OCLS Writers Conference
Make 2019 the year you finish and publish a novel. The OCLS Writers Conference will provide the tools and knowledge you need to reach your writing and publishing goals this year. Authors and publishing professionals will teach workshops on both craft and business topics.
This conference is free to the public, but registration is required for all attendees.
Schedule of Events
| 9:30 a.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Introduction & Check-In | |
| 10 a.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Get the Most of Self-Editing, presented by Kaitlyn Johnson | |
| • | Non-Traditional Revenue Streams for Writers, presented by Alli Martin | |
| • | Free Headshots, provided by the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology, Innovation and Creativity | |
| 11 a.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | 10 Personal Branding Secrets for Writers, presented by Erik Deckers | |
| • | Satisfying Endings, presented by Kristen Stieffel | |
| • | Creating Writing Goals and Routines, presented by Racquel Henry, Paige Lavoie, and Arielle Haughee | |
| • | Free Headshots, provided by the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology, Innovation and Creativity | |
| 12 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Discover Voice, presented by Christina Farley, Vivi Barnes, and Amy Christine Parker | |
| • | How to Binge Write Your Novel, presented by Kerry Evelyn | |
| • | Kill Your Darlings: Writing Effective Fight Scenes, presented by Kristin Durfee & L.E. Perez | |
| 1 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | How to Get in Bed with the Publisher Without Losing Your Shirt, presented by Saritza Hernandez | |
| • | Finding the Plot in Your Premise, presented by Janice Hardy | |
| • | The Writer's Apprenticeship, presented by Amy Christine Parker and Racquel Henry | |
| 2 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Why Indie?, presented by L.E. Perez | |
| • | The Perfect Morsel: Selling Short Fiction, presented by José Pablo Iriarte | |
| • | Hybridity: Expanding the Possibilities of Your Nonfiction, presented by Nicole Oquendo | |
| 3 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Creating Well-Rounded Characters, presented by Elle E. Ire and José Pablo Iriarte | |
| • | Are you Ready for a Close-Up? Film Adaptations, presented by Jennie Jarvis | |
| 4 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|
| • | Book Signing featuring Conference Faculty | |
Note on Lunch: Lunch is not provided, but you are welcome to go to lunch at any point during the conference. A list of suggested restaurants will be provided.
Free Headshots
Photography instructors from the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for Technology, Innovation and Creativity will be providing free digital headshots to attendees between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. in the Melrose Center photography studio on the 2nd floor. Attendees will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis. Signup will begin at 9:50 a.m.
You must bring a USB flash drive to store your photos. Do not wear a solid black or white shirt. Please be photo-ready when you arrive to the studio; there will be no space for grooming at the studio.
Conference Faculty (Subject to Change)
Content marketer, newspaper humor columnist for 24 years, co-author of four books on social media marketing and personal branding. I like penguins.
Kristin Durfee lives outside of Orlando. She is the author of the young adult fantasy Four Corners Trilogy as well as numerous speculative and thriller short stories for adults.
Kerry Evelyn is an educator, mentor, and presenter. She is the author of the Crane's Cove inspirational romance series and several published short stories.
Christina Farley is the author of the bestselling Gilded series and The Princess & the Page. She is a certified teacher holding a master’s degree in education and has taught writing workshops worldwide.
Saritza Hernandez is the Sr. Literary Agent at the Corvisiero Literary Agency and known as the first literary agent to represent authors in the digital publishing landscape.
Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of The Healing Wars trilogy & founder of Fiction University, a site dedicated to helping writers improve their craft.
Arielle Haughee is the Contest Coordinator at Writer’s Atelier Writing Studio, an RPLA-winning multigenre author, and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing.
Racquel Henry is an English professor, owns the writing studio, Writer’s Atelier, in Winter Park, FL, and a founding editor at Black Fox Literary Magazine.
José Pablo Iriarte is a Cuban-American writer, high school teacher, and father of two. His fiction can be found in magazines such as Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, Fireside Fiction, and others.
Elle E. Ire writes science fiction novels featuring kick-butt women. Her novel, Vicious Circle, was published by Torquere Press. Her work is represented by Naomi Davis at the BookEnds Literary Agency.
Jennie Jarvis is an award-winning author and screenwriter, a teacher at Full Sail, and the author of Crafting the Character Arc.
Kaitlyn Johnson is a junior agent for Corvisiero Literary Agency and a freelance editor. She has worked as a copyeditor, a YA editor, and a Conference Assistant.
Paige Lavoie is a YA Author from Orlando FL and the video editor for Writer's Atelier. She writes Coming of Age stories about geek girls, outsiders, and monsters!
Alli Martin is an author and freelance editor who specializes in science fiction and alternate history. She has an MFA in Fiction from UCF.
Nicole Oquendo is the author of multiple chapbooks and full-length works, and edits for a diverse range of clients and literary presses.
Amy Christine Parker, is the author of Gated, Astray, and most recently, Smash and Grab, all with Random House Children’s. She writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida.
L.E. (Laura) finds inspiration for her stories in the world around her. She enjoys passing along the things she’s learned as an indie author. Her mantra: Strong Women, Strong Stories.
Kristen Stieffel is a writer and freelance editor specializing in science fiction and fantasy. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and Christian Editor Connection.