SFWC 2019 Presenters Handouts

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You can print these out if you’d like to bring them to the conference. But we’re trying to be green and save trees so maybe you can just save them on your computer 🙂

We’re adding more handouts and links as they come in from the speakers so please check back before you leave for San Francisco.

We look forward to seeing you at the conference!

Making This Your Best Writers Conference Ever (Kevin Smokler & Nina Amir)

• 10 Ways to Make the Most of a Writers’ Conference
• 16 Ways to Take a Writers’ Conference Home

Indie Editors

• Our Writing Teachers Are Everywhere – Mary Rakow
• 40 Great Questions to Ask Me as Your Editor – Mary Rakow

Breakout #1

Prepping the Perfect Pitch: Novel and Memoir (Heather Lazare, Andy Ross, Kristina Meister)

Queries: What They Are and How to Craft a Great One (Dawn Frederick)

Fiction: The Novelist’s Journey Down the Scary Rabbit Hole (Kristen Lamb, Alessandra Harris, Mary Rakow)

• Down the Rabbit Hole – Alessandra Harris
• Down the Rabbit Hole – Expect Your Writing to Change You – Mary Rakow

Nonfiction: How to Turn Your Blog into a Book Production Machine (Nina Amir)

• Blog Your Way to a Book Deal

Breakout #2

Prepping the Perfect Pitch: Nonfiction (Dawn Frederick, Kristen Moeller)

Prepping the Perfect Pitch: Children’s/YA (Jennie Kendrick, Jennifer March Soloway)

Fiction: Nailing Your Novel’s 1st Page (Alex White, Beth Barany, Monica Wesolowska)

• First Page-checklist – C. S. Lakin
• PDF of First Page Slides 

Nonfiction: Legal Concerns for Nonfiction Writers (Helen Sedwick)

Plenary Session – Publishing Options (Patrick Aylward, Mark Coker, Andrew Burleson, Dan Wood, Kinga Jentetics, Kathy Meis. Moderator: Carla King) 6:00-7:00 pm

Breakout #3

Special Kids Session-Open to the Public (Marissa Moss)

• Marissa Moss’s Writing Tips

Meet the Fiction Agents (Lisa Abellera, Amelia Appel, Dawn Frederick, Annie Hwang, Dorian Maffei, Laurie McLean, Patricia Nelson, Monica Odom, Paul Stevens, Jennifer Chen Tran, Gordon Warnock, Carlisle Webber. Moderator: Jessica Zafarris)

Childrens/YA: Differences between PB, MG & YA…and All the Other Age Groups In-Between! (Eric Elfman, Mekisha Telfer, Nikki Garcia, Victoria Piontek. Moderator: Jennifer March Soloway)

Self-Pub: An Introduction to Self-Publishing Your Ebook (Jim Azevedo)

Fiction: Masterful Scene Structure (Jordan Rosenfeld, Nina Schuyler, Kathleen Antrim)

• Masterful Scene Structure – 8 Steps to a Perfect Scene – C. S. Lakin
• Masterful Scene Structure – Scene Checklist – C. S. Lakin
• Masterful Scene Structure – Scene Checklist – Nina Schuyler
• Masterful Scene Structure – Psychic Distance – Kathleen Antrim

Nonfiction: Build Your Online Platform (Nina Amir, Stephanie Chandler, Anne Janzer)

• The Station and Satellite Platform-Building Strategy – Nina Amir
• How to Build Your Online Platform – Anne Janzer

Mktg/Biz: What You Need to Know to Get Started Online (Linda Lee)

Breakout #4

Meet the Childrens/YA Agents and Editors (Lisa Abellera, Amelia Appel, Dawn Frederick, Nikki Garcia, Annie Hwang, Taylor Martindale Kean, Jennie Kendrick, Dorian Maffei, Laurie McLean, Patricia Nelson, Jennifer March Soloway, Mekisha Telfer, Gordon Warnock, Carlisle Webber. Moderator: Jessica Zafarris)

Childrens/YA: Write Fast, Revise Slowly (Eric Elfman, Maggie Tokuda-Hall)

