Writers, those published and those who want to be, will find a variety of learning options at the Southwest Washington Writers Conference on Sept. 12-13 at Centralia College. Now in its 11th year, the accessible and price-conscious conference offersmaster classes, workshops by successful authors, and plenty of time to network.
The two-day conference will kick off with Friday's master classes on Sept.12. Tumwater author Patrick Shawn Inmon, who has published 50 books, will address "How to Succeed in Publishing without Really Selling." Three-hour master classes will be William Kenower's "The Story of Your Life: The Art of Memoir"andMiriam Gershow's "Successful Revision: Principles and Practices to Drive the Process."
On Saturday morning, Patrick Hutchison, whose debut memoir Cabin: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman was released last December to great acclaim, will discuss his journey to publication.
Jane Porter, a best-selling fiction writer with nearly 80 books to her credit, will keynote the Saturday event on Sept. 13. Porter, who is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romance and women's fiction, has more than 15 million books published in 20 languages and sold in more than 25 countries.
Saturday's 24 workshops will appeal to writers of all genres. Conference organizer and presenter, Julie Zander, a prolific author in her own right, listed a few of the options. Topics include writing heroes and villains, marketing books, structuring stories, writing dialogue, adding sensory details, editing, publishing fiction and nonfiction, penning poetry, and starting a podcast, among others.
An added attraction for the general public will be Friday night's Evening with Authors, sponsored by the Lewis County chapter of AAUW, and featuring a moderated discussion with Porter and Hutchison.
The Southwest Washington Writers Conference is produced by volunteers with proceeds to benefit scholarships through the Centralia College Foundation.
Participants are asked to register by Sept. 5.
For further information and to register, see https://southwestwashingtonwriters.com/