The 2019 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ — The Grand Event

Tags

Author Voice, Book Marketing, C.Y.L.E. Literary, Character Development, Firefly Hill Press, Handling Rejection, Self-Publishing, Splickety Publishing, Talcott Notch Literary Agency, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft, Writing Fiction, Writing Flash Fiction, YA

 

Ben Wolf

Charis Crowe

Janeen Ippolito

Donna Brennan

Kathryn Kraft

Dr. Larry Schardt

David E. Fessenden

John Gibbs

Day 3 – Main Event – March 23, 2019

GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ 

 Over 20 Workshops, Agent/Editor pitch sessions, Marketing Consults

Lunch and Keynote address with Ben Wolf

Bookfair, Flash Literature Writing Contest, and Door Prizes

Dawn Sooy – Conference Chair

Announcements in Lehigh Room 7:30 AM – 8:20 AM

Map of Rooms – So You Don’t Get Lost

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Debora Riley-Magnus

Donna Galanti

Danielle Modafferi – Firefly Hill Press

Stephanie Kehr – C.Y.L.E. Literary

Tia Mele

Agent Pitches and Marketing Consults will run concurrent to workshops. Advance registration required. Please check your appointment times upon registration.

 

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Saturday Overview

Sessions run concurrent in Cedar Crest, Muhlenberg, Lafayette, & Moravian Rooms

Lunch in Salon A & B with Keynote Address by Ben Wolf

Book Fair, Flash Fiction Contest

Door Prizes announced during Book Fair (must be present to win)

 

Program Syllabus – Morning

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Lunch with Keynote Speaker – Ben Wolf

In Salon B

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Program Syllabus – Afternoon

 

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Flash Literature Contest 

Flash Literature – 2018 Conference

Flash Literature – 2018 Conference

Don’t forget to stop by the Lehigh Room to vote on this year’s entries for the 100 word Flash Literature Contest for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry.  

Use the color-coded note cards in your registration booklet to cast your vote for your favorite entry in each category. You may only vote for one entry in each category. Place your ballot in the box provided. You must be registered at the conference to be eligible to vote.

 Voting ends at 2:30 p.m. Flash Fiction officials will then tally the votes and announce the winners at the book fair after 3:30 p.m. Winners need not be present. However, winnings may include a certificate for book fair purchase which must be used at the 2019 conference.

 

 

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3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Book Fair – Contest Results – Door Prizes – Networking Opportunities

Contest Winners, Door Prizes (Must be present to win)

Book Fair — All published GLVWG members are eligible to participate in the book fair if registered in advance by March 3, 2019, with contact book fair coordinator Sandra Almonte at glvwg.bookfair@gmail.com.

Detailed instructions for selling your book(s) at the Book Fair, please click HERE.

 

2018 Book Fair

2018 Door Prizes

2018 Book Fair

 

5:00 PM — Conference closes

Check this website in the next couple of weeks, where we’ll post pictures of the conference.

 

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Article by D.T. Krippene – Social Media Chair

You can find DT at his Website – “Searching For Light in the Darkness“

his Facebook Page, and Twitter @dtkrippene

 

 

The 2019GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ – Day 2

Tags

Ben Wolf, Book Marketing, Charis Crowe, Janeen Ippolito, Self-Publishing, Splickety Publishing, Storytelling, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft

2018 Conference

2018 Conference

2018 Conference

Day 2 of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group Write Stuff Conference™ on Friday, March 22, will consist of half-day seminars with Ben Wolf, Charis Crowe, and Janeen Ippolito, followed by Page Cuts Critique Sessions with publishing professionals, and an early evening seminar on “The Pixar Method” with Charis Crowe.

Ben Wolf

Charis Crowe

Janeen Ippolito

 

7:00 a.m. Check-In table opens. Pick up registration materials at the check-in table

Friday session includes Lunch, two half-day workshops and evening seminar, Page Cuts Critique (with $10 fee) and evening reception. 

 

Map of Room Locations – Don’t Get Lost

 

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8:30 AM – 12:00 PM ~ The Three Pillars of Storytelling

with Ben Wolf and Charis Crowe

Storytellers throughout the ages have employed three essential elements to weave compelling tales: the high concept, the characters, and the plot. Each of these elements, when utilized efficiently, work together to support everything from short stories and flash fiction to epics sprawling across multiple movies, shows, and books.

This half-day workshop begins with a discussion of the story’s high concept and what makes for an irresistible idea. Then follows a breakdown of how to create engaging and realistic characters with backstories and motivation. The class concludes with an exploration of how to create interesting plots based on the classic three-act structure. Developing these three pillars of storytelling will help propel any story (and any storyteller) to new heights.

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12:00 Noon – 12:45 PM ~ Lunch (included)

Salon B

Plus: Networking Opportunities

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1:00 PM – 4:30 PM ~ Book to Market:

Tips to Package, Promote, and Publish Your Book

With Janeen Ippolito

 Should you aim for a traditional publisher or try to publish yourself? Is there a way to make selling books easier? And what social media should you really be using? Get clarity on your publishing and marketing options from publishing industry pro and marketing coach Janeen Ippolito.

These sessions take out the “overwhelm” and enable you to make decisions with confidence about your manuscript’s future.

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2018 Conference

2018 Conference

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ~ Page Cuts Critique Sessions

In the Cedar Crest, Muhlenberg, and Lafayette Rooms

LIMITED SEATING: Advance registration necessary

Additional $10.00 charge with any registration

Page Cuts critique sessions are optional ($10.00 session charge) Participants will be assigned to a room headed by a team of publishing professionals who have been asked to provide feedback on your work. This kind of “cold critique” i.e. where first impressions count, is exactly like someone reading the first page of your novel at a bookseller, whether on line or in a store. That impression is what determines whether they buy your book. Don’t pass up this opportunity to get that first page polished so it shines!

Your work will be read aloud by a room moderator and commented upon by our panelists. No names will be used, all works are COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS. Opinions of workshop panelists are theirs alone and do not represent the opinions of GLVWG.

Limited readings. Participants who have been informed of their successful enrollment should bring to their session four copies of the first page of a longer work (fiction, creative nonfiction, or memoir) along with four copies of a 100-word overview of the entire work.

Copies must be formatted. Double-spaced, 12 pt. “Times” font, 1-inch margins, Title & Genre at top of page. No names please. Print to start at the top of the page. 

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7:00 PM – 8:00 PM ~ The Pixar Method with Charis Crowe

In the Moravian Room

(Runs Concurrent to Page Cuts Critique)

Through the magic of engaging characters and heart-tugging plot lines, Pixar has brought us stories that ring true to who we are for over 20 years. Discover their methods, unpack the Pixar secrets for success, and learn how to apply them in your own writing.

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2018 Conference

2016 Conference

8:30 PM – 10:00 PM ~ Reception/Social Gathering

A relaxing atmosphere with snacks, soft drinks, cash bar. A perfect opportunity to network among fellow writers, presenters, agents and editors.

 

But don’t party too hard. Saturday’s main event is a busy day.

 

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Article by D.T. Krippene – Social Media Chair

You can find DT at his Website – “Searching For Light in the Darkness“

his Facebook Page, and Twitter @dtkrippene

 

What I Learned at the BookBaby Independent Writers Conference

Tags

Book Marketing, BookBaby, EBook Services, Indie Publishing, Self-Publishing

 

 

GLVWG’s Idelle Kursman shares lessons learned when she attended the BookBaby Independent Writers Conference this past November.

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I came home from attending the second annual BookBaby Independent Authors Conference in Philadelphia. I met wonderful fellow writers, listened to practical book marketing tips from successful authors and entrepreneurs, and took away many ideas I am anxious to try.  In this post, I would like to share some of the great ideas I learned at the conference.

Eva Lesko Natiello is an author, speaker and book marketing consultant. She wrote and self-published The Memory Box, a bestseller on The New York Times and USA Today. Her website is evanatiello.com. Eva gave the following marketing tips for self-published authors:

• Fill out your Amazon Author Page completely and link it to your website and blog.
• Run a discounted price promotion and advertise it widely.
• Be a guest for a book blogger. To find book bloggers, simply google “(Your genre”) book bloggers”
• Study the competition. Make a list of all the current books similar to yours in the last three years and find out their book prices, format, and number of pages. How are authors of your genre promoting their books?
• Show gratitude to readers who have taken the time to review your book.

 Tieshena Davis is the CEO and Senior Publisher of the award-winning Purposely Created Publishing Group. She is a speaker and the author of Think Like a Bookpreneur (www.thinklikeabookpreneur.com). Tieshena encouraged authors to begin selling their books with pre-sales, which is a strategy to establish audience interest, connect with fans, and secure advance sales before a book is publicly released.

• Authors need to meticulously plan during the pre-sales process (6-8 weeks before book is released) to achieve results. Set a goal of how much money you the author would like to make. Remember to calculate all expenses (costs of the printing, transaction, shipping, packaging, etc.), and review the profit margin.
• Authors need tools to drive sales such as an email notification list, creating a promotion team, alerting social media followers to spread the word, and exploring targeted events where your readers gather.
• Notify target buyers on an email notification list that the book is available for pre-order.
• Build an audience connection by sharing quotes, tips, or resources; host weekly virtual events; email teaser content; offer special bulk book packages; and send out snippets of the book.
• Run ad campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon Author-sponsored ads.
• Discount and cross promote. An example is if readers pre-order author’s second book, they will get the first book at 50% off.
• Run weekly contests and giveaways.

