Los Angeles Region Working Writers Retreat 2023
Sep 29, 2023 - Oct 01, 2023
Holy Spirit Retreat Center 4316 Lanai Rd, Encino, CA 91436
Writers will once again gather at the beautiful Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, for the first Los Angeles Working Writer's Retreat since 2019. Attendees will have the opportunity to get feedback on their work from four faculty members who are either literary agents or editors. Between scheduled critique sessions, attendees will have time to write and revise (or nap, if they so choose!).
Registration for this event has closed.
Retreat Options:
Staying Onsite (Double Occupancy Room) $515
Single Rooms - will be available only if space is available. Sign up for the Staying Onsite option as well as the Single Room waitlist and we will contact you if space becomes available. There will be a $75 additional fee for a total of $590.
Commute – we will only offer commuter spots this year if space is available. Signing up for the commuter waitlist does not guarantee a spot at the retreat. Cost for the commuter spots will be $450.
The Retreat Fees cover the following:
- Four agent/editor led critique sessions
- Accommodations
- One first page panel
- All meals from Friday dinner to Sunday breakfast
- Snacks throughout the weekend
- Wine & cheese party (Friday)
- Karaoke Party (Saturday)
TO REGISTER:
Click the "Register for Event" button at the top of the page.
WAITLISTS:
To sign up for the waitlists, fill out the Google Form at:
** Make sure you use the email address you use for your SCBWI membership when filling out the form.
Meet Our Retreat Faculty
Sera Rivers
Sera Rivers holds an MFA in writing for children from Simmons University. She worked in educational publishing for seven years and launched Avenue A Books, a children’s book imprint at Center for Responsive Schools. As Avenue A’s acquiring and managing editor, she worked with new and established children’s book writers and illustrators to create picture books and middle grade graphic novels. Sera Represents YA, GN (author/illustrator only), MG, Select PB
Lucy Hamilburg
Formerly, as a teacher, Lucy worked toward the goal of motivating young people to love books. As an agent, she uses her experiences to create long lasting relationships with her clients, editors, and publishers, to represent work that amplifies voice driven work, and most importantly, inspires and sustains life-long readers. Lucy is acquiring PB, MG, YA, and GN. She is currently acquiring projects that fall in and around the following genres; suspense/thriller, fantasy, magical realism, contemporary, humor, paranormal, horror, mystery, historical fiction, adventure, and romance.
Jolene Haley
Jolene has been in the publishing industry since 2012 on both the publisher and agency sides in editorial, marketing, publicity, contracts, and agent positions. She has worked for literary agencies such as Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and The Bent Agency. Her well-rounded experience and extensive background in PR and marketing provides a unique perspective and a solid foundation to support authors as they build their careers. Jolene represents MG, YA, and Adult (fiction and non-fiction) in many genres: horror, mystery, thriller, romance, adventure, contemporary, women's fiction, true crime, magical realism, spirituality, occult.
Sydnee Monday
Associate Editor Sydnee Monday joined Kokila in May of 2018. Their growing list features children’s lit debuts from Keah Brown, Kiera Wright-Ruiz, Rinny Perkins, and more. Prior to Kokila, she worked at NPR, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, and Sankofa Bookstore in Washington, D.C. She's a graduate of Howard University. Sydnee Represents board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, YA