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(Introduction - 1/23/01) Topic for #workshop: T. Suzanne Eller on "How to Get the Most Out of a Writer's Conference", 10pm ET WTYates: How about the topic for the evening... WTYates:How to Get the Most Out of a Writers Conference Suzanne_El: There you go. WTYates: Suzie, the floor is yours... Suzanne_El: Can I start with a prayer? WTYates: Please!!! Suzanne_El: Father, thank you so much for every writer in this room I ask that you be the center of our conversation that we lift you up and I ask that we absorb the teaching that will help us write to impact a world that is starving for answers and hungry for a relationship with a living God. In Jesus' name, Amen WTYates: AMEN!! AnnieM: Amen MBananas: Amen. David__H: Amen Suzanne_El: Thanks, Bill. I'm ready now. : ) WTYates: :) |
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Suzanne_El: Okay, how many of you plan to attend a writers' conference this year. ga AnnieM passes around the snacks WTYates: ME MBananas: Me, if every thing works out. Suzanne_El: Anyone else? AnnieM: I wish I could but no travel for me this year. :( Suzanne_El: What are some of the frustrations you have experienced at past conferences? ga AnnieM: ! WTYates: Annie... AnnieM: Getting into the sessions that would best serve my needs. WTYates: ! Suzanne_El: Bill WTYates: I've only been to a local one-day conference. Not enough! MBananas: ! WTYates: MBananas... MBananas: Not being prepared myself with some of my writing to show for critique, etc. Suzanne_El: Great. We'll cover all of that tonight. Suzanne_El: I just wanted to make sure that I hit all the right buttons. : ) We'll start with a little conference etiquette first. Suzanne_El: Some people go to conferences, and they change. I'm not sure why, but they want so badly to get their time in with editors, or to connect with the right people that they forget their usual manners. So, we'll begin there. Okay? First of all, be real. Sometimes we forget that editors and publishers are people that have left very busy jobs, their family, and responsibilities behind so that they can come to conferences. Why do they do that? Because they love writing, just like we do. They are looking for you just as hard as you are looking for them, but those moments can and will happen. So relax. : ) Take the pressure off, and take advantage of all opportunities, but don't try to make things happen. ga AnnieM: ! WTYates: Annie... AnnieM: Two of my best contacts were made at a writers conference. I met Donna Fletcher Crow who became my mentor... and Carole Gift Page, who was in my future critique group. ga Suzanne_El: That is one of the best things about conferences. These moments will happen, if you let them. The second part of conference etiquette is to avoid monopolizing editor's free time This really connects with the first rule of etiquette. I promise this story is true. I was at a conference and an editor was waiting to go to the bathroom. Every time she tried to enter the stall, a writer would stop her and thrust proposals, queries, and books into her hands. It was bizarre. These wonderful writers would not normally do that. But they were in close proximity to an editor, and they wanted to capture the moment. : ) AnnieM: ! WTYates: Annie... AnnieM: How very sad indeed. Suzanne_El: There will be many opportunities that are structured and others that simply happen, but do respect an editor's free time. Third rule is to avoid talking trash about other editors. Seems like this would be an easy one, but it happens. It usually goes something like this: "I submitted my work to XXX, but that editor must not have realized that God spoke this Word to me, and evidently he's not listening to God or he would have picked up my manuscript." The deal is that editors are like writers, they network. You may very well be talking bad about a good friend. Any questions so far? WTYates: Good advice... Suzanne_El: Okay, let's move on. Suzanne_El: The former is really very basic and common sense, but it's also important, and if writers would simply prepare, their work will speak volumes for them. So how do you prepare? I'm going to tell you a few things that will help you be prepared for every aspect of a conference. First, before you go, make sure that you have everything you need Suzanne_El: Does everybody in this room have business cards? AnnieM: I do WTYates: I do... Suzanne_El: Great! AnnieM: now, if I can just figure out where I put the new batch... Suzanne_El: Make sure you have a small stack of business cards to take with you. You can print very nice cards with stock paper from Office Depot or a similar store. Your name, your e-mail address, web site if you have one, telephone number and address and MBananas: not me.... MBananas: and what sort of business card do you have when you are unpublished? MBananas: and interested in variety of writing? W TYates: Marcia Banas - Writer AnnieM: Marcia Banas, writer WTYates: GMTA! Suzanne_El: the very important word under your name. WRITER. Marcia, you are a writer and your business card may be your validation more than an editors, but that's okay. Make some. : ) WTYates: ! WTYates: WTYates... Suzanne_El: Bill? WTYates: It also provides a convenient way to keep your name & address in one place to give to people. Suzanne_El: absolutely. WTYates: Don't forget to put your email on it. Suzanne_El: Next, you will want to have your queries, proposals, outlines, etc. ready. Bring your proposals and a sample chapter with you or your query. Chances are that editors will not request your entire proposal but they can look through your proposal and synopsis during editor