Conference FAQs

For every one person who picks up the phone to ask a question there are usually several others who'd like to know the same thing but didn't ask. So for your information as you prepare for the conference, here are the answers to this year's Most Frequently Asked Questions. Even if you didn't think you had a question, read on—we have a few surprises in store!

1. I’m coming into town early for the James Frey workshop. Anything going on Thursday night?

Yes. From 7:30–9:30 pm GLVWG Writers Café chair Bart Palamaro will lead a “Writer’s Café: Conference Edition” at the hotel in Salon C. This event is free and open to any pre-conference workshopper, GLVWG member, or conferee, so if you’re in the hotel or live locally, come on over! Bart will start off the conversation but the event is informal by design. If you want to meet some fellow conferees for stimulating discussion, join us. And if you want to practice your pitch, bring it along and we’ll provide feedback.

2. Last year, getting Friday dinner at the hotel restaurant between the pre-conference workshop and Page Cuts was a nightmare. Do you have any new plans?

We complained and the new Four Points chef has responded: she will offer a buffet meal in the restaurant that night so people who must fit in their meal between James Frey’s workshop (which ends at 5 pm) and Page Cuts (which begins at 6:30) should have no trouble serving themselves, eating, and paying the fixed price of $16.96 (includes tax and gratuity) before their next event. Here’s the menu:

Garden Salad
Pasta Salad
Breadsticks
Almond Crusted Chicken with Honey Dijon Cream Sauce
Herb Roasted Loin of Pork with Demi Glace
Broiled Tilapia with Citrus Chive Sauce
Fresh Seasonal Veggies
Roasted Potatoes
Assorted Dessert Display
Soda, Iced Tea, Coffee & Hot Tea

3. I have special food needs. Can the conference accommodate them?

The conference can’t, but the hotel will. We know because a few people have already done this: just call 610-266-1000 as soon as possible and ask to speak to the chef; she will try to accommodate your needs. Our hot lunch on Saturday will be the “Taste of Italy” buffet, so you can be pretty sure that tomato and gluten allergies will need a work-around. We will have vegetarian choices.

4. I am so disappointed I didn’t get into a Page Cuts session. Is anything else going on Friday evening for those of us left out in the cold?

Yes there is! Agent Kim Lionetti will be sharing from her long experience as agent and editor in “Pitching Do’s and Don’ts,” which will be held from 7-8 pm in Salon B. This is an open session.

But there's more! After that, while we wait for the Page Cuts sessions to conclude and the welcome reception to be set up, there is no longer a reason to stand wedged like sardines in the back hallway. Instead, stretch your legs—we’re going to have a literary scavenger hunt throughout the hotel! You can thank co-chair Tammy Burke for this fun idea (but not during the event, because she'll be stuck in a Page Cuts room). Those who complete the tasks will throw their names into a hat for the grand prize: a set of James Frey books—signed, of course! If you can’t make Kim’s session but get to the hotel by 8 pm, stop into Salon B, where President Tori Bond will explain the rules and send you on your way!

We hope that eases the sting of that Page Cut. Next year, sign up earlier! Early registration is key to gaining entry to limited registration events.

5. I want to enter the flash contest. Where do I send my submission?

Please review the Flash Contest rules. Do not mail in your submission—just bring it along and hand it in between 6-8:30 pm at the Friday registration desk, or any time between 7:30-8:30 am Saturday at the Flash Contest table in the back hallway. Don't forget: large font as per the guidelines; names and genre (F, NF, Poetry) on the back.

6. How will I know when my agent appointment will be?

You'll get your specific appointment time in your registration packet. Plan to arrive at the Four Points Sheraton early enough to look these materials over.

7. If extra agent/editor appointments remain, can I sign up for more than the one I already have?

Yes. Beginning at 7:30 am Saturday morning—please, not before—check with Oli at the registration desk to see what opportunity exists.

8. My appointment with agent Evan Goldfried was rescheduled to Friday. Will conference registration be open before my appointment time?

