2011 San Francisco Writers Conference Offers PRE and POST Event Classes

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2011 San Francisco Writers Conference will take place this February 18-20 at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. The prestigious event is where writers learn not only to improve their writing, but how to publish and promote their work. This year, in addition to the main conference, there will be classes on hot topics for writers both before and after the main event. Teachers include literary agents Donald Maass, Katharine Sands and Michael Larsen; best-selling authors Robert Dugoni, Sheldon Seigel, Katharine Kerr and Adair Lara; and many others. The classes are in-depth and low-cost ... and open to all writers. For more information, go to http://www.SFWriters.org.

PRE-CONFERENCE Pitch Workshop with Katharine Sands on February 17th

If your manuscript or book proposal is polished and ready to get into the hands of agents at the San Francisco Writers Conference in February, but you're not sure how to do it successfully, then plan on taking PERFECT YOUR PITCH by New York literary agent Katharine Sands. Katharine is coming to San Francisco early just to teach this workshop, Thursday, February 17, 2011 from 6-9 p.m. - three hours to learn the secrets of successful pitching from the author of the book by the same name. Katharine is one of our most popular faculty members, so join her on the eve of the conference to make your event the best it can be. For more details, check the website, http://www.sfwriters.org. The cost is $149.

POST-CONFERENCE Intensive Workshops on Monday, February 21st

The Monday after the conference is always President's Day holiday. SFWC organizers are encouraging attendees to consider adding an extra day onto their weekend, but in fact any writer can take one of the following intensive half-day or full-day workshops. Taught by experts in their fields, writers will learn from the best in small classes with lots of personal attention. Below is a list of the classes. More detailed information can be found at http://www.sfwriters.org:

Full-Day Classes Feb. 21st (9 am to noon, no host lunch, 2 - 5 pm) $297 for either class

1. Social Media for Authors with social media gurus Tee Morris and Linda Lee

By the end of this nuts and bolts workshop, authors will know how to effectively use Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and LinkedIn, how to create a website and blog and how to podcast your writing. And you'll also know how to select which of these tools is right for you ... a must-have for writers in today's online world.

2. Self-Publishing Bootcamp with Carla King

Listen up, soldiers! Today is the best time ever to be a writer. With eBooks and self-publishing options never before available to get your book in front of a reading audience, you need to understand the whys, whats and hows of self-publishing. This class is taught by the creator of the Self-Publishing Bootcamp and features a host of other teachers in design, publicity, editing, printing, eBooks and more.

Half-Day AM Classes Feb. 21st (9 am to noon) ... any class is $149

• AM1 MICRO-TENSION: The Secret of the Best-sellers - With acclaimed Literary Agent Donald Maass
• AM2 Writing Mysteries, Suspense and Thrillers - With best-selling mystery and thriller authors Bob Dugoni and Sheldon Siegel
• AM3 Writing Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror - With best-selling author Katharine Kerr, associate publisher Gabrielle Harbowy and rising star fantasy author Phillipa Ballantine
• AM4 Writing Romance and Women's Fiction - With literary agent Christine Witthohn and romance author Elizabeth Jennings

Half-Day Classes Feb. 21st (2 pm to 5 pm) ... any class is $149

• PM1 How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal - With the man who wrote How to Write a Book Proposal, literary agent Michael Larsen and legendary independent editor Alan Rinzler
• PM2 Making Your Memoir Bigger Than The Story of Your Life - With writing teacher and memoirist Adair Lara
• PM3 How to Make Money in the Hot Young Adult Market - With award-winning children's book author Douglas Rees and one other teacher

Another option for writers to build their writing career is the new San Francisco Writers University. This new project from the non-profit San Francisco Writers Conference launched in November 2010. According to SFWU Dean Laurie McLean, "In less than a month 150 members joined for free to download free and $10 audio classes, learn from each other in discussion forums and blogs, have their work critiqued by fellow writers, connect via emails, find experts to help them or list themselves as experts. SFWU is like Facebook and LinkedIn specifically for writers, with classes, live events and lots of social media tools." Writers are encouraged to check it out at http://www.SFWritersU.com. Michael Larsen had a dream of creating a space where all types of writers at every stage of their writing journey could join together in a writer community and learn their craft in an affordable, simple, worldwide manner. McLean added, "We believe you'll soon be asking yourself how you did without this resource before! Join us. We'd love to have you participate and make SFWU your home for writing!"

San Francisco Writers Conference is a 509(a)2 non-profit charity.

For more information, go to: http://www.SFWriters.org

Sponsors & supporters include: BookShop West Portal, Writer's Digest, John Wiley & Sons, Author Solutions, Smashwords, InterContinental Mark Hopkins, Berrett-Koehler, Conari Press, Antrim Group, The Writer, Book Expo America, Joyce Turley, Harvey Pawl, Kevin Smokler, Victoria Hudson, Ellen Taliaferro, MD, Stephanie Chandler, Alan Rinzler, Ann Seymour, ExpertClick.com, Publiability, Red Room, Bowker Manuscript Submissions, eReleases.com, UC Berkeley Extension, and San Francisco Writers University

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE San Francisco Writers Conference