Join us for an information-packed three-day conference on Creative Writing at the University of the Pacific's beautiful main campus in Stockton on the weekend of May 17-19, 2019.

Catriona McPherson, born in Scotland, will be the Keynote Speaker at the Banquet Friday evening, May 17. Her Dandy Gilver historical mysteries have won numerous awards, including two Agathas, and her contemporary novels have won two Anthony awards and been Edgar and Mary Higgins Clark finalists.

Over 20 Interactive workshops and presentations will cover all aspects and genres of creative writing, from brainstorming techniques to submitting work for publication, writing creative nonfiction articles for publication to writing children's books, murder mysteries, science fiction, etc., as well as advice on marketing and publicizing your work.

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Schedule
2019
Friday, May 17th
9:00 AM

How to have a marketing mindset for any writing goal

Brandie June

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

9:00 AM

The Psychology of Character

Joshua Mohr

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

9:00 AM

Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts from the Pros: Fiction

Robin Burcell

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

10:30 AM

The Art of Column Writing

Bob Dunning, The Davis Enterprise

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

10:30 AM

Unraveling the Mysterious World of Digital Marketing: An Overview of the Online World for Authors

Desiree Duffy, Black Château

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

12:00 PM

Special Collections and Archives

Michael Wurtz, University of the Pacific

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

12:00 PM - 1:15 PM

1:30 PM

How to build your writing career on a budget

Brandie June

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

1:30 PM

No-Nonsense Branding A Practical Talk about Building Your Author Brand

Desiree Duffy, Black Château

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

1:30 PM

The Place of Persistence

Catriona McPherson

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

3:00 PM

Ghost-writing & Editing

Jennifer Grainger

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

3:00 PM

How to create multi-layered characters on a heroine’s (or hero’s) Journey

Dorothea Bonneau

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

3:00 PM

The Psychology of Character

Joshua Mohr

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

6:00 PM

A life of crime (or the pitfalls of thinking about murder every day for nineteen years)

Catriona McPherson

Papapavlo’s Bistro & Bar, 501 N. Lincoln Center, Stockton, CA

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

6:00 PM

Your Art Matters

Joshua Mohr

Papapavlo’s Bistro & Bar, 501 N. Lincoln Center, Stockton, CA

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Saturday, May 18th
9:00 AM

Dialogue

Michelle Drier

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

9:00 AM

How To Promote Your Book for $2.00 a week on Instagram

Ace Antonio Hall

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

9:00 AM

Strong Openings

David Hagerty

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

10:30 AM

Earning Readers: Partnering with, Not Pleading with or Bragging To, Your Audience

Cristina Deptula, Authors, Large and Small

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

10:30 AM

Memoir Writing

Gabrielle Myers, San Joaquin Delta College

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

10:30 AM

Strong Openings

David Hagerty

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

10:30 AM

Using Social Media and Content Marketing to Build your Author Platform

Andy Jones, Poet Laureate of the City of Davis

Benerd School of Education, Room 110B

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM

12:00 PM

Fitness for Writers

Ace Antonio Hall

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

1:30 PM

Beyond Publicity: Getting Your Book Out There in a Changing Media Landscape

Cristina Deptula, Authors, Large and Small

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

1:30 PM

Confessions of a Contest Judge

Bonnie Hearn Hill

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

1:30 PM

Productivity Lessons from High-Performing Authors and Thought Leaders

Andy Jones, Poet Laureate of the City of Davis

Benerd School of Education, Room 110B

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

1:30 PM

The Quintessential Query

Steve Hutson

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM

3:00 PM

Deep Point-of-View

Bonnie Hearn Hill

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

3:00 PM

Dialogue

Michelle Drier

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

3:00 PM

So, You Want To Get Published?

Steve Hutson

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

4:30 PM

Open Mic & Announcements

Scott Evans, University of the Pacific

Lobby, Benerd School of Education

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Sunday, May 19th
10:00 AM

5 Steps to Boost Your Writing Career With Traditional Media and PR

A. G. Billig

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

10:00 AM - 11:15 AM

10:00 AM

Hands-on Writing Workshop, Part 1

Nora Profit, The Writing Loft

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

10:00 AM - 11:15 AM

10:00 AM

Running your author business properly and its financial impact on you

Keith English, American Martial Arts Academy

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

10:00 AM - 11:15 AM

1:00 PM

Boost Your Magic!

A. G. Billig

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

1:00 PM

Defining Women’s Fiction and Acting Techniques for Writers Women’s Fiction—what defines the genre and its unique appeal

Lisa Slabach

Benerd School of Education, Room 117

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

1:00 PM

Hands-on Writing Workshop, Part 2

Nora Profit, The Writing Loft

Benerd School of Education, Room 110C

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM

2:30 PM

Closing Remarks, Comments, Suggestions

Scott Evans, University of the Pacific

Benerd School of Education, Room 118

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM