| SATURDAY | ||||
| Hopewell | Cornwall | Kinderhook | Paradise | |
| 8 am - Noon | Registration open in the Fireside Nook, main level. | |||
| 8 am - 9 am | Breakfast with general program, Marietta, meeting level | |||
| Hospitality Suite open in Paradise, meeting level | ||||
| 9:15 - 10:15 am | Inside Children’s Publishing with Melanie Donovan Learn more about writing for kids of all ages, from picture books to middle grade and young adult novels. Find out how each audience is different and what key elements should be present in your writing. |
Scene Secrets with Diana Holquist Well-constructed scenes are your story’s backbone. Get practical help on stringing them together so motivation, conflict, and resolution keep your story moving forward. |
Writing the Dreaded Synopsis with Loree Lough It’s long, it’s unwieldy, and some authors say it’s harder to write than the book itself. Learn how to tackle the synopsis for your book in step-by-step chunks. |
Breakout: Nonfiction with Irene Goodman What are agents looking for in a nonfiction book idea? What are the latest trends in nonfiction? Agent Irene Goodman talks to you about her experiences as an agent over the past 25 years and welcomes your questions on all things nonfiction. |
| 10:15 am - 10:30 pm | Answer Booth: Flash Fiction with Heidi Ruby Miller | |||
| 10:30 - 11:30 am | Crafting Better Beginnings with Ginjer Buchanan, Tessa Woodward and Paul Stevens One mystery editor, one sci fi editor, and one romance editor get together to talk about what grabs them in the first few pages of a manuscript. |
Shhh… My Characters are Talking; Better Dialog with Victoria Thompson Just recording everyday conversations on paper won’t cut it when it comes to dialog in your manuscript. Make every piece of dialog — even the tags — count. |
Make Your Juvenile Story Pop with Marsha Hubler If you're going to sell your story, you need to make it pop by pushing your dialogue, character description, and narration to the next level. |
Breakout: Mystery with Kim Lionetti Kim Lionetti is an agent at BookEnds, which represents authors like John Lamb (Mournful Teddy series) and Michele Scott (Murder by the Glass series). Learn about what she does at the agency and find out what elements she looks for in a good mystery story. |
| 11:45 am - 1 pm | Lunch with D.L. Wilson, Marietta, meeting level | |||
| 1: 15 - 2:15 pm | Perfect Plotting with Loree Lough Your plot is your framework. Make your journey from beginning to middle to end smoother with tips and techniques for a stronger story structure. |
Writing and Proposing the Media Tie-in with Keith DeCandido You love the show so much that you want to write a book. But do you really? Learn the basics of media tie-ins and how to take the first steps. |
Promoting Your Book on a Shoestring Budget with Marsha Hubler More and more, authors are being asked to help promote their books. Here are 15 ideas for published authors who are looking to generate sales. |
Breakout: Romance with Diana Holquist Just how many different markets are there? What are the dividing lines? What makes a good query? Diana shares her start with Grand Central Station (formerly Warner Books) and invites questions |
| 2:15 - 2:30 pm | Answer Booth: Outdoor Travel Writing with Jack Miller | |||
| 2:30 - 3:30 pm | Hot Trends in Publishing with Irene Goodman What’s new? What’s noteworthy? What’s not even worth a second thought? Find out from a top agent who’s been in the business for more than 25 years. |
Behind the Bookstore Shelves with Elizabeth Earhart A book store employee takes you on a virtual walkthrough of how books are chosen for the shelves and discloses top-notch selling/book signing secrets. |
Pacing with Valerie Malmont What exactly is pacing? What does an agent or an editor mean when he or she says your pacing is off? Find out if your novel is running your reader ragged or bogging him down. |
Breakout: Science Fiction with Ginger Clark On-world or off-world? Futuristic or current day? How do you weave it all together to make a great scifi story? Here’s your chance to talk with Ginger about her agenting experiences and ask questions. |
| 3:45 - 4:45 pm | Author Tea and Book Signing, Paradise, meeting level | |||
| Dinner on your own | ||||
| 8 - 11 pm | Masquerade Party, Marietta, meeting level | |||
All listings are subject to change.