Please Note: this information is from last year's Institute. Save the date: the 2013 Writers' Institute will be held April 12, 13, and 14.

Schedule and Workshops

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Please note: If you registered on Friday for both days you don't need to check in.

Lunch is on your own today, 12:30-1:30 pm. There are many quick choices on State Street and next door. Recommendations will be provided.

 

8:00 - 9:20 am

8:00-9:00 Registration (coffee, tea, juice, pastries)

 

8:15-9:20 – The Play is the Thing with Brendan Sullivan
Being a "serious writer" can be an oxymoron. While surely there is a role for structure, planning, ritual & commitment in a successful writing career, creative consultants remind us that real serious work gets done only when we PLAY. Writers have to remember to find or create the fun in their craft. This lively and experiential session will cover the latest theory, case studies, and insights around play and its role in the creative process and illustrate examples of how to tap play to be at your best.

 

8:00-9:00 Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each) with Bridget Birdsall (2CD01-2CD04)
8: 30-9:00 Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each) with Christine DeSmet (2CC01-2CC02)

 

8:48-9:30 Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)

2DA22-1DA25 Private pitches with John Bolger
2DD24-2DD27 Private pitches with Laurie McClean
2DE24-2DE27 Private pitches with Andy Ross

 

9:00 The bookstore in Lee Lounge opens and is open all day Saturday. Closed on Sunday.

 

9:30 - 10:50 am

Concurrent Sessions: (choose one)

 

Should Novelists Outline? Pro's, Con's and How's with Laurel Yourke
Like everyone else, most novelists loathe outlines, reminiscent of rigor without apparent purpose. Even more, though, novelists loathe the vague Inciting Incident, sagging middle and unearned ending. Worse still is sailing through the first half of your book only to get stuck because there’s no wind for your sails. A good outline solves all that. It needn’t be rigorous and has plenty of purpose. You can outline your novel via its climax, scene goals, character arcs, inciting incident, or Christopher Vogler’s Hero’s Journey. During the session, you’ll get a hands-on chance to try these.

 

Anatomy of a Book Trailer with Susan Reetz
Eager to promote your book to even more readers? Looking for a way to stand out as you search for an agent or publisher? Try a book trailer! The use of trailers to promote books of all types is a growing phenomenon. But how do you go about creating one? Join us as we dissect the process. We’ll look at a variety of examples during the session and discuss the basics of scripting your trailer and teasing your story, selecting visuals and text, using music and sound effects, timing, and more.

 

Freelance, Corporate and/or Internet Writer-Earn a Living as One or All of the Above with Penelope Trunk
Successful freelance, corporate and internet writer Penelope Trunk addresses the following topics in this solid “how to” workshop:

  • How to leverage writing skills to start a company
  • How to get a corporate writing gig
  • How to be a freelance writer and not starve
  • How to get your writing published - how to not be boring

Trunk shares her successful stories and strategies that relay the realities of making a living as an online journalist.  If you’ve been in a writing funk and do not know where to go or how to begin a successful freelance career this workshop is for you.

 

The Author/Agent Relationship with Joelle Delbourgo, Heather Shumaker and Anne Greenwood Brown
Some say that it may be harder to find an agent than a publisher! Others question whether agents are necessary. YA novelist Anne Greenwood Brown met her agent, Jacquie Flynn of Joelle Delbourgo Associates, at the Madison Writers’ Conference, who landed her a two-book deal. Heather Shumaker undertook her quest through a query letter, which led her to agent Joelle Delbourgo. Together, they will explore the journey from the perspective of both the author and the agent. What are the advantages of representation? How does an author get the attention of an agent? How do agents sort through and evaluate the many queries and submission they receive? How does an author know who might be the right agent? What does the agent look for in a client? How do you handle communication with your agent? What is the actual nature of the relationship and how does it evolve through the course of the publishing process? From the query letter and the initial proposal or draft manuscript to making the sale, navigating the contract, shepherding the book to publication and marketing it, this workshop will explore this unique partnership. Lies Beneath, by Anne Greenwood Brown, will be published in June by Delacorte/Random House. Shumaker’s It’s Okay Not to Share will be published this fall.