Possibly not. If your appointment time precedes the opening of registration at 6 pm Friday, don’t worry about it. Check the location of Evan’s meetings on the flyer at the registration desk and go straight to that room a good five minutes early. Check in with usher Dave Craft and he’ll let you in. All you need is a valid driver’s license, social security card, two credit cards, a personal reference… (hope you know we’re kidding!).

Another word about registration: conference registration opens at 6 pm Friday night and runs through 8:30 pm. If you are attending Friday evening activities (Page Cuts, Pitching Do’s and Don’ts, the welcome reception) please register first and get your packet. Inside you’ll find your nametag, which must be worn throughout the conference. If you don’t plan to arrive until Saturday, pick up your registration packet between 7:30-8:30 am.

Pre-conference workshoppers will use a sticky name tag, which you’ll receive when you check in each morning at the table inside Salon C.

9. I volunteered for the conference but I can’t remember what I signed up for—help!

If you signed up to volunteer at this year’s conference, THANK YOU! It takes a large team to put on a conference, and we appreciate your help. A green volunteer sheet with your assignment on it can be found in your registration packet. Any questions, now or on the day of the conference, call Kathryn’s cell 610-653-5037.

10. This will be my first time at the conference. Do I have to sign up for the Saturday sessions?

Any Saturday advanced registration sessions (“Start a Fire on Page One,” agent/publisher appointments, David Wilk appointments) to which you have successfully attained access will be reflected on a sheet included in your registration packet. These sessions are full and will be grayed out on the room map you’ll find in your registration packet. All other sessions are open, and you may pick and choose as you see fit.

11. This may sound dumb, but what should I wear?

This is actually a very good question, since conference dressing is more art than science. If you are pitching your manuscript or proposal to an agent or publisher, you can’t go wrong with “business casual.” Clean and pressed—yes; over-eager—no; professional yet confidently relaxed and "I too could be on Oprah" is the image you might seek. That said, if your book requires you to project a certain image, go ahead and do it (it might be hard to evoke confidence in your platform if you pitch your proposal on the hardcore rock scene in an Izod shirt and pleated khakis).

We also suggest dressing in layers, since heating a large ballroom space is also an art, and one that does not readily respond to our desires to change it. Over the course of the conference day you might experience anything from blazing heat to arctic frost, so be prepared.

12. I've never pitched to an agent or editor before. Should I bring the manuscript with me?

You wouldn't be the first person to do so, but it's not considered proper. Think of it this way:

Let's say you are an agent who has worked a long day in NYC and then hopped a bus for the two-hour ride to Allentown, PA. You are scheduled to meet with 15 people the next day, and the projects are so intriguing you've asked to see a dozen of them. Then there are those six extras you requested after informal pitches at the party. After your last appointment you have only fifteen minutes to grab your luggage and catch a hotel shuttle bus back to the Trans-Bridge terminal for the ride back to New York, where you must then catch a cab or the subway to your apartment. DO YOU WANT TO BE LUGGING 18 MANUSCRIPTS?

Etiquette says you should not bring your manuscript to the conference. It would be rare for an agent to request the whole thing anyway; for his or her convenience you should mail or e-mail any requested sample pages/chapters after the conference. (Tip: Always mark snail-mailed submissions as "REQUESTED MATERIALS" so they get a quicker reading.) If you would like to send the agent home with a memento of your meeting, a business card with the name of your project on it (with a two-or three sentence synopsis on the back as a reminder, if you like) is enough.

Have further questions? Leave them here as a comment and we’ll address them.

The Write Stuff 2010 conference is now fully sold out and registration is closed. We can accept no walk-in registrations. Thank you all for your interest! 


Our final pre-conference blog posts, a two-part interview with veteran novelist Molly Cochran, will run later this week. 


Days to conference: 12. Can’t wait to see you!

