Tips to becoming a writer

1. Join a mother's writing group
2. Write one page a day--that's a book a year
3. Encourage them to write in the middle of the kitchen with everyone around them. Example: Jean Kerr, author of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" wrote her book in her car, parked in front of her garage so she could see the kids playing.
   
4. Take a class or go to teleseminars by phone and on line
   
5. Talk about what you know--and mix with humor. That's what Erma Bomback did.
   
6. To keep a healthy mind and life-perspective, do something with your mind. Be an activist about something, whether it's the PTA or special classes, or even baking cupcakes for the school parties. But then write about it.
   
7. There will be classes on narrative nonfiction, memoir, breaking the "Glass Ceiling" if Mommy also works, about how writing workshops can empower women, how to blog, and how to use one's intuition to protect one's health. Also information on publishing and agents and working with an editor
8. Publishing one's own book for friends and family.

Event Info:
Writing for Change Conference
August 16 & 17, 2008
Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco
1625 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415.922.3200
Website: www.sfwritingforchange.org

Writing for Change is a conference devoted to non-fiction writing that brings about positive change, from the personal to the planetary. The speakers will talk about change in politics, culture, business, marketing, technology, spirituality, social issues, the environment, health & nutrition, international relations, food, medical services, personal development and the criminal justice system.

About the guests:
Michael Larsen worked in promotion for three major publishers: William Morrow, Bantam, and Pyramid (now Jove). He and his wife, Elizabeth Pomada, moved to San Francisco in 1970. They started Michael Larsen - Elizabeth Pomada Literary Agents, Northern California's oldest literary agency, in 1972. Since then, the agency has sold books, mostly by new writers, to more than 100 publishers. He is a member of AAR and represents non-fiction. Michael also wrote How to Get a Literary Agent and Literary Agents: What They Do, How They Do It, and How to Find and Work With the Right One for You. With Hal Zina Bennett,

Elizabeth Pomada worked at David McKay, Holt Rinehart & Winston, and the Dial Press in New York City before moving to San Francisco in 1970 with her partner and husband, Michael Larsen. Together, they started Michael Larsen - Elizabeth Pomada Literary Agents in 1972. Since then, they have sold books from hundreds of authors to more than 100 publishers. Elizabeth is a member of the Association of Author's Representatives, and co-founder with Michael of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the Writing for Change conference. She travels extensively, speaking at conferences, universities and in front of other groups of writers. She represents narrative non-fiction (memoir), adult commercial and literary fiction, women's fiction, romance, and mysteries.