Conference at IMU offers networking, advice for writers

The WriteStuff Writers' Conference will kick off its 2006 season from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. In addition to the editing services offered all year by the Indianapolis-based organization, this and other conferences throughout the season offer writers a chance to learn new strategies, receive awards and network.\nThe cost is $30 for students, $79 for faculty and $99 for the general public, and includes admission to the conference, a one-year subscription to Writer's Digest magazine, gift bags donated by Bright Ideas in Broad Ripple and food and drinks at a reception following the conference at AuthorHouse.\nHeadlining the event are celebrity guest speakers Angelo Pizzo, IU alumnus and Academy Award-winning writer behind "Hoosiers" and "Rudy," and William Sinunu, best-selling author of "Life Could be Sweeter: 101 Great Ideas from Around the World for Living a More Rewarding Life."\nMarcia Ellett, managing editor of Indianapolis Woman magazine, will be explaining how she has finished 50,000 word manuscripts with her writing partner in a month's time. Ellett, who graduated from IU in 1993, said the idea is to develop a rough draft that you can work with and hone to develop a manuscript that is ready for publishing.\nAlthough she majored in Portuguese while at IU, Ellett said finding her current job was not too difficult because of her experience as a book editor and her contacts through another magazine editing job. For some it is not so easy, though. For this reason, Ellett chose to be part of the conference because she said she thinks it offers people who love writing a chance to learn new things and be inspired.\n"You have to be somewhat dedicated if you want to work in this field," she said. "It's not impossible, but you have to be willing to put in your time and be determined."\nDan T. Hall, an Indianapolis-based independent film producer, is among a long list of professionals in various writing-related fields with varied backgrounds who will conduct panel discussions and respond to audience questions.\nHall started making movies two years ago after a background in music, short documentary filmmaking and commercial writing. Although he said it is easy to get caught up in work in his business, the conference offers the chance to break the habit.\n"I know people, unfortunately, that are in this business and say they're in this business and have been trying to push one idea for 10 years and are waiting for that one home run," Hall said. "But there are little things that are moving around the bases, so you just gotta swing and rock on with it as best you can."\nJ. Andy Murphy, executive director and founder of WriteStuff Writers' Conferences, said the conference is a fun, educational workshop that gives all levels of writers a glimpse into the lives of those who have succeeded in the field.\n"For one thing, we have such amazing talent," Murphy said. "It's that one chance to come in contact with professionals in the business."\nMurphy said realizing what the journeys have been like for professionals can be inspiring to other writers. After hearing these stories, writers who have doubted their ability to make it in the business walk away with the feeling that they can accomplish their goals if they want to, she said.\nA 75-year-old man who wrote romance novels came into contact with such inspiration when he attended one of the past conferences. Murphy said the man had a good novel, but it needed some work.\n"He's been working with one of our editors for the past year and a half," he said. "It was a slow process because he had some health problems, but he just finished it and he sent it to me, and it's beautiful."\nMurphy said he will receive a special award at the conference. The WriteStuff Writer's Spirits of Excellence Award for Children will be given for the first time to a 12-year-old boy who wrote a poem for his deceased grandfather titled "Granddad."\nBefore these awards are presented, the day starts with The Writer's Studio, a take on the television interview show "Inside the Actors Studio." Events continue with writer presentations about creating a professional writer's Web site, legally protecting work, how and where to find creative ideas, what's new in publishing, what it takes to write, produce, and direct an independent film and how to finish a book in 30 days.\nTo register for the event, check out http://www.writestuffwriters.com/.