Our Advance ProCritique™ Submission Program is a popular, cost-effective way to receive on-on-one constructive, professional feedback on
your manuscript and improve your chances for publication and success. Attendees can submit portions of an unfinished fiction, nonfiction,or screenplay in advance of the conference for review by professional editors for a fee who will read and review your submission in person at the event.
The following professional editors will appear at the conference. While all participate on speaker panels and most are available by appointment at the open pitch sessions, not all participate in the Advanced Submission ProCritique™ Program. Please read the details of the program and each bio carefully to find the best editor for your work before applying.
Deanna is a highly versatile freelance writer and editor with more than two decades of experience. She edits, rewrites, and ghostwrites novels, literary and genre fiction, creative nonfiction, biographies, scripts, self-help and how-to books, articles, essays, proposals, cover and query letters, business communications, and Web content. In addition to writing and editing numerous children’s books, she has been an award-winning author of short fiction and poetry. She taught in the Continuing Education department at California State University for a dozen years. She also has an extensive background in the film and television industry and is a voting member of Film Independent (Spirit Awards), SAG-AFTRA, and the IDA.
In addition to fantasy, science fiction, romance, historical, literary, and young adult fiction, as well as narrative nonfiction, Deanna specializes in projects concerning spirituality, ecology, Native American Indian and other indigenous cultures, psychology, and complementary medicine. Known as an “editor’s editor,” she is also adept with ESL, dialects, and translated text.
Deanna works with a broad spectrum of clients, from individuals to major corporations, in widely varied fields. She edits on all levels necessary, including copy, line, stylistic, substantive, and developmental, and will provide commentary in regard to the suggested corrections/changes. She will read up to four manuscript excerpts of approximately 2,500 words each and also requests a brief synopsis in order to review overall structure.
Deanna will will read up to four manuscript excerpts
of apx. 2,500 words. She edits on all levels necessary,
including copy, line, stylistic, substantive, and developmental,
and will provide commentary in regard to the suggested corrections/changes.
She will also comment on such elements as diction, emotional
impact, clarity, economy, internal logic, structure, character
development, pace, flow, etc.
She will spend as many as twenty minutes
in the consultation. She has special expertise in fiction
and nonfiction genres/categories including fantasy, young
adult, literary fiction, romance, and creative nonfiction,
as well as American Indian and other indigenous cultures,
self-help, how-to, ESL projects, ecology, psychology, spirituality, and complementary
medicine. If available, please include a brief synopsis
or outline in addition to the sample -- which should be the first
chapter, or the introduction or prologue and first chapter --
to provide an idea of structure.
Sara Anne "Saran" Fox
Sara Anne is a former development executive with a major Hollywood producer, played a vital role in the conception and development of over 25 screenplays, three published novels, and three produced films: "My Favorite Year", "Nosferatu" and "Quest For Fire". For over 20 years, she has used her skills as a writing coach and story editor not only with screenwriters but also novelists and memoir writers to strengthen character development, clarify motivation, and improve story structure and plot.
Sara Anne's strong empathetic and intuitive gifts, combined with her editorial talents, serve to provide her clients with a comfortable creative atmosphere in which to realize their artistic goals and visions. She also passes on her extensive knowledge and experience via the writing workshops she conducts and in the classes at LA area community colleges and university extension schools where she guest teaches .
For this conference, Ms. Fox will appear on several panels/workshops and will be available to hear and critique project pitches from book authors across all genres.
Art will read screenplays, novels, short stories and comic book/graphic novel scripts - up to 10 manuscripts of approximately 2500 words (10 standard pages) and provide written notes and a twenty minute scheduled consultation. Please read the bio (below) on Art for more information about his experience and qualifications.
Follow-up consultations after the conference can be arranged separately is desired.
BIOGRAPHY
ART HOLCOMB is a screenwriter, playwright, fiction writer and comic book creator who began his writing career at age 13 when one of his plays was professionally performed by the American Conservatory Theater.
He has published poetry, essays and short stories and has written more than 50 comic book stories for franchises such as THE X-MEN, as well as original and licensed properties for Defiant, Valiant, Acclaim, Big Entertainment, FUNimation, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics. His screen work has appeared on UPN, the Sci-Fi Channel and the SHOWTIME Channel.
He has sold to the STAR TREK television franchise at Paramount Television and worked on projects for the estates of Gene Roddenberry and legendary actor Steve McQueen. He has also written for the critically acclaimed animation series SHADOW RAIDERS, as well as consulted for video game companies, film production companies and publishing houses.
He is a regular columnist for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, called “The Best Magazine for Screenwriters” by The Los Angeles Times. He is a regular contributor on fiction and screenwriting to STORYFIX.COM, ranked one of the top fiction writing sites on the internet by Writer’s Digest Magazine.
Art is a sought-after lecturer on story and runs a consultancy for highly motivated screenwriters and novelists who are committed to moving their careers to the next professional level.
Helga Schier, Ph.D
Helga is the Editorial Director at CamCat Publishing, a publisher of genre fiction actively looking for suspense / mystery / thrillers, sci-fi / adventure / fantasy as well as romance.
The CamCat brand stands for Books to Live In.Stories that make you read on beyond bedtime, past due dates and carpool duties. Stories that resonate beyond the last word to echo in your mind and heart and soul. Yes, books are products to sell, but they are something else, too. They are the expression of an author’s creativity and the touchstone for a reader’s imagination. When the two meet, something extraordinary happens. We walk in other people’s shoes and see the world anew.
Come pitch to Helga to see if your manuscript is ready for CamCat Books.
A former Big Five Editor, Helga is also the founder and owner of withpenandpaper.com, an independent editorial services firm. With over 25 years of experience in the book publishing industry, Helga guides authors through the development and revision process, preparing your work for publication.
Helga has published articles on contemporary English and American fiction, and has translated several screenplays, memoirs, and a novel series. She is also a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences with successful lectures on topics such as Top Ten Mistakes Writers Make, and Twelve Steps to Successful Revision, Beyond Cliffhangers, Painting a Scene With Dialogue and Narration, and The Three Secrets to Successful Indie Publishing.
Helga will read and edit (discussing content as well as style and language flow) up to 2500 words of up to ten manuscripts, and offer individual consultations of up to 20 minutes each. In addition, Helga will be available for follow-up questions at her company’s table (withpenandpaper.com) throughout the conference. Helga will read all types of fiction, memoir, and narrative Nonfiction.
Dan
Watanabe
For over twenty-five years, Dan
Watanabe was a development executive in the entertainment industry. Sixteen of those years were spent at the company now known as FremantleMedia, where he served as the Vice President of Development and Current Programming,. One-hour dramatic series he supervised included Baywatch, Air America, Sirens, numerous movies of the week, pilots, and game shows (Family Feud, To Tell the Truth, The Price is Right).
Mr. Watanabe graduated Cum Laude from the University of Southern California with a BA in Cinema, Critical Studies (1985). He is currently in process for an MFA in Digital Cinema Production at National University (expected graduation 2014).
Dan is also the Director of the IDEAS grant, a California Economic and Workforce Development Responsive Training Fund Regional Center.
For the past eleven years, he has taught television history, low budget film production/distribution and beginning screenwriting at Los Angeles Valley College. He is also currently serving as SLO coordinator for the Media Arts Department.
Dan will read up to 10 manuscripts of approximately
2500 words (10 standard script pages). Mr. Watanabe was a studio
executive who "green lit" movies for 15 years
and currently teaches at Los Angeles Valley College.
He will edit screenplays for ProCritiques and
provide up to twenty minutes of personal consultation, depending
on the need.
Art Holcomb
Dan
Watanabe