vast wasteland” to the long-form equivalent of Oscar-winning movies and indie films.

There’s the edgy stylishness of “CSI,” “ER,” and “Game of Thrones”; the nuance and subtext of “Mad Men,” “Downton Abbey,” and “The Good Wife”; and the machine-gun dialogue of “24,” “Homeland,” and “House of Cards.”

There were decade-definers like “Lost” and “The Sopranos,” and anti-heroes like “House,” “Dexter,” and “The Mentalist.”

But what does it all mean for the people who actually write and create these shows?

How does a writer get a chance to write for today’s TV shows, anyway?

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Panel Writing for Children: Maturity And Energy Required October 28, 2013 Literature for children is meant to inform, entertain, stimulate…

Panel When Writers Attack: We Just Want to Change the World Monday, July 29, 2013 There are many outspoken members…

In a changing marketplace, it’s more important than ever to have an advocate to fight for you when going the…

According to Andre Schiffrin, former head of Pantheon Books, “The publishing world has been through more changes in the past…

Writing a memoir? Contemplating tackling the form? Our panel of memoir writers and teachers, plus our legal specialist in things…

So what’s the story? The short story form continues to stimulate writers, whether novice or veteran. It is not an…

From Memoir to Mystery, Peanut Butter to Charley Parkhurst, Filmmaking to Therapy, You’ll Learn and be Entertained by These Authors.

The first “IWOSC ALL-STARS” panel discussion! Six authors, all members of the 30-year-old writers’ organization, will share stories of how they wrote, published, and promoted their new books. Fiction, nonfiction, biography, how-to, mystery: it’s a mixed bag, and these stars will shine.

We’ll learn…

Moderator: Flo Selfman
Sylvia Cary
Karen Kondazian
Jon Krampner
Ester Benjamin Shifren
Joe Wallenstein
Marvin J. Wolf

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Panel
Monday, June 27, 2011

What do editors, agents, magazines, websites, and readers look for in writing on media? What is the difference between paid/professional film, TV, and arts criticism vis-a-vis amateur bloggers? What is the future of criticism and celebrity coverage in the Twitter/Facebook age? How has the diversity explosion in racial/cultural issues within the cinema changed the game? Are cultural critics today more diverse than they were in the past? How has the tabloid-ization of media affected coverage of film and television — as in the meltdowns of Charlie Sheen, Donald Trump, Arnold and Maria, reality TV personalities, “outing” gay celebrities, etc?

IWOSC’s June panel on Arts & Entertainment writing, film/TV criticism, and covering the celebrity beat will examine these questions. We’ll also discuss interview techniques, demographics and “branding” issues, and the changing role of the editor in arts and entertainment writing.

Moderator: TELLY DAVIDSON
RAY RICHMOND
BRENT SIMON
DEBRA LEVINE
LIBBY SLATE

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It’s obvious: No marketing, no sales. Unfortunately, your work will not sell itself. But if you’re savvy, creative, and energetic, your work will have an edge regardless of your competition. Still, you need to know HOW, you need to know WHERE, and you need to know what’s NEW and CREATIVE. You also should know how to promote your work inexpensively and efficiently.

IWOSC’s panel discussion, “MARKETING YOUR WRITING: Increasing Your Success,” will address marketing writers of all descriptions, including, but not limited to, authors and journalists.
We have assembled a panel of experienced mentors. Learn from them. Resolve to put the time and energy into exposing your work to a larger market. And you do that by building professional skills covered by the panel, which include, as time allows…

Moderators: GARY YOUNG and JOHN SEELEY
MARK MILLER
STEVEN SANCHEZ
JULIA DRAKE
ALEX CARROLL
GREG GERTMENIAN
MICHELLE LANGE

As writers, we have a unique vision and a variety of platforms in which to express our thoughts. A perennial and growing medium is the documentary. If you look at the list of documentaries in the past several years, you will find almost every subject, from the political, to health, to the obscure, and more. A unique collaboration is enjoyed with this form.

We will explore recent documentaries from the writer’s point of view. What makes the documentary successful, and how do you define this success? How do you promote, and what are the ways in which it can “get out there”? What happens to the writer’s words and organizational ideas once the process begins? Does it start with the writer or with the producer or director? What are some ownership and budgetary concerns? Who raises the money and who gives it? What are the future prospects for a writer who has become involved?

Moderator: TELLY DAVIDSON
NAT SEGALOFF
LESLIE NEALE
JESSICA KIVNIK
ADAM SCHOMER
ADAM SCHOMER
JEFFREY BERMAN

Our electronic world is unfolding daily, with the Web at the forefront of its evolutionary fluctuations. We have leaped in capabilities from Pong to Wii, much like the elevator lifted us off the staircase. Consequently, our current technology presents a vast array of marketing tools, communication tools, and fun stuff, much of which is inexpensive, just plain free, and yet daunting. Simple code has given way to complex social applications, blog applications, media inventions, as well as sweeping changes in writing and its re-defined place in the world. How do you fit in?

