June 18-23, 2017: Santa Barbara Writers Conference Welcome letter for Attendees

There are several useful links in this letter. If a link does not work by clicking, simply cut and paste into your browser.

Dear Writers,

The 2017 Santa Barbara Writers Conference begins Sunday, June 18, just two weeks away. We look forward to meeting you and hope you have an exciting week at SBWC.

To do right now:

Appointments with manuscript consultants:

If you wish, you may still mail 10 pages of your manuscript (2 copies please) ASAP to be given to one of our manuscript consultants to read before your appointment. We will have appointments scheduled throughout the conference week, and you may also bring your manuscript to the conference and sign up there for an appointment with a manuscript consultant. We would like to receive your mailed manuscript by June 11 at the latest.

Send to:

SBWC

27 W Anapamu, Suite 305

Santa Barbara, CA 93101

(If you are local, yes, you may drop a packet off at this location. This is a UPS Store where they know SBWC well, and they accept packets over the counter. No postage required, but the packet should have an address.)

You may also sign up for an appointment to speak with a manuscript consultant at the conference, with or without a manuscript. You might like to get some advice on a particular issue with your writing or want some ideas of how and where to submit your work and how to know if your manuscript is ready.

If your manuscript has been mailed ahead of time, you will receive your appointment time and place when you check into the conference. If you sign up at the conference, you will pick your own appointment time.

Sunday, June 18 ?NOON on…

Check-in will be in La Cantina on the first floor. You’ll receive:

Your name badge and lanyard, which will be your pass to all conference events
A program booklet for the week, including a map to help you navigate

This program/schedule is available to download now:

http://www.sbwriters.com/2017-Programs-and-Schedule-5a.pdf

Other information to help you make the most of your conference week

Agents appointments Tuesday, June 20

If you participated in the advanced submission program or signed up for a 10-minute agent pitch, your Tuesday appointment times with agents and editors will be given to you when you check in. The appointments are all on Tuesday, June 20.

Registration 10-minute agent pitch sessions (no manuscript) are still open, and you may sign up through June 19, as long as there are available appointments. Be sure to give alternate picks, in case your first choices are full.

https://www.sbwriters.com/advpitch.php?q=conference/agent-editor-pitches.html

Welcome and orientation in El Cabrillo on Sunday June 18

3:00 PM Meet the workshop leaders and get tips on navigating the conference.

SBWC Scrapbook Movie, a Documentary

4:00 PM This is a documentary film of the first 30 years of SBWC that supplements the SBWC Scrapbook.

The authors and filmmakers will be with us throughout the conference.

Opening Night Dinner in The Vistas

5:00 PM -- No-host bar

5:30 PM -- Dinner

If you wish to bring a guest, banquet tickets are available for $50.

Award & Keynote Address in El Cabrillo

7:30 PM -- The Ross Macdonald Award

8:00 PM – Fannie Flagg speaks with a book signing to follow

9:30 PM The Pirate Workshops begin Sunday night

These late-night, read-and-critique sessions are great fun for night owls, and there are two to chose from every night, Sunday through Friday.

Monday, June 19 through Friday, June 23

There are many daytime workshops to choose from every morning and afternoon, Monday - Friday. You are free to attend those that best suit your interests. There is no signup ahead of time…you just show up and see if a workshop works for you. If not, you are free to change and may sample workshops all week. You will design your own program.

If you wish to present your writing in workshops that do read and critique, remember to bring printed copies of your manuscript to read. Length allowed varies with workshop, but approximately 3-5 pages of your beginning is typical. An extra copy to share with the workshop leader is always appreciated. If you are headed to poetry workshops, bring about 12 copies of your poem for crafting.

Panels and Speakers

Every afternoon Mon.-Fri. at 4 PM, and every evening Sun.-Thur. at 8 PM, we’ll have either a panel or a speaker with book signings to follow. These events are included in the conference package for all registered attendees. Tickets are also available to the public for $10 each.

Poolside Cocktail Party, Tuesday, June 20

On Tuesday 5:00 - 6:30 PM all conference attendees are invited to a cocktail party around the pool.

If you wish to bring a guest, extra tickets to this party are available for $30.

Closing Night Dinner, Friday, June 23

On Friday evening we’ll have our closing night dinner in El Cabrillo with appreciations and a few awards.

If you wish to bring a guest, extra banquet tickets are available for $50.

How to Dress

In June, Santa Barbara often experiences morning fog, which burns off about noon to beautiful sunny afternoons. Dress in layers, so you can peel off a sweatshirt or sweater when the day warms up. The “fashion sense” at the conference is decidedly casual. Many students wear shorts or jeans to workshops. The opening and closing night banquets and cocktail party are also casual events, but it is a great time for something a little dressier if you have packed something. Anything goes.

SBWC Information Desk

All week long during daytime conference hours there’ll be someone to help you in the La Cantina, whether you’re checking in late or you can’t find your workshop or need advice on just about anything having to do with the conference or writing.

Bookstore in La Cantina

Chaucer’s Bookstore will sell books by all the speakers, panelists, many of the workshop leaders and general books of interest to writers. Author signings will also take place in this room.

If you have a book in print and which to bring it to sell on consignment with Chaucer's, you may.

Dining at the Hotel

Hyatt will be offering a special breakfast buffet and lunch menu. Conference attendees wearing an SBWC badge will also be able to take advantage of a 20% discount in Bistro 1111 on regular price items. Please remind your server of this discount.

Parking

The Hyatt Hotel offers valet parking for $10 per day if space is available.

Overnight parking at the main hotel is more. If you have a blue handicapped sign for your car, valet parking is free. There is reasonably priced parking in the city lot across the street for the day. Don’t forget to put money in the self-serve collection boxes to avoid a ticket. Yes, they do check!

If you prefer to have free parking, there’s quite a lot of nearby street parking. If you arrive early in the morning, chances are better for finding a great spot. Beware of street sweeping on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Be very careful where you park on those days or you could receive an expensive parking ticket from City of Santa Barbara. Don't assume you can park in the space in the morning and remember to change spots by afternoon. Once you enter the zone of SBWC, your mind will be on writing, not parking. Tip: if there is a wide expanse of parking available on a street one day, it probably means it is street sweeping day.

If you can walk a bit, there’s plenty free parking in the lot at the far corner of Ninos Drive and Por La Mar that serves Dwight Murphy Park. There is more street parking all around the park.

Social Media?

This year’s Twitter hash tag is #SBWC17. We encourage you to post photos and quotes from throughout the week to Twitter and Facebook.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbwriters

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sbwriters

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/santabarbarawriters/

If you have not followed us on Twitter, or "liked" our SBWC Facebook page or joined our Facebook group, please do if you participate in social media.

If you have not signed up for our monthly e-newsletter, you may do so at sbwriters.com. This is an opt-in list and you may unsubscribe at any time.

SBWC Talent Show

If you have a talent besides writing, you might want to participate in the SBWC talent show in La Cantina after the Friday night dinner. You may signup all week at the information desk. After the closing night banquet, you will find La Cantina transformed into a cabaret. This is a great way to unwind after an intense conference week.

However if you still want to workshop your writing Friday night, the pirates will continue into the wee hours.

We hope you’ll have a fantastic week at the 45th Annual SBWC. See you on Sunday, June 18!

Write On!

Grace Rachow

SBWC Director

Questions? You may respond to this email or email info@sbwriters.com.