(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next CWW is an in-person event happening in Washington DC [Arlington area] on March 23, 2024. See you there.)
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THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (MARCH 23, 2024):
Agent pitches and critique consultations overlap with the sessions below. The topics below are mostly set, but subject to change. There will be 2-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so sometimes you may have your choice of what class you attend.
8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.
BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30
1. Understanding the Publishing Industry in 2024 — From Hybrid Publishing to Artificial Intelligence and Everything in Between (Shenandoah 1). Writers today have lots of choices and options, but that doesn’t mean your publishing journey is an easy path to navigate. How are traditional publishing and self-publishing changing? What kind of writer is attractive to an agent currently? What is hybrid publishing? How will A.I. (artificial intelligence) help or hurt writers in the years to come? Which social media sites and publishing resources are worth the time and effort in 2024? All these questions, and more, will be addressed during the speech.
2. The Importance of Place: How Setting Unlocks Superior Storytelling (Eisenhower Room), taught by Lori Steel. Plot, character, and setting are the magical three elements of story construction, but rarely does setting get the play time it deserves. When crafted with intention, setting affects decisions as broad as voice and character, and as detailed as what your protagonist eats for breakfast. When a writer is stuck or the project feels flat, a fully realized setting can be the culprit. We’ll spend time diving into the concept of setting and how its power can unlock your story to become the standout project it deserves.
BLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50
1. The Do’s and Don’ts of Querying Agents (Shenandoah 1), taught by Dani Segelbaum. The query letter is the ultimate tool for writers seeking publication. It is your sales letter that attempts to persuade an editor or agent to request a full manuscript or proposal. This is your first chance to present your book. What information do you need, and where do you start? This session will cover the ultimate “Do’s and Don’ts” of writing the perfect query letter to get you noticed by publishers and agents. The goal? A requested manuscript or proposal.
2. How to Market Yourself and Your Books: Talking Author Social Media, Blogging, and Platform (Eisenhower Room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, everyone could use some helpful guidance on how to effectively market themselves and sell more books. This session includes easy-to-understand advice on social media (Twitter, Facebook, more), blogging, and other simple ways you can market your work online cheaply and easily.
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15
Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.
BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30
1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest (Shenandoah 1), with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.
2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book Proposal (Eisenhower Room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. This session focuses on effective strategies for writing a nonfiction book proposal on any subject. Topics include industry standards, building your expertise, and how to prepare a winning proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the marketplace.
BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45
1. Open Agent Q&A Panel (Shenandoah 1). Several attending literary agents (and editors) will open themselves up to open Q&A from CWW attendees. Bring your questions and get them answered in this popular session.
2. Evergreen Keys to Writing Success (Eisenhower Room), taught by Chuck Sambuchino. Learn 10 things you can be doing right now that will help get your book(s) published and have more control over your writing destiny. This is a general course that addresses commonsense things any writer can do to give their work the best shot at getting published, such as writing the best thing they can, stealing from themselves to generate more content, and why writing for love and money is a good idea.
BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00
1. How to Build a Cast of Characters (Shenandoah 1), taught by Jeff Elkins. So you’re following all the genre tropes, but your stories still aren’t connecting with readers. In that case, examine the question: What is character growth and how do I get the readers to see it happening? In this class, attendees will be challenged to consider their story as an emotional journey they are taking the reader on; examine the usefulness/unhelpfulness of words like hero, villain, protagonist, and antagonist; learn the VEAH system (Vehicles, Engines, Anchors, and Hazards) that will put character growth at the center of your story; and more. At the end of the talk, participants receive free worksheets that will help them start to organize their cast and rethink their plot.
2. Improving Your Craft Through Revision (Eisenhower Room), taught by Taj McCoy. As authors, we are constantly told that before we query, we need to have a “revised and polished manuscript,” but what does that mean? Many times, we begin pitching before the manuscript is really ready. This class will share guidance often used in providing critiques to help you strengthen your manuscript as a whole through layered revision. We’ll tackle topics relevant to formatting thoughts, setting and sensory details, character distinctions through expression and tone, removing filler words, and showing vs. telling.
SESSIONS END: 5:00
Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day. (Register for the event here.)
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FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:
We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 5 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
- “Talking Dollars and Cents — How Authors Make Money,” from our Tennessee Writing Workshop
- “Publishing Options: Pros and Cons of Both Traditional and Indie Publishing,” from our Atlanta Writing Workshop
- “Overcoming Failure: How to Strive for ‘Yes’ in the Face of a Hundred Nos,” from our Florida Writing Workshop