 

Agent Q & A with John Bolger (registration is limited)

 

Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DC01-2DC09: Private pitches with Linda Konner
2DD01-2DD09: Private pitches with Laurie McClean
2DE01-2DE09: Private pitches with Andy Ross
2DF01-2DF09: Private pitches with Gordon Warnock

 

Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each)
2CA01-2CA04: Practice pitches with Christopher Mohar
2CB01-2CB04: Practice pitches with Brian Christian

2CD05-2CD08: Practice pitches with Bridget Birdsall

 

Advanced Critiques (30 minutes each)
2BF01-2BF03: Advanced Critiques with Christine DeSmet

 

Personal Consultations (30 minutes each)
2BA01-2BA03: Advanced critiques with Kimberly Aime
2BG01-2BG03: Advanced critiques with Laurie Buchanan
2BB01-2BB03: Advanced critiques with Jeanette Hurt
2BH01-2BH03: Advanced critiques with Jim Pappandrea
2BC01-2BC03: Advanced critiques with Tina Schwartz
2BD01-2BD03: Advanced critiques with John Vorhaus
2BE01-2BE03: Advanced critiques with Angela Voras-Hills

 

10:50-11:20 am

Break – Book Signing Break (Treats)
The Lee Lounge will be the place to be as we offer a break that allows the opportunity for our writers to sign and sell their books.  Show your support for our writers! Treats will be served.

 

11:30-12:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions: (choose one)

 

Supplementing your Income- The Writer's Magical Publicity Tour with Brian Christian and Jim Pappandrea
Would you like to take your role as author to the next level? This workshop offers practical advice for how to take your written ideas into the speaking circuit. Authors Brian Christian and Jim Papandrea share their experiences about how to take your book into the world of face to face live speaking, television and website platforms, and book and author events/signings. Not comfortable with public speaking? These two seasoned writers will also offer some real solutions for problems like stage fright. You CAN be a speaker, as well as an author, and you can help people improve their lives (and sell a few more books in the process).

 

What's Cookin': A Beginner's Guide to Food, Wine and Cookbook Writing with Jeanette Hurt
This workshop focuses on the world of food writing - how to get paid to eat, cook and experience good things.  This session covers the basics of recipe development, pitching food magazines and how to snag a cookbook deal.

 

Adventures in Self-Publishing with Mary T. Wagner
This workshop is an introduction to the world of self-publishing and the soul-searching and decision-making that should go before, and the nuts and bolts of different publishing arrangements, and the kind of details you need to think through BEFORE you sign that contract.  Handout:  a breakdown of considerations such as service, pricing, marketing, etc. offered by several leading self-publishers; also, a checklist of what ducks you need to have in a row before you say “print!” (Hint: after you’ve gotten your first proof back from the publisher, that’s no time to change your mind about line spacing and margins…)

 

Becoming a Corporate Story Teller with Susan Reetz
Do you love to write? I do too. Getting lost in a short story is one of my favorite ways to spend my free time. But I earn my daily bread as a corporate story teller. The skill sets are similar: Tell an engaging story. Write dialogue that is true to the characters. Create clear, cohesive messages. Talk directly to your audience and sweep them up in your story. In this workshop we’ll talk about “writing for hire” and working with clients, marketing your skills, and telling a good corporate story.

