On Sunday, March 20, 2011 a panel of entertainment industry experts will gather in Ojai, during Ojai WordFest, to teach writers how to sell their project or idea to studio executives, production companies and talent agents -the power players who greenlight dreams.   POLISH YOUR PITCH: Prepare for One-on-One Pitching and PitchFests, is a 3-hour program for anyone with a screenplay, book, treatment, or idea they would like to see become a feature...

The Assignment: This month’s challenge is to write a creative short story or essay on the theme “Baggage Claim”. Similar to the prior challenges, what that means is completely up to you. Travel, self-reflection, relationships or personal realizations — there are a lot of interpretations. Surprise us! Bonus points for creative application of the theme, so don’t be afraid to look beyond the obvious. How short or long you...

The Quotable is the quarterly publication of quotable writers.  Each issue is based on a theme and a quote.  We’re searching for fiction, non-fiction, poetry and art for our “Escape” issue using the following quote as a springboard:  “Many of us who walk to and fro upon our usual tasks are prisoners drawing mental maps of escape.” -Loren Eiseley 3,000 word maximum.  Deadline: May 1, 2011 More info at:...

We are running a free writing contest on our website CampTrip.com and are looking for people to share their camping How to’s, Reviews, useful Tips and Advice or any other camping topic. The topic can be anything camping related and be from anywhere in the world. Entries which are informative on camping will be entered to win one of three VISA Gift Cards. 1st prize: $100 2nd prize:$75 3rd prize: $25   The contest will close once we have...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOVELIST AND SCREENWRITER KARL ALEXANDER TO SPEAK AT MARCH 8TH MEETING OF VCWC Meeting will be held in temporary new location in Thousand Oaks at Glen Kendall Ballroom (Ventura, CA – February 26, 2011) How to take life experiences, both positive and painful, and develop them into characters will be the topic that novelist and screenwriter Karl Alexander will discuss at the March 8th meeting of the Ventura County...

1st Annual Ridge to River Contest   1st Prize is $100, an Osprey pack and publication. 2nd prize is a gift certificate for La Sportiva Mountain Running Shoes and publication.   Adventum, a new biannual online literary magazine, welcomes the finest contemporary outdoor adventure writing from new and established writers, as well as seasonal haiku and high quality digital photography. Accepts creative nonfiction, essays, and memoir pieces of no...

Dream Weekend Designed for Aspiring Screenwriters and Playwrights Ojai, CA (February 25, 2011) Ojai has been attracting authors and writers to its mountain valley for centuries. Its newest attraction, WordFest-a nexus of diverse reading and writing events held over nine days in March-is announcing the latest addition to its robust lineup: a VIP ‘Stage & Screen’ Writers Package. Held the last weekend of Ojai WordFest...