Self-Pub: Creating a Bestseller Website (Linda Lee)

Fiction: Writing with Page-Turning Tension (Jordan Rosenfeld)

• Writing with Page-Turning Tension – Jordan Rosenfeld

Nonfiction: Productivity Tips for Writing Your Nonfiction Book (Anne Janzer)

• Productivity Tips for Your Nonfiction Book – Anne Janzer

Mktg/Biz: How to Find & Work With a Publicist (Rusty Shelton, Tracy Oliver, Joey Garcia, Penny Sansevieri)

Breakout #5

Meet the Nonfiction Agents (Peter Beren, Dawn Frederick, Kristen Moeller, Monica Odom, Andy Ross, Jennifer Chen Tran, Gordon Warnock. Moderator: Jessica Zafarris)

Childrens/YA: Marketing Books for Children (Victoria Piontek, Eric Elfman, Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Moderator: Andrea Brown)

Self-Pub: Book Formatting Strategies: How to DIY or Manage Formatting for Ebooks, Paperbacks, and Hardcover Books (Patrick Aylward, Mark Coker, Dan Wood, Adam Woods. Moderator: Paul Kilpatrick)

Fiction: An Exploration of the 21 senses (Beth Barany)

• Beyond the 21 Senses – Beth Barany

Nonfiction: Advanced Book Marketing & Launch Strategies (Stephanie Chandler)

• Traditional Book Deal Checklist – Stephanie Chandler

Mktg/Biz: Can You Hear Me Now: Audiobooks and Podcasts (Alex White, Carla King)

• Audiobooks and Podcasts – Carla King

Breakout #6

Meet the Fiction Editors (Libby Edelson, Tory Hartmann, Brenda Knight, Danielle Marshall, Jane Ormerod, Daniela Rapp, Steve Saffel, Jacob Weisman. Moderator: Jessica Zafarris)

• Honing Your Editing Skills – Jane Ormerod

Childrens/YA: Point of View: Crafting an Authentic KidLit Voice as an Adult (Mekisha Telfer, Nikki Garcia. Moderator: Andrea Brown)

Self-Pub: Author Income Diversity: Simplifying Sales and Adding Affiliate Income using Universal Book Links (Dan Wood, Kevin Tumlinson)

Fiction: 4 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing (Nina Schuyler, Ransom Stephens, Alessandra Harris, Monica Wesolowska)

• Fatal Flaws – Backstory Dumps – Monica Wesolowska
• Fatal Flaws – Underwriting – Alessandra Harris
• Fatal Flaws-Overwriting – Nina Schuyler

Nonfiction: Land a Nonfiction Book Deal (Gordon Warnock, Dawn Frederick, Jason Gardner, Jennifer Chen Tran)

Mktg/Biz: 10 Steps to Building a Bestselling Author Platform (Rusty Shelton)

Breakout #7

Meet the Nonfiction Editors (Libby Edelson, Jason Gardner, Brenda Knight, Jane Ormerod, Daniela Rapp, Steve Saffel. Moderator: Jessica Zafarris)

Quiz Marketing: Fun. Addictive. Smart. (Nick Alter)

Self-Pub: Professionalism Matters: Make Your Self-Published Books Look Identical to Traditionally Published Books (Stephanie Chandler, Patrick Aylward, Kathy Meis. Moderator: Carla King)

• Self-Publishing Checklist – Stephanie Chandler
• Nonfiction Authors Association Recommended Resources
• Industry Standards Checklist Professionally Published Book [IBPA site link]

Fiction: How to Write Stunning Sentences (Nina Schuyler)

• How to Write Stunning Sentences – Handout 1 – Nina Schuyler
• How to Write Stunning Sentences – Handout 2 – Nina Schuyler

Nonfiction: Getting Local Media Attention as a Subject Matter Expert (Joey Garcia)

Mktg/Biz: Writer’s Groups: How to Form or Join One and Accelerate Your Writing (Kristen Moeller)

Breakout #8

How to Create A Million-Copy Bestseller (Kerry Lonsdale, Gordon Warnock, Danielle Marshall)

