We spend so much time focusing on craft—character arcs, plot twists, and perfect prose—that the “business” of writing often feels like a foreign language. However, understanding the business is how you protect your art and get paid.

We’re bringing together a distinguished panel of industry experts to tackle your biggest concerns that keep writers up at night, including:

• Intellectual Property: What’s the difference between a copyright and a trademark? How do I actually “get” one?
• Taxes & Finance: What can I legally deduct as a writer, even if I haven’t been published yet?
• Legal Pitfalls: If someone uses parts of my book without permission, can I sue them?
• Schedule “C” planning: for most sole proprietor writers
• New Technology: What are the risks of using AI for my book cover?

Meet Our Panelists:

• Lee Rudnicki, Entertainment & Technology Attorney: Lee brings over two decades of experience advising on studio films, global streaming series (including projects for Netflix and Paramount+), and international co-productions. An Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law, he also develops legal templates for LexisNexis and is a fellow author himself. He’ll decode the legal landscape in plain English. Learn more at LeeRudnicki.com.
• A Writer & Accountant (who speaks both languages) – our very own Chrome Oxide
• A Literary Agent (on what sells and what to avoid)
• An Editor, attending via Zoom (We are experimenting with a Simulcast)

Don’t leave money on the table—or your rights to chance. Join us to learn how to treat your writing like the business it is.

Schedule

02:00 – 02:30: Introductory remarks; Neil Citrin and John Gwinner

02:30 – 03:30:Our panelists will cover “The Business of Writing”

3:30 – 5:00: Round table discussion and open-mic questions.

There may be a “no-host” social afterwards; stay tuned!

Come join us Saturday, March the 21st from 2:00 to 5:00pm, at:

Westchester – Loyola Village Branch Library

7114 W Manchester Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Mark your calendars now for our upcoming meetings (all 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)

Saturday, March 21st The business of Writing (so you can get your taxes in – write! er, right.)

Saturday, April 18-19th – LA Times Festival of Books (https://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/) – reserve your booth time now to sell your books!

A selection of our past events

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AMNESTY
With all this great contact coming up, a new year means it’s time to renew your membership and continue enjoying all GLAWS benefits, including event discounts, workshop access, and now, open mic priority.

To make renewal effortless, we are declaring a 2026 Membership Amnesty. Whether you’ve missed a few months or a few years, you can start fresh! Simply pay for a 2026 membership ($60). You do not need to catch up on back dues to rejoin the community and participate fully. This is the perfect time to come back to the fold.