News And Announcements

Happy New Year, writers! With 2012’s arrival comes further rEvolution in the publishing industry. Despite the fundamental shakeups in brick & mortar monetization, diminishing hardcopy distribution channels, the “liberation” of authors from legacy press via Smashwords, Kindle, Nook, Scribd, et al, plus the ubiquitous social media hype insisting writers do what, for most, routinely yields only misguided efforts of “platform building,” few book sales and even fewer precious hours to actually plunk ass in chair and write–one affirmation from nearly every front still holds true. What is that singular, irrefutable, truth? What is unquestionably that one lone, immutable fact? It is this: A story that sucks sucks equally as much in any form it’s published. We’re going to deal with that come February.

A Writer’s Reality Check

Writers write. Writers finish what they write then rewrite it until it’s really finished. And once what they’ve written is really, really finished they go write something else to finish. Somewhere in the middle of all this is the hardest work: selling what you’ve written. On Jan. 3, 2011, I posted the following in this space, electing to re-post it here today because it remains true and I don’t like re-wording a post just to conceal having already addressed the issue:

[O]ne thing we can all agree on is that the Internet has come of age in such a way as to fundamentally change the way publishers, agents, authors and readers relate to one another. The old days of doing book-business are done, this the modern author knows. Thing is, how to fully exploit the potential afforded by all the social media buzzwords being bandied about to truly maximize (and monetize) the modern author’s work?

A turning point has occurred, a sea change if you will, a sweeping, virtual tsunami of such immutable fury that the modalities of traditional publishing have suffered a full-on fiscal wedgie the likes of which it’s never known.

The Era of the Modern Author has arrived. Today is the writer’s day. Today is your time. And the modern author doesn’t have time to waste. Yet, wasting time on ineffectual marketing efforts that do not translate directly into book sales is what far too many authors today are doing.

While the prospects for launching a book by a new author successfully are now perhaps greater than at any other time, the challenges of doing so are many; the decision to go Big Six, indie press, self-publish, e-book, then wrestle the various aspects uniquely inherent to each, are myriad.

Unfortunately, today publishers expect you to do the work for them. For the most part they print the book while relying on you, the writer, to sell the book. Will you? Can you? Should you?

Online, it’s about eyeballs. From provocative book trailers and author profile videos to dynamic personal websites and global social networks, readers everywhere plant their eyes on the Internet to discover new authors, mingle with up-and-coming authors, or simply stay informed about the progress of a cherished author’s next book.

Landing those eyeballs on your book can make all the difference between breakout success or a swift dip in the remainders bin. For the modern author, falling victim to much of the hype surrounding “platform” building and “branding” can result in a time-suck of such magnitude that finishing a next book, let alone successfully launching the current one, may seem impossible.

In February, we’re going to drill through a lot of the noise out there in effort to clearly identify and understand the options available to the modern author, the risks involved in choosing one manner of publication over another, what truly matters in establishing a platform and the building blocks to do so, the reality of e-books, and, ultimately, how to better utilize your time in order to get back to what’s most important: writing.

While in February, yes, we’re drilling in deep again to address these issues, with particular emphasis on revealing ways authors can strategize more smartly and implement winning, time-conservation tactics for building their online profile & viability, Wes and I and many on staff are getting back to where we belong. That is being quality storytellers, storytellers whose work warrants being paid for, storytellers whose work that readers invest in doesn’t piss their readers off so much by sucking that they actually end up losing readers.

Word gets around. The $1.99 price point won’t save you (especially if your book jacket blows, but we’ll let a workshop deal with that issue).

A quality writer aspires to being the best, most rewarding writer for a reader that one can possibly be. A quality writer is not one who spews unpolished, poorly edited, uninspired prose that time and again fail to deliver on expectations roused in the reader. The most sly, clever marketing, “branding,” can’t conceal a story that sucks. Even at $1.99, fail to rise to the level of professional storytelling that I expect from you as a reader, and you’ll likely never get another penny out of me. Also, it’s quite likely I will “unfriend” and “ignore” you.

Additions, Extensions, Experiments

Evolution. Exciting times in the book world, as we all well know. Rolling with the changes, especially for the debut authors, can be particularly rollicksome. Authors long established–cutting their bones, say, in the early ’90s or before, are seldom up to speed on the realities authors trying to break in today must deal with. What’s cool is those that are making it happen and can report from the trenches on how they did so. Cathy Lubenski, former career journalist and author of Trashy Chic, her debut novel (check the jacket out up top), will be joining us as a Special Guest Speaker… Also on the forward thinking, evolutionary front is Beattie B. Youngs. The author of some 36 books translated into 28 languages, a Pulitzer Prize nominee and all-around, genuinely human being, empowered by a profound faith in and admiration of writing that matters, Bettie became a publisher a few years ago and has been going gangbusters. With high-profile clients and authors anew in her house, she’ll be joining us as a Special Guest Speaker, as well as conducting a workshop… Frederick Ramsay returns, this time as a workshop leader and Special Guest Speaker. Fred’s success as a novelist began as a conferee at one of our first SCWC*LA events. That manuscript became his debut novel Artscape, the first in his popular Ike Schwartz mystery series which debuted in 2006. In February The Eighth Veil: A Jerusalem Mystery, his 10th book in five years, is out from Perfect Niche. He’ll tell us all about how he writes so much, so well, so fast, at the conference.

