The Inside Scoop on The Write Stuff: Part II

In our last post, GLVWG president Tori Bond interviewed Conference Chair Kathryn Craft about this year's Write Stuff conference. Read on for the rest of that interview, including comments from Co-Chair Tammy Burke. All three of these women are pictured at the end of this post—please come up to any one of them at the conference if you have any questions, or just to say hello!

Tori Bond: What advice do you have for first-time attendees?

Kathryn Craft: Plan ahead. Once you get on site time will seem to fly. You might want to print up simple business cards to cement introductions (some people write their project title or a brief synopsis on the back).

If you want to pitch a project, research the agents and editors who will be present to find out if they have published any similar projects—they'll be impressed that you went to this length—then choose the right one to pitch to. Practice your pitch at home (what else are dogs for?), because you have only 10 minutes to tell about the project, yourself, and any marketing ideas you might have.

Writing a 100-word flash piece to enter into our contest is a great exercise in concise writing, and it's fun! Spend some time with the conference schedule at our website and decide which sessions you'll attend. Then, use every spare conference moment you've freed up with this preparation to browse the giveaway table, talk to other writers and publishing professionals, and read the flash entries--because once you're at the conference, the "write stuff" will be there, everywhere you turn.

Tori: What are some of the most common comments received from past conferees?

Kathryn: How organized the event is, how stimulating, how friendly everyone was, how they can't wait to get back to their computers and start writing, and how the dishes didn't get cleared from the tables fast enough. (Just keeping it honest.)

Tori: What is your favorite part of the conference?

Kathryn: This may sound foolishly sentimental, but for those who know me, at least I am remaining true to character: my favorite moment is early the first day of the conference, at breakfast, when the GLVWG members start filtering into the room. I am well aware that since the last conference each of them has dealt with the rejection, frustration, idea-scrapping, and confidence restoration issues common to all writers, but today they are spit-shined and showing their best game face. They have come back to this conference better writers than they were the year before. In their faces I see the very definition of hope. They help me believe. And they make volunteering for this conference a meaningful and highly rewarding experience.

**
Tori Bond: As conference co-chair, you were responsible for inviting agents and editors to this year’s conference. What opportunities do the conferees have to interact with these professionals?

Tammy Burke: Agents and editors are people first and foremost and if you approach them as human beings, they are likely to talk with you. One of the agents/editors I talked to last year was in the lunch line. We talked about what genres her agency represents and why she decided to become an agent in the first place. A friend and I spoke with another over drinks at the end of the day about different techniques writers use to tell their stories such as ‘seeing internal movies’ but we also chatted about universal truths and quantum physics. A third talked with me and others about business plans and how writers need to promote their own work.

So I would say the opportunities that the conferees have are really what they make of them. Yes, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up for an appointment to pitch your idea with one of them but that doesn’t mean you can’t speak with the rest and find out more about the wonderful world of writing, business side and all.

Tori: What tips do you have for the conferees when talking with agents and editors about their publishing projects?

Tammy: Here are five tips. There are more tips about pitching at our conference website.

Tip one: Have a pitch developed that has a strong hook, in fact, have a 30-second pitch, a two-minute pitch, and then perhaps a five-minute pitch. You will have ten minutes when it comes to the appointment and who knows how long you’ll get to talk with an agent or editor in the lunch line, at Friday night’s reception or in the hallway between classes. Also, try to think of reasonable and logical questions that they could ask you and have an idea of how you’ll respond. Of course, no one has a crystal ball to anticipate everything but prepare as best as you can.

Tip two: Relax. Anticipation and excitement can help you express the passion you have in your work while you are presenting but you don’t want that nervous quaver in your voice. Breathe.

Tip three: Do not bring your whole manuscript for the appointment. You can bring your business cards and your pitch. You could bring your synopsis also, if you have it, but it’s generally a good idea to ask the agent or editor if he or she wants it before you hand it over.

Tip four: Dress comfortably but nice.

Tip five: Smile. And have fun with it.

Tori: What is your favorite part of The Write Stuff conference?

