MWW 2010 Schedule
Thursday Events – July 29, 2010
Part I
8:00-8:30 am Registration packets for Part I available for pick up; coffee available
8:30-9:00 am Welcome
9:00-11:30 am INTENSIVE SESSIONS:
How to Keep a Stranger Up All Night: Secrets of Suspense Writing – Marcus Sakey. There’s a word for a book that’s impossible to put down: “Published.” No matter your genre, creating suspense is central to good storytelling. In this interactive session we’ll look how to create conflict on every page, how character and theme can be used to heighten tension, and how good plot structure can guarantee that readers—and editors—are desperate to find out what happens next.
CLOSED Manuscript Makeover Critique -- Led by Holly G. Miller, contributing editor, The Saturday Evening Post, and Dennis E. Hensley, contributing editor and columnist, Writer’s Journal. This interactive seminar is designed for those fiction and nonfiction writers who are ready to take a quantum leap forward in enhancing their writing skills. Participants will submit the first 10 pages and an outline or synopsis of a book manuscript in progress. The instructors will edit and critique these pages and display them (anonymously) to the class as a way of revealing strengths and weaknesses in the material. Additionally, the instructors will lead the students in writing exercises and offer advice on such topics as choosing a title, enhancing dialogue, learning to self-edit, mastering proofreading, finding the right markets for manuscripts and knowing when and how to go into writing full-time. This session is limited to the first 20 persons to register. Please submit your sample manuscript pages by JuNE 3. (Email midwestwriters@yahoo.com AND mail to Midwest Writers Workshop, Dept. of Journalism, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306).
Writing Christian Stories: They’re Not Just for Sunday School Anymore –- Ann Tatlock. Some forty years ago, Christian publishing houses started offering the occasional bible-based novel and romance stories. From that small beginning, fiction has become a major force in the Christian Booksellers Association, with hundreds of novels published each year in a dozen genres. Jump on board this publishing phenomenon by learning how to weave together characters, plot, narrative and dialogue to create a story about real people dealing with real-life issues from a faith perspective.
The Art of Characterization in Fiction and Nonfiction -- Dinty W. Moore. The people we write about in our novels and short stories are fiction, while the folks we write about in our memoirs and creative nonfiction are real, but the same rules apply in either case. These people—strangers, family members, figments of our imagination, or the author/narrator/self—must function as characters on the page. They must be brought to life through their actions, reactions, words, and intimate details, and they must hold readers' interest long enough for the story to unfold. This interactive workshop--complete with in-class exercises--will focus on a variety of strategies contemporary writers use to bring vivid characterization to fiction and nonfiction.
Picture This: Writing the Picture Book – Candace Fleming. By far the largest number of submissions received by children's book publishers are picture book manuscripts. Unfortunately, most of these stories can never be published. Why not? Because their authors did not understand the rigid requirements this unique art form demands. In this fun and relaxed workshop you will discover how to make the basic structure of the picture book work for your story. Participants will uncover the critical language of this specialized genre, and acquire the tools to make their stories sing; they will learn how to suggest visual scenes and apply techniques for seamlessly integrating story and words. Time together will be spent in writing exercises, peer review, brainstorming and individual critique.
Stop-Time: Finding Poems in Photographs – Debra Marquart. The photograph is a phenomenal visual record of a personal and cultural moment, powerful in its static remembering of otherwise fluid moments in lives. In this intensive poetry session, we'll begin by discussing the composition and visual details contained in several famous (and not-so-famous) photographs. Then we'll move to the personal by completing a series of generative free-writing exercises, followed by discussion, using participants' photographs as starting points. All participants in this session are asked to bring two photographs-- old or recent, casual or formal. These need not be photographs that the participant took, nor does the participant need to be featured in the photograph. However, they should be photographs that have some resonance, for whatever reason, for the author. The hope is that the free-writes will provide participants with good starting drafts for poems that can be taken home and revised/polished later.
11:45 am-1 pm Lunch: Jane Friedman
1:00-3:30 pm Intensive Sessions (continued)
3:45-4:15 pm Social Time / coffee /
Informal chat with Jane Friedman - Someone Please Explain E-Books to Me—And Why Should I Care? Should writers care about e-books, e-book devices, or any of the gadgetry that’s now making its way into daily life (Kindles, Nooks, iPhones, iPads, Droids)? Learn what the landscape is like for publishers and authors alike, and how you can use the newest technologies to get a jump on your own career.
Part II
4:30-5:30 pm Registration packets for Part II available
5:30-8:30 pm Introduction of Faculty / Host: Dennis Hensley
Ice breaker – “Getting to Know Us, Getting to Know You”
Friday Events – July 30, 2010
[NO pre-registration necessary for Part II sessions; attend any ones you want!]
8:15-8:30 am Informal Welcome
8:30-10:20 am Agent Q&A Panel: Uwe Stender, Robin Mizell, Suzie Townsend, Amy Boggs
10:30-12:20 am
[1] Secrets to Getting Published (Joint session Marcus Sakey & John Gilstrap). Finishing the book is just the beginning of the process. Join bestselling authors Marcus Sakey and John Gilstrap as they explain every step, from editing your manuscript through writing a query, landing a top agent, and signing the book deal.
12:30-1:45 pm Luncheon (provided) / Speaker: D.E. Johnson, How I Got Here From There
2:00-3:00 pm
[1] The Art and Craft of the Personal Essay – Dinty W. Moore. The personal essay is perhaps the oldest form of nonfiction prose, and yet it remains one of the most commonly misunderstood. Some people persist in the belief that the essay needs to be antiquated and moldy, while others claim the essay must follow a menu of 100 creativity-destroying rules. These misconceptions are unfortunate, because the personal essay is a wonderfully flexible and creative form, as fresh and inventive as the writer wishes it to be. In this session, we'll explore the art of essay writing, with prompts and exercises.
[2] Ideas and Inspiration – Ann Tatlock. Every novel begins with a single idea. How do you find an idea that works, and how do you develop it into a full-length novel? And is it true that characters have minds of their own and have a say in what happens to them? Come and find out.
[3] How Not to Knock Yourself Out of the Game – Marcus Sakey. You’re dedicated, smart, and talented. Now all you need to do is not shoot yourself in the foot. Learn six common mistakes aspiring writers make—and how to avoid them.
[4] The Souvenir: Travel Writing, in Miniature – Debra Marquart. Travel memories, as we process them after a trip, are often random, disjointed, and confusing. They are most often stored in the memory as fragments and impressions. These flashes of image, gesture, sensual detail, and anecdote that we saw along the way are a bit like those mute souvenirs (the shot glass from Kentucky, the two-inch replica of the Eiffel Tower) that we pick up on our travels as reminders-in-miniature that we did, in fact, journey to that place that lingers now only in our memory and imagination. In this session, we'll look at a few vivid postcard-sized excerpts from travel narratives and discuss strategies for creating cohesion between the fragmented memories to create a larger coherent rendering of a travel experience.
[5] Creating a One-Line Pitch – Amy Boggs. "So, what is your book about?" It's a question every writer faces but many have difficulty answering. This session aims at helping writers craft an all-purpose, one-line pitch for their next query, conference, or neighborhood barbeque.
3:10-4:10 pm
[1] Broken Bones, Ballistics and Backdrafts: Technical Stuff That Writers Should Get Right - John Gilstrap. Before becoming a bestselling author, John spent fifteen years in the fire and rescue service as a firefighter and EMT, responding to well over 4,000 emergencies. With a master's degree in safety engineering, he is a well-respected expert in explosives and hazardous materials. This session will answer the kinds of questions that can make or break a good action sequence: What actually happens when someone gets shot? Can you really run on a broken leg? What's it really like to be in structure fire? Do backdrafts really happen? How silent are silencers? Learn the answers to these questions and more, plus some chemistry, physics and physiology for the common man. (Warning: Contains graphic imagery)
[2] Make 'Em Laugh: Writing Humor for Kids – Candace Fleming. Nothing sells better than humor in today's children's market, but surprisingly, editor's receive few funny stories. Come and discover various techniques for "funnying" up your story, and how to apply them to your writing.
[3] Sharpening Your Own Blue Pencil – Ann Tatlock. You are not only your novel’s author but you are its first editor. A sloppy manuscript is unlikely to move beyond the slush pile, no matter how compelling the story. Learn what to look for when getting your manuscript ready for the marketplace.
[4] Marketing & Promoting Yourself Before the Book Deal (Even If You’re an Introvert) -- Jane Friedman. Facebook, Twitter, and forums—oh my. Online communities and social media tools should be a part of every author’s marketing arsenal, but most writers don’t understand how they can really make difference using them. This session helps give you a framework for using these sites effectively, and with a reasonable amount of time invested—but most of all, while having fun and growing your writing life in a meaningful way.
4:20-5:20 pm
[1] No Such Thing as Writer’s Block -- Dinty W. Moore. Writers block comes when the voices in our heads drown out our confidence, and anyone who has tried to be a writer knows how persistent those voices can be. But you don’t have to listen to those voices, just because they are there. This brief session will offer useful strategies to keep those voices at bay and keep you writing, even on those days when you want to run screaming from the room.
