Upcoming Writing Workshops, Presentations and Events

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Upcoming Workshops

Self-Publishing on Amazon

Thursday, april 12-May 18, 6-8:30 pm

Downtown Campus, Room DCA-220

$99

Where do you begin with the process of self-publishing? Get step by step info on how to format the interior, create an attractive cover, and avoid common pitfalls. Learn about marketing and how to promote your work to hook readers. Bring your files on a thumbdrive, or learn through working with instructor-provided sample and exercises. Requires computer proficiency; see online description for details.

LCC Continuing Education

101 W. 10TH
Eugene 97401

ce.lanecc.edu

541.463.6100

Past Workshops

Wordstock
Selling and Signing books at the Willamette Writer’s booth.
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Patsy Hand, Sarina Dorie, Bill Kroger
We are booth 59, on the 1st Floor: Sunken/Fields Ballroom in the Portland Art Museum

Presentations and panels at Orycon 39
Faery in Story
Sat Nov 18 9:00am-10:00am
Pendleton
Faery tales and Faery are in vogue in story and film. The reinterpretation and reinvention of faery tales is hot in popular culture now with shows like Once Upon A Time, and films like Snow White and the Huntsman, and others there is an interest in Faery. How is faery viewed today? Real? Fake? Metaphor? Discuss faery, faeries, and the Realm of Faery and how it impacts our lives, our imagination, our creativity, and our storytelling.
Interactive Writing Workshop
Sat Nov 18 11:00am-12:00pm
Thrawn – 252
Do you yearn to write? Are you having trouble completing a story? Do you feel that you lack inspiration or motivation? Do you just stare at the blank page? Are you confused about where to find open-submission projects looking for writers? Come to the Interactive Writing Workshop! Participants will complete a number of short writing exercises designed to stimulate the creative process. The purpose of the workshop is to teach participants the basics of the writing for publication: researching a market, brainstorming for the project, writing a story, and then submitting it. Participants will be working towards actual open-submission markets. Requirements: All participants should bring whatever writing instruments they feel most comfortable using; bring either a laptop or pen and paper. Everyone must participate.
NaNoWriMo Write In!
Sat Nov 18 5:00pm-6:00pm
Spokane Suite – 256
National Novel Writing Month writers and anyone interested in focused writing time–bring your laptops, notebooks and pound some words onto the page.
Reprints
Sun Nov 19 12:00pm-1:00pm
Spokane Suite – 256
Online markets for speculative short fiction have blossomed since the 1990s. What are the ins and outs of the spec fic short fiction markets in 2015? What are these markets publishing? What might the future bring?

Orycon Location:
Red Lion Hotel – Jantzen Beach
909 North Hayden Island Drive
Portland, OR 97217
ORYCON 39 > HOTEL
Hotel

Red Lion Hotel – Jantzen Beach
909 North Hayden Island Drive
Portland, OR 97217
(Hotel Primary Website)
Parking is FREE


DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO OUR HOTEL NEAR PORTLAND AIRPORT:
FROM PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PDX:
Take Airport Way East to I-205
Take I-205 North toward Seattle
Take Highway 14 West to Vancouver
Take I-5 South into Oregon
Take the first exit over the bridge (Exit #308)
Turn right and go under the bridge
The hotel is on the left
FROM I-5 NORTH OR SOUTH:
Take Exit #308 (Jantzen Beach Exit)
The hotel is located on the east side of the freeway

The Clowning Linguist

How to Write Humor

Saturday, September 30th, 10-1 pm

Downtown campus, Rm 303

$29

A real laugh riot! Short, fun and informative! Try out various exercises and techniques to incorporate humor into your writing. Develop new skills to make others laugh and be entertained.

Questions? Email: [email protected]

The Clowning Linguist is Coming to Portland 

Tuesday, October 3

Willamette Writers Portland Chapter

Location: Old Church 1422 SW 11th Ave. Portland

The presentation is from 7- 8 pm. Book signings, silent auctions, or other events are held in the back room after the meeting until 8:30 p.m.

