On September 6 and 7, the 10th annual Southwest Washington Writers Conference will be held at Centralia College. The conference offers local authors and aspiring writers the opportunity to hone their skills, learn the ins and outs of publishing and marketing, network with other writers, and come away both equipped and inspired.
The two-day event includes a Friday Master Class featuring two three-hour workshops and a Saturday conference featuring a keynote speaker and a choice of 24 workshops taught by experienced authors from the Pacific Northwest. Participants may choose to attend one or both days.
Lunch is provided on both days and is included in the registration cost. Friday’s lunch will be catered by Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme in Chehalis and Saturday’s lunch will be catered by British Bites in Centralia.
Note: Early registration ends July 31. General registration begins August 1. For more information or to register for the conference, click here.
Southwest Washington Writers Conference Friday Master Class
This year’s Friday master class will be taught by Olivia Hawker, a Washington Post bestselling author of historical fiction.
In the morning, Hawker will guide participants through the process of writing a complete book outline based on a character’s arc. Her workshop “Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing” is based on her bestselling how-to book with the same title.
In the afternoon, Hawker will share how writers can evaluate the market and target their books to current trends. Her second workshop, “How to Write a Bestseller,” is recommended for more experienced writers who want to go from midlist to front list.
Olivia Hawker, also known as Libbie Grant, lives in Canada and the San Juan Islands of Washington. Her novel “One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow” was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award and the Willa Award. Her other books include “The Ragged Edge of Night,” “The First and the Ore,” “The Rise of Light,” and “October in the Earth.”
Saturday Conference Keynote Speaker Garth Stein
This year’s conference keynote speaker is Seattle author Garth Stein, the internationally bestselling author of “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” His novel sold more than six million copies worldwide, spent over three years on the New York Times bestseller list, and has been translated into 38 languages. Told from the point of view of a golden retriever, the story inspired a Young Reader edition and four children’s picture books, as well as a 2019 movie starring Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, and Kevin Costner as the voice of Enzo the golden retriever.
During the Saturday conference, Stein will give his keynote, “The World According to Garth,” and will also teach a workshop entitled “It’s All About the Rock.” His workshop will focus on the writer’s role in the creation of a novel. “We will talk about the conscious mind and the subconscious mind, which part of your brain to use when, and how you can make a deal with your subconscious to allow your creativity to be accessed more dependably.”
In addition to authoring three other novels – “A Sudden Light, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets,” and “Raven Stole the Moon,” Stein is also the co-founder of Seattle7Writers. The nonprofit collective is dedicated to motivating readers, writers, and their communities by providing funding, programming, and donations of free books to those in need.
Garth Stein lives in Seattle with his wife and three sons. Before becoming a bestselling author, Stein was an amateur race car driver. He left racing after a serious crash – while racing in the rain.
Southwest Washington Writers Conference Saturday Workshops
After the keynote address, participants can choose from a wide selection of workshops. This year’s topics include character development, writing for magazines, what agents really want, self-publishing secrets, creating authentic Native American characters, using flash fiction to jumpstart your creativity, publishing options, writing query letters that work, how to write compelling nonfiction book proposals, and more!
During the break times, participants will also have the opportunity to discuss their projects with literary agent Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary. Eagan specializes in traditional romance and women’s fiction.
New this year will be an opportunity to eat lunch by genre. Rooms will be set aside by genre so participants can network and be inspired by fellow writers with similar interests.
The Southwest Washington Writers Conference
The Southwest Washington Writers Conference began back in 2014 thanks to the initiative and dedication of a local writer’s group from Centralia.
Over the years, the conference has raised money for the Lewis County Literacy Council, the Lewis County Historical Museum, the Veteran’s Memorial Museum, the Centralia Fox Theater, and the Centralia College Foundation. This year, conference proceeds will continue to support the Centralia College Foundation for student scholarships.
Today, the Southwest Washington Writers Conference is a nonprofit organization run by volunteers. In its 10th year, the conference continues to draw writers from Seattle to Portland and beyond.