Lots of staff added to the schedule these past few weeks, so be sure to check ’em out. Given the typical lapse in December updates, the Early “Bard” Discount has been extended to Jan. 15. Also, the “Write Your Life Story in 150 Words” contest has been extended until Sunday afternoon of the conference. Apparently, word’s not getting out on that, so total fail on our part. My fault. Will make it up.

Much more soon.

Award-winning author Darlene Quinn, whose Webs of Power evolved from one of our Palm Springs events, introduced SCWCers to the third novel in the series, Webs of Fate, at LA9.  We just finished the trailer for the book, so be sure to check it out and pass along the link to your entire social network.  High-fashion.  Deception.  Killer heels–Oh, how we miss the days of Dallas, Dynasty, Knot’s Landing, and Falcon Crest!  And be sure to check out SCWC*TV to hear what Darlene has to say about writing page-turning suspense.

Advance Submission Readers are now available for selection.  If you’ve already registered and selected readers “to be announced,” email Michael or Chrissie directly the name of the reader(s) you’d like to go with, and also include a backup reader.  Should you need guidance selecting the appropriate reader for your material, please let us know.

More staff has been added to the schedule since last update, including author Orna Ross (Lover’s Hallow, A Dance in Time), who’ll joining us for the first time all the way from London.  Having worked for 25 years in journalism and publishing, Orna will conduct a session called “Creative Intelligence for the Creative Age,” in which she’ll discuss how now is a time of unprecedented opportunity for writers to reach readers by contrasting the writing world pre- and post- digital.  And in particular, what creative qualities writers need to develop in themselves so they are well equipped to meet the challenges of our time.  Sounds like a session no entrepreneurial author will want to miss.

Don’t forget about the previous update at the bottom of the page if you missed it as the “Life Story” writing contest is in full swing.  Special Guest Speakers and more still to be announced, so check back soon.

Forgot to share some good “muse” in the previous update, but it’s never too late to celebrate. Two-time San Diego conferee Barbara Marshak’s Michigan and Rookie: Guardians of the Night was published September by Beaver’s Pond Press. The true story of K9 Officer Joaquin Guerrero and his German shepherd partner Rookie, the book is told from the POV of its K9 hero, chronicling Rookie’s unwavering service at Ground Zero, and his impact with hundreds of thousands of school kids across Mid-Michigan. This makes for Barbara’s second published book, following Hidden Heritage: The Story of Paul LaRoche, an inspiring biography of the award-winning Native American recording artist, Brulé. And this just in, SD/LA conferee Benjamin More reports that his short story, “Entangled Souls,” appears in Dark Moon Digest’s upcoming special edition anthology: Ghosts. Good job to you both! Speaking of good “muse”…

Longtime SCWC staffer Drusilla Campbell’s Honor and Glory, in which a female Marine resumes her life after returning from Iraq with PTSD, just sold to Grand Central in a two-book deal, for publication in 2012. Drusilla, of course, will again be conducting her popular NovelCram track in February. Other workshop leaders now slated for SD26 include authors Mark Clements, Deborah Halverson, Lois Joy Hofmann, Ken Kuhlken, Sylvia Mendoza, Matthew J. Pallamary, Judy Reeves, Mike Sirota, and Laura Taylor. Web developer and online marketing strategist Jeremy Lee James returns, along with entertainment attorney Mark I. Reichenthal and N.S. Bienstock literary agent, Paul Fedorko.

Advance Submission Readers selection will open up in the next week or so. As there’s plenty more to announce while we begin working on the schedule, lining up the Special Guest Speakers, and adding more workshop leaders, be sure to check back often or join us on the SCWC .COMmunity Facebook page to stay up to speed.

And while submission to the Reader’s Digest “Write Your Life Story in 150 Words” contest on Facebook is now closed, the SCWC’s contest remains open. Write your life story, or some pivotal aspect of your life, as a self-contained story in 150 words or less and you’ll be in the running to win a Kindle eBook reader or Full Conference registration package (your choice of San Diego or Newport Beach). Use the Contact Us form on the right and be sure to put “Life Story Contest” in the subject line. Paste your name in the body along with your story and story’s title. The SCWC contest deadline for submission is December 31, 2011.

More soon.