The speaker meetings are free to Willamette Writers members and full time students. Guests are asked for a $5 donation. 

The Clowning Linguist is Coming to Willamette Writers Salem Chapter

Wednesday, October 18

 Meetings are normally held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Salem Public Library (Central Library, Anderson Room B).

 

Past Workshops

Incorporating Humor Into Your Writing

June 3rd, 2017

10:30-12:30 am

Speaker: Sarina Dorie

Location: Fairwood Library

Join Sarina Dorie, author of over 100 short stories, to learn how to identify and break down humor. We will practice juxtaposing words to create funny lists, use the element of surprise to tickle the reader’s sense of humor, and play with words by using techniques that stand-up comedians use. Bring a pen and paper for exercises and be prepared to have fun!

Upcoming Meetings

Judge a Book by It’s Cover: Book Design

Wed, June 28th

6-9 pm

LCC, Downtown 

Details coming soon!

Humor Workshop
May 20th
10-1 pmLCC, Downtown 

Using Short Stories to Market Yourself as a Writer

Salem Chapter of the Willamette Writers

Wednesday, April  26

7 pm

One might ask why it would benefit you to shift your focus away from novel writing to short story writing. The number one reason is marketing. This is one more way to promote your novels and brand, while honing your craft and learning to write succinctly. Sure, you can continue to write blog posts and articles in magazines and sources read by other writers, but stories are another way to reach your fans. Not only that, but you can make money and win contests doing so. Come to this workshop to find out what markets are out there, what magazines and anthologies are looking for, and how to find them. Presenter, Sarina Dorie, shares her experiences with you after selling over a hundred short stories to magazines and anthologies.

Writing and Selling Short Stories
 April 22 & 29
10-1 pm
LCC


Blogging for Writers

Mid-Valley Willamette Writers

Tsunami Books, Eugene

Thursday, February 2nd
7 pm

Everyone wants to show up as the highest ranking page in a search engine. When Google and Bing index a website, there are over a hundred factors they consider in page ranking. The most significant is a regularly updated website with new quality content. The easiest way to do this is by including a blog.

 Time permitting, we will cover these topics:

How do you increase visibility to fans using Google ranking?

How does an author cater to her target market?

What is your brand?

What should you write about?

How long should a blogpost be?

Is it important to include pictures?

Why write quality content?

What is a call to action and how does it result in sales?

How does an author create brand loyalty?

How do you track traffic on a blog?

How to choose the right social media to market yourself?

How can you manage your blogging and social media easier?

How does a newsletter relate to a blog?

What kind of results should an author expect from this work?

What are resources authors can use to find more information?

Wordcrafters: Be Writing

Humor Writing Craft Lab

March 5th, 2016

UO Baker Downtown Center

More info can be found at Wordcraftersineugene.org

The Nuts and Bolts of Writing and Selling Short Stories

A Workshop with Sarina Dorie

Saturday, April 30th 2016

10-5 pm

Comfort Suites

1730 NW 9th Street

Corvallis, OR

http://willamettewriters.org/wwotr/workshops/

OMSI After Dark: The Science of Sex

February 13, 6 pm

Lots will be going on at OMSI that night. What a perfect place for an author who writes science fiction and steampunk! Sarina will be giving away steampunk notepads, book marks and fantasy/science fiction books at OMSI. To thank those who sign up for her mailing list, she will enter them in a drawing to win a steampunk goodie bag. The winner will be drawn on Feburary 21st!

https://www.omsi.edu/calendar?keywords%5B%5D=351#

Rose City Romance Writers: Cocktail Reception with Authors and Readers

After the workshop, RCRW is putting on a cocktail reception where authors will be giving away books and goodies. Sarina will be giving away steampunk notepads, book marks and fantasy/science fiction books at OMSI. To thank those who sign up for her mailing list, she will enter them in a drawing to win a steampunk goodie bag. The winner will be drawn on Feburary 21st!
5-8pm
University Place Hotel
$20 per person

