Meet Bob Mayer – Keynote Speaker GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ 2018

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Cool Gus Publishing, keynote speaker, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Courses

At the 2018 Write Stuff Writers Conference™, GLVWG is proud to present Bob Mayer as our keynote speaker. On Thursday, March 22^nd, he will guide attendees through A ONE DAY NOVEL WRITING SEMINAR. The presentation begins with the original idea and heart of a story, developing plat and character, working with point of view and, in conclusion, pulling everything together to sell your book and the business of writing.

Friday and Saturday, he will present topics on Write It Forward: From Writer To Successful Author, E-Pub, POD and the Future of Publishing for the Writer, and The Military for Writers. Saturday, he will speak at our luncheon I Will Make it Work.

Bob Mayer is a New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books and the CEO of Cool Gus Publishing  www.coolgus.com. He holds the distinction of being the only male author on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll.

Bob Mayer resides in Tennessee with his wife and their two English Yellow Labs, Cool Gus and Sassy Becca.

To read more on Bob, click on the following links:

• Home – bobmayer.com
• Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Mayer_(author)
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorbobmayer/

 

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Article by Dawn Sooy –  Conference Chair 2018 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™

Dawn is a multitasker with the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, fulfilling the duties of Secretary when needed and Conference Chair for the 2018 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™.

A native of Eastern Pennsylvania, Dawn has plenty of experience with the best and worst four seasons have to offer. Armed with a Computer Science degree, she worked in the tech industry until 2012. She’s married to a great guy and between them, have four children, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. As an animal lover, she volunteers at the local animal shelter, sneaking in treats for the four-legged residents.

Too full of energy to even consider a rocking chair, with an insatiable itch to write, Dawn published six short stories, the most recent, “Love Knows No Boundaries,” featured in the GLVWG anthology, Write Here – Write Now. She is currently working on a full-length novel titled, “From The Darkness,” scheduled for publication in early 2018, with plans to publish a horror anthology later in the year.

You can find Dawn on:

• Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DawnMSooyAuthor/?pnref=lhc
• Website: http://dwstrange.com/dawns%20world/

Write Stuff Writer’s Conference™ Celebrates GLVWG’s 25th Year

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Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Courses

The annual Write Stuff Writer’s Conference, hosted by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, will be held at Best Western Lehigh Valley on March 22^nd to 24^th. The conference offers a full day workshop, half-day workshops, a day full of hour long sessions, pitching sessions to literary agents and editors, critique sessions, a flash writing contest, book fair, and a chance to rub elbows with fellow authors along with agents and editors.

The keynote speaker for 2018 is New York Times bestselling author and the CEO of Cool Gus Publishing, Bob Mayer. Bob is a West Point graduate and former Green Beret. Mayer has authored over 70 novels in multiple genres, selling more than 4 million books, including the #1 series Area 51, Atlantis, and The Green Berets.

In his Thursday all-day workshop/seminar, he will guide attendees through all the steps to develop an original idea, create characters, establish point of view, create setting, manage dialog, and how to go about selling our works in today’s market. In other presentations he will focus on the challenges in the business of writing; researching military issues for writers; and Pubs, PODs and the future of publishing.

Sessions by our six other presenters bear the following titles:

Jane K. Cleland

• Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot (half-day workshop/seminar)
• The Art of Distraction: Using Red Herrings to Create Suspense
• Using Metaphors to Add Richness and Texture to Your Work

Benjamin Sobieck

• Weapons in Fiction
• Using Wattpad to Build a Writing Career
• Writing Inside a Franchise

Matt Betts

• What is a Media Kit and Why do I Need One?
• Make History with Your Writing! (Alternate history)
• The Rhyming Dead (Horror poetry)
• Steampunk – Everything Old is New Again

Richard C. White

• Enter the Hobbit (Writing realistic fight scenes)
• World Building 101
• Writer Beware (Publishing pitfalls)

Tabitha Jorgensen

• Editing: Soup to Nuts
• So You Want to Be an Indie Author?
• It’s a Marathon not a Sprint: Long-Range Marketing Strategies for Indie Authors
• Balancing the Busy: A Crash Course on Time Management for Indie Authors

Dan Krippene

• Pinterest Anyone? (Friday evening)

 

As part of the Friday evening events, attendees can sign-up ahead of time to have their work’s first page critiqued by a panel of authors, agents, or editors. Authors will listen to the comments of the panel incognito. All submissions are anonymous.