Hey, Pitch to Us!: Two publishers’ top five reasons

by Kathryn Craft

Pitch appointments fill quickly at The Write Stuff, and for more than two weeks now, all 75 of the available agent appointments have been filled. Appointments with our two publishers have filled more slowly. This always happens. My guess as to why: If you can sign with an agent, all windows of opportunity are still open; if you sign with a publisher—especially a small press—you’ll never know "what might have been."

But in today’s economy, here’s another way of looking at it: an agent may or may not be able to sell your book. A publisher, on the other hand, has the power to put your project into print.

To stimulate submissions, I asked our publishers—Renee Rocco from Lyrical Press and Laurie Edwards of Leap Books—to give me the top five reasons conferees should consider pitching to them at The Write Stuff. Here are their responses.

The top five reasons to pitch commercial fiction to Lyrical Press, as written by publisher Renee Rocco:

1. Lyrical Press offers its authors a solid marketing plan, professional and dedicated staff, as well as publishers who guide their authors throughout the publication process. From acquisition through to the expiration of a book's contract, Lyrical remains by an author's side for the life of the relationship.

2. The company is always evolving, experimenting with new ways to expand and reach a wider audience—offering readers three platforms in which to enjoy a Lyrical book: ebook, print and audio.

3. Comprehensive content and line editing cycles and a talented cover design staff assure authors their manuscripts will be in the best shape possible when presented to readers.

4. Although Lyrical Press has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the house never takes for granted that publishing is a competitive business.

5. Lyrical's motto is, "If you dare to write it, we dare to consider it". That's right, we dare you to write something amazing!

The top five reasons to pitch young adult fiction to Leap Books, as written by publisher Laurie Edwards:

So why should you pitch to Leap Books? Many reasons spring to mind, but I’m limited to five, so here they are (although I must admit math isn’t my strong point, so I may have miscounted):

• Because you’re a workaholic, driven to succeed, and love to work long hours on revising your books to make them the best they can be (Notice I said books. We’re looking for authors who are interested in a writing career.) and you want an editor who understands your vision and voice, and will work with you to shape your masterpieces for the marketplace.

• Because you love YA with your whole heart and would rather write for a teen readership, even though most people ask when you plan to write a REAL book. And because you know that teens deserve top quality literature.

• Because you’re a unique individual with a special story to tell—one that touches hearts, souls, minds, and one that lingers in the imagination long after the covers are closed.

• Because you want the time and attention a small press can give you and would like to have more input in the finished project.

• Because you’ve checked out our website and/or read our books and you believe your book would be the perfect fit. And you believe in our mission to encourage reluctant readers to pick up an enticing book.

• Because you love a family atmosphere, including all the craziness and dysfunction it entails—the laughing, crying, cheering, encouraging, arguing (no, no, it’s called discussion)—and you want the support and caring that goes with it.

And if that’s not enough to entice you, I’ll throw in a few bonus reasons:

• Because I promise not to bite your head off. I’m not scary or intimidating. I understand the knee-knocking, trembling hands, and sweaty palms. Been there, done that. As an author myself, I know the agony and anxiety behind every pitch session. So you can come in expecting to relax and have fun.

• But the main and most important reason is that you like Leap Books and what we stand for. You’re impressed with what we’ve put out so far and would like to see your book on our website and in our catalog.

If you’ve read the brochure, you know Leap Books is a teen and tween fiction publisher with a passion for getting teens to read. If you’ve checked out the website, you can tell we’re seeking to be cool and edgy. If you’ve read our latest releases, you know we place a lot of emphasis on voice and we love discovering new talent. If you’ve talked to our authors, you’ve heard we care—about each and every one of them. If you’ve talked to our readers, you’ve discovered they love what we’re doing.

If after all that, you believe your book is right for us, then please pitch it to me. It’ll make my day. And best of all, I might just say yes.

If appointments with these two publishers remain open on conference day, we will open up their appointments to authors who already have an agent appointment. Check with the conference registration table at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 27, to see if this opportunity exists.


Thank you for your interest in The Write Stuff! Registration closes with a March 12 postmark.

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.