In the jubilant afterglow of our San Diego celebration we now turn attention to September’s event in Irvine, which will be our 48th conference in 30 years. And regardless of whether you’re a writer pursuing the traditional route or one opting instead for a more personal path to publication, the founding principle of the SCWC remains as true today as ever before: quality matters.
That’s why the SCWC is a craft-centric conference. We’re not about “pitches” and “promises” and stuffing as many people into a ballroom full of strangers as possible. We’re about doing the needed work and providing the wherewithal. We’re about intimacy, accessibility, community and mutual support. As such, our focus at LA14 (Irvine) will again be on elevating the quality of manuscripts coming through, troubleshooting problematic aspects of execution, embracing material of promise, expanding on ideas perhaps not yet fully explored, avoiding catastrophic premature e-publication, and connecting the dizzying array of dots flooding today’s publishing landscape.
Don’t get bilked. Don’t get blinded by the tethered assurances of Author Solutions (AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford, Wordclay, Xlibris, et al) and its similarly mercenary ilk, those who profit from selling uninformed writers “author services” far more than from actually publishing and selling their books. Get wise and get good.
What’s on the page is what matters most. It matters to agents. It matters to acquisitions editors. It matters, ultimately, to book-buying readers. So get to Irvine in September and allow us to let you be the best writer you aim to be.
New Contest Nets Two Full Conference Admissions
Courtesy of longtime SCWCer & debut author Oz Monroe, whose literary dark fantasy Soil-Man is now out, we’re having a writing contest. The subject is, appropriately, “anniversary,” written in any genre you wish. The writers of the two winning submissions selected will both receive Full Conference admission to SCWC*LA14. Deadline to submit is May 1, 2016. Up to 1500 words. Submit your entry here.
In the meanwhile, discounted Early “Bard” Pre-registration is now open for our LA14 (Irvine) event. Do so by May 15, 2016, and save $100 on Full Conference attendance. It’s going to be another big mind sweller, so don’t dither. Don’t deny yourself. We’re talking about your work. We’re talking about your passion. Your words are worth it.
Also, if you haven’t, subscribe to our periodic .COMmunity updates and receive the latest announcements via email. Join the well-moderated conversation on our SCWC Facebook group for all sorts of writerly info and support. And for those seeking a more streamlined forum for SCWC exclusives, announcements, publishing news and more, we’re also on the emerging Tsu social media network, as well as Twitter.
That’s all for now. Until next time, go forth and write hard!
–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC
