COWC1 Workshops, Schedule & Staff

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The COWC provides simultaneous multi-tiered tracks, with each workshop lasting 75 minutes. Advance sign-up is not required for most sessions, so conferees are free to go to any they choose. Should you find that a particular one is not for you, simply tap into another. Workshop summaries can be found here (when available).

Dates for our inaugural event in the destination city of Bend, Oregon are October 17-19, 2025.

• Authors & Industry Experts
• Workshops
• Weekend Schedule
• Frequently Asked Questions
• All About Advance Submissions

Special Guest Speakers

KATHRYN (KAT) MATTINGLY is the author of Benjamin, Journey, Olivia’s Ghost, The Tutor, Katya and a short story collection, Fractured Hearts, all with Winter Goose Publishing. She has won multiple awards for her work, was a senior editor at Possibility Publishing, ran the annual fiction contest for the Northern Colorado Writer’s Top of the Mountain conference and was a reader/judge for the annual PNWA conference contest in Seattle, WA for over a decade. Currently, Kat teaches Novel & Memoir Writing and Get Published through Continuing Ed at Central Oregon Community College and runs her own editorial service for fiction and memoir. Her latest novel is Finley’s Song, a family drama exploring themes of grief, suspicion and discovery.

JENNIFER SILVA REDMOND is a formidable, longtime editor whose memoir, Honeymoon at Sea, recounts her and her then-new husband’s fateful voyage on a twenty-six-foot sailboat to Baja California’s Sea of Cortez, south along Mexico and Central America and through the Panama Canal. After editing the work of many an author who chose a hybrid path she opted to go with a small traditional publisher for her own book. Jen will share why and how with us.

GRANT ROSENBERG is the author of Gideon Redemption, the final chapter in his character-driven thriller Gideon Trilogy. The first two books, Gideon and Gideon Resurrection, chronicle the exploits of Dr. Kelly Harper as she crosses moral and ethical lines to protect herself and her sister from the shadowy organization who killed her father and now has her in their crosshairs. With propulsive, escalating tension, the newly released third installment concludes her journey. A 40-year veteran of television and feature film development, working on such landmark TV series as Lois & Clark, Star Trek: The Next Generation, MacGyver, Eureka and others, Grant applied his business acumen to publishing independently under the Golden Gate Books banner. After transitioning to writing novels, he also published 44 Degrees, a cookbook featuring recipes compiled over 25 years of shooting on location.

Authors & Industry Experts

GAYLE CARLINE is a humor columnist for an Orange County newspaper and author of the popular Peri Minneopa Mysteries, including Freezer Burn, Hit or Missus, The Hot Mess, Clean Sweep and A More Deadly Union, featuring a housecleaner-turned-detective living in the OC. Other titles include the stand-alone From the Horse’s Mouth: One Lucky Memoir, the first of a new equine-themed murder-mystery series, Murder on the Hoof and new historical fantasy Dragon Shadows trilogy, Blood Dragon Rising, Moon Dragon Falling and New Dragon Soaring. Writing as M.G. Wetherholt, here latest is geared for younger readers, Paws on the Pier (A Magical Mouse Caper).

• SESSIONS: “Avoiding Stereotypes, Cliches and the All-Too Common,” “Going it Alone: The Keys to Self-Publishing Success” and “Something to Talk About: Speaking Publicly About Your Book”
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Fiction, mystery, fantasy, humor, columns; first 10 pages (or multiple columns up to 10 pages), cover letter

CHARLOTTE CHIPPERFIELD is a developmental editor, and author of women’s fiction and nonfiction, including Write with Intention: A Mindful Journey to Writing Your Book. Through her platform, Her Narrative, she empowers authors to unapologetically write, edit, and publish books that inspire and create impact. With a focus on telling stories of women finding their voices and going for what they want—both on the page and in real life—Charlotte combines expertise with compassion to help writers develop their unique narratives. She is a contributor to the spiritual self-help anthology Soul Rising: Guidance for Navigating Your Spiritual Awakening (Divine Flow Publishing).

• SESSIONS: “Cultivating an Author Mindset,” “Embedding Emotion in Character and Narrative” and “Using Setting as a Living Character”
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Adult fiction, women’s fiction, romance, cozy mystery; narrative Nonfiction, self-help, business, memoir, first 10 pages double-spaced; cover letter.

MIKE COOPER is president of the Central Oregon Writers Guild. He holds an MFA from Oregon State University Cascades in Bend, Oregon. His short story “Call Me When You Get There” was published in The Baltimore Review winter ’24 issue and he has been a finalist in Glimmer Train, The Lascaux Review, Driftwood Press and Cutthroat. He teaches writing at Central Oregon Community College and OSU-Cascades (undergraduate and in the MFA Program), as well as creative writing workshops through Blank Pages Workshops and The Forge, and at the Deschutes Public Library, COCC Community Learning and Deer Ridge Correctional Institute.

• SESSIONS: “Between ‘Once Upon a Time’ and ‘Happily Ever After’”

KRISTIN R. DORSEY is a college instructor with over 20 years experience teaching academic and creative writing, children’s literature, mythology and folklore, and a host of other literature classes. Her work and hobbies mostly intersect (so reading and writing, watching film).  While interested in all things craft-related, generative writing is her particular passion in the field of creative writing. She is also the mother of 6-year-old twins, one of whom is a budding writer in her own right.

• SESSIONS: “Productive Reimagining: Using Old Stories for New Work” and “Turning Journal Writing into Story”
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Memoir, creative and popular nonfiction, academic writing; up to 10 pages, double-spaced; cover letter with questions/concerns and overview of work

MICHAEL STEVEN GREGORY, Executive Director of both the Central Oregon Writers’ Conference and Southern California Writers’ Conference, is an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter. He has scripted network series, directed television and features, and been involved as a writer, producer or director in over 150 short films. His longform projects include the doculogues We, The Writer and We, The Screenwriter, the romantic-comedy A Valentine Carol, and groundbreaking Don King Presents: Prizefighter, for 2K Games. His books include Disc Golf: All You Need to Know about the Game You Want to Play, which remained a periodic bestseller well over a decade after publication. Michael is also the owner of AuthorEdge, a transmedia content producer for publishers.

• SESSIONS: No-Host Mixer, Introductions
  
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Screenplays, episodic and short-form scripts; first 15 pages in proper format, cover letter

DORI HARRELL is a Harley-riding, licorice-eating, and award-winning writer and book editor, plus she’s a USA Today best-selling author, author coach, and speaker at writers’ and editors’ conferences. She owns Breakout Editing and edits for publishers and indie authors, and she serves as a manuscript evaluator (gatekeeper) for a traditional publisher. Every year she has authors on the awards lists. When not editing and writing, she’s hiking the many scenic trails of Central Oregon or riding her Harley Softail.

• SESSIONS: “Craft a Query Packet Gatekeepers Can’t Resist,”  “Increase Tension Through Dialogue” and “Taming the AI Beast”
  
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Book proposals (nonacademic nonfiction and fiction); contemporary fiction (suspense, romance, rom-com); fantasy/spec; historical fiction; nonacademic nonfiction; self-help; memoir; double spaced; please include book description and author bio; first 10 pages, cover letter

JESSICA J. HILL is a certified memoir coach who helps writers turn their experiences into stories that sell. Her clients have signed with literary agents, sold their stories to Big Five and Indie publishers, self-published and brought their stories to life via hybrid publishing. Previously, Jessica worked as a publicity associate for New York Times bestselling authors including Garth Stein, Heidi Durrow and Jamie Ford and as the Director of Marketing and Production for a boutique author agency where she helped independent authors publish and promote their books. She holds a master’s degree in creative nonfiction, a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a book coach certification in fiction and memoir.

• SESSIONS: “Making Meaning in Memoir”
  

CHERIE KEPHART‘s award-winning memoir, A Few Minor Adjustments, is called by Kirkus Reviews, “A rich and complicated story, told on each page with clear dialogue and memorable anecdotes,” and by Publisher’s Weekly, “A story of gut-wrenching perseverance and determination.” Her other publications include, The Healing 100 and Poetry of Peace, as well as essays, short stories, and poems in various literary journals and anthologies. Cherie is also a freelance editor, writing coach, and workshop facilitator with a passion for helping writers on all aspects of their writing journey. A graduate with first class honors from the University of Auckland in Medical and Cultural Anthropology, Cherie also holds a BA in Communications from UCSD and a Certification in Scientific and Technical Writing.

• SESSIONS: “Getting Naked: Memoir Stripped Down,” “Mastering the Art of Revision,”  and Read & Critique
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Historical fiction; Memoir, personal stories, wellness, practical nonfiction, self-help, personal transformation, metaphysical; first 10 pages, cover letter

LIEVE MAAS is a seasoned book designer and self-publishing coach with over two decades of experience helping authors turn their manuscripts into professionally designed and published titles. She studied at the Royal Art Academy in Antwerp (Belgium) and the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), and holds master’s degrees in both art and education. As founder of Bright Light Graphics, Lieve combines design expertise with a teaching background to support authors through the publishing and marketing process. Lieve is the author of From Manuscript to Published Book: Seven Straightforward Steps to Self-Publishing and forthcoming The NOACH Project.

• SESSIONS: “From Book to Brand: Kickstart Your Book Marketing Strategy”
  

KATHRYN (KAT) MATTINGLY is the author of Benjamin, Journey, Olivia’s Ghost, The Tutor, Katya, Finley’s Song and a short story collection, Fractured Hearts, all with Winter Goose Publishing. She has won multiple awards for her work. Kat was a senior editor at Possibility Publishing. She ran the annual fiction contest for the Northern Colorado Writer’s Top of the Mountain conference and was a reader/judge for the annual PNWA conference contest in Seattle, WA for over a decade. Currently she teaches Novel & Memoir Writing and Get Published through Continuing Ed at Central Oregon Community College and runs her own editorial service for fiction and memoir.

• SESSIONS: “Putting ‘Care’ into Characters,” “The Secrets that Transcend Plot Points” and “Setting the Mood with Place and Purpose”
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Literary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, and memoir; first 10 pages, cover letter

JENNIFER SILVA REDMOND spent more than a decade as editor-in-chief/acquisitions editor at Sunbelt Publications before becoming a freelance publishing consultant and editor. On the staff of the Southern California Writers Conference and San Diego Writers, Ink, she was also prose editor for A Year in Ink Vol 3, and co-founder of the Sea of Cortez Review. Her essays, articles, and short fiction have been published in various anthologies, such as Latinos in Lotusland, and national magazines. She is always looking for “great new stuff” and has a wide circle of agents, editors, and publishers with whom to share marketable fiction and nonfiction. Her memoir Honeymoon at Sea: How I Found Myself Living on a Small Boat is now out.

• SESSIONS: “Backstory: Employing Expository Like a Screenwriter,” “Pitch Witch: Query Letter Critique,” “Head Hopping: Putting POV in Perspective” and Read & Critique
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, short stories; first 10 pages double-spaced, cover letter

JANIS THOMAS  is the bestselling author of such domestic suspense novels as All That’s Left of Me and What Remains True, both with Lake Union, and three critically acclaimed humorous works of women’s fiction—Something New, Sweet Nothings, and Say Never—as well as the mystery Murder in A-Minor. She has written more than fifty songs and two children’s books, which she created with her dad, is a passionate writing advocate, a popular workshop leader, speaker, and editor.  Her latest is the paranormal thriller Finding Grace, which Kirkus Reviews calls “An authentically creepy tale.” Janis is also Director of the Southern California Writers’ Conference.

• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE: Women’s fiction, suspense, mystery; first 10 pages double-spaced; cover letter

PATRICIA WILKINSON, Director of the Central Oregon Writers’ Conference, is a writing coach, freelance editor, novelist, and coauthor of Amazon bestselling and Readers’ Choice winner Brain Stages: How to Raise Smart, Confident Kids and Have Fun Doing It. A credentialed, mentor teacher of 23 years, Trish has helped numerous writers find their voices, hone their craft and move on to publication. Her clients include David Crow, whose memoir The Pale Face Lie: A True Story sold more than 250,000 copies, Captain Jack Molan (You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: My Thirty Years as Captain in the Bering Sea), Linda Berry (The Killing Woods), and Howard Shulman (Running from the Mirror: A Memoir).

• SESSIONS: “Build a Better Author Bio: A Powerful Tool to Attract Readers” and “What ‘Show Don’t Tell’ Actually Means”
• ADVANCE SUBMISSION CRITIQUE:
  Adult and YA fiction; Memoir, narrative and practical nonfiction; nonfiction book proposals, first 10 pages double-spaced; cover letter

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Workshops: Read & Critique*

• All-Genre
• Commercial/Women’s/Memoir/Romance/Narrative
• Literary/Alternative/Narrative Nonfiction
• Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Crime
• Paranormal/Horror/Transcendental
• Young Adult/New Adult

*Contingent on registered participation.

Workshops: Craft & Execution for Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

Avoiding Stereotypes, Cliches and the All-Too Common
Leader: Gayle Carline
Objective: Does your world-weary detective fight an uphill battle with his gruff captain? Your big-city gal find true love when she moves back to her small hometown? We’ll address tactics to overturn trite, predictable and common tropes that undermine reader engagement.

Backstory: Employing Expository Like a Screenwriter
Leader: Jennifer Silva Redmond
Objective: No matter if you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, it’s vitally important to structure your book so your readers get backstory and other information on the page only when it is needed and not before.

Between “Once Upon a Time” and “Happily Ever After”
Leader: Mike Cooper
Objective: Whether fiction or “faction,” your reader wants a satisfying story. In this workshop, we’ll focus on delivering on expectations roused and how to effectively create emotional journeys that resonate successfully.

Embedding Emotion in Character and Narrative
Leader: Charlotte Chipperfield
Objective: This workshop guides writers in authentically weaving emotion into both character development and narrative arcs to create deeper reader engagement.

Getting Naked: Memoir Stripped Down
Leader: Cherie Kephart
Objective: Craft a memoir that is raw, real, and unforgettable. Through practical techniques and guided reflection, you’ll learn to embrace vulnerability, confront difficult memories, and write with fearless honesty that forges a powerful connection with your readers.

Head Hopping: Putting POV in Perspective
Leader: Jennifer Silva Redmond
Objective: Whether writing a novel or a memoir, you need to understand why your choice of Point of View matters, and how the right POV can help, or hurt, your story.

Increase Tension Through Dialogue?
Leader: Dori Harrell
Objective: The purpose of dialogue is to advance the story. And many times, it’s what the characters leave unsaid that allows the reader to interpret and anticipate. Adding intention to your dialogue, using modern structure elements, will take your storytelling to all-new heights.

Making Meaning in Memoir
Leader: Jessica J. Hill
Objective: Learn how to weave reflection into your scenes, deepen your themes, and transform lived experience into a compelling, cohesive story. This workshop will cover how to create an emotional arc and how to incorporate reflection and interiority to make meaning of your experiences to connect with your audience.

Mastering the Art of Revision
Leader: Cherie Kephart
Objective: Revision can be one of the most creative, liberating parts of the writing process. In this dynamic workshop, we’ll move beyond fixing sentences and dive into re-seeing your work from fresh, bold perspectives that invite discovery rather than dread. Perfect for fiction and memoir writers alike.

Productive Reimagining: Using Old Stories for New Work
Leader: Kristin R. Dorsey
Objective: In today’s publishing world, just as with Hollywood, the consensus of Powers That Be seem to be, “Don’t give us anything new. We want something old and proven successful, just re-packaged in a fresh way.” Explore strategies for taking inspiration from existing stories to create something new.

Putting ‘Care’ into Characters
Leader: Kathryn (Kat) Mattingly
Objective: Regardless of genre, the Main Character—the Who—is the single most important aspect of storytelling. In this workshop, we’ll dig into the Who to best ensure readers give a damn about the rest of it.

The Secrets that Transcend Plot Points
Leader: Kathryn (Kat) Mattingly
Objective: This workshop delves into the deeper layers of storytelling—those emotional truths, motivations, and revelations that propel story impact beyond artificially drawn nodes.

Setting the Mood with Place and Purpose
Leader: Kathryn (Kat) Mattingly
Objective: Setting, location, is more than just backdrop—it’s a powerful tool for establishing atmosphere and reinforcing narrative grounding. Here, we’ll distinguish the “what” from the “who,” the how and  why.

Turning Journal Writing into Story
Leader: Kristin R. Dorsey
Objective: Compelling material is rarely what personal journals make. However, they’re often the root of memoir and novel narrative. Explore techniques for identifying story-worthy moments, shaping raw reflections into scenes, and finding universal meaning in personal experience.

Using Setting as a Living Character
Leader: Charlotte Chipperfield
Objective: Reimagine setting not as static scenery but as a dynamic, living presence within story. Participants will learn how to give place its own voice, influence, and evolution—just like a character.

What “Show Don’t Tell” Actually Means
Leader: Trish Wilkinson
Objective: Demystify one of the most common pieces of writing advice. Through discussion, examples, and exercises, participants will apply practical techniques to immerse readers in their stories and transform flat, expository prose into vivid, dynamic scenes.

What’s Your Story and Why?
Leader: Janis Thomas
Objective: Examine the heart of you story and the personal reasons behind telling it. Through guided reflection and discussion, participants will uncover the deeper themes, questions, or experiences driving their work.

Workshops: Path to Publication

Build a Better Author Bio: A Powerful Tool to Attract Readers
Leader: Trish Wilkinson
Objective: The author bio is often key to whether an editor, agent, or reader will read your work. You’ll leave this workshop with a clear understanding of the three distinct bio’s required to achieve success across media.

Craft a Query Packet Gatekeepers Can’t Resist
Leader: Dori Harrell
Objective: Think that because you’re writing fiction or a memoir you don’t need a proposal (or “query packet”)? Think again. When trying to entice gatekeepers, a carefully crafted, personalized proposal makes all the difference. Come prepared to answer questions about you as an author and about your story. (Great workshop for nonfiction writers too.)

Cultivating an Author Mindset
Leader: Charlotte Chipperfield
Objective: Discover how to transform self-doubt, procrastination, and writer’s block into momentum and creative flow. This workshop equips you with practical tools to build confidence, maintain motivation, and stay committed to your writing output.

From Book to Brand: Kickstart Your Book Marketing Strategy
Leader: Lieve Maas
Objective: Self-publishing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Learn the seven essential steps, from understanding book cover and interior design based on professional conventions to navigating publishing platforms like KDP, IngramSpark, and more, to make informed decisions about publishing your book.

Going it Alone: The Keys to Self-Publishing Success
Leader: Gayle Carline
Objective: There are many reasons to go indie, but impatience is not a good one. Being an independently published author lets you make all the decisions and reap all the rewards — it also means you take all the risks. This workshop covers the realities of the costs of both time and money, the pros and cons of various platforms, and some how-tos for success if you decide to publish your own book.

Pitch Witch: Query Letter Critique
Leader: Jennifer Silva Redmond
Objective: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Participants will learn how to craft a compelling written pitch that professionally highlights their story’s hook, voice, and marketability.

Something to Talk About: Speaking Publicly About Your Book
Leader: Gayle Carline
Objective: There’s more to author appearances than just showing up. The ability to discuss your book without boring the audience, in fact, motivating them to actually buy your book(s), is what it’s about. Well-plotted strategies and tactics are what’s required to make that happen.

Taming the AI Beast
Leader: Dori Harrell
Objective: Determine the best practices for using AI in your storytelling. This workshop will be highly participatory in discussing (with examples) the many roles AI can play in your writing—from brainstorming to research to editing to actual writing—and what to embrace and to avoid.