While there are gobs of SD26 workshop leaders to be announced over the coming months, to whet your insatiable appetite for all things SCWC, here’s a little taste of who’ll be with us come February. On the authors side of things, Kirsten Imani Kasai is back. Tattoo (Del Rey), the follow up to her debut novel, Ice Song, is just out and warrants an immediate read. Publishers Weekly calls it, “lushly erotic while remaining aware of the costs of addiction and self-indulgence.” And National Book Critics Circle member Paul Goat Allen hails, “Lyrical, forlorn, dreamlike, and, at times, painfully passionate… Tattoo is essentially deeply philosophical and poetic contemplation cloaked in visionary science fiction.” And check out that jacket! Look who else will be with us:

Historical fictionalist Laurel Corona returns. Finding Emilie (Gallery Books), set in 1749 France, is her latest. Of it, Publishers Weekly raves, “Corona brings a changing world, peopled with fascinating historical figures like Diderot and Voltaire, to vibrant life.” While Catherine Delors (For the King) calls it simply, “A remarkable novel”… Ernessa T. Carter, whose wonderfully entertaining 32 Candles evolved from her SCWC*LA6-award winning manuscript for Outstanding Fiction, will be with us (be sure to watch the excerpt of her keynote appearance at LA8 below)…

Author/artist/journalist Gregg Gutierrez joins us for the first time. Now in its ninth printing, his collection of short stories, Zen and the Art of Surfing, was called by Writer’s Digest, “infectious…spellbinding.” “His work is mythological,” proclaimed the San Diego Union Tribune … After a couple-conference hiatus, Frederick Ramsay is back. The seventh book in his popular, critically acclaimed Ike Schwartz mystery series, Rogue, is now out from Poisoned Pen Press … Due to a scheduling conflict, Andrew Peterson (Forced to Kill), has been rotated from our LA9 event to SD26. (Wherever we get him, we’re just glad we got him.)

Agents wise, those coming to SD26 include Marisa Iozzi Corvisiero of L. Perkins Agency, Kristin Miller of D4EO Literary, Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary and Jon Sternfeld, from Irene Goodman Literary. More, of course, to be announced.

While we hope to see you next month in Newport Beach, remember that the place to be come winter is San Diego. Follow us on Twitter (@SCWriters) or friend us on Facebook to keep up to speed on issues of writerly interest, including free eBook notifications, pertinent publishing news, overall good “muse,” and .COMmunity submissions to the Reader’s Digest “Your Life…” writing contest. You or a writer you vote for could get published and win up to $25,000. If you post your own story, be sure to email Michael or Chrissie the link so we can post it.

More soon.

SD26 is nearly seven months away. Staff updates won’t begin ’til September, but be assured we’re already at work assembling accomplished authors, editors, agents actively seeking new clients, and other publishing professionals to our extended February weekend retreat. As always, there’ll be plenty of both familiar faces and new filling out the schedule. Before we get there, though, we’re going to have a contest. It’s pretty simple really: Tweet a great tale and you could win a Kindle book reader–and maybe even a free SCWC Full Conference registration package. Okay, so maybe it’s not so simple. At least it’ll be fun!

What we’ve done is create an SCWC Twitter account @SCWriters to feed publishing/transmedia-related items of value to writers, but are maybe super-timely or not posted on the SCWC Facebook group. For the contest, writers are invited to post an entire, original story in any genre in a single tweet at hashtag #TwitFiction. Writers may submit as many stories as they wish between now and December 31, 2011. So long as your story is complete and contained in no more than the length of a single tweet, your story will be in the running for one of several prizes, including two Kindles and two SCWC Full Conference packages for either San Diego 2012 or L.A. 2012. Other awards will be announced. Awards will be handed out at SD26. And only attending conferees are eligible to receive an award.

Early “Bard” Registration is now open for SD26. Do so by September 1 and knock a whopping $100 off Full Conference or NovelCram Immersion Track registration. As usual, San Diego in Winter is a place to see, and the SCWC is definitely where you’ll want to be.

San Diego 26 doesn’t take place for another nine months, but that doesn’t mean Wes and I don’t pour our coffee and drink it, too. In other words, it’s dawn on a dim day and we don’t know what that means. Still, even though work is now well underway on our LA9 conference there are still important things to keep an eye on with regards to happenings that touch upon San Diego staffers and conferees. Things like the notable recognition for their work. Things like awards.

The San Diego Book Awards finalists have been announced. The annual ceremony where the winners are announced takes place June 11, 2011 (details here).  Among the nominees that extend from the esteemed SCWC staff roster and alumni: Ellen Bryson, Drusilla Campbell, Laurel Corona, Lois Joy Hofmann, Ken Kuhlken, Douglas P. Lathrop, Richard Lederer, Helen McKenna, John Mullen, Blaine C. Readler, Judy Reeves, Christine Renhard Stenstrom, and Julie Ann Weinstein. Congratulations to all.

Jim Hitt, former conferee who joined us as a workshop leader for the first time this past February, got awarded Best Novel Under 80,000 Words from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for his recent release Carny. If that wasn’t cool enough, he just learned that he also won the Grand Prize for Fiction and will be attending the reception banquet on May 24 in NYC!

Finally, Darlene Quinn, author of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Award-winning Webs of Power, just won the 2011 International Book Award for General Fiction for its sequel, Twisted Webs, also recipient of the National USA Best Book Finalist Award for General Fiction. The prequel to the two books is out October and we expect equally just accolades.

That’s all for now. The San Diego side of the site will begin updating for our 2012 event beginning July, when ultra-Early Bard Registration discount begins. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you September in L.A.ish (Newport Beach, actually).  Between now and then, write well!