one-on-ones. Suzanne_El: Does everybody know what a synopsis is? Suzanne_El: okay MBananas: believe it or not, I do. LOL WTYates: Short summary of your 3 years of writing... :) AnnieM: spell it out, Suzie Suzanne_El: Actually I'm speaking of a short summary of your manuscript or article idea When you sit down with an editor, you have to be able to give them your idea or book plot in a nutshell Practice stating your synopsis so that when they ask you what your book is about, you can give a succinct answer. I remember my first radio interview. I bombed in my synopsis. I finally grabbed my book and read the back cover. But that was before I wrote this fabulous advice to myself. : ) Create a brief resume of your credits with a one paragraph synopsis of each book and make copies. That way if you have a brain cramp, you can glance at your written synopsis. You can also leave this with the editor if they ask for something (along with your business card) So far all of this is occurring before you even leave the door. Carmen: ! WTYates: Carmen... Carmen: I have my writing bio, book synopsis and spiritual bio all in a tri fold brochure. It's done on paper through my laser printer. Editors really liked it last year. Suzanne_El: That is a great way to present it, as well as keep it together. It's very professional. At my second conference, I had a resume and synopsis of all projects, and one editor read it while I pitched a teen series He asked if I would send him a proposal on a children's book that was listed. You also need to pack simple supplies such as notebook, pen or pencil for classes, and a lightweight satchel for freebies (I'll talk more about freebies later). Check out in advance the accommodations, weather, etc. For example, the Colorado Christian Writer's conference has an altitude curve. : ) It took me two days to get my head on straight. : ) Any questions so far? Suzanne_El: ga WTYates: So far, so good... Suzanne_El: Okay, I'll keep going. Let's talk about what happens when you arrive. First thing you do is register. At that point, you will have already signed up for classes, but this is a great time to check out everything that is available If the conference director didn't allow you to sign up for editor one-on-ones before the conference, now would be the time. When you first received your packet (at home), you would have had time to study the available editors and publishing houses, so sign up for those that have possibilities for your writing. If you are nervous about meeting with an editor, you are in great company. : ) We have all faced that fear. But preparations that you made BEFORE the conference will make you shine. Make sure that you have studied the editorial needs of the editors. For example, Honor Books sells gift books, so they would not be the publisher to meet to pitch your fiction novel. When you meet with the editor, you will usually have around 15 minutes or so. Respect that time limit. Don't expect them to read your entire manuscript while you visit. BUT do be prepared to share with them your passion for your idea or manuscript. Some questions they MAY ask are: Who are your potential readers? Why is there a need for this type of book? How does your book differ from others on the same subject? What are your credentials for writing this book? What is the projected length? and when can it be completed Those are all questions that would be answered in a well-written proposal, and if you have prepared that beforehand, you're ready! Any questions so far? WTYates: ? Suzanne_El: Bill WTYates: What kind of editors are there usually? Book only? Magazine? etc?/ Suzanne_El: There are a mixture of editors for books, magazines, and take home papers. Now editors for ezines and ebooks are entering the arena Let's talk about meeting with a magazine editor. You will need to be prepared to share your synopsis of your idea. For example, I sold three or four articles at the last conference (two years ago) and I simply shared my idea with the editor of those magazines. they may ask you why do you think your article or short story would fit their readership and publication. That's all PRE-work that you have done before the conference every began. For example, if I want to approach Today's Christian Woman I would need to understand that their readers are women between the ages of 25-45 and that the magazine typically publishes articles with quizzes, sidebars, etc. and they deal with real-life issues and the Christian message is not bold, but subtly woven through each article. How do I know that? Market research. : ) But when I sit down with Jane Johnson Struck I will only pitch ideas to her that would be a great fit for her readers and publication. Preparation, once again, is key. Any questions so far? I feel like Superwoman, trying to fly through so much information so fast. : ) WTYates: Nope... WTYates: Super Suzie! :) Suzanne_El: : ) Suzanne_El: Okay, let's keep going. There are other benefits available at a conference. One is the paid critique This is an option you choose when you fill out your packet at home. You normally pay about $35 and a writer, author, editor, publisher reads so many pages of your book and they give a critique. This is SO valuable. My first critique was with Terry Whalin and for $35 I got a ton of help. WTYates: Might as well start at the top... :) Suzanne_El: : ) You bet, and it only cost 35 bucks. AnnieM: That's for sure! Suzanne_El: He liked the book but he was honest about its chances for publication in the CBA market He gave me the name of three agents and he sat and visited with me about my writing. Understand, that at this point I had about five or six articles published. But this prolific author and writer saw something good in Blood of the Fathers. I was only disappointed in one paid critique, and I won't share the writer's name, but that contact -- even though I felt she did less than a great job on the critique -- proved to be valuable later in my career. Critiques usually last 30 minutes. The same rules of etiquette apply as the editor one-on-ones. Watch your time. I will say that having a professional look at your writing with an impartial eye can stretch you to new heights in your writing. Don't be dismayed by the red ink : ) or offended by constructive comments. It will make your manuscript stronger. A couple more benefits are the free critique sessions and FREEBIES! Many conferences offer critique groups. They usually consist of 15 people or fewer in the group. Writers can bring a copy of their short story, article, or up to seven to ten pages of their manuscript. You will bring copies of that material to share with the group so they can mark copies, grammatical errors, etc. I brought a short story to my last conference and joined a late- night critique group. As the writer read my work, I realized my ending was weak. I had read this story through a hundred times but never realized the flaw until it came off someone else's lips. I sold that piece before the conference was out. WTYates: We're about at the end of our time but we can extend for a few more minutes. This is good stuff! Suzanne_El: I'll take about five more minutes. : ) WTYates: Fine... Suzanne_El: My favorite part of the conference is freebies. Most conferences offer freebies that include current guidelines, theme lists, copies of the magazines, catalogues, etc. Why is this so exciting? Because it's free! And it's also great stuff to use for market studies. One of you mentioned that your frustration was not getting the right classes. This is something you will want to study before you leave home. Make sure that the class is something that will benefit you in your particular genre. Ask other writers on your mail lists who the great teachers are Last point I want to make is that you will make some awesome friends. God has a plan for your writing, and if you do your part and prepare, then you will meet people that will not only become awesome friends, but they will in some way impact your career as well. One last point. I promise. Take care of matters after the conference. If an editor asked you to send a proposal. DO IT. Make sure that you mention that you met them at the conference, and mark the material REQUESTED material on the outside of the envelope. Send thank you notes to those who took the time to meet with you in editor one-on-ones and informally. Study the stuff that you bring home--notes, freebies, guidelines and follow up with great ideas and queries. Again, mention that you met them at the conference. I've got to stop. MBananas: ? WTYates: Bananas... MBananas: Any conferences that you have been to that you would particularly recommend? Suzanne_El: I feel as if I've crammed so much in your brains. : ) I loved the Colorado Christian writer's conference. It's pretty amazing. : ) WTYates: I've got so much empty space... Suzanne_El: AND it's in the Rockies. Carmen: ! Suzanne_El: ?? WTYates: Caemne... MBananas: Might even get to meet Foxy. Carmen: Colorado and Philadelphia are both such spiritual retreats WTYates: Carmen.. there, I typed it right! Suzanne_El: I agree, and that is what I liked the best. Carmen: I loved them both. Suzanne_El: Any other questions? Carmen: ! WTYates: Suzie, Thanks so much! this was valuable stuff! WTYates: Carmen... Kate: Hi Carmen: Drink lots of water. Bring breath mints since you eat and rush off to class. Suzanne_El: If I could sum it all up in one sentence, it would be this: Be yourself; be prepared; and go anticipating that you will not be shy and that you will have fun. Suzanne_El: Hey Bill, can I tell them about my new ebook? WTYates: Thanks to all for a great workshop. I will have a transcript of the wotkshop in about a week. MBananas: I'm listening, Suzy WTYates: Thanks, Suzie!! WTYates: Do it! Suzanne_El: It's called, "Marketing Your Writing 101: Everything You Need to Carmen: ! after Suzie Suzanne_El: Market and Publish Your Freelance Writing". It's 111 pages of practical step-by-step information. It's at www.booklocker.com/bookpages/suzanneeller02.html or at my website at www.intellex.com/~eller/tseller.html. There, that's my commercial. : ) WTYates: Carmen... Suzanne_El: ga Carmen: Each conference has a bookstore. a % of the sales go to the conference itself which helps them stay solvent Carmen: But for the authors, they make more money this way than through a bookstore. Suzanne_El: I'm getting ready to put Marketing 101 on CD for the next conference I attend. Suzanne_El: Whichever one that is. : ) Carmen: If you are going to buy Suzie's book anyway, it's better at a conference. MBananas: ahh, you anticipated my question, Suzy Carmen: Plus, when you read the novels and non fiction of the teachers you really learn a lot Suzanne_El: I just need to figure out when I can go to my next conference. . . WTYates: ASAP! :) WTYates: Thanks, guys! I've got to run... Carmen: I'll be at Florida, Sandy Cove, Colorado and Philadelphia this year. Suzanne_El: I appreciate you having me here, Bill WTYates: See you next week! Carmen: Bye Bill. Suzanne_El: I'll be sending three kids to college. : ) WTYates: Any time, Suzie... Suzanne_El: I must go also. Suzanne_El: See you later. MBananas: Annie said to tell everyone by Carmen: I'm teaching at all but one. Otherwise I wouldn't be at 4. WTYates: Night, all! |
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