Panels, Appointments and Events

• Advance Submission One-on-One Consultations
• No-host Mixer
• Page One Cage Match
• Saturday Morning Special Guest Speaker: Kathryn (Kat) Mattingly
• Saturday Evening Special Guest Speaker: Jennifer Silva Redmond
• Sunday Afternoon Special Guest Speaker: Grant Rosenberg

Frequently Asked Question

• What should I bring to the conference?

  Definitely bring your manuscript, and do not hesitate to bring a work-in-progress. For many this is the only opportunity to receive authoritative feedback on a manuscript before sending it out to agents and editors. Our workshops are geared solely to help pinpoint possibly problematic issues of character, structure, and prose in order to facilitate your ability to market a commercially viable manuscript. As each conference we have an SCWC Topic writing contest (the Topic is announced Friday night), you should also have the ability to write during the weekend.

• What if I haven't written anything yet, and don't quite know where to start?

  You will. There are many workshops geared to writers just starting out– as well as those of every level.

• What awards are given at the COWC?

  The conference recognizes notable accomplishments in Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Screen. These awards are given only when work is deserving of such recognition. Such work is discovered during Read & Critique Workshops and one-on-one consultation, and is determined through a consensus of the workshop leaders. We also bestow an COWC Flash Fiction Award for the best piece, in any form, of 250 words or less based on the one word subject named Friday Night. Recipients are awarded Sunday. As a result of their being honored, several COWC award-winners have had their recognized manuscript go on to publication.

• Is the COWC Banquet a formal affair?

  While not quite formal, it is semi-formal, or at the very least “business casual.” Figure it as the one chance we have all weekend to shed our grubbies and look less like writers!

• Can I attend more than one workshop during a session?

  Yes. If you find that a particular workshop is not for you, or if you’d prefer to simply tap into another, you are encouraged to do so.

• How does a Read & Critique Workshop work?

  Each workshop is run according to the preference of its Leader. In Read & Critiques and Troubleshooting/Lecture/Q&A Workshops many allow the author to read his/her material, then selectively request feedback from members, while others address the work directly and move on to the next. One simple rule for workshop read & critique is that the author is not allowed to respond to the critique unless directly asked.

  The following Read & Critique Workshop Rules serve simply as a guide.  The workshop leaders ultimately run their workshops as they see fit.

  1.  Length of reading time limit to be set by workshop leader.
  2.  Critiques are done one person at a time, interruptions are not allowed.
  3.  Reader may respond to questions or comments only after critique.
  4.  Critiques will be directed only to work read, not critiques given by others.
  5.  Only the Art and Craft may be critiqued—not content.
  6.  “Pickies” (errors in grammar, usage, etc.) are written, not given orally.
  7.  No one may interject critique/comment until all others are finished.
  8.  Readers may not explain their work in advance, or defend it against critiques given. If explanation is necessary, chances are that the work needs more work.
  9.  Don’t “read and run.”  It’s rude.

• Can I arrange for more than one Advance Submission Critique?

  Yes. You can select as many readers for advance submission as you wish by paying an additional fee for each additional reader.

• If I'm planning to stay at the hotel, do I call the hotel to reserve a room?

  Yes. The hotel itself is the physical site of the conference. Discounted lodging rates are available to COWC conferees. Be sure to mention the COWC when booking to ensure you receive the discounted rate. Those planning to register for the conference with hotel lodging must do so by no later than the deadline indicated on the web site.

All About Advance Submissions

• What are advance submissions?

  The COWC offers conferees optional Advance Submission Critique of manuscripts, followed by one-on-one consultation with our respective readers for an additional fee of $50 for each submission. If you are uncertain of who would be best for you, email Michael Steven Gregory or phone him at (619) 303-8185 for guidance.

  Once you have paid for your Advance Submission Critique(s), send an email to Michael at msg@writersconference.com with your top TWO choices for readers, and attach your cover letter and first ten pages of your work.

