March 7, 2020 Chesapeake College; Wye Mills, MD |
Publishing / Marketing / Editing Sessions 2020
First Impressions & the Editing Process - Michele Chynoweth & Judy Reveal
In this hands-on collaborative workshop, polished and published writers Michele Chynoweth and Judy Reveal share crucial editing tips to help you craft the best version of your book. Together, these two leading authors will show you how to create a tight, strong work worthy of submission to a publisher.
Michele Chynoweth is the best-selling and award-winning author of The Faithful One, The Peace Maker, The Runaway Prophet and The Jealous Son, contemporary suspense/romance novels that re-imagine Old Testament stories. Michele is also an inspirational speaker who has addressed a variety of writers’ conferences and other organizations across the country, a book coach/editor and a writing instructor for the Continuing Education program at Cecil College. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she and her husband have a blended family of five grown children and live in North East, Maryland. How to Hook Readers: It's a Brain Thing - Laura J. Oliver
The human brain has evolved to biologically respond to story in specific ways savvy writers use to captivate readers. This workshop teaches writers to fulfill and exceed readers’ hard-wired expectations from the first sentence to the last. This fun and dynamic workshop fascinates as it informs. Participants leave armed with a new understanding of the concrete elements stories must deliver and why. Learn the difference between good stories and stories readers (agents and publishers) just can’t put down. Laura J. Oliver publishes award-winning stories in magazines, newspapers and top-tier literary reviews such as The Washington Post, The Sun Magazine, The Writer, Country Living, and Glimmer Train. She is the author of The Story Within, New Insights and Inspiration for Writers (Penguin Random House,) named by Poets and Writers Magazine as one of the best writing books ever published. She has taught at the University of Maryland, St. John's College and Washington College. Oliver holds an MFA from Bennington College. Read more at www.thestorywithin.com | Publishing Options - Austin S. Camacho
Austin S. Camacho is the author of six novels about Washington DC-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies including Dying in a Winter Wonderland – an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top Ten Bestseller for 2008. He is featured in the Edgar nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. Camacho is also editorial director for Intrigue Publishing, a Maryland small press. Author's 2020 Guide to Career Survival - Robert Bidinotto
Robert Bidinotto is author of Hunter, a #1 Kindle Bestseller in “Mysteries & Thrillers” and a Wall Street Journal “Top Ten Fiction Ebook.” Its sequel, Bad Deeds, was named CLFA “2014 Book of the Year.” His most recent thriller is Winner Takes All. Before turning to fiction, Robert received top national journalism awards as an investigative Staff Writer for Reader’s Digest and as editor of The New Individualist magazine. His articles and reviews have appeared in many newspapers, magazines, and online journals. Robert lives on the Chesapeake Bay with his musician-wife, Cynthia. Visit his website at www.bidinotto.com Building a Marketing Strategy: How to Decide Where to Spend Your Time & Money - Ariele Sieling
Ariele Sieling is the author of the science fiction series The Sagittan Chronicles, YA science fiction series Land of Szornyek, and children's book series Rutherford the Unicorn Sheep. By day she writes websites, blogs, product descriptions, and e-learnings for non-profits and small businesses. She is also a publishing coach for those looking to self-publish and has worked with writers of all genres, from romance to academic to poetry. She lives in Baltimore with her husband, three cats, and an enormous dog. SESSION SUMMARIES by TRACK Craft & Nonfiction -- Beginning Fiction |
Many writers are so excited to be finished with their manuscripts that they don’t take the time or use the resources needed to polish their books before publication...or if they do find the time, they often are too close to their works to cut away what isn't needed, or rewrite them for the best possible reading. The editing process plays a vital role in making sure your book is perfect. 
Judy Reveal - A past president of Eastern Shore Writers Association, Judy Reveal is a freelance editor, book indexer, author, and book reviewer. She has worked at her profession for 15 years; has received awards for her writing; and worked with BTO for its first 20 years. 
Should you be published by a large publisher or a small press, or self-publish yourself? In this session Austin Camacho spells out the advantages and disadvantages of each approach while letting the audience make up their own minds. 
During the early “Gold Rush” years of ebooks and self-publishing, authors enjoyed free Amazon promotions and cheap advertising rates from retailers. Not anymore. Facing plunging sales in today’s glutted book marketplace, many desperate authors are pouring money into ads. But competitive bidding has sent ad rates skyrocketing. Like many early beneficiaries of the “Gold Rush,” bestselling thriller writer Robert Bidinotto was hit hard by changing market conditions and Amazon policies since 2018. He’s had to adapt to the new reality. Now, he’ll share today's most effective and affordable marketing tactics to increase your sales and forge a financially sustainable career.
When you choose to pursue your dream of becoming a full-time writer, there's always one pesky little thing that stands in the way: marketing. To make money means to tell people about your work, and this is particularly difficult when you're selling your heart and soul. So how do you decide what marketing activities are going to work and which ones aren't? How do you figure out exactly where to spend your time and money? How do you build a strategy for selling books or art from scratch? In this presentation, author Ariele Sieling takes a closer look at marketing from a high-level perspective. She discusses the "why" behind choosing a variety of marketing tactics, and provides a simple system for growing and building your marketing plan.