 

Agent Q & A with Laurie McClean (registration is limited)

Agent Q & A with Andy Ross-“Finding and Working with an Agent” (registration is limited)

 

Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DA01-2DA07: Private pitches with John Bolger
2DH01-2DH07: Private pitches with Joelle Delbourgo
2DC10-2DC16: Private pitches with Linda Konner
2DF10-2DF16: Private pitches with Gordon Warnock

 

Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each)
2CC03-2CC06: Practice pitches with Christine DeSmet
2CA05-2CA08: Practice pitches with Christopher Mohar

 

Editor Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DG01-2DG07: Private Pitches with Terri Bischoff

 

Personal Consultations (30 minutes each)
2BA04-2BA05: Advanced critiques with Kimberly Aime
2BG04-2BG05: Advanced critiques with Laurie Buchanan
2BC04-2BC05: Advanced critiques with Tina Schwartz
2BK01-2BK02: Advanced critiques with Penelope Trunk
2BD04-2BD05: Advanced critiques with John Vorhaus
2BE04-2BE05: Advanced critiques with Angela Voras-Hills


Advanced Critiques (30 minutes each)

2BP01 Advanced Critiques with Bridget Birdsall

2BP02 Advanced Critiques with Bridget Birdsall

 

12:30-1:45 pm

Lunch (on your own)

Saturday afternoon, April 14, 2012

1:50-3:10 pm

Concurrent Sessions: (choose one)

 

Panel Book Proposal Basics with Jeanette Hurt and Tina Schwartz
Between these two writers, numerous book proposals have been researched, constructed, written-and sold. Through a thorough discussion regarding this evergreen topic for all nonfiction writers, we’ll learn the insider tips regarding the art of composing a selling book proposal. Be ready with your questions, this panel has the answers.

 

Writing Voice Fiction with John Vorhaus
Somewhere in the course of a writer’s career comes the urge to tell not just a story, but a story with something to say. This sort of story, known as “voice fiction,” is tremendously compelling to readers, for it speaks directly from heart to heart and contains the potential to give the reader a truly transformational experience. But there’s a catch: Voice fiction, by its nature, runs the risk of being preachy and didactic. To avoid this pitfall, writers from the heart must strike a balance between substance and style, between storytelling and truth-telling. The best voice fiction is simultaneously a transcendent experience and a damn good read. If your passion lies along these lines, please consider joining John Vorhaus for a workshop on the strategy and tactics of writing voice fiction. Topics include finding your theme, the arc of change, the bottom ache, the journey to emotional truth, harmonizing event and voice and selling the shining light.

 

Secrets of a New York Literary Agent with agent Linda Konner
Writers always have those basic questions in mind when determining their futures involving agents, questions such as “Why do I need a literary agent?/What can she do for me?”, “How do I find a good literary agent?/How do I LAND a good literary agent?”,
“What is an author platform, why it's critical for all authors, and how do I get it?” Agent Linda Konner will address these questions and go beyond just the agent/client signing process.  She’ll also discuss what the book publishing process is like, when a writer should hire their own publicist and social media help, and life after book publication-how to keep your career going.  These secrets are revealed by agent Linda Konner.

 

Secrets of Famous Prolific Writers with Angela Voras-Hills
William Carlos Williams wrote over 30 books of poetry and numerous collections of fiction and non-fiction. He was also an artist, physician, and had a family in Rutherford, New Jersey. While leaving the family to spend weekends in New York among artists might not be an option for all of us, plenty of writers learn to balance writing with their personal and professional lives. In this session, you’ll learn to create a writing schedule that will stick. Borrowing methods from successful writers, you’ll start taking steps toward producing more quality work more often. Make the most of your writing time by discovering the real reasons you’re not writing regularly and explore how prolific writers fit their art into their busy lives.

 

Agent Q & A with Gordon Warnock (registration is limited)

Editor Q & A with Terri Bischoff (registration is limited)

 

Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DA08-2DA12: Private pitches with John Bolger
2DH08-2DH12: Private pitches with Joelle Delbourgo
2DD10-2DD14: Private pitches with Laurie McClean
2DE10-2DE14: Private pitches with Andy Ross

 

Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each)
2CA09-2CA12: Practice pitches with Christopher Mohar
2CB05-2CB08: Practice pitches with Brian Christian

 

Personal Consultations (30 minutes each)
2BA06-2BA08: Advanced critiques with Kimberly Aime
2BG06-2BG08: Advanced critiques with Laurie Buchanan
2BK03-2BK05: Advanced critiques with Penelope Trunk

