OC Christian Writers Conference

Kathy Ide, a published author, speaker and editor, offers the serious nonfiction writer hands-on techniques for writing a winning magazine article, personal essay, or nonfiction book.

Course Requirements:

Pre-register and prepay $25 workshop fee at www.occwf.org

Mail your manuscript (up to ten pages) to the instructor one month in advance of the conference. Kathy will edit/critique and return the submission at the time of the workshop. Submissions instructions will be sent once fees are paid and enrollment acknowledged by registrar.

Bring a laptop or a notebook with blank-lined paper on which you will make revisions to your manuscript throughout the workshop.

Course Objectives:

• Session One: Instruction in techniques for writing powerful nonfiction and discussion of common mistakes nonfiction writers make.
  
  
• Session Two: Participants will revise their manuscripts based on class discussion and written comments from the instructor.
  
  
• Session Three: Critiquing of revised work; open discussion.

Susan Meissner, award-winning novelist and community journalist, will teach an intensive fiction workshop limited to twelve students.

Course Requirements:

Pre-register and prepay $25 workshop fee at www.occwf.org

Mail your manuscript (up to ten pages) to the instructor one month in advance of the conference. Susan will edit/critique and return the submission at the time of the workshop. Submissions instructions will be sent once fees are paid and enrollment acknowledged by registrar.

Bring a laptop or a notebook with blank-lined paper on which you will make revisions to your manuscript throughout the workshop.

Come ready to assume the role of your lead character during discussion times. As your lead character, you must be ready to answer these questions: what it is that you want, what or who stands in your way, why you want it, what will happen if you succeed, what will happen if you fail, how you are going to get what you want, what you will have to risk or give up to get it, how you think your life will be different when you have it, what God thinks about what you want, what your closest friends and family think about what you want, why you think you face opposition, what your limitations are, what you fear most in this quest, what you think your greatest strength is, what you think your greatest weakness is.

Course Objectives:

This clinic will focus on strengthening your work-in-progress the following key elements of marketable fiction:

• A fully fleshed-out lead and/or supporting character
• A relatable and relevant conflict
• A storyline that invites discussion, introspection or wonder
• Correlating subplot threads
• A satisfying conclusion.

We will spend the first half of the clinic time identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your first two chapters & synopsis and the second half rewriting and reworking the same.