Tammy: This year’s Write Stuff conference will be the second one that I’ve attended but it will not be the last. I am utterly hooked. What is my favorite part of the conference? That’s like asking what part of the sky I like best. I suppose it would have to be the opportunity to talk with other writers, agents and editors; of being able to spend hours with people “who get it” instead of getting those blank stares from non-writing friends and family when I talk about my writing projects; of being with other people who share that same excitement and enjoyment for writing. It is so wonderful to talk to people who understand the concept of these adult invisible friends i.e. characters you’re currently writing about; who understand that pendulum between “this is great” to “this stinks” and it may be the same writing just a different day. I am looking forward to interacting and learning with everyone. The people, that’s my favorite part.

~~~~~

Besides her responsibilities as Conference Chair, Kathryn Craft is also a developmental editor at Writing-Partner.com, and writes literary women's fiction and memoir.

Tammy Burke, Conference Co-Chair, is a GLVWG Member Representative and a freelance writer working on a young adult fantasy adventure series.

Tori Bond is the President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and writes humorous women’s fiction.

The Inside Scoop on The Write Stuff: Part I

The 2010 Write Stuff Conference is coming up fast. Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group President Tori Bond caught up with Kathryn Craft, Conference Chair, and Tammy Burke, Conference Co-Chair, for some insider information about what’s new this year, tips about making the most of the conference, and some advice about networking with agents and editors at the conference.

Tori Bond: The Write Stuff conference usually runs Friday and Saturday but this year it starts on Thursday, March 25th and runs through Saturday the 27th. Can you tell us what’s happening on Thursday? What else is new this year?

Kathryn Craft: Expanded pre-conference activities this year required that we tack on Thursday as well. Our keynote, James N. Frey (HOW TO WRITE A DAMN GOOD NOVEL) actually proposed it: we will offer a two-day workshop with James, "How to Plot Like the Pros," in which he will lead us through the collective plotting of a story in two 8 a.m.–5 p.m. sessions. We hear that former participants have loved it. Since the first conference activities on Friday begin at 6:30 p.m., conferees who choose to do so can participate in both without conflict. This will be a rare opportunity for East Coast writers to interact James, who lives in California, and has a reputation as one of the finest creative writing teachers in the country.

On Thursday night, we'll offer a special conference edition of The Writer's Cafe. This informal networking event will encourage conferees to get to know one another while talking about our favorite subject—writing. The 7:30-9:30 p.m. event is free, open to all conferees, and, if we're pitching work to agents or editors at the conference, we can practice our pitches on one another and gain feedback.

T: How many years has The Write Stuff conference been going on? Why do you feel it has been so successful for so many years?

K: This is the 17th year for GLVWG, which has held a conference in one form or another every year but one, I believe. There are so many reasons for its success—the opportunity to gain valuable face time with agents and editors, to learn more about the craft, to gain insight into the world of publishing, to keep up-to-date on new trends, to network, to refuel the muse—that maybe its very diversity of opportunity is the answer. There's something for everyone. We continue to find new ways to reach out to writers and meet their needs.

T: You’ve attended, and helped organize other writers conferences in the area. What do you feel makes The Write Stuff unique?

K: It's size—small enough for good interaction yet large enough to attract good speakers and agents—and the fact that rather than support a set agenda, we actually listen to the evolving needs of the writing community. A GLVWG member once told me that she had been coming to the conference for ten years and that it held nothing new for her (remember, Joan?). She may not realize it, but I took that comment on as a challenge. Yes, there are some topics we always see requested, like the agent panel or how to write a query letter. But in the years I've been involved with programming we've tried to find fresh approaches and new topics so that conferees both old and new will be stimulated. This is now my 10th Write Stuff conference and I have to admit, I'm going to have a devil of a time deciding which sessions to go to, which makes me glad conference recordings are available to our members!

T: I know that you strive to schedule workshops that have appeal for the widest range of writers. For example, can you talk about why a science fiction writer would be interested in attending the session, "How to Seduce Your Reader" given by romance writer Tracy MacNish?

K: GLVWG is made up of all kinds of writers and our presenters know that. Since we have three breakout rooms to play with, my approach has been to create a fiction track, a nonfiction track, and a business of publishing track so that specialists always have a session they might be drawn to. We do have genre writers heading the fiction sessions; you mentioned Tracy, who writes historical romance. Fiction writers who want to sell their books know that including a little sizzle goes a long way toward selling books. Tracy happens to have a specialty at this, and she can share techniques that can work in any kind of fiction. Our YA writer, Jordan Sonnenblick, creates great characters, so why not learn from the best? Bill Kent can break down the basics of writing action in a way someone who’s done it less may never have considered. When you go to a talk by someone who knows what they are talking about, someone who communicates effectively and with passion, you always take away something worthwhile. No matter the genre, good writing is good writing, and good storytelling is good storytelling.

T: What is your best tip for getting the most out of The Write Stuff conference?

K: The most obvious one is SIGN UP EARLY. You'll save yourself money through Early Bird discounts (discounts end Feb. 25), including Four Points Sheraton hotel rooms at an all-time low of $85/night, and you'll stand a good chance of getting your first choice for opportunities with limited enrollment.

Once you are on site at the conference, though, my advice is to play to your weaknesses. The conference is about opening yourself to new people and ideas and opportunities, after all. Many writers are introverts, so if talking to other writers scares you, use the conference to practice—again and again. Telling fellow writers about your project this year is great groundwork for pitching it to agents next year. If your specialty is creating an effective sense of time and place you might be drawn to Tracy's session on that topic—but maybe what you really need to hear is what a veteran like Molly Cochran has to say about actually finishing all those projects you've started. If you fear the way the internet is changing the publishing world yet still hope to succeed, make sure to attend David Wilk's session on the new rules and tools for writers. Stretch yourself in this way and you will see how quickly a little discomfort will translate into new inspiration.
~~~~~~
Besides her responsibilities as Conference Chair, Kathryn Craft is also a developmental editor at Writing-Partner.com, and writes literary women's fiction and memoir.  

Tori Bond is the President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and writes humorous women’s fiction.  

~~~~~~

More from Tori's interview, including responses from Co-Chair Tammy Burke, in our next post.