[2] Tales from The Truth: Writing Nonfiction for Children – Candace Fleming. This workshop will explore the growing market for creative children's nonfiction, from research to ways of artistically weaving facts into a compelling story.
[3] Four Tax Schedules Every Writer Needs to Understand -- Gary Hensley. Attend this session to learn the four critical tax schedules that can make you or break you financially as a professional writer. Don't count on your tax preparer to develop your tax-saving strategies. Also, as part of this session, Gary will cover the key documentation you will need to substantiate your deductions. Handouts to attendees.
[4] The Dreaded Synopsis – Suzie Townsend. You've written and revised your novel, polished your query, and then the agent/editor asks you for...the dreaded synopsis. Or: you’re applying for a grant, fellowship or residency and you want to include an excerpt of your novel or book-length work of non-fiction, and you’re asked to include…yup, the dreaded synopsis. Before you toss your computer out the window, let me prove to you that your synopsis doesn't have to be so dreadful. Instead, you can turn it into a strength that gets whoever’s reading it excited to dive into your book.
6:00-9:00 Evening Program: Pizza Party, The Great Midwest Writers Write-Off Contest
Coffeehouse Event/ From Poetry to Song. Author/Songwriter, Debra Marquart, will perform some of her songs and poems. A member of a jazz-poetry, rhythm & blues project, The Bone People, Marquart was a road musician in rock and heavy metal bands in the 70s and 80s. With her band, she released two CDs: Orange Parade (songs), and A Regular Dervish (jazz-poems). She continues to perform--solo and with her band--at colleges and museums around the country.
Saturday Events – July 31, 2010
8:30-10:00am Special interest tables “Buttonhole the Experts” (all faculty)
10:15-11:15 am
[1] Choosing How to Publish Panel -- with Jane Friedman, Tracy Richardson (Luminis Books, Laurie Gray, IBJ (self-publishing), Dan Johnson
[2] The Hero and the Shadow: Adversity in Children's Books – Candace Fleming. Your story is only as strong as the adversity your hero faces. Come and learn how to reveal your hero's strengths and weaknesses, and how battling impossible odds makes a satisfying story.
[3] The Truth about a Comfortable Chair: Writing Humorous Prose and Poetry -- Dinty W. Moore. You can’t force a joke. You can’t “pretend” to be funny. You can’t sit in front of your keyboard and simply decide that “I’m going to write something funny now.” You have to amuse yourself, and take honest pleasure in your own amusement. We’ll use brief exercises to explore what makes humor work in your own writing.
[4] Nonfiction Article Writing 101 – Ann Tatlock. Writing articles for magazine and e-zines is a great way to break into publishing. Learn the basics of crafting the compelling article, as well writing the query letter that will catch an editor’s eye.
11:30 am-12:30 pm
[1] Celestial Navigation: Techniques to Guide You Home – Marcus Sakey. Writing is hard. But there are tricks to make it easier. Bestselling novelist Marcus Sakey shares the secrets he’s discovered, from the big picture (“Never write about someone who isn't at the end of their rope”) to the hands-dirty details (“Leave out every word you can.”)
[2] Whose Story Are You Telling? - John Gilstrap. Choosing the correct point of view is one of the key elements of dramatic storytelling. John has been praised by Publishers Weekly for "flawless characterization" in his books, and in this interactive session, he'll walk you through the critical decisions that help you propel your story through the most dramatic set of eyes. Bring paper and a pen, because there'll be a writing exercise.
[3] "Smells Like Teen Spirit": The Use of Smell in Writing – Debra Marquart. As writers we know that supplying significant detail from the five senses is one of the most effective and efficient means to transport readers into our narratives. Yet, some senses (sight, sound, touch) seem to be privileged in writing, getting far more ink, while others (taste, smell) seem to get short shrift. In a recent New Yorker article, "The Dime Store Floor," author David Owen goes on a "smell tour" of his childhood, revisiting his old dentist's office and his childhood home, in addition to a museum and a dime store that he frequented as a child. "Certain smells go all the way down to the core of memory," Owen writes, "and encountering them again can set off reverberations." In this session, we'll discuss the complexity and problematics of describing smells, as well as the importance of cultivating a well-balanced sensory palate in our everyday lives, so that we will have a well-balanced palette of sensory details to choose from in our writing.
[4] How to Succeed as a Writer When Print Is Declining: 3 Models -- Jane Friedman. It used to be that writers could cut their teeth writing for newspapers and magazines, and work their way to success, even authorship. But what happens when those print opportunities just don’t exist anymore? Learn the three models that successful writers have used to further their careers when the traditional methods have stopped working.
