Unity. Community. Being an essential part of something greater than one’s self is a tenet that the conference has nurtured for some 40 years in Southern California. Being a kid from Newberg and longtime resident of Central Oregon myself I’ve wanted to establish that same ethos of connectivity, support and affirmation here, for writing is the noble discipline so many aspire to practice.
Affirmation of purposeful being. That’s what a quality writer strives for. Telling stories. Exposing eyeballs and ear wells to stuff maybe not considered previously by strangers, at least not from the unique perspective and individual voice a writer brings to the page.
Building on the foundational elements of the SCWC in effort to bolster education and opportunity for writers of all levels, whether just starting out or transitioning, the inaugural COWC is here to usher you through the intricacies of craft and business in order to publish well in a fiercely mercurial climate.
Author Patrica Wilkinson and I welcome you aboard this immersive new journey that we’ll share together. We’re not about the people behind the podium, but the writers in the room–addressing their needs today to better enable them to succeed tomorrow, through empirically qualified feedback, perspective, wisdom and guidance.
Dates for our first COWC are October 18-19, 2025. Regular updates will begin shortly. Here’s what you need to know now:
THE WEBSITE: WritersConference.com is currently wrestling back end code gremlins, most notably with the dates listed below the top banner and copy in the footer. We’re working to debug it. Rest assured, dates for COWC are October 18-19, 2025.
COWC1 LOCATION: Our inaugural event will be held at the Riverhouse Lodge, in Bend. Address: 3075 N. Business 97, Bend, OR 97703.
COWC1 SCHEDULE: To inform, inspire, encourage and reward both emerging and accomplished writers is what the COWC is about. We’ll begin laying out the game place to prove so soon.
COWC1 STAFF: Accomplished authors, editors, agents, and other publishing professionals will join us. Be sure to subscribe to our periodic .COMmunity updates to find out who, along with all other COWC news.
Pre-registration opens April 15th. Aspire for excellence, settle only for exceptional and join us. A glimpse of what you can expect below, in this clip addressing rewriting and voice.
–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, COWC
Our Spring Summit will take place Memorial Day Weekend, May 26-27, 2018 at the Sunriver Resort Lodge, located at 17600 Center Drive, Sunriver, OR 97707. For those unfamiliar with Central Oregon’s high plateau, Sunriver is situated 15 minutes south of the city of Bend. If you plan to fly in, the Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) is only 40 minutes away, and is serviced by Alaska Air, American, Delta Airlines and United carriers. Shuttle service to and from the airport is available to those staying at the resort.
Memoir & personal narrative, substantive story building, and scripting the commercial screenplay are the emphasis of our Spring session. As always, craft is where it’s at. There are three tracks to choose from:
1. Into the Deep: Mining Substance and Shaping Narrative with author and internationally renowned writing provocateur Judy Reeves >>MORE
Sometimes a writer skates on the surface of a story, or tiptoes around its edges, hesitant to dig into its depths. Or maybe she doesn’t recognize the markings of a vein, rich with possibilities. Another writer may know exactly where he’s going, but he’s in such hurry to get there he doesn’t take the time to slow down and look around. His story may move from plot point to plot point, but the piece doesn’t hold any surprises, for him or for the reader. This workshop is for writers of all stripes willing to dig deeper to truly reach the reader.
2. Screenwriting from Scratch: Why, What, How with award-winning screenwriter, director, documentarian Michael Steven Gregory >>MORE
Be it features, network TV, premium channels, streaming original networks such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Studios, or even self-produced YouTube or Vimeo videos, today’s screenwriters have more opportunities than ever to get their work in front of audiences. The movies and shows that catapult careers, however, those whose whole remain greater than the sum of their parts, are built upon bedrock on which every good picture is anchored. This workshop will focus on writing the commercially viable script. Your script. That’s it.
3. Your Legacy in Print: Writing and Publishing Your Life Story with author/acquisitions editor/freelance editor Jennifer Silva Redmond >>MORE
“I’ve got a kick-ass story to tell, but I’m not a writer!” Don’t worry about it. You have a memoir-worthy life story and no idea how to get it written? You’ve maybe even started writing (or even written) a memoir and need to get it ready for publication? No problem. Your legacy should be handed down with pride—the book may have a larger audience, but no readership will ever matter more than its true audience, your family and its future generations. Learn how to craft your memoir and get it into print for both commercial and personal purpose.
Geared to address the specific needs of those attending—where they are now with their material and how best to get where they’re striving to be—each track is limited to 20 participants and advance registration is required.
Give your work the attention it deserves. Your words are worth it. You’ve earned it. Join us!
Discounted pre-registration now open.
—Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/Sunriver Writers’ Summit