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Writers Conference Returns

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 12, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - "You, Too, Can Make a Living with Words" is the message of Bobbie Christmas, the keynote speaker of the Florida Writers Association's third annual Do It! Write writer's conference.

The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. April 19 at the New Port Richey Public Library.

Christmas, who also will present the workshop "Write in Style and You Write to Win" at the conference, is the founder of Zebra Communications, a literary services firm, and author of the book "Write In Style."

"My talk will be based on my book 'Write in Style,' which explains why strong prose has more to do with what you take out of your writing than what you put in," Christmas said. "I will tell writers what to look for and delete to make their articles, essays, novels and nonfiction books fresh and unexpected."

Christmas, says conference organizer and New Port Richey resident Dahris Clair, will join nine other presenters in informing authors at this year's Do It! Write.

"This year's conference will be a blockbuster," said Clair, author of "The House on Slocum Road" and leader of the Pasco chapter of the Florida Writers Association. "Not only do we have excellent presenters, the workshops offer a variety of topics for the writer in each stage of his-her writing career."

"New this year will be a workshop denoting the author-agent relationship, what it takes to make it work," Clair said.

Also presented will be a how-to demonstration on the steps of an actual book publication in real time.
Conference presenters will cover many aspects of the literary business, including publishing (Julie Ann Howell, publisher-founder-president of the Peppertree Press book publishing company, will discuss "From Manuscript to Masterpiece"; novelist-military veteran John M. Taylor will discuss "The Mechanics of Independent Publishing"), editing (novelist, columnist and Sarasota chapter FWA leader Susan Haley will present "Through the Eyes of an Editor"; fiction writer-FWA official Eugene Orlando will present "Give Your Writing a Facelift"), fiction writing (author-editor-Gulf Coast Writers Association President Phil Levin will discuss "The Short Story" and "The Novel"; former publisher and publishing guru Molli Nickell will present "How to Write a Sizzling First Page"), specialty writing (novelist and travel writer Patda De La Torre will discuss "Travel Writing"; author and self-publishing coach Rik Feeney will present "Article Writing") and literary agents (Hartline Agency literary agent Joyce Hart will present "Do I Need an Agent?").

DO IT! WRITE CONFERENCE

SOME BACKGROUND: The Florida Writers Association's third annual Do It! Write one-day writer's conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 19 at New Port Richey Public Library, 5939 Main St. in New Port Richey.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS: This event will include presenters from all facets of the literary field, workshops, a panel discussion and (for an additional fee) consultations with literary specialists. Beverages and snacks will be available, and lunch will be catered.

A LITTLE HISTORY: This conference is sponsored by the Florida Writers Association, described at the Web site www.floridawriters.net as a place "where professional authors and aspiring writers come to learn, grow, network, and find the resources they need to improve their writing, learn to navigate the treacherous shoals of the publishing industry, and cultivate that inner muse."

The event is hosted by the Pasco chapter of FWA, which meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of every month at New Port Richey Public Library.

WHAT'S NEXT?: Registration fees for the Do It! Write conference are, for FWA members, $45 before Sunday, $55 afterward; for nonmembers, the fee is $65 before Sunday, $75 afterward.

GET INVOLVED: Mail registration to Florida Writers Association, 1345 East Scots Ave., Merritt Island FL 32952. In the memo section of the check, write: "NPR Conference"

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