 Joanna Penn was the keynote speaker of the BookBaby conference. She is an author, international speaker, and entrepreneur. Joanna writes fiction and nonfiction. Thousands of authors go to her website www.TheCreativePenn.com for marketing and promotion. The following are her tips:

• Change your mindset– don’t think of yourself as a struggling author. Write down positive affirmations and refer to them daily.
• Authors must focus on the customer. It’s not about you, it’s about the reader. What do they want to pay for? Find the intersection between what you love and what you can sell.
• Amazon is a search engine for people “who buy stuff.” Use it for research to find out what people are buying.
• Sell your book in multiple countries in English. Joanna’s books have sold in English in 86 countries through Kobo (a Canadian company that sells e-books, audiobooks, e-readers, and tablet computers).
• Write three shorter books rather than one 80,000-word book. This works well in fiction.
• Build multiple streams of income. Most writers make money from other sources like speaking, freelancing, and blogging.
• Attract an audience that works best with your personality, your book, and your lifestyle. What can you do consistently over the long term?
• Take action.
• You get what you focus on. Make the time.
• Write the best book you can. Don’t rush it!

As one can see, being a successful author involves hard work; there are no shortcuts. Research, computer savvy, and knowledge of various marketing strategies are imperative. Writing the best book you possibly can is simply not enough.  The experts advise doing around twenty minutes of marketing a day along with writing. If one marketing strategy doesn’t work, try another. Don’t give up.

The BookBaby Writers Conference boosted my motivation to market my first novel, True Mercy. It was great meeting so many like-minded people. Rather than being competitive, participants were eager to help fellow authors succeed. Networking opportunities abounded.

 

Article originally published on Idelle Kursman’s website blog at Idellekursman.com.

 

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Idelle Kursman was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Boston College and her Master’s from William Paterson University. She has a loved one with autism and after watching the movie Taken five years ago, she felt compelled to write a novel about human trafficking. Since she loves thrillers, especially if it is a book she cannot put down, she sought to give readers this experience in her debut novel. At the same time, Idelle seeks to raise awareness for autism and the international human trafficking crisis. She lives with her family in New Jersey.

 You can find Idelle on her website: https://idellekursman.com/, and social media links.

facebook.com/luckcanchange

twitter.com/IdelleKursman

linkedin.com/in/idelle-kursman

Meet Claire McKinney

Tags

PR for Authors, Public Relations, Self-Publishing, Writing, Writing Conferences

Claire McKinney is a twenty-year veteran in the publishing industry. In 2011 she founded Claire McKinney PR, LLC a public relations agency that specializes in branding and publicity for books and authors – as well as spokespeople, executives and thought leaders.

Before starting her own company, she worked for major publishers including Little, Brown and Company, Putnam, and Disney Publishing. Her clients have included Della Reese, Madeleine Albright, James Patterson, Walter Mosley, Robert Dallek, Rick Moody, George Pelecanos, Kristin Gore, and Quick and Dirty Tips.

Claire authored and published Do You Know What a Book Publicist Does? A Guide for Creating Your Own Campaigns. In the book, Claire gives authors step by step strategies on the publishing process from how to promote your book to the media to creating a timeline and planning a campaign on your own to talking to your publisher about publicity and everything in between.

She has written many articles as a guest contributor for authors, the top three listed here.

8 Tips to Keep in Your Mind When Seeking Bood Reviews

Creating Your Perfect Author Bio – Long and Short Form

Book and Author PR 101: Five Reasons Press Releases Still Matter

 

In addition to book promotion and publishing, Claire also speaks on social media marketing.

Claire will be at the 2018 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™, Saturday March 24, to offer advice on author PR strategies (advance registration required).

To get more info on Claire McKinney, visit her at www.clairemckinneypr.com.

 

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  Article contributed by Sandra Almonte

Sandra Almonte is a Certified Fitness Trainer and Health & Wellness Coach. She is also a Freelance Copywriter (www.thewellnesscopywriter.com). She writes on health, fitness, and nutrition for publications in print and online. Sandra has a poem, Wither Or Flourish, published in the 2016 GLVWG Anthology – Write Here, Write Now. And she’s currently the newsletter chair for GLVWG.

When Sandra’s not training, coaching, or writing she enjoys hiking with her dog, bike riding, making bracelets using sterling silver and unique beads, and volunteering for good causes.

 

An Interview with Claire McKinney

Tags

PR for Authors, Public Relations, Self-Publishing, Writing, Writing Conferences

Claire McKinney has been working in public relations for 20 years. She has appeared on the Today show, and CSPAN as an expert on publishing and she regularly travels to speak to authors and audiences about PR and social media marketing.  Authors she has worked with include Della Reese, Toni Morrison, Madeleine Albright, Walter Mosley, Robert Dallek, Rick Moody, George Pelecanos, Plum Sykes, Noam Chomski, Richard North Patterson, and Kristin Gore.

GLVWG’s Emily Thompson spoke with Claire about public relations and what her company can do to help authors.

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Emily:  What type of services does your public relations firm offer for writers?

Claire:     We offer all aspects of public relations including publicity, content marketing, social media, image consulting, messaging, media training and design.

Emily:  Does your firm help create an authors platform? How can these help an author reach his/her goals?

Claire:     We do help a lot of authors who are being published for the first time and who don’t have name recognition in the consumer world.  Creating a social media platform using the right outlets for the author and subject, pitching the author for events, building a blog following for the author through reviews and posts are all ways to help the writer get established.  Different people have different goals.  Some are looking to generate business for themselves; others are hoping to educate and provide their ideas to the greater conversation regarding an issue; and then there are those people looking to share their imagination and creativity with readers through fiction.  In general, all authors would like to sell their books and a thoughtful pr strategy using media relations and the online tools that are available will provide the greatest opportunity for their books to reach a buying audience.

Meet Jaime Saloff -Helping Authors Write More, Sell More, and Be More.

Tags

Author Entrepreneur, Book Marketing, Self-Publishing, Writing Advice, Writing Conferences, Writing Courses

Last December, we announced that Jaime Saloff will be attending The GLVWG WriteStuff Writer’s Conference™, March 24-25, 2017, with “What’s the Right Type of Publishing for my Book”, and “Self Publishing on a Budget”.

GLVWG member, Mitzi Flye, had an opportunity to interview Mitzi about her views on the writer as an entrepreneur and her business that helps boost your self-published book, Bookectomy™

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MF: Thank you so much for being a presenter for The Write Stuff conference. Your bio and your website seem to show that your business caters to women. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I wondered how that happened. Was that a conscious decision or did it “just happen”?

 

There’s two answers. The first is that it was a marketing decision. The more focused one can be in marketing, the easier it is to find and connect with a target audience. (This is also important when marketing books.) However, my younger son, who helps me with my graphics, recently said I was being sexist, so we changed the logo to include a male. (He is, of course, not pregnant like the women, but he is holding a bouncing baby book.) In addition, I guessed. I thought I worked with about 1/10th the amount of men as women over the years. But after my son’s prodding, I went and counted. Turns out I worked with about 50/50 men and women. I seem to get along very well with critical ex-military, chiropractors, psychology specialists, and cranky lawyers, where on the women side I tend to work with a lot of doctors, healers, and the metaphysically inclined. After nearly twenty-years in the business, I find I can work with almost anyone, men or women.

Deborah Riley-Magnus to Offer Marketing Tips for Authors.

Tags

Author Coach, Book Marketing, Self-Publishing, Writing Advice, Writing Conferences

We are pleased to have author and success coach Deborah Riley-Magnus present on the topic of marketing at the at The GLVWG WriteStuff Writer’s Conference™, March 24-25, 2017.  She has a twenty-seven year professional background in marketing, advertising, and public relations as a writer for print, television, and radio.

Her nonfiction—Finding Author Success, Cross Marketing Magic for Authors, and Write Brain/Left Brain—focuses on helping authors by teaching them how to bridge the gap between the creative writer and the marketing author.

Deborah’s fiction is imaginative and mystical, beginning with the Twice Baked Vampire Series books 1 and 2, Cold in California and Monkey Jump. The first of a 2 part Cowboys and Angels supernatural romance saga is entitled Lucifer’s Guide. Deborah is currently working on a supernatural new adult series, The Lost Race.

As an Author Success Coach she produces several pieces monthly for various websites and online publications. She teaches online and live workshops, clinics, and boot camps. She writes an author marketing industry blog and coaches authors, one-on-one, for sales success. Deborah belongs to several writing and professional organizations.

Jaime Saloff to Offer Advice on Self-Publishing

Tags

Book Marketing, Self-Publishing, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Courses

Jamie Saloff will be one of the presenters at The GLVWG WriteStuff Writer’s Conference™, March 24-25, 2017. Her main topic for this weekend is all about self-publishing.

Having spent nearly three years researching and writing her first book, Jamie learned the disappointing reality that many authors face with the receipt of their first royalty check: although the book retailed for nearly twenty-five dollars, Jamie would only receive $1.25 per book. When an editor cut the best parts of her second book and she was paid a miserly $500 for her efforts, she became disenchanted with traditional publishing.

At this time, a new technology came on the scene — print-on-demand (POD) printing. Intrigued, Jamie dived in, and soon began helping others publish by this means.

Nearly twenty years later, Jamie speaks and coaches would-be authors helping them avoid the scams and money traps many fall prey to as they endeavor to self-publish a book. She shares insider secrets that separate the amateurs from the pros. She shows clients how to keep costs low and profits high, while stressing the importance of quality and professionalism.