writing events

“INDEPENDENT AUTHORS” – PRESENTED BY BAG&BAGGAGE ARTS AND CULTURE DISCUSSION SERIES – SEPTEMBER 6, 2018.

Bag&Baggage is proud to present a new arts and culture discussion series! B&B A&C will bring together diverse artists from a range of cultural industries to discuss their work, their challenges, and their influences.

B&B A&C is free to the public!

Our first installment is “Independent Authors,” and will feature four local authors who have made a career self-publishing their work. The first event will include short readings from the author’s works followed by a discussion and Q&A session about the independent author and publishing industry. If you’ve ever wondered if you could write and sell your own books, this is a great introduction to the industry with special insights from local writers and editors who are making the magic happen!

Run Time: 90 minutes       Recommended for ages: 16+

B&B/A&C (Arts and Culture Lecture Series)
Independent Authors
September 6th, 2018 at 6:00pm
The Vault Theater & Event Space
350 E Main Street, Hillsboro 97123
(See Event Details and Author Information Here)

 

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Foot steps on leaves and announces Writers in the Grove 2018 Author Conference.

Writers in the Grove Authors Conference Announced

For the first time, we will be producing a writers conference specifically for those wishing to move from creative writer to published author.

Writers in the Grove Authors Conference
Saturday, January 27, 2018
9AM-4PM
Forest Grove Senior and Community Center
Forest Grove, Oregon (map)
$60
Proceeds benefit the FGSCC

The day-long conference will feature a variety of classes, individual and small group sessions to help you move from writer to published author.

Deborah Reed Author PhotoThe keynote speaker is Deborah Reed, author of the novels The Days When Birds Come Back, Olivay, Things We Set on Fire, Carry Yourself Back to Me, A Small Fortune, and its sequel, Fortune’s Deadly Descent. She is also frequently featured in Poets & Writers, and holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing (fiction) from Pacific University. She is also the co-director of the Black Forest Writing Seminars at the University of Freiburg in Germany. She lives in Manzanita, Oregon.

The faculty of presenters features:

Paulann Peterson Author PhotoPaulann Petersen is an award-winning poet and former Oregon State Poet Laureate. She is a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and author of several books of poetry including The Wild Awake, Blood-Silk, A Bride of Narrow Escape, Kindle, The Voluptuary, and Understory. She has also published five chapbooks and her work has been published in many anthologies, magazines, and websites. She teaches poetry workshops for colleges, libraries, and writer’s conferences, and serves on the National Advisory Board for Friends of William Stafford. She will be presenting an afternoon poetry workshop.

Holly Lorincz editorHolly Lorincz is an author of fiction and non-fiction and owner of Lorincz Literary Services, a literary editing agency. She worked for many years as a collaborative literary agent for MacGregor Literary. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and on the faculty for the Profitable Authors Institute and The Blackbird Studio for writers in Portland, Oregon. Her specialty is in developmental editing, fiction and non-fiction, as well as collaborative writing. Holly will be speaking about the publishing industry and preparing a manuscript for submission.

Chip MacGregor - Literary AgentChip MacGregor is the founder of MacGregor Literary, an author agency, helping authors in the memoir, spirituality, self-help, Christian, true crime, romance, and literary fiction publish their books and negotiate movie and television projects. He will be speaking on how to find, query, and pitch your story to agents and publishers.

Jessica Morrell Author PhotoJessica Morrell is a long-time favorite speaker and teacher on writing fiction, and an accomplished author. Her books, Thanks, But This Isn’t for Us, A (sort of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing is Being Rejected, Between the Lines, Bullies, Bastards, and Bitches: How to Write the Bad Guys of Fiction, and Writing Out the Storm continue to be textbooks for writers determined to improve their writing and get published. She will be speaking about developing a character arc.

Kristen Thiel Publisher - photo by BC Debney, 2017.As a full-time professional writer and editor for fourteen years, Kristin Thiel works with writers, publishers, and other businesses to improve their professional writing skills with a goal toward publishing. She’s also an avid hiker, backpacker, and “yes-sayer” to Northwest fun and exploration. Kristin will be talking about the pitfalls of common writing errors and how to avoid them.

Mary Jane Nordgren AuthorMaryJane Nordgren is a published author of novels, plays, and memoirs, and publisher of the Seeds of… anthologies. Her books, Early: Logging Tales Too Human to be Fiction, Quiet Courage, and Frail the Bridge. She will be presenting a practice session on writing open paragraphs and hooks.

Optional Sessions

The morning of the event, you will have the opportunity to register for optional private and small group sessions with our faculty. Sessions include:

  • 15 minute professional consultations:
    • Jessica Morrell on a single sample of a memoir or fiction piece.
    • Holly Lorincz to talk through a story idea, plot points, and non-fiction scope and sequence.
  • Cost: $10 paid in advance.

There is also an optional paid small group session for practicing pitching (45 min) with Kristin Thiel. Cost: $5 paid in advance.

About Writers in the Grove 2018 Authors Conference

This is a fundraiser for the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center, a non-profit community center and the host of Writers in the Grove weekly meetings. The Center provides free and low cost meals through their dining services and Meals On Wheels outreach program, as well as a wide range of educational, recreational, wellness, and community events and educational opportunities.

Writers in the Grove is a free weekly workshop for those wishing to develop their creative writing skills. The group meets Mondays at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center on Mondays from 9-11am, and on the second Saturday of the month at the Forest Grove Public Library from 10:30-noon. Writers in the Grove supports the freedom of expression and creative writing spirit in Forest Grove, Oregon, and around the world.