 

Advanced Critiques (30 minutes each)
2BP03 Advanced Critiques with Bridget Birdsall

2BP04 Advanced Critiques with Bridget Birdsall

2BP05 Advanced Critiques with Bridget Birdsall

 

3:10-3:30 pm

Break (sodas, cookies)

 

3:30-5:00 pm

Concurrent Sessions: (choose one)

 

How to Find the Right Agent with Tina Schwartz
“How do I get an agent?” is a popular question among writers. Author Tina Schwartz guides you through the myriad of market guides and industry blogs and websites to help you find the appropriate agents and editors to target for your type of writing.  Charting your submissions, using your rejections and understanding agents and agencies’ requests for full or partial manuscripts will be discussed. 

 

Tweet me, Like Me, Buy Me: Using Social Media to Create your Platform with Kimberly Aime@BdgerGrl
One out of eight minutes spent on the Internet is spent on social media.  If you want to reach a bigger audience, then you need to be involved in the social media conversation. This class walks you through the basics of creating a space for yourself on Twitter and Facebook. We will discuss etiquette when working with social media and outlines ways to increase your following. The Internet is ripe with potential readers, this class will show you how to find, reach, and engage them.  

 

What Makes Young Adult (YA) Literature the Hottest Selling Market Today? with Bridget Birdsall
Are you looking for a literary market where publishers are buying books? Well, you just might be writing the right-stuff, at the right-time, because the hottest literary market today is not just for kids anymore. Not only did Harry Potter rock the world, but J.K. Rowling’s book changed the way the world reads. Now kids of all ages are enjoying what many editors and agents have come to call the new classics. From fantasies to mysteries to science fiction and literary fiction, YA literature is what agents and publishers want. In an age of rapid-change and explosive technology, these books are still selling. Join YA author Bridget Birdsall, bring your ideas, your manuscripts, or just your curiosity. Come explore this amazing opportunity for yourself.

 

 Inspired Ideas –Querying Before and After
In our second session of our new Inspired Ideas forum, we’ll hear from five speakers and their thoughts and experiences with the writing of query letters.  Each speaker has 15 minutes to share their wisdom. Join us for one or join us for all of the sessions. They are as follows:

  1. Query Writing Boot Camp-Jeanette Hurt
  2. Query Letter Basics-Penelope Trunk
  3. Courting, Following Up and Signing the Contract-Laurie Buchanan
  4. How to get on and stay on their (agents, editors, publishers) Radar-Laurie Scheer

 

Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DA13-2DA21: Private pitches with John Bolger
2DH13-2DH21: Private pitches with Joelle Delbourgo
2DC17-2DC25: Private pitches with Linda Konner
2DD15-2DD23: Private pitches with Laurie McClean
2DE15-2DE23: Private pitches with Andy Ross
2DF17-2DF25: Private pitches with Gordon Warnock

 

Editor Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DG08-2DG16: Private pitches with Terri Bischoff

 

Advanced Critiques (30 minutes each)
2BF06-2BF08: Advanced Critiques with Christine DeSmet
2BN01-2BN03: Advanced Critiques with Christopher Mohar

 

Practice Private Pitch Times (15 minutes each)
2CB09-2CB14: Practice pitches with Brian Christian

 

Personal Consultations (30 minutes each)
2BG09-2BG11: Advanced critiques with Laurie Buchanan
2BH04-2BH06: Advanced critiques with Jim Pappandrea
2BD06-2BD08: Advanced critiques with John Vorhaus
2BE06-2BE08: Advanced critiques with Angela Voras-Hills

 

5:00 pm

Bookstore closes.

5:08-6:00 pm

Agent Private Pitch Times (8 minutes each)
2DA26-2DA29 Private pitches with John Bolger
2DD28-2DD31 Private pitches with Laurie McClean
2DE28-2DE31 Private pitches with Andy Ross