How Does a Writer Become a Published Author? Major Authors, Literary Agents and Publishing Insiders Share Their Writing & Publishing Lessons at the 2005 San Francisco Writers Conference

The 2005 SFWC will demystify the publishing industry for aspiring writers. A faculty of bestselling authors including John Lescroart, Karen Joy Fowler, Jack Canfield, Mary Roach, Joyce Maynard, Victor LaValle, Herbert Gold, Adair Lara, and Gail Tsukiyama will teach valuable writing lessons. Editors from major publishing houses including Random House, Scribner/Simon & Schuster, and St. Martins Press will also be on hand.

(PRWEB) January 11, 2005 -- Too many writers work for years on a novel or non-fiction book...and then have no idea what to do with it. The 2005 San Francisco Writers Conference will offer an extraordinary 3-day program that demystifies the process of writing and publishing. There will be over 40 workshops, keynotes and sessions taught by a faculty of bestselling authors, agents and editors from the West Coast and New York. The SFWC event will be held at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel over Presidents Day Weekend-February 18-20th, 2005. Full details and on-line registration are available at the website: www.SanFranciscoWritersConference.com.

The impressive list of 2005 San Francisco Writers Conference presenters includes Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul series), John Lescroart (The First Law), Karen Joy Fowler (The Jane Austen Book Club), Joyce Maynard (To Die For), Mary Roach (STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers), Herbert Gold (Haiti), Victor LaValle (Ecstatic), Adair Lara (Slowing Down in A Speeded-Up World), April Sinclair (Coffee Will Make You Black), Katharine Kerr (Daggerspell), Leonard Shlain (The Alphabet Versus The Goddess), Tess Uriza Holthe (When the Elephants Dance), Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories), Allison Inches (Go To Bed Fred) and Candace Hern (Once A Scoundrel). Returning popular presenters from last year include Gail Tsukiyama, Penny Warner, Pat Holt, D.P. Lyle, Kathleen Antrim, Julie Ann Long, Holly Payne, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Cara Black, Dan Poynter, Katharine Sands, Deb Werksman, Elaine Petrocelli, Barbara Santos and Carolyn Miller Quill. A list of presenters is on the website.

The event also includes literary agents searching for new clients, well-known marketing professionals in the publishing industry, and many major authors who will share their writing success stories. The event is appropriate for all writers-from beginning writers to published authors. There will be more than 40 sessions on nonfiction, fiction, childrens books, poetry, cookbooks, marketing, and the publishing scene.

The San Francisco Writers Conference offers both writing sessions and insider publishing information. Editors from major publishing houses will be at the San Francisco Writers Conference including Random House, Scribner/Simon & Schuster, St. Martins Press, HarperSanFrancisco, Jossey-Bass, Sourcebooks, Chronicle Books, Nolo Press, Quill Driver Books, Scribner, and more.

The conference includes writing workshops, panel discussions, keynote speakers, information on traditional publishing, and self-publishing. Attendees will meet and work with a faculty of bestselling authors and outstanding industry professionals. The most rewarding part of the event is when ready-to-be-published writers are able to meet one-on-one with all the right people," says Marketing Director Barbara Santos.

The unique, optional 4-hour Speed Dating for Agents" session is invaluable for writers looking for an agent. Attendees get to pitch their books to many agents face-to-face in three-minute consultations.

The Sir Francis Drake Hotel is offering a limited number of rooms at a conference rate of $110 per night. The hotel is a block from Union Square and is within walking distance of the Powell Street exit of BART. Hotel reservations are available at 800-227-5480.

Registration Info:

The registration fee is $425 until January 15; and $495 thereafter. Included is a gala welcome party at the Starlight Room, plus buffet breakfasts and elegant luncheons in the Empire Ballroom on Saturday and Sunday. Attendees can register on-line at www.sanfranciscowritersconference.com or request a form by mail. To request the form by mail, write to San Francisco Writers Conference, 1029 Jones St., San Francisco, CA 94109.

A limited number of scholarships are available. For information, call conference cofounder Elizabeth Pomada at 415-673-0939. The conference is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on the 2005 San Francisco Writers Conference, visit the website or call toll-free 866-TOC-SFWC (862-7392).

Sponsors of the 2005 San Francisco Writers Conference include: The Examiner and The Independent, John Wiley & Sons, Sourcebooks, Writers Digest, Book Passage, Grace Baking, Antrim Construction, Tamás Estates, The Steven Kent Winery, Little Valley Winery, Big White House, Stony Ridge Winery, Bent Creek Winery, Eckert Estate Winery, Fenestra Winery, Concannon Vineyard., San Francisco Magazine, and Scribner.

The San Francisco Writers Conference is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. A portion of the proceeds from the conference will be donated to the Childrens Book Project and the San Francisco chapter of the Womens National Book Association.

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