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Publishing, Marketing, Promotion / SPECIALTY, INSPIRATION |
Publishing, Marketing, Promotion
Writers are pressured to develop their online "platform" with seemingly endless sources of advice, tips & tricks, and channel hacks. A tsunami of information and options that can seem overwhelming without a strategic framework to help make choices about where to put your time and energy. Learn to cut through the noise to create a personal brand and content strategy. Strategize on how to determine objectives, find the right digital marketing elements, and optimize your investment so you have a platform that best serves your purpose and propells you into the limelight.
10:00AM – 10:50AM Are you confused by social media? Do you spend too much time wondering what to post and how to boost engagement? Learn about the latest trends in social media, the best techniques for posting, how to save time creating and scheduling posts, how often to post, what to write, and how to engage your followers. You’ll leave the workshop with the confidence that you, too, can gain followers and share your message with the world.
11:00AM – 11:50AM Every freelance writer dreams about making money using their gift of creative communication.In this workshop, which is part memoir, part inspiration and lots of suggestions on how to successfully navigate the publishing world, you will learn how to make money as a freelance writer. Whether you are a new writer, or one who has lots of experience getting published, the tips and ideas will help you meet your goals: more bylines, and more checks!
1:30PM – 2:20PM AI is everywhere so no surprise it's here in our writerly world. ChatGPT, Anyword, Rytr, Jasper, Copy, Paragraph, Sassbook, Inkforall; it seems like there'ss an AI generator generating AI generators. Artificial intelligence pushes us to consider what it means to be a storyteller. We will examine AI's impact on writers as artists and publishers as businesses, its attack on originality and its impact on the marketplace. Are writers obsolete or is there something we humans still bring to exploring the human condition? Is every function of a publishing house primed to be automated? Let's be mindful of the gloom but let's try to look past the doom.
2:30PM – 3:30PM Over 3 million books are published yearly in the U.S., and more than 1.7 million of them are self-published. How does an author stand out in this crowded book world? One solution could be to hire a publicist. But then there's the task of finding a publicist who will work for a single author and who's the right fit for you and your book. And what does "prepared" even look like? In this workshop, PR veteran, book publicist, and author Cherrie Woods will share six things authors need to know to answer that question.
| Specialty, Inspiration 9:00AM – 9:50AM Not only is writing a lonely process, it can be downright scary especially if you're shy, or an introvert. And, when it comes to mustering the courage to share our work with others, fear can quickly turn to terror. In this session, which includes brief writing exercises, we'll look at understanding what frightens us--and how to get beyond those fears.
10:00AM – 10:50AM Writers live in a delicate balance. Our work, whether we write "true" stories or not, often comes from our most real selves. Sharing it, we strap ourselves in on an emotional rollercoaster: acceptance and praise can send us over the moon, while rejection can leave us feeling pressured to change, questioning who we are and what we do. This session explores the challenges of taking our writing seriously and taking the risk of sharing it. We'll talk candidly about those challenges and the effects they can have on us and our work, and uncover strategies for refocusing and reconnecting with the writing that matters to us. The session will include journaling and creative exercises sure to inspire.
11:00AM – 11:50AM According to PEN America, nearly 900 different books were banned in the first part of the 2022-2023 school year. Libraries are also facing book challenges, with children's literature being a common target. With so much contention about what kids read, why should authors consider writing for teens and young readers? Join children's authors Heather Murphy Capps, Meg Eden, and Laura Shovan for a frank discussion of the current state of kidlit, the unique joys and challenges of writing for readers in this age category, and why children still need books about a wide variety of characters, topics, and life experiences.
1:30PM – 2:20PM Is your writing merely a function of your rational/logical mind or is there something matchless, energetic, almost spiritual about how you choose to apply language? Learn mindful and intuitive exercises you can quickly apply to your writing discipline. You'll gain personal insight into your process using a variety of methods from expressive writing and mindfulness exercises to Jungian archetypes and Improv. Step through the doorway of the non-conscious mind to reveal your inner wisdom in this interactive session sure to set your writing world on fire.
2:30PM – 3:30PM Many of you have enjoyed our Art at Night: Ekprhastic Writing Program during Thursdays with ESWA. Meet Jen live and in person as she unwinds more artists for you, and frees your inner writer with this special ekphrastic session sure to set your creative muse on fire!
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