Join Me For a Writing Intensive Workshop in Santa Cruz, California

Award-winning novelist, poet, travel writer, editor, and teacher, Linda Watanabe McFerrin and literary agent, Andy Ross are conducting a 7-day writing workshop for fiction and creative non-fiction. The workshop will focus on craft and, where it’s appropriate, getting your project ready for publication. The workshop will run from August 17 – August 23, 2019.

Registration is now open. See details below. To register or get more information, email me at [email protected].

The Workshop:

Mornings after breakfast you’ll attend workshops from 9 AM to noon devoted to literary craft.  Be prepared to bring portions of your writing projects. We will discuss them in group and individually with Linda and Andy. Afternoons will consist of exploring your environment, sampling the local fare, and finding the best spots to linger and write.

Workshops will be directed by Linda and Andy.  We will conduct classes and workshops on:

• Finding your literary voice
• Creating irresistible characters and centers of interest
• Creating spellbinding plots and strategies for structure
• First pages
• Best literary bells and whistles
• Taking your craft to the next level: dialogue, point of view, backstory, and scene
• Steps to getting published (or self-published)

Linda Watanabe McFerrin

Linda Watanabe McFerrin is an award-winning novelist, poet, travel writer and contributor to numerous newspapers, magazines, and anthologies. She is the author of two poetry collections, past editor of a popular Northern California guidebook and a winner of the Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction. In addition to authoring book-length fiction and an award-winning short story collection (The Hand of Buddha), she has co-edited twelve anthologies, including the Hot Flashes: sexy little stories & poems series. Her latest novel, Dead Love (Stone Bridge Press, 2009), was a Bram Stoker Award Finalist for Superior Achievement in a Novel.

Linda has judged the San Francisco Literary Awards, the Josephine Miles Award for Literary Excellence and the Kiriyama Prize, served as a visiting mentor for the Loft Mentor Series and been guest faculty at the Oklahoma Arts Institute. A past NEA Panelist and juror for the Marin Literary Arts Council and the founder of Left Coast Writers®, she has led workshops in Greece, France, Italy, England, Ireland, Central America, Indonesia, Spain, Japan and the United States and has mentored a long list of accomplished and celebrated writers and best-selling authors toward publication.

Andy Ross

Andy Ross opened his literary agency in  2008.  Prior to that, he was the owner of the legendary Cody’s Books in Berkeley for 30 years. His agency represents books in a wide range of non-fiction genres including narrative non-fiction, science, journalism, history, popular culture, memoir, and current events. He also represents literary, commercial, historical, crime, upmarket women’s fiction, and YA fiction.

For non-fiction, Andy looks for writing with a strong voice, robust story arc, and books that tell a big story about culture and society by authors with the authority to write about their subject.  In fiction, he likes stories about real people in the real world.

Andy is the author of The Literary Agent’s Guide to Writing a Non-Fiction Book Proposal. He has participated in writers’ conferences throughout the country and has taught classes about writing book proposals, composing query letters, working with agents, and getting published. His popular blog,  “Ask the Agent: Night Thoughts About Books and Publishing”, has received over 500,000 unique views.

Authors Andy represents include: Daniel Ellsberg, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, Alisa Valdes, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, Anjanette Delgado, Elisa Kleven, Tawni Waters, Randall Platt, Mary Jo McConahay, Gerald Nachman,  Michael Parenti, Paul Krassner, Milton Viorst, and Michele Anna Jordan.

Andy is a member of the Association of Author Representatives (AAR).

Testimonials of Past Participants

” Linda and Andy are a GREAT team. Each brings a unique perspective to the writing/publishing process. I found this workshop invaluable.”  —  Victoria Lilienthal

“Linda and Andy are more generous with their time than any other workshop leaders I’ve ever experienced.”  —  Cindy Brady

“Andy knows the publishing business inside and out, and Linda is an expert at teaching the craft of writing. Equally important is the opportunity to share your work with other writers in a supportive and collegial environment. This is by far the best writers workshop I have attended.”   —  Harry Deering

Price, Registration, and Details

The price for the workshop is $1800 per participant. This does not include the cost of housing. Participants will be responsible for their own housing in the Santa Criz area. You can find an inexpensive room on Airbnb or you can stay at one of the many fine small hotels in town. The price includes the full 7-day workshop, 7 breakfasts together at the house, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners in situ or at charming local restaurants. Air and Ground transportation are not included. Classes begin at 9 AM, Saturday, August 17 and the last class will end at noon on Friday, August 23. We will be renting a lovely house for the workshops and communal activities.

Deposit and Payment.

In order to reserve your place, we require a deposit of $500 along with registration. This is non-refundable unless the workshop is canceled for any reason. 

Payment can be by Paypal or by personal check.

For more information, contact Andy Ross at [email protected]