OC WRITING CONTESTS

Attendees of the OC Christian Writers Conference held on April 29 & 30, Irvine, California, are eligible to participate in a Fiction Writing Contest. First place winner will receive $250, special recognition and a private meeting with an agent or editor regarding his/her writing; second place will receive $150, and third place will receive $75. All participants' names and story titles will be published on the OCCWF website. Deadline for submissions is March 31, 2011. Finalists will be judged by speculative fiction author and Marcher Lord Press publisher Jeff Gerke.

The conference will also feature the Westbow Press Writing Contest, Beverly Bush Smith Aspiring Writer Award for new authors, a Devotional Writing Contest, and the Memoir Writing Contest. There is no additional fee for entering contests, but all entrants must be paid attendees of the conference and be present to win. Winners will be announced at the conference. See submission guidelines for rules and deadlines. For more information go to www.occwf.org.

The conference will accommodate a wide range of writing needs and learning experiences. Conference speakers Simon Tolkien, grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Loyola Press Editor Vinita Wright spearhead a diverse panel of publishers, editors, novelists, bloggers, screenwriters, columnists, and freelance editors featuring 27 workshops, four book acquisition editors, three literary agents, two keynote speakers, and up to two consultations with a faculty member of your choice.

The conference accommodates writers of all levels and genres: Editor in Chief of Christian Communicator Manuscript Critique Service, Susan Osborn will be teaching a "Before You Begin" workshop for curious/beginning writers; Senior Editor at Harvest House, Rod Morris will coach on "Dialogue Do's & Don'ts"; Merrie Destefano will teach on the importance of, "Backstory: The Invisible Spine of the Novel", just to name a few examples. April 29th, Friday's workshops, will be two separate, limited availability, intensive sessions for writing fiction and memoirs.

The OC Christian Writers Conference is one of the longest running writers conferences in California, now in its 27th year. Its partnership with WestBow Press reflects the quality of the faculty and writers who attend. The OC Christian Writers Conference is dedicated to bringing in the best speakers, editors, and authors to mentor and instruct writers in almost every avenue of writing. By featuring writing contests and awards, the conference works to single out writers of exceptional talent and promise. See submission guidelines for rules and deadline. For more information go to www.occwf.org