16th Annual Conference

October 15-17, 2010
A Write Retreat: Reconnect, Re-inspire,
Rejuvinate, and Relax at the Rancho

Rancho de los Caballeros, Wickenburg, Arizona

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REGISTER BY MAIL & PAY BY CHECK (PDF)

Email RTF Registration form to Ann Parker then
PAY ONLINE BY PAYPAL or CREDIT CARD

PLACE: Rancho de los Caballeros is an historic Arizona landmark Guest Ranch and Resort. Surrounded by high Sonoran desert, the Rancho’s 20,000 acres welcome guests with abundant amenities offering chances for riding, swimming, hiking, golfing, tennis, a spa, -- and plenty of places for WWW attendees to enjoy the desert beauty and each other’s company. See the Rancho website for a preview www.sunc.com. Please note booking information in the center box on the Registration form. Transportation from Phoenix Airport will be provided by the Rancho, or, if driving, the Rancho is approx. 60 mi. NW of Phoenix.

PROGRAM: For this gathering of members from all facets of the writing community, this year’s program seeks to offer workshops and presentations on the creative side of writing as well as discussion of publishing trends and changes which impact all writers. If attendees wish, there is also plenty of room to roam and write on their own. The Conference will begin on Friday afternoon. Current programs (subject to change) include:

Pre-Conference Tour “Friday Morning in the Desert” with trips to the Nature Conservancy Hassayampa River Preserve, Wickenburg’s Desert Caballeros Museum, and lunch along the way.
What Acting Can Teach Us About Writing (Randall Platt) “Writing fiction is acting on paper. Come see how the craft of acting can teach you about the craft of writing.”
An Author’s Relationship to His/Her Characters (Betty Webb) “Discussing ideas for building series characters and how they grow.”
Infinite Possibilities: A Journaling Workshop (Laurie Wagner Buyer) “How to make time for this self full pursuit and organize entries, develop transitions, and revise to create polished meaningful work.” Will have writing time.
How to Commit Murder (Donis Casey) Poisoned Pen author will discuss the murder genre.
Adventures in Freelancing (Joyce Lohse and Mary Trimble) “Some freelance writing experiences are happy and exhilarating. Some are sad and discouraging. All are instructive. Learn hints and tips to help writers avoid pitfalls in the freelancing process.”
A Conversation about Writing for Children and YA’s (Sheila Wood Foard) Will your story interest young readers? Find out in this Q & A session about writing fiction and nonfiction for children’s magazine and book markets.
The Poetic Element (Ellen Waterston) WILLA poet and essayist on words and poems in writing.
A Bookstore Owner’s Perspective (Gayle Shanks) Hear the observations of Gayle Shanks, immediate Past President of the American Booksellers Association and owner of Changing Hands Books, Tempe, AZ.
A Woman of the West from Wickenburg (Jan Cleere) “Hostess to the West,” the story of Elizabeth Hudson Smith, a black entrepreneur in Wickenburg in the early 1900’s. Featured in Arizona Highways magazine.
The Running of the Horses. A favorite of Rancho guests is the daily running of their 100 horses from a distant pasture to the corrals each morning and evening. We hear tell that guests love to come out to watch this.

Additional programs (with more in the works) include a panel of Authors and Editors discussing Working Relationships, a Panel on New Directions in Publishing, opportunities to “meet and pitch” with editors and agents (TBA), Friday evening “Cookout and Campfire Under the Stars” with music and readings, Saturday Luncheon honoring WILLA Finalists and Banquet honoring WILLA Winners, and Bookstore.

Past Conference Recaps

See what we've done in the past:

Contact VP Conference, Marcia Melton, for more information.