First, you write a scene. Then another. And another. Soon you have a novel.
Thursday night, I listened to award-winning author Randy Ingermanson discuss “How to Write a Dynamite Scene Using the Snowflake Method” at the American Christian Fiction Writers’ meeting in Vancouver.
“Story is walking through great danger in somebody else’s skin,” said Ingermanson, author of 2009’s “Fiction Writing for Dummies.” “If I can write one scene, I can write 100 — and that’s a novel.”
On Friday night, I listened to Napavine author Kyle Pratt at the Station in Centralia share with the Lewis County Writers Guild how to market a book. Pratt, the author and indie publisher of eight post-apocalyptic, speculative and science fiction novels, outlined what he does to promote his books even before they’re published. He noted the importance of a branded website, blog posts, press kit, email marketing list, and book covers.
To learn more about the steps between writing a scene and marketing a published book, consider attending the Fifth Annual Southwest Washington Writers Conference Sept. 8 at Centralia College. After spearheading the organization of the first four conferences, I backed away this year and, fortunately, the Lewis County Writers Guild stepped up to sponsor the event.
The conference keynoter this year is Simon Wood, USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, including “The One That Got Away.” He’s an author, pilot, race car driver, and private investigator who lives in Northern California.
Jordan Hartt, a writing teacher and facilitator of the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference and other writing events worldwide, will discuss the flash fiction market. Andrea Culletto, publisher and freelance journalist, will teach a workshop on “Writing for Self-Exploration & Discovery.” Traci Tyne Hilton, an indie author and publisher of mysteries and suspense novels, will present “Choose Your Own Adventures in Publishing.” Clare Hodgson Meeker, award-winning author of 11 children’s books and 30 magazine stories, will teach “Plotting the Picture Book: Exploring Story Structure.”
Cornelia Becker Seigneur, a freelance journalist and adjunct professor who specializes in writing about family, community, faith, and human interest stories, will teach two workshops — one on writing memoirs and the other on freelancing.
Marketing guru Veronika Noize, who has taught at every conference, will be back again to talk about “How to Sell your First 50 Books.” She is the author of three marketing books, including “How to Create a Killer Elevator Speech” and “The 30-Minute Networking Secret Toolkit.”
Other presenters are Heather Dawn, discussing “Dreams as Inspiration to Write,” Bill Ransom teaching about “Revision” and “Collaborative Writing,” and Midge Raymond presenting “Write Great Dialogue,” “The Art of Submitting,” and “Navigating Writing Contests.” Kathleen Sawisky will teach “The Stages of Grief: Indie Publishing Edition,” and Lindsay Schopfer will discuss “Sci-fi for a Mainstream Audience.”
Organizers also plan to have several panels of speakers answer questions about publishing and address the craft of writing.
Registration is $70 before July 15 ($56 for students), and then $90 ($72 for students). The fee is $100 at the door. Register at http://southwestwashingtonwriters.com/
Proceeds from the conference will go toward scholarships offered through the Centralia College Foundation to creative writing students.
Discussion at a Southwest Washington Writers critique group meeting in May 2014 sparked organization of the first Southwest Washington Writers Conference, which took place in September that year. We worried that we wouldn’t draw enough attendees to pay the bills, but we did, and all proceeds benefited the Lewis County Literacy Council. Michael Hurley of Mossyrock invited his friend, New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni of Seattle, to keynote the conference, and Dugoni gave us a great deal.
Each year the conference has grown and proceeds have benefitted the Lewis County Historical Museum, the Centralia Fox Theatre Restoration Project, and the Veterans Memorial Museum. I’m so grateful to see the conference continue to thrive under new leadership.
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at chaptersoflife1999@gmail.com.
