JRW Conference 2007
Schedule

FRIDAY September 28, 2007

9 to 9:30 am Welcome and Announcements David Robbins

9:30 to 10:45 am First Pages Critique Conference attendees submit the first pages of their manuscripts to literary agents Liv Blumer and Jenny Rappaport and editor Lucinda Bartley to critique. Pages will be read aloud by Clay McLeod Chapman and Irene Ziegler. Moderator: David L. Robbins

11 am to noon Writing a Query Letter – How do you get an agent or editor's attention with your query letter? Editorial Consultant Marcela Landres, agent Lori Perkins and Virginia Living editor Richard Ernsberger explain the DOs and DON'Ts of writing query letters. Moderator: Constance Costas Stories of the South – The South owns a unique place in literature, one that writers have used for many a story. How can you take pieces of the South's rich past and create something new from it? Writers Clay Chapman, Nancy Lemann and Sheri Reynolds explain how they've done it. Moderator: Shawna Christos Getting Graphic – When it comes to violence or sex, how much is too much? When do you know you've gone too far, and how do you leave it to the readers' imaginations without leaving them cheated?  Writers Sabrina Jeffries, Gigi Amateau and Kyle Mills explain how they make readers cringe and keep on reading. Moderator: Bill Blume Poets: Born or Made – Can you teach someone to write great poetry or are great poets just born with the gift? Ron Smith puts the question to poet David Wojahn, poet laureate Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Claudia Emerson. Moderator: Ron Smith

NOON to 1 PM – LUNCH

1 to 2 pm Strategies for Writing Effective Proposals – Editorial Consultant Marcela Landres discusses how to create a book proposal that will grab the attention of editors and agent. Me, Myself & I: Writing in First Person – When is the right time to let your character tell the story? Poet Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda and novelists Nancy Lemann and Carolyn Parkhurst discuss the pros and cons of limiting your story to one point-of-view. Moderator: Shawna Christos Assignment: Strange – There's some weird stuff out there, but how do you find it ... and once you do, how do you write about it? Writers Jim Campbell, Andrew Corsello, David H. Freedman and Phaedra Hise tell you how. Moderator: Logan Ward Say What?! – How can you best use slang, especially in a contemporary setting, without dating your work and still give the story a fresh voice? Young adult writer Gigi Amateau, