A crash course in publishing

Aspiring authors understandably have a lot of questions about the publishing industry, but most of them can be distilled into one simple query: How in the hell do you get published?

This weekend, Portland’s writers will have a chance to learn a thing or two about the industry side of the writing life when Portland State’s Ooligan Press hosts its annual Write to Publish conference.

Saturday’s event will feature authors, agents and editors in an array of discussions and panels. The conference will take place at the Native American Student and Community Center, with events hosted throughout the day.

Unlike most writers’ conferences, this particular event will focus specifically on the author’s relationship with the publishing industry itself, with a focus on teaching writers what to expect from the other side of the equation.

“Most writing conferences out there teach [writers] how to write,” said Nicole Guernsey, Ooligan Press’s Write to Publish project manager. “This conference is designed to teach writers how to get published.”

As Guernsey noted, most aspiring authors have developed their writing practice, but it’s the expectations of the industry that can be a difficult hurdle.

“The industry is kind of a nebulous maze, which can be hard to navigate,” she said. “In addition to writers, there will also be agents, publishers and editors to teach visitors how to navigate the world of publishing.”

The conference will include a host of panels and author visits, and a nonfiction writing contest. The conference will primarily feature publishing personnel from Portland and the Pacific Northwest, as well as a few Los Angeles-based agents.

Attending authors include Portland-area writers such as Floyd Skloot, Susan DeFreitas and Lidia Yuknavitch.

“Lidia has a huge cult following here in Portland,” Guernsey said. “Most of her published works are memoirs, but she’s written fiction as well. She’s big in the writing industry in Portland because she’s really involved with the local writing community.”

This year, the primary focus of the conference will be on nonfiction, and much of the content is geared toward that theme. Every conference has a focus, Guernsey explained, but the conferences contain information and resources helpful to writers of all stripes.

“The idea behind Write to Publish is broad, but every year we focus on a different theme,” Guernsey said. “Last year it was genre fiction—horror, science fiction, fantasy and the like. This year we’re focusing primarily on nonfiction.”

Ooligan Press operates as part of PSU’s book publishing master’s program. All students in the program are involved with the press, though the entity itself operates as an independent, fully functional press.

The press invites submissions through a process of acquisition and member voting, and works with distributor Ingram Publisher Services to get its books on shelves around the world.

“[Ooligan is] part of the publishing master’s program here at PSU,” Guernsey said. “When you get accepted into the program, you are essentially an intern at Ooligan Press. It’s a teaching and learning press.”

Ooligan is in the process of developing its approach to the conference, which attracts not only students but an assortment of professional and aspiring writers throughout the community and beyond.

Recently, the press established a position dedicated specifically to developing and promoting the conference in an effort to increase turnout. This year, Guernsey noted an increase of interest and support compared with previous events.

“It’s been kind of an experimental process,” she said. “Turning the conference into a special project assigned to a specific individual has been helpful. This way I’m able to focus primarily on the details. This year I think we’ll have a fantastic turnout. We’ve had a lot of luck with advance tickets so far.”

Ultimately, the conference will provide writers with a chance to dialogue with industry insiders and other authors alike.

In addition to the writing contest, the event will provide writers with an opportunity to obtain a developmental edit of their work. Catering will be provided by California Pizza Kitchen as part of the entry fee. The conference will also provide a place for writers to network and discuss their work with one another.

“It’s really a unique experience for writers,” Guernsey said. “It’s the only time they will get to sit down with members of the industry and hear about their expectations and what makes a submission successful.

“Because Portland is such a literary city, it’s an exciting opportunity for writers to gather and create their own sense of community.”