Registration - 8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Session One:
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Researching the Novel, held by Susan Stinson, author of Fat Girl Dances with Rocks, Martha Moody, and Venus of Chalk.
Session Two:
11:05 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. The Benefits of Small Press, with Steven Strimer, who spearheaded the establishment of Levellers Press.
Session Three:
12:40 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. The Nonfiction Book Proposal 101, with Suzanne Strempek Shea, author of four nonfiction books including "Sundays in America."
Session Four:
2:25 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. The Journey of the Novel, with Lise Haines, author of the Girl in the Arena, Small Acts of Sex and Electricity and In My Sister's Country.
COST AND REGISTRATION
Registration is required.
CLICK HERE , to register!
To attend one workshop is $45; two workshops, $85; three workshops, $115: and four workshops at $145. Payment must be received to hold your spot.
SESSION DETAILS
Session One: 9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. – Researching the Novel with Susan Stinson
Novels are fictional worlds full of facts. The more specific and compelling the details of a novel are, the more deeply readers are drawn into the story. Come explore the pleasures of the search for the perfect piece of intellectual, emotional or sensory information that will light up your book. We’ll discuss strategies for the particular kind of research needed to write a strong historical novel, and also the kinds of research that makes novels of all kinds more alive on the pages. We’ll also talk about moving back and forth between writing and research, and when to use the freedom offered by fiction to make leaps into the unknown.
Video clips of Susan Stinson reading from SPIDER IN A TREE, her forthcoming novel about Northampton in the time that the eighteenth century theologian Jonathan Edwards preached there, can be found on the website of the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale: http://edwards.yale.edu/research/video.
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Session Two: 11:05 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – The Benefits of Small Press talk with Steven Strimer
As the world of publishing continues to shift and change, learn about the advantages a small press can offer. Steve Strimer, a founder of Florence, Mass.-based Levellers Press, will talk about the creation of his press, and how the creations it’s been printing since 2009 have come together. Info on how the press works with Western Mass. authors, and determines contract details, printing options, and marketing and distribution possibilities, will be shared.
Steve Strimer says this about his talk:
The development of Levellers Press has been an improvisation from the start. I will talk about how we have arrived at current practices while remaining flexible to the individual needs of each author as we continuing to focus our structure. I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of our version of the “print-on-demand” style of book production and how it is affecting our ability to market books. We recently decided to have two of our books printed by a large book printer in the Midwest and I will talk about what led to that decision. I also plan to discuss the interface between Levellers and bookstores, and the emphasis we have to place on our on retail outlets at our stores and online. The nitty-gritty of author compensation and the standard contract also will be outlined.
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Session Three: 12:40 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. – The Nonfiction Book Proposal 101 with Suzanne Strempek Shea
Nonfiction books can be sold on the strength of a proposal alone. Wherever you are in your project - from the earliest idea to completing the final revision - it's wise to also be working the best proposal you can create. We'll look at the components of a traditional nonfiction book proposal, which is a lengthier and more-involved creature than the brief query letter, and is often the next thing an agent or publisher asks for after you send that brief query. We'll go over queries a bit but the focus will be on the proposal, including how to research info for each part of the proposal, how to mine your life for helpful facts to mention, and the factors can make or break this all-important document, often key to getting an agent, or to helping your existing agent nab the best deal from a publisher. Handouts will be distributed.
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Session Four: 2:25 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. – The Journey of the Novel session with Lise Haines
A novel often begins when an author hears the voice of a character, sees a scene in the mind’s eye, or holds a single object in hand. From that moment, you are on a journey to find an original and sustaining story; to see that it reaches the marketplace; to make sure it gets into readers’ hands. Author Lise Haines will talk about the novel’s path from start to finish line, in a real world conversation, as she opens up about her own work.
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Coffee will be served in the morning. Bring a lunch or visit a nearby restaurant.
Please Note: No refunds will be given unless a presenter doesn't appear!
Min. 7 participants/Max. 40 participants per session. |