WordCrafters Writers Conference August 25-27, 2017

WordCrafters conference in Eugene, Oregon, is August 25-27, 2017, and a must-attend for writers and fans of mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals, and crimes of passion this year. Each year the conference has a theme, and this year is for the who-done-it writers.

The conference is a part of the amazing work of WordCrafters in Eugene, offering extensive literacy and writing programs to the adults, children, prisoners, special interest groups, and the public in general.

We are writer and readers. We believe in the power and value of the written word and seek to help others to express themselves through their writing. We believe we are the keepers of the literature and the chroniclers of our times, and to do that effectively, we must write effectively. Wordcrafters is about the craft of writing.

This year’s conference fe3atures a wide range of sessions including “Into the Mind of a Killer,” “Pyschological Sleuthing,” “Forensics Unmasked,” and “Plotting the Perfect Murder.” Special speakers include D.P. Lyle, Forensic MD and author, and Katherine Ramsland, Forensic Psychologist and author.

Register now for a place at this great writer’s conference.

Pacific University’s Free Public Readings This Week

Pacific University’s MFA in Writing Program hosts faculty-authors for free public readings this week in Forest Grove, Oregon, at the university’s Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center. Three different authors read each evening from their own work, all teachers at the residency program. Each evening is different and a diverse example of some of the finest writing today.

The schedule features:
June 17 | Judy Blunt, Claire Davis & Dorianne Laux
June 18 | Kwame Dawes, Jack Driscoll, & Laura Hendrie
June 19 | Sandra Alcosser, Pete Fromm, & Craig Lesley
June 20 | Valerie Laken, Mike Magnuson, & Joseph Millar
June 22 | Marvin Bell, Mary Helen Stefaniak, & Kellie Wells
June 23 | Steve Amick, Eduardo Corral, & Scott Korb
June 24 | Chris Abani, Ellen Bass, & Debra Gwartney

Willamette Writers Conference Early Bird Prices End May 31

If you are a writer in the Portland area, or anywhere close to the Pacific Northwest, put the Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Oregon, August 12-14, 2016, on your schedule and register now for the early bird ticket prices.

The Willamette Writers Association is a non-profit, educational organization actively involved in helping writers get published, turn scripts into movies and television shows, and improve their writing overall. They offer a wide range of educational programs, meetups, and programs for youth and adult all year long, but the annual conference is a must attend event.

Held at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel this year, the schedule is filled with fantastic writing techniques and learning opportunities. Register early and plan out which workshops you will attend, including the exceptional pre-conference workshops and classes.

If you are interested in a manuscript critique, they are offering those for a fee, and we recommend you take time to read through “On the Right Track with Advance Manuscript Critiques” to help you prepare for the critique.

Want to pitch your story? Your novel, memoir, script? Pitching events are held during the event as well as at special times, and cost $25 each. Register early for the opportunity to do multiple pitches with various publishers and editors. Read “Pitching with Confidence – Marvin Baker’s Story” for an example of how to pitch your story well, and what might happen. Many authors have sold their books and movie rights at the Willamette Writers Conference over the years.

Early bird registration tickets range from $229 for one day to $449 for the entire event, good until May 31. After that, the prices increase, so hurry.

If enough Writers in the Grove members are considering going, we’ll get a room to share for the weekend. Carpooling is also available. Let us know during our workshops or contact us if you are interested in going so we can make arrangements for transportation and possible lodging.

Write to Publish Conference in Portland, Oregon

Write to Publish by Ooligan Press and Portland State University is January 30, 2016, in Portland, Oregon. The all day conference is a fundraiser and features non-credit workshops, speakers, panels, vendors, and presentations by author and professionals in the writing and publishing industry.

The focus of the conference is about writing to publish, and navigating the publishing industry as a writer.

Tickets are available now for $80, with discounts for college and high school students.

Portland WordStock November 7, 2015

WordStock, Portland’s Book Festival, is a one-day event at the Portland Art Museum on Saturday, November 7, 2015. Tickets are available now for $15 and includes admission to the Art Museum and a $5 voucher to spend at the extensive book fair.

Over 80 authors will be present offering writing tips and techniques in all genres. According to the press release (PDF), “There will be conversations between Cheryl Strayed and Diana Nyad; Jon Krakauer and Barry Lopez; Tom Spanbauer and Chuck Palahniuk. There will be interviews with Wendell Pierce, Sandra Cisneros, John Irving, and Stacy Schiff; and panel discussions on topics as wide-ranging as unconventional histories, accidental families, paranormal YA, and so much more.”

A series of writing workshops are also available during the event for an addition fee. They include storytelling, poetry, scene writing, editing, humor, and other topics.

The Bookmark Ball is the opening night celebration held the night before as a fundraiser and social gathering with music. Tickets start at $35 for this special event for the Portland literati.

August 24, 2015 Monday Workshop: Literary Hooks

Writers in the Grove member Bunny Hansen will be presenting a writing workshop on Literary Prompts on Monday, August 24, 2015, at the Forest Grove Senior and Community Center at 9AM to 11AM.

Literary hooks are the opening sentence or sentences within novels, prose, and poetry that grab the attention of the reader and keep them reading, compell them to keep reading.

This is a repeat of her successful presentation presented at a recent Saturday Writing Workshop at the Forest Grove Library.

See you there.

Poet and Writer Mark Thalman June 22, 2015

Mark Thalman is an acclaimed author and poet. Writers in the Grove is honored to have him present a short workshop on Monday, June 22, 2015, at 9AM at the Forest Grove Community and Senior Center in Forest Grove, Oregon.

He will be talking about the art and work behind being a published author, including helping us learn more about poetry styles and techniques.

The workshop is free and open to all.