Our panel will discuss the newest applications, how they are used, abused, and how to simplify their execution. Once you have more or less mastered WEB 101 (which we will present in seminar on Saturday, February 19), you would be well advised to stay current by upgrading and expanding your applications and hardware. Our experts will guide you through this process.

Moderator: Gary Young
Cliff Allen
Steven Sanchez

According to Andre Schiffrin, former head of Pantheon Books, “The publishing world has been through more changes in the past 10 to 15 years than it had in the 100 years before that.” And the facts seem to bear him out. Twenty years ago, there was no Internet (to speak of), self-publishing was strictly in the “vanity publishing house” ghetto, and partner- and small-press publishing barely existed. Ten years ago, there was no Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. Even five years ago, “online publishing” and “E-books” were still considered fringe.

Today, all that has changed — and with these massive changes, the ability of authors to adapt is the key to their ability to survive (and maybe even thrive) in their careers. How will writers navigate the brave new world of “Publishing 9.0”? What new opportunities — and pitfalls — do the switch to E-books, Kindle, and iPad apps have for authors? How has the change from emphasizing career-pro authors (e.g., Stephen King, Joan Didion) to “overnight superstar” authors (e.g., Justin Bieber, Monica Lewinsky, Christine O’Donnell) changed what — and who — editors and agents are looking for? How have new electronic platforms affected self- and small-press publishing, and is being an author, even with an agent and access to big houses, an economically viable career in itself anymore? What does the future look like for books in general?

These are just a few of the questions IWOSC’s January 31 panel, “The Future of Publishing,” will deal with. A stellar panel from all aspects of the publishing industry, from agents and online publishing experts to veteran publicists and bookstore staff, will discuss deal these issues.

Moderator: TELLY DAVIDSON
KIM-FROM-LA (Dower)
BRAD INMAN
TYSON CORNELL
ASHLEY GRAYSON
CAROLYN GRAYSON

Everyone faces challenges. Certain challenges, though, can be daunting. When the subject is disability, whether physical or mental, special care…

Erotic Writing. A matter that strikes fear in the hearts of many writers. If you are writing fiction, you often…

The writing business requires a creative mind, especially when one expects it to create an income. Fortunately, the demand for content is expanding. Writers can make this business grow by embracing new and evolving applications in journalism, books, plays, and more.

Our eclectic panelists have done just that. They’ll describe their success steps, and explain where they found opportunities, how they met their challenges, and what new outlets they see on the horizon.

Moderator: MARILYN ANDERSON
TRACY TRIVAS
PAUL RYAN
LARRY NEMECEK
TERRI CHENEY

Everybody loves a mystery — but not everybody knows how to write one. That’s not a surprise, since there are almost as many kinds of mystery novels as there are novels themselves. From the classic English “cozy” or “drawing-room” mystery, to the quintessentially American, hardboiled Film Noir thriller, to the scary and gory forensic thrillers and psychological shockers of the past 25 years, tonight IWOSC and a panel of experts will set out into the night to unravel the mystery of what makes a great mystery.

Moderator: Telly Davidson
Dianne Emley
Erica Miner
April Smith

It’s obvious: ineffective marketing equals few sales. Even if you are savvy, creative, energetic, and your work has an edge, it will rarely sell itself. There is tremendous competition out there, and you need to know how to shine through it, effectively, efficiently, and inexpensively. We’ve assembled a panel of experts experienced in writing, marketing, and publicity. Come and learn from them. Discover what mistakes to avoid and where the hot media outlets are today. Anyone intent on disseminating ideas to wide audiences can benefit from attending this discussion.

Janie Hewson
JOHN SEELEY
CLIFF CARLE
MARILYN ANDERSON
BILL SALEEBEY, Ph.D
MAGGIE ANTON
Shannon Hammer

As every savvy writer learns, getting the words onto the page is just half the battle. To gain proper exposure and compensation for these efforts, writers must develop marketing intelligence. It also helps to be aligned with someone who has been down this road before – the literary agent. IWOSC’s April program presents a stellar panel of agents and a literary attorney, who will reveal how to find the right representative, get their attention, and create a successful relationship. We’ll look at new trends, and how to protect yourself in the current marketplace.

Moderator: Robin Quinn
Angela Rinaldi
Sally van Haitsma
Natalie M. Fischer
Michael Klein, Esq.

“Look what they’ve done to my book, Ma!”

This month, the Independent Writers of Southern California presents a special program, on “Getting the Hollywood Treatment” — and what it means for novelists, memoir and biography authors, and journalists. How can a writer best position his or her work for a screen option? What can a novelist expect when his or her book gets an offer to be adapted into a movie? Does a self-published and small press author carry professional credibility? If not, how does one establish it? What storytelling qualities help make a novel, biography/memoir, or news article a must-see for the screen? And likewise, how has the lightning pace of movies and TV changed what Larry McMurtry calls “the Culture of the Book”?

Moderator: TELLY DAVIDSON
MARVIN J. WOLF
BARNEY LICHTENSTEIN
DAN WATANABE