conference
schedule
Conference Schedule
Thursday, September 7
3 pm - Arrival
5:00 pm - Orientation and introductions: Barn
6 pm - Dinner: Barn
7 pm - Free time to mingle in Barn.
Friday, September 8
Breakfast on own from food left in Barn kitchen by caterer
11:00 am - 12:15 pm: The first step: Your ms is complete, now what? How do you find the right agent? What should your query letter look like? How many agents should you approach at a time? Have the rules of the game shifted since Covid? Are agents experiencing burnout? How to find new agents with contacts and range. Once the agent submits, how can you help? The deal. Session with Reiko Davis. Barn
12:30 pm - Lunch. Barn
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm: Step two. The ins and outs of working with your editor. What are the various stages of editing. When is the book really finished? Panel with Cindy Spiegel, Lee Kravetz, Janis Cooke Newman, moderated by Jane Ciabattari. Barn
5:00 pm - Happy Hour: Barn
6:00 pm - Dinner: Barn
7:00 pm - Evening pitch session: Test your pitch in front of our experts, Lee Kravetz, Matthew Felix, Janis Cooke Newman…and the rest of the writers. (Wine welcome) Sign up in advance. Barn
Saturday, September 9
Breakfast on own from food left in Barn kitchen by caterer
11:30 pm - 12:15 pm: Step three. Publicity. Working with a publicist or finding a publicist. Timetable to pub date. How can you help? What to expect? The wheel of fortune.
Social media do’s & don’t s. Readings. Zoom/IRL. Panel with Kimberley Burns, Lee Kravetz, moderated by Jane Ciabattari. Barn
12:30 pm - Lunch. Barn
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm: Step four. Reviews. Pre pub reviews, newspaper reviews, magazine reviews, online/small press/specialty. Book awards. Getting the word out. How and Where to Get Your Book Reviewed. Panel with Kimberly Burns and Lee Kravetz, moderated by Jane Ciabattari. Barn
5:00 pm - Happy Hour. Barn
6:00 pm - Dinner. Barn
7:00 pm - Evening pitch session: Test your pitch in front of our experts, Lee Kravetz, Matthew Felix, Janis Cooke Newman…and the rest of the writers. (Wine welcome) Sign up in advance. Barn
Sunday, September 10
Breakfast on own from food left in Barn kitchen by caterer
11:00 am - 12:15 pm: Start now. Building Your Brand. Why you should think about building your brand before your book is finished. What is a platform, and how do you get one? Session with Matthew Felix. Barn.
12:30 pm - Lunch: Barn
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm: Going forward. All hands on deck to discuss how has publishing changed over the past 10 years? Five years? Year? Self publishing, hybrid publishing, indie publishing, Big Five, what’s an author to do? Panel with Reiko Davis, Cindy Spiegel, Kimberley Burns, Lee Kravetz, Matthew Felix, Janis Cooke Newman, moderated by Jane Ciabattari. Barn.
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5:00 pm - Happy Hour. Barn
6:00 pm - Dinner. Barn
7:00 pm - Evening pitch session: Test your pitch in front of our experts, Lee Kravetz, Matthew Felix, Janis Cooke Newman…and the rest of the writers. (Wine welcome) Sign up in advance. Barn
Monday, September 11
Breakfast on own from food left in Barn kitchen by caterer
Please check out by 10 am.