In addition, during the Saturday events, attendees can pre-arrange to meet with an agent or editor for a ten minute one-on-one, giving authors a chance to pitch their work. However, authors need to sign up as there are limited slots available. There will also be market coaching appointments.

Also on Saturday is the flash literature contest for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, one hundred words or less, the works to be submitted Saturday morning. Published authors, who attend, can arrange to have their works sold at the book fair.

For information and online registration, search for Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group for GLVWG.org.

Keep checking our blog right here at glvwgwritestuffblog.wordpress.com/ for presenter details and schedule.

Contact:  Dawn Sooy at glvwg.writestuffchair@gmail.com

And don’t forget to like our Facebook page.

What to Look for in a Writer’s Conference

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Writing Advice, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft

By Donna Brennan – Vice President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group

 

Maybe you’ve just started out on your writing journey, or maybe you’ve been diligently working on it for years. Wherever you are in the process, there are many benefits to be had from attending a writer’s conference. But not just any writer’s conference will do – you should look for a conference that fits your needs and where you are at the moment. Cost and location, although important, are not the most crucial issues to consider.

How to pick the best writer’s conference for you depends on your current needs and goals. Do you need to learn the basics? Do you need to understand how to market your book? Are you looking for a publisher, or do you prefer information on how to self-publish your work?

Some conferences are geared for a specific genre, which is great if you write in that genre. Some conferences cover a broader spectrum of genres and may include topics like marketing, pitching to an agent or editor, or self-publishing. Before you can choose the best conference on which to spend your time and money, you must determine what it is you need right now.

First, what do you write (or want to write)? Novels? Nonfiction books? Articles? Short stories? Poetry? Then narrow that down. What types of novels? Thriller? Romance? Or something else? What types of articles? Features? Self-help? Amusing anecdotes?

Next, where are you in your writing journey? Do you need to work on your craft? This includes things like pacing, dialogue, point-of-view, plotting, story arc, and self-editing. Do you think you have a pretty good grasp on the craft, but have no idea how to approach editors and agents, or how to compose a query letter? Maybe you want to learn the best ways to use social media to market your books or position yourself as an expert on a particular topic. Maybe you need help figuring out what kinds of book promotions work, and what kinds don’t.

Another important thing to consider, if you’re writing a book, is whether you want to self-publish it or go the traditional route. Or maybe you haven’t decided that yet.

Finally, what is the most important thing you want to get out of the conference? Is it to learn the skills necessary to get started or to improve your writing? Is it to learn how to market that book you’ve worked so hard on? Is it to meet with an agent, book editor, or magazine publisher? Is it to learn what you can about self-publishing? Or maybe you just want to network with other writers?

Once you know what you’re looking for, you can view conference listings with an eye as to how their offerings meet your needs. Read the titles and descriptions of the workshops and sessions thoroughly. Will the workshops provide you with the skills or knowledge you want? Go online and research the presenters to see what they write; maybe search for their books on Amazon and read the first few pages to see what you think of their work.

Are you writing a thriller, suspense novel, or mystery? Then maybe you should see if the conference offers any workshops on fight scenes, use of weapons, pacing, plotting. Do you write historical fiction? See if the conference offers workshops on how to conduct research for your story. Do you write romance? Beneficial workshops could cover topics such as dialogue, characters, or scenes.

Some workshops are geared for beginners. Others may expect a certain skill level or understanding. This applies to craft types of skills as well as technical types of skills. Read the descriptions carefully to see if it’s basic or advanced. You don’t want to waste your time covering material you already know or be lost in a complex topic your barely understand.

If your goal is to meet with an agent or editor, look to see if the conference offers appointments for pitch sessions. If they do, research those editors or agents to see if they handle the types of work you write. Go to their websites and blogs to get a better idea of what they’re looking for or what they might be like to work with. Go to sites like QueryTracker.net for more information about agents.

Other things to look for in a conference include opportunities to socialize with fellow writers, the presenters, and agents and editors. Are the meals included or do they cost more? Are critique services available, and if so, is there a cost involved? Can you make an appointment for advice with a marketing expert or book coach, and do these appointments cost anything?

A writer’s conference can be beneficial in so many ways. Do your research before you sign up, get plenty of rest in the days leading up to the conference, and have a great time once you’re there.

 

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