Young Willamette Writers in Portland: How to Write Humor

September 1st, 7 pm

http://willamettewriters.com/2015/08/fall-kickoff-with-sarina-dorie/

Writing and Steampunk Workshops at Worldcon, Spokane, WA  August 20-August 23rd

Steampunk: Aesthetics vs. Content

Thursday 15:00 – 15:45, 302AB (CC)

Fascinators Workshop

Thursday 17:00 – 17:45, 202C (CC)

Steampunk Jewelry Workshop

Friday 10:00 – 10:45, 202C (CC)

Autographing – Susan A Bolich, Sarina Dorie, Valerie Estelle Frankel, Steven Gould, Randy Henderson, Nina Horvath

Saturday 11:00 – 11:45, Hall B (CC)

Reading – Sarina Dorie

Saturday 15:00 – 15:30, Spokane Falls Suite A/B (Doubletree)

Self-publishing — How to Market Your Work

Saturday 16:00 – 16:45, 303A (CC)

 

Writing and Steampunk Workshops at Gearcon, Portland

July 3rd, 4th and 5th 2015


DoubleTree by Hilton Portland
1000 NE Multnomah Street
Portland, OR

Friday

The Clowning Linguist: How to Write Humor

Multnomah – Main Stage @ 4PM to 5PM

Saturday

Undressing Victorian History

Multnomah – Main Stage @ 9AM to 10AM

How to Sell a Short Story

Alaska – Panels @ 10AM to 11AM

Author Readings by Raven Bond & Sarina Dorie

Morrison/Ross Island – Salon of the Arts @ 3PM to 4PM

http://pdxgearcon.com/

 

The Clowning Linguist: How to Write Humor

Presented at RCRW a chapter of Romance Writers of America

11- 1 pm

Saturday, July 11

Portland Community College – Sylvania Campus, room TCB 218

FREE for RCRW Members. There is a $5.00 guest fee for non-members.

Learn how to identify and break down humor. We will practice juxtaposing words to create funny lists, use the element of surprise to tickle a reader’s sense of humor, and create puns and play with words by using techniques that stand-up comedians use. Exercise your wit with new skills, make others laugh and be entertained. Sarina Dorie has won the Allasso humor award and has sold over 50 stories including: Confessions of an Orgasm Fairy, Putting the Romance Back into Necromancy, Debbie Does Delta Draconis III, Lady Chatterley’s Computer, and Five Tips for Outsmarting Satan–and Your Students.

http://rosecityromancewriters.com/rcrw-meetings/

How to Sell a Short Story

Presented at Wordcrafters

7-9 pm,

Wednesday, July15th

Territorial Winery Tasting Room, 907 W 3rd Ave

FREE

Why write short stories, flash fiction and novellas? Come to this fast paced workshop to find out. Learn how to sell short fiction, where to find markets, what you need to include in a cover letter for short stories and more. Sarina Dorie has sold over sixty short stories to magazines and anthologies in the last four years. She will share her secrets to her success so that you find markets that suit your stories’ needs.

More info about Wordcrafters:

Join us the 3rd Wednesday of the month for stimulating conversation and wine! Each month will feature a different professional writer, agent, or editor to talk about the business and craft of writing. Get yourself a glass of vino and pull up a seat!

WWWs are free to the public (21 and over). Donations to Wordcrafters Young Writers Program appreciated.

http://wordcraftersineugene.org/programs/wordcrafters-wine-on-wednesdays/

More info on writing and fashion workshops to come at Sasquan/World Con happening August 2015!

Willamette Writers Author Gala Reading at Tsunami Books

6:30-7 pm: Social Hour
7-9 pm Author reading and selling books

Tsunami Books
2585 Willamette St. 
Eugene, OR 97405


I will be reading excerpts from Adventures of An Accidental Witch the first novel in my series Womby’s School for Wayward Witches. It is a blast to write and I can’t wait to release the first book, later this summer.