Boost your writing with a one-day conference designed to take your writing to the next step, especially if your manuscripts are languishing or you’re stuck on some step in your revisions.
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For news and dates for our next conference at the magical Oregon coast. As I’ve mentioned here before this year’s conference was postponed because of my mother’s death and all that entailed.
For a view from one of our previous instructor’s Melissa Hart, you can find her piece here at The Writer magazine.
And it’s true: I do love gathering writers. 
Keep writing, keep dreaming, have heart
I’m sorry to announce that Summer in Words 2015 has been cancelled. I’ve been involved in my mother’s end-of-life care this year and last fall. She died recently and because of the uncertain nature of my schedule and demands of family matters I was not able to spend the many hours needed to organize this delightful conference. Much of the planning, marketing, correspondence happens six -eight months prior to the conference and I was caught up in helping my parents. I apologize for disappointing people who had planned to attend and I’ll miss those glorious days in June at the Hallmark Inn and Resort.
On a good note, I’ll be organizing a shorter Claim Your Story conference at the Hallmark this fall. Stay tuned for more information.
I’m getting so excited about being in Ashland again. Nothing like a day spent with writers.
Lithia Springs Resort, Ashland, Oregon
October 4, 9-5
Image by Billy Tice, Austin, TX
Claim Your Story Writers Conference, October 4 at the Lithia Springs Resort in Ashland, is a day-long gathering that will deepen and spark your writing practice and help you sell your work in a crowded marketplace. Workshops will be taught by talented authors who are also distinguished writing teachers: Melissa Hart, Midge Raymond and Jessica Morrell.
Schedule:
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Attending writing conferences is a vital part of being a writer. And there are plenty of mega-conferences to choose from. But I believe in smaller, more intimate conferences. Why?
Usually I post the registration page on this site, but it’s been too difficult to download/print, so this year I’m asking people to contact me for the registration form. Here are the costs (affordable!) that are printed on the registration form.
Thursday night meet and greet (no charge).
____ Friday workshops $125.00.
____ Friday night reception and keynote $25.00.
____ Saturday workshops + lunch and keynote $125.00.
____ Lunch and keynote only $25.
____ Sunday sessions $60 .
____ Complete conference package $285
____ Guest Saturday lunch & keynote $25
____ Guest Friday reception & keynote $25
____ Manuscript evaluation $50.00
Why Summer in Words?
I moved to Oregon 23 years ago and began teaching writing. That first year I fell in love with the Oregon coast, and soon began hosting weekend writing retreats at beach houses along the Pacific shore. It didn’t take me long to realize that the coast was an ideal place for writing and dreaming and rejuvenating. Ferocious with life. The smells of salt, seaweed and adventure. Constantly changing sands.Mysteries washed up on shore and lurked in tide pools. The ocean always talks to us, sometimes forgiving and soothing, sometimes wild with whitecaps and steel.
Fifteen years ago I was teaching writers during the Summer Solstice. We stood together on a deck, watching the sun dip down amid a tapestry of lavender, apricot, and gold, while revealing our writing dreams. It is a moment forever stamped in my memory. I knew I wanted to return to the endless Pacific each June with writers and I realized how much I love gathering writers together. I began fiercely believing in the power of the writing community.
The Oregon coast has since brought be solace, inspiration, and a sense of belonging.Many of my writing dreams that I discussed that first day of summer came true including six published books. Since the conference began, SIW participants have sharpened their skills and drawn inspiration from the many workshops and talks along with the wide expanse of ocean, the constantly changing light, and pounding surf. Some attendees went on to publish articles, land book deals, publish novels that had been languishing or incomplete. As for the speakers who have taught at previous conferences…well, over the years their careers have exploded.
More to come on that topic…..
Meanwhile, notice the brimming wonders all around you. Create art and stories.
Register for the your hotel room at the lovely Hallmark Inn & Resort in Cannon Beach before May 19 for a reduced rate.The 50th annual Sandcastle Contest is also happening that weekend so there will likely be no hotel reservations available elsewhere in town. Phone (503)436-1566 888-448-4449 or contact them here.And that isn’t an April Fools joke. A mailer with details will be sent to everyone on my email mailing list. If you’re staying at the Hallmark, please reserve a room soon since it will also be Sandcastle Contest weekend and the town will be crowded, reservations scarce.
Lorelle VanFossen is a keynote, trainer, writer, and consultant on web writing, web design, and blogging, especially working with WordPress. Called a blog evangelist, on Lorelle on WordPress she writes about everything WordPress, blogging, and social media, covering more than you may want to know about how all this blogging business and social media stuff works. Lorelle is also the author of the popular Blogging Tips: What Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging and the ebook, Social Media for Crafters: Covering the Basics of the Social Web. On Lorelle on WordPress, she shares her many years of online journaling, web writing and publishing, and blogging experiences as one of the first website owners and publishers on the web. She is also editor, producer, contributor, and official disruptive thinker for Bitwire Media and a regular columnist for the Blog Herald, Blogger and Podcaster Magazine, Darren Rowse’s Problogger, featured for writing and photography in many national and international magazines, newspapers, and ezines. She is also one of the founding members of Successful Online Business Conference (SOBCon) with Liz Strauss, celebrating five years of changing people’s business life online in 2011. She is also a long time member of the 9Rules Network. Blogging since 1994, before the term “blog” was developed, Lorelle is also involved with WordPress as a volunteer helping to write and develop the WordPress Codex and assisting others on the WordPress Forum.
Welcome aboard Lorelle!
Summer in Words 