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

Click on a date below to see the detailed workshop descriptions for that day.

At a glance:

Friday, April 13

 

8:00–9:00 am Registration (coffee, tea, juice, pastries).
The bookstore is open.

8:30-9:00 AM New and Good with Writer’s Institute Director Laurie Scheer

9:00-9:25 AM Introductions of speakers and announcement of contest winners.

9:30-10:45 AM Keynote speaker-The Writer's Life with John Vorhaus

11:00-12:20 PM

Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

Take Your Characters to Dinner-and Dessert with Laurel Yourke
Agent Workshop with Joelle Delbourgo
Why Critiquing is Necessary with Laurie Buchanan and Christine DeSmet
Writing for the Religious Inspirational Market with Jim Papandrea

Private Pitches

 

12:30-1:50 PM Friday Luncheon- Success Stories/Writers Networking/Genre Lunch

2:00-3:20 PM Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

How to Write a Dynamite Book Proposal and More with agent Linda Konner
The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny even if you're not with John Vorhaus
PANEL-Blogging with Laurie Buchanan, Kimberly Aime, and Mary T. Wagner
INSPIRED IDEAS – Finding the Right Words – for Fiction and Non-fiction writers

 

2:00-3:20 PM Private Pitches

3:20-3:40 PM Break (Sodas, cookies)

3:40 PM Bookstore closes for the day

3:45-5:15 PM Agent Panel- Q&A with Agents

5:30-6:00 PM Editor Private Pitches

5:30-7:00 PM Critique sessions and private pitches

7:15-8:30 PM Critique sessions

Saturday, April 14

 

8:00-9:00 AM Registration (coffee, tea, juice, pastries)
The bookstore is open.

8:00-9:00 AM Practice Pitches with Bridget Birdsall

8:15-9:20- The Play is the Thing with Bredan Sullivan

8:30-9:00 Private Pitches

9:30-10:50 AM Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

Should Novelists Outline? Pro's, Con's and How's with Laurel Yourke
Anatomy of a Book Trailer with Susan Reetz
Freelance, Corporate and/or Internet Writer-Earn a Living as one or all of the above with Penelope Trunk
Agent/Client Relationship Discussion with Joelle Delbourgo and Heather Shumaker and Anne Greenwood Brown

9:30-10:50 AM Private Pitches

10:50-11:20 AM Break -book signing break (with treats)

11:30-12:30 PM Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

Supplementing your Income- The Writer's Magical Publicity Tour with Brian Christian and Jim Pappandrea What's cookin': A beginners guide to food, wine and cookbook writing with Jeanette Hurt

Adventures in Self-Publishing with Mary T. Wagner

Becoming a Corporate Story Teller with Susan Reetz

Agent Q&A with Laurie McClean

Agent Q&A with Andy Ross

Private Pitches

12:30-1:45 Lunch (on your own)

1:50-3:10 PM Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

Panel Book Proposal Basics with Jeanette Hurt, Tina Schwartz
Writing Voice Fiction with John Vorhaus
Secrets of a New York Literary Agent with agent Linda Konner
Secrets of Famous Prolific Writers with Angela Voras-Hills

Agent Q & A with Gordon Warnock
Editor Q & A with Terri Bischoff


1:50-3:10 PM Private Pitches

3:10-3:35 PM Break (Sodas, cookies)

3:30-5:00 PM Concurrent Sessions (choose one)

How to Find the Right Agent with Tina Schwartz
Tweet me, Like me, Buy me: Using social media to create your platform with Kimberly Aime@BdgerGrl
What makes young adult literature the hottest selling market today? with Bridget Birdsall

Inspired Ideas–Querying Before and After

3:30-5:00 PM Private Pitches

5:00 PM Bookstore closes.

5:08-6:00 PM Private Pitches

Sunday, April 15

 

9:00-10:30 AM Critique Session and Advanced Critique Sessions

9:00-10:30 AM Creative Bypasses and Detours for Better Driving with Brendan Sullivan

10:50-11:10 AM Break

11:15-12:30 PM Publishing in the Post-Paper World with John Vorhaus

12:30 PM Conference Concludes