[5] What You Need to Know to Maximize Your Business Travel Expenses -- Gary Hensley. This session will show you how to capture maximum deductions for travel, meals, entertainment and the business use of your vehicle. Stop losing significant tax deductions. The information in this session alone will provide immediate and future tax savings that will surpass the entire cost of your attendance at this workshop. Handouts will be provided.
12:30-2:00 pm Lunch (on your own)
2:00-3:00 pm
[1] Who Am I Today? Finding Your Voice in Nonfiction Writing -- Dinty W. Moore. Your singular nature and experience matters and can fuel your writing, even if you didn’t grow up in a family of acrobats or spend ten years sleeping alongside lions on the African veldt. It is not what happens to us in our lives that makes us into writers, it is what we make out of what happens to us. This brief session will explore ways of bringing your unique voice onto the page.
[2] Build Your Author Website in an Hour (for Free) -- Jane Friedman. You’ve probably heard that every writer needs a website (or maybe a blog). Maybe you’ve felt like doing such a thing was beyond your capabilities, time, and resources. This session will show you, in real time, how to start a site in just an hour, using the tools you have now, and without spending a dime.
[3] Life in the Spotlight: Author Opportunities After Publication – Candace Fleming. It's for the published author to determine how much time and energy to devote to self-promotion. This workshop will not only provide participants with publicity techniques and the fine points of creating fruitful relationships with the media, it will also detail the vast public speaking and presentation opportunities open to children's authors.
[4] Why Agents Say No: Disqualifiers You Might Be Able to Avoid – Robin Mizell. When evaluating queries and manuscripts, agents use mental formulas. Writers who can highlight desirable qualities and exceptional qualifications while eliminating shortcomings (in their manuscripts as well as their platforms) have better chances of finding literary representation. Learn what agents look for in prospective clients and their books. In fact, congratulate yourself for attending the Midwest Writers Workshop, because acquiring a better understanding of the book publishing industry gives writers a competitive advantage. In this session, there will be plenty of time set aside for questions.
3:15-4:15 pm
[1] Facing the Beauty: Divining Your Book’s True Shape Through the Chaos of Drafting – Debra Marquart. A developing book project is like a free-floating constellation of orbiting planets, meteor showers, spare moons, and interesting space junk that has wandered into your book’s gravitational field throughout the process of researching. While drafting, one wonders what to leave behind, what to keep, where to put everything, and whether or not all this accumulating detail will amount to any kind of meaning for a reader. The idea for the book was beautiful when you first imagined it, almost fully formed in your mind. Now, as each line and paragraph develops—so steeped in the particular and the anecdotal—the process can get chaotic, making it hard, if not impossible, to glance up from the close work and divine the book’s true shape. At this point, some writers find it helpful to step back and identify a higher theoretical structure appropriate to the book’s content (e.g., aesthetic, linguistic, mythic, postcolonial, feminist) as a sobering lens to re-illuminate the material and re-inform the process. In this session, we’ll talk about strategies for conceptualizing the book’s larger shape and prevailing themes while in the middle of the sometimes ugly process of drafting.
[2] Blood on the Page: Using Research to Create Credible Fiction - John Gilstrap. John’s critically-acclaimed thrillers feature military tactics and surveillance, but he has never served in the armed forces. In this session, you'll learn how to make minutes of research look like years of first-hand experience.
[3] Query and Synopsis: How to Grab an Agent's Attention; and What NOT to Do -- Dr. Uwe Stender. An agent receives countless queries a month, so your query and synopsis have to grab the agent's attention immediately. Typically, I decide within 5-10 seconds whether a query is interesting to me or not...which eliminates 90% or more of incoming queries within a few blinks of the eye. What can a writer do to grab an agent's attention instantaneously and what does a writer have to do to not lose the attention in the seconds and minutes after that? And thus, ideally make the agent want to see your manuscript, partial or proposal. This session will give some answers from an agent's perspective.
[4] Are You a Professional Writer? Don’t Wait for an IRS Audit to Find Out -- Gary Hensley [until 4:40 pm] Attend this session to find out what it takes to be considered a professional writer in the eyes of the IRS. Learn what you have to do now to nail down your professional status and why you don't want your writing efforts classified as a hobby. This year's expanded session promises to be the best ever on this challenging issue. Handouts to attendees.
5:00 pm Cash Bar
5:30-7:00 pm Closing Banquet/ Manny Awards
Keynote Speaker: Shirley Jump, "The Secrets of Successful Writers"
Speakers and program sessions subject to change
Every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule; however, all programs and times are subject to change.