Poetry: Craft & Editing Short Topics (Poetry as Ritual, Culture, and Warfare – Kim Shuck, 3 Sources for Inspiration & Getting into a Writing State That Works For You – Joan Gelfand, Becoming a Poet; Putting Yourself in Your Poetry – Mary Mackey, Honing Your Editing Skills & Trusting Your Instincts – Jane Ormerod, Virtuoso Editing Techniques – Diane Frank, Moderator: Richard Loranger) A

Tips for Pacing and Clarity in Your Writing (Steve Saffel) B

• Tips for Pacing & Clarity – Steve Saffel

Childrens/YA: Publishing Journeys (Gail Carriger, Sandy Stark McGinnis, Diana Toledano, Randy Ribay. Moderator: Jennifer March Soloway)

Self-Pub: Your Book in Color: How to Create, Print, and Distribute Full-color Children’s, Travel, Coffee-table, and other Books, or Add Inserts or Spot-color to your Black-and-white Book (Patrick Aylward)

Fiction: Crime and Punishment (Rick Acker, George Fong, Kristen Lamb)

Nonfiction: Self-Publishing Nonfiction (Carla King, Stephanie Chandler, Karl Palachuk)

Mktg/Biz: Sound Like a Celebrity: Tips & Techniques for Public Speaking (Jess Ponce)

Breakout #9

Poetry: Publishing Panel, Q&A Format (Jim Azevedo of Smashwords, Diane Frank of Blue Light Press, Jane Ormerod of Great Weather for Media, Jennifer Josephs of Manic D Press, Bruce Isaacson of Zeitgeist Press, Authors: Joan Gelfand, Richard Loranger, Andy Jones, Chaya Bhuvaneswar, Moderator: Lissa Provost) A until 3:15 pm

Get Inside Your Readers’ Brains: The Neuroscience of How to Make Readers Laugh and Cry (Ransom Stephens)

• Get Inside Your Reader’s Brain – Ransom Stephens

Childrens/YA: Creating a Picture Perfect Picture Book (Douglas Rees, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Diana Toledano)

Self-Pub: Bestselling Ebook Secrets (Mark Coker)

Fiction: Mastering the Art of Suspense (Rick Acker, George Fong, Kerry Lonsdale, Kathleen Antrim. Moderator: Danielle Marshall)

• Suspense Panel – Domestic Suspense – Kerry Lonsdale
• Suspense Panel – Using Research to Build Suspense – Kathleen Antrim

Nonfiction: Lifestyle Writing (Barb Santos, Carla King, Joey Garcia, Penny Warner)

• Travel Writing Presentation – Carla King
  Travel and Food Writing – Barbara Santos

Screenwriting: Perfecting the Mechanics (Paul Zeidman, EJ de Brun, Cali Gilbert)

• 3-Act Story – EJ de Brun

Breakout #10

Books to Screen: Turning Books into Movies, TV & Streaming Successes (EJ de Brun, Christine Conradt, Cali Gilbert) B

• Adapting Your Novel to Screenplay – Christine Conradt

Childrens/YA: Crafting Memorable YA characters (Gail Carriger, Kristina Meister, Randy Ribay. Moderator: Jennifer March Soloway)

Self-pub: Make Your English Ebook BIG in China and other International Markets (Kinga Jentetics)

Fiction: Villains, Antagonists, and Other Baddies (Kristen Lamb)

• Antagonist Handout – Kristen Lamb

Nonfiction: Revenue Streams for Nonfiction Writers (Jim Horan, Karl Palachuk, Stephanie Chandler)

Mktg/Biz: What Really Happens in NY Publishing: A Q&A (Libby Edelson, Sam Horn, Daniela Rapp.)