• What is the deadline to submit pages?

  All Advance Submission Material must be received for the COWC1 by no later than September 22, 2025. Advance Manuscript Critique is available only to registered conferees. Appointment times for individual one-on-one consults will be made available at the Registration Desk upon check-in.

  You may register first then submit your material later, so long as material is received no later than the deadline. You may also submit material to more than one reader, accompanied by additional payment.

• Who are the advance submission readers?

  The readers for COWC1 are: Charlotte Chipperfield, Kristin Dorsey, Michael Steven Gregory, Dori Harrell, Cherie Kephart, Kathryn Mattingly, Jennifer Redmond, and Patricia Wilkinson (see the kind of work they accept for evaluation at the end of each workshop leader description above).

• How do I submit my material?

  First, be certain that the manuscript pages you’re submitting are the final version of the pages you want read. Do NOT send multiple, “updated” versions. There is no need to submit weeks before the deadline. Wait until you are absolutely certain the pages are ready, then:

  • Save your cover letter as a RTF, DOC or DOCX file.
  • Save your manuscript pages as a RTF, DOC or DOCX file.
  • Attach the saved RTF, DOC or DOCX files to an email addressed to MSG [at] WritersConference.com.
  • Enter “Advance Submission(s) from YOUR LAST NAME” in subject line.

  We will confirm receipt so you won’t have to worry.

• Who can submit manuscript pages prior to the conference?

  Advance submission of manuscript pages for evaluation prior to the conference, followed by one-on-one consultation with the reader(s) of your choice during the event is available only to registered conferees.

• What should be included in my submission?

  Unless otherwise noted, you may submit the first 10 pages of your manuscript, in standard professional submission format. A cover letter must also be included, but does not count as part of your total number of manuscript pages (check reader’s bio for exact number).

• Can I submit pages from the middle of my book?

  No. Regardless of how exceptional material may be later in the manuscript, no readers will ever discover it because of their inability to get beyond lackluster, problematic or downright sucky opening pages.

• What is the *proper format* for manuscript pages?

  As follows…

  • Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
  • Double-spaced print on one side of the paper
  • No double spaces between paragraphs (unless it’s a page break)
  • Single space only after periods
  • Header (TITLE/Your Last Name on left margin; then the page number (against right margin) starting w/page 2)
  • 1″ margin all the way around

• Should I include a cover letter?

  While not mandatory for advance submission feedback, a cover letter is recommended if for no other reason than to apprise the reader of what genre the pages s/he will be reading is and provide a thumbnail understanding about what the story is about.

  The last thing anybody wants is to submit a contemporary dark thriller, the execution of which leads the reader to believe is a comedic fantasy. (It’s happened!)

• Should I include a synopsis?

  No. A synopsis should be included only if a reader requests one.

• Is my cover letter and/or synopsis considered part of my page count?

  No. Cover letters and synopses do not figure into the count of your total number of first pages.

• Do you accept submissions via email?

  Yes. The COWC accepts advance submissions via email, preferably in DOC, DOCX, or RTF file format. Submissions should be sent as an attachment.

• Where do I email my advance submission?

  Email your submission(s) as an attachment to Michael (msg [at] WritersConference.com). Include “Advance Submission” in the subject line of your email. Be sure to include your email address on your cover letter.

• Can I mail hardcopy of my advance submission?

  While email is our preferred choice, you may also submit materials to our postal address: COWC, PO Box 433, Redmond, OR 97756.

• Can I place multiple submissions in one envelope?

  Yes. Including multiple submissions in one envelope is encouraged and will naturally reduce your cost of mailing submissions.

• What if I need help choosing a reader?

  If you need guidance choosing a reader, feel free to contact COWC Executive Director Michael Steven Gregory via email or phone.

• What time will my one-on-one appointment(s) be?

  The bulk of advance submission appointments will take place on Saturday, with a few rare exceptions that are rolled into Sunday. You will receive appointment time(s) when checking in at the front desk to pick up your name badge and final schedule.