About Marla
Marla Miller, writer, author, editor & writers conference workshop leader offers this resource site to writers en route to publication.
Marla’s Books and Clients’ books, click here
Writersmama ZOOM Read & Critque Workshop, meeting weekly, 3-6 month commitment. click here for more information
Short BIO:
I practiced psychiatric nursing at the R.N. practitioner/teacher level until my 3rd daughter arrived. One of a fortunate few, I was able to mother my kids full-time. My writing career shifted from professional journal writing to freelance writing during their wonder years. For 16 years, I wrote 3 columns for the O.C. Register’s lifestyle magazine before becoming founding editor-in-chief of a California coast lifestyle magazine. In 1999, Simon & Schuster published my first book, the only authorized BIO of the women’s national team, (W.N.T.), All American Girls: US Women’s National Soccer Team weeks before this iconic team won the gold medal at the Rose Bowl. I penned several series for The Writer Magazine. The first one featured notable authors’ ‘salad days’; the second zoomed in on query letters that hooked literary agents. My last series was a video column called Critique My Query. It ran from 2010 until the magazine changed hands in 2012.
During my time as Assistant Director of Santa Barbara Writers Conference, 2005-2008, I MC’ed many literary agent panels. Their denial of ‘change coming’ always astounded me. We all know they aren’t saying that anymore. I jumped into Indie publishing when Createspace and KDP debuted. The best way to get the feel of this option for publishing is to actually employ it, which I did. As of this posting, since 2017 and with rare exception, I encourage writers to query literary agents and small presses before going rogue and self publishing on Createspace. Why? Since indie publishing came on the scene in 2010 (approx), too many wannabe storytellers have taken the easy route. The result? Millions of ‘draft’ books are now found on these platforms. The exception? Nonfiction experts in any field with solid followings/mailing lists should utilize these new options. Why? The turnaround in traditional publishing – 18 to 24 months-often turns experts’ content into ‘old news.’ In Indie, once an expert’s book is polished, it can be published within 3-5 days and updated as needed.
In addition to the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, I present Writersmama workshops at the Southern California Writers Conference. Executive Director, Michael Steven Gregory (MSG) & Wes Albers, Director, always have writers’ backs. I also added Writers Digest Conferences to my list of teaching gigs.
Since COVID, Writersmama ZOOM Read & Critque Workshops, meeting weekly, 3-6 month commitment. click here for more information
Marla Miller’s Quick Query Critique video mini-workshops were offered free from 2010 – 2014 @ www.MarlaMiller.com and YouTube
These easy to understand vids receive high marks from authors on the road to publication. If you take the time, you can learn how to write a query letter just by listening to my critiques. I learned how to write query letters by writing thousands during a 20+ year period of pitching story ideas to magazine editors and literary agents.
My first ‘indie’ book project, The Booty Bible, was written with fitness model/celebrity, Alicia Marie. Promotion of The Booty Bible continued online at FitPOP.com where my Ageless Fitness column – delivering useful information about health, wellness and fitness at any age- ran for two years.
My second eBook, Days Gone By: Barnaby Conrad’s Santa Barbara Writers Conference, debuted at KDP Select in May, 2013. It’s a short work of fiction and dedicated to Mr. Conrad’s many contributions to the international writing community.
Click here for Marla’s Amazon Author Central profile.
Contact Marla through www.MarlaMiller.com, marketingthemuse@gmail.com
YouTube: Query Letter Video Critiques
YouTube: LitSalon: Prose Talk Prose
Writersmama ZOOM Read & Critque Workshop, meeting weekly, 3-6 month commitment. click here for more information
Marla’s Books & Clients, click here
SOCIAL MEDIA SITE UPDATES as of 2023
Twitter & Instagram: @writersMAMA
TikTok: Writersmama