Breakout #11

Poetry: You’ve Got a Book, Now What? Short Topics (Creating a Marketing Plan – Jennifer Josephs, Submitting to Contests, Periodicals, & Anthologies – Jane Ormerod, Giving Great Readings – Mary Mackey, Connecting to the Poetry Community – Richard Loranger, Moderator: Andy Jones) A

Fiction: Building a Believable Fantasy World (Alex White, Ransom Stephens, Steve Saffel, Gail Carriger. Moderator: C. S. Lakin) B

• Building a Believable Fantasy World – World-Building Checklist – C. S. Lakin

Childrens/YA: Middle Grade Madness: Making Great Books for Young Readers (Penny Warner, Sandy Stark McGinnis, Douglas Rees)

• Middle Grade Madness – Penny Warner

Tech/Mktg: How to Find Beta Readers and Turn Them into a Team of Superfans to Perfect your Story, Market your Book, and Launch to Five-star Reviews (Andrew Burleson)

Fiction: The Romance Factor (Rachelle Ayala, Beth Barany, Kerry Lonsdale. Moderator: Tanya Egan Gibson)

• Romance Factor-Tame the Dreaded Middle – Rachelle Ayala
• Romance Factor – Romantic Elements – Kerry Lonsdale
• Romance Factor – Romance Elements – Beth Barany

Nonfiction: How to Write How-To Books (Anne Janzer, Karl Palachuk, Jim Horan)

• How to Write How-to Books – Anne Janzer

Filmmaking: How to Break into Hollywood (EJ de Brun, Cali Gilbert, Christine Conradt)

• Filmmaking: How to Break into Hollywood – Cali Gilbert

Breakout #12

Mktg/Biz: How to Make Money Selling Books on Amazon (Penny Sansevieri)

Mktg/Biz: Reach Readers All Over the World from Your Desk with a Website, Blog, and Email Newsletter (Linda Lee)

Fiction: How to Craft Distilled, Dynamic Dialogue (Alex White, Nina Schuyler, Rachelle Ayala)

• Dialogue Panel – Worksheet – Alex White
• Dialogue Panel – Dialogue and Subtext – Rachelle Ayala

Nonfiction: Memoir Writing (Linda Joy Myers, Joey Garcia, Monica Wesolowska)

• Magic of Memoir – Monica Wesolowska

Graphic Novels & Comics: More than Zap! Bam! Pow! (Gordon Warnock, Steve Saffel)

Breakout #13

Historical Research: How to Make the Past Come Alive Accurately (Taryn Edwards, Brigid O’Farrell)

Self-Pub: Step-By-Step Success: Managing All the Steps it Takes to Produce and Publish a Book (Stephanie Chandler, Carla King)

• Self-Publishing Checklist – Stephanie Chandler
• Industry Standards Checklist Professionally Published Book [IBPA site link]
• Consumer’s Guide for Self-Publishers, Metadata Cheatsheet, and Book Launch Checklist- Carla King
• Book Production Checklist – Carla King
• Beta Reader Worksheet – Carla King

Fiction: Setting is More Than a Place (Kristen Lamb, Kristina Meister, Nina Schuyler)

• Setting Is More Than a Place – Kristina Meister

Nonfiction: The Art of Personal Essay (Joey Garcia, Linda Joy Myers, Barb Santos)

Mktg/Biz: Syncing your Book to the Market with Metadata and Competitive Analysis to Guarantee 5-star reviews (Kathy Meis)

• Bublish Book Positioning Study Template – Kathy Meis

Breakout #14

I Can’t Believe I Wrote This Thing: Tips for Writing Even When You’re Busy, Isolated or Running Out of Confidence and Energy (Sam Horn)

Self Pub: Distribution with Amazon and Beyond: Understanding Distribution Opportunities, Terms and Sales Channels (Patrick Aylward, Mark Coker, Dan Wood, Kinga Jentetics)

Fiction: Your Protagonist’s Transformational Journey (C. S. Lakin)

• The Protagonist’s Transformational Journey – C. S. Lakin

Nonfiction: How to Create an Author Career Plan (Nina Amir)

• 10 Elements Necessary to Craft an Author Career Plan
• 16 Questions to Your Expert Author Career Plan 2019

Self-Pub: How to Sell your Book Direct for More Profit and Reader Engagement (Sahil Lavingia, Paul Kilpatrick, Karl Palachuk. Moderator: Carla King)

• Consumer’s Guide for Self-Publishers with List of Distributors- Carla King

Mktg/Biz: Getting Your Book Reviewed (Penny Sansevieri)