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RSVP Deadline: September 30
Whether you seek a community of like-minded authors, dream of becoming a published author, or simply want to pursue and explore your writing hobby, joining a writing group like the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles will help you. CBW–LA offers critique groups and sessions, writing workshops, guest lectures, write-ins at local coffee shops, networking, writing support, and even publishing opportunities for our members and guests. Every month, there's something interesting on our calendar! Once you've had a look around, be sure to check out OUR NEWSLETTER at medium.com for thoughts on writing. | Upcoming events
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HISTORYAlthough the group's main focus is on writing for children, we welcome writers of all kinds, as well as those who love to read children's books. Founded in 2010, we branched out to start publishing our members in 2013 through our annual Story Sprouts Writing Day Workshop. We have two Writing Resources and Anthologies under our belt: Story Sprouts and Story Sprouts: Voice as well as a collaborative Middle Grade novel called Kayla Wayman, Teen Time Traveler: Lost in the Stream. Story Sprouts: Setting and Story Sprouts: Conflict are currently in development, as well as a yet-unnamed Middle Grade collaborative novel about a boy who gets sucked into his video game. Look for those soon. We encourage you to attend the annual workshop and buy a copy of the previous Story Sprouts; they make an excellent writing resource, brimming with high quality poetry, short fiction and nonfiction by our Story Sprouts authors. MISSION AND PURPOSEOur workshops provide tips and lessons on the craft and business of writing. You'll learn how to create characters so real, they practically jump off the page, weave storylines to make an interesting plot, revise and edit your manuscript, write and submit query letters to agents and editors, and how the publishing industry works. You can get helpful feedback on your manuscript through our critique sessions, and our creative writing sessions help in sparking the next great idea, or simply help you improve your writing skills so you can find your voice and style. MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTSEvents are open to members and non-members alike. Members get great discounts on our workshops and free access to our critique sessions. Be sure to RSVP to reserve your space at any event. We offer many takeaways and have limited space, so we want to make sure you get the most out of your experience. HOW TO JOIN(Online form currently down) To send a check, download the membership form below and mail it along with your payment to: CBW-LA
| OUR BOOKS
Kayla Wayman, Teen Time Traveler: Lost in the Stream A Story Sprouts Middle Grade Collaborative Novel
Story Sprouts |
NEXT WORKSHOPRSVP Deadline: September 30CBW-LA Writing Day Marathon STORY SPROUTS VOLUME V: FABLES, FAIRY TALES AND FOLKTALES
We anticipate publication from this workshop to take place late 2018 / early 2019. We invite you to take part in our Story Sprouts series by registering for the Story Sprouts 2017 Writing Marathon today. Every author who attends this workshop will walk away with a bevy of inspiration and writing lessons, an expanded writing community, and a publication in three books with YOUR name and story. See our first three books: Story Sprouts Writing Resource and Anthology (Volume One and Volume Two: Voice) and Kayla Wayman, Teen Time Traveler: Lost in the Stream. About The Facilitators CBW-LA Founder and President Nutschell Windsor and Publications Director Alana Garrigues lead attendees on a whirlwind adventure through the writing process, complete with prompts, tips, games, time for reflection and revision. There's always time for food and socializing along the way! This is Nutschell's fifth year and Alana's fourth facilitating the highly rated workshop that former authors have called "an awesome and fun day," "spectacular," "delightfully surprising," "encouraging and motivating," and "well done." About the Workshop This year's theme is FAIRY TALES, FABLES AND FOLKTALES! We will teach you how to move your story forward with a plot that employs just the right amount of tension, twists and turns to keep your reader on the edge of their seats, aching to turn the page for more information. Learn about different types of conflict that appear in stories, how to hook your reader, the best way to write a cliff-hanger This workshop is geared toward children's book writers, and you will explore Picture Book, Middle Grade and Young Adult level writing, but it is open to anyone. The lessons will carry across genres and audiences. We only ask that you come prepared to write at a PG-13 level or below. What's New? Every year we innovate our approach, based on self-assessments and workshop evaluation forms. This year, it's really a play on theme. For the past three years, we've focused on important elements of storytelling: Voice (character), Conflict (plot), and Setting. This year, you'll have a chance to combine all three during a throwback to elemental storytelling—those methods used in fables, fairy tales and folktales that have made humans fall in love with stories for centuries. We'll also continue to tweak and improve that delicate balance between time for writing and time for revising, between group activities and individual exploration. Finally, we're looking forward to a series of small books and short stories that will really appeal to children and adults alike, focusing heavily on readers this year. Our Story Sprouts series to date has really catered to writers and teachers. The collaborative novels cater to Middle Grade readers. These will appeal to the child in all of us, and that visceral draw to the types of stories we all grew up with, no matter where in the world we come from. Publication Process All submissions will go through thorough developmental, content, line and copy editing prior to publication. Please be advised, quality publication takes time. We will get the books out as quickly as possible, with the high quality editing and book design you've come to expect from CBW–LA Publications. Just as in the traditional publishing world, that can take anywhere from 12–30 months. Register early. Space is limited! Payment required to confirm your reservation. The Details Date: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Time: 8:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m. *Early check-in opens at 7:30 a.m. Arrive early and enjoy a light continental breakfast and some chit chat while you set up your writing space. *Workshop will start PROMPTLY 8:00 a.m. *There will be a group photo, so we'll provide the shirt, but you may want to bring something to freshen up after lunch. *PLEASE BRING A LAPTOP if possible! We welcome your handwritten submissions and we will transcribe them for you, but it will be easier for you to edit and revise your work on a computer. Place: Torrance Municipal Airport Meeting Room 3301 Airport Drive Torrance, CA Price: Story Sprouts Author Alumni: $150 Members: $195 Non-members: $225 Includes: • Full day writing workshop• Lunch, snacks and beverages throughout the day • 1 print copy of each book • 1 digital copy of each book • Professional editing, formatting & book design • Handouts, Workshop Materials & Swag • T-shirt • FREE Launch Party Celebration to toast your success! • Inspiration and publication! • YOUR name and work in Story Sprouts: Fables, Story Sprouts: Fairy Tales and Story Sprouts: Folktales! Great Discounts + Scholarship Available Students and Returning Authors SAVE with registration code! Send proof of student status to cbwla2012@gmail.com to request discount code and register at Story Sprouts alumni price for only $150! Returning authors, if you misplaced your email discount code, let us know and we'll send it your way. Email us to find out about our Diverse Voices Scholarship (open to all writers who speak from a minority voice). Book Praise Children's Book Author J. Enderle said of Story Sprouts: Voice: "Applause for both the authors who gathered all this information and put it in understandable context as well as to the workshop writers who allowed their spur-of-the-moment work to be used as learning examples. Impressive! Definitely worth the money." Coming for the weekend?Awesome! We are happy to hear that! If you'd like recommendations for additional activities during your stay in the area, please don't hesitate to reach out. The South Bay is a great area of Los Angeles to enjoy beaches, gourmet food, cute shopping areas and nice hiking trails. If city culture is more your thing, the South Bay is located about 20-30 miles from some of the best museums in the world! As far as hotels go, the Best Western in South Redondo Beach is close to the workshop, as is the DoubleTree in Torrance. Both are located within walking distance of shopping and dining, and about 20 minutes from LAX airport. If you let us know where you'll be staying, we can try to accommodate a ride to and from the event with a local attendee. Writing Day refund policy: We understand things come up, but we really hope to see you at the event. After all, we're saving a space for you! However, please note - if you must cancel, we offer a 50% refund until 30 days prior to event. No refund after September 7, but we will send a complimentary copy of all three Story Sprouts books created at this event. Thank you for understanding. | Check Out Our Partners! 
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