Schedule

Join us from 6:30 to close on Thursday, May 3rd at Rediscovered Books for a First Thursday reception with conference presenters, authors, and the Writers Guild Board. 

Friday, May 4

8:00 AM              
Registration opens

9:00 – 9:30 AM        
Welcome & Announcements
Bob Kustra, The Readers' Perspective

9:45 – 10:45 AM       
Agent Panel  

10:45 – 11:00 AM      
Break

11:00 AM – Noon       
Session 1: Cynthia Hand, Writing for the YA Audience

Session 2: Colleen Story, The Secrets of Optimal Productivity

Noon – 1:30 PM        
Lunch Break – Lunch w/ Presenter

1:30 – 2:30 PM        
Editor Panel

2:30 – 2:45 PM        
Break

2:45 – 3:45 PM        
Session 1: Mike Lawson, Agents, Editors, and Publishers from a Writer's Perspective 

Session 2: Kurt Orzeck, How to Get Your Writing Published in the Digital Era
One-on-one Manuscript Evaluations and Agent Pitches

3:45 – 4:00 PM        
Break

4:00 – 5:00 PM       

Session 1: Jodi Thomas, Making Your Characters Come Alive
Session 2: Colleen Story, 7 Mistakes to Avoid on Your Way to a Publishing Contract

One-on-one Manuscript Evaluations and Agent Pitches

5:00 – 6:30 PM        
Cocktail Reception, Contest Awards, Location TBD, Sponsored by Mill Park Publishing 

Saturday, May 5

8:00 AM               
Registration Opens

8:30 – 9:30 AM       
Session 1: Ingrid Thoft, Mastering Murder, Part 1
Session 2: Jodi Thomas, Seasons of Writing  

9:30 – 9:45 AM      
Break

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM       
Session 1: Ingrid Thoft, Mastering Murder, Part 2

Session 2: Donna Cook, Making Magic: The Dos and Don'ts of Writing Great Fantasy

10:45 – 11:00 AM      
Break

11:00 - Noon
Session 1: Sherry Briscoe, Adapting Your Novel to the Silver Screen 
Session 2: Kurt Orzeck, Navigating the Social Media Landscape as a Writer

Noon – 1:30 PM        
Lunch Break – Lunch w/ Presenter

1:30 – 2:30 PM        
Session 1: Mike Lawson, Lessons Learned and Mistakes Made in Publishing Fifteen Novels

Session 2: Tim Chizmar, Perfect Is the Enemy of Done: How to Get out of Your Own Way and Create a Career

2:30 – 2:45 PM        
Break

2:45 – 3:45 PM        
Session 1: Cynthia Hand, The Value of Setting

Session 2: Donna Cook, The Business of Authoring: Key Strategies for Accidental Entrepreneurs
One-on-one Manuscript Evaluations and Agent Pitches

3:45 – 4:00 PM        

Break

4:00 – 5:00 PM       

Session 1: Tim Chizmar, How to Really Get Paid as a Writer

One-on-one Manuscript Evaluations and Agent Pitches

5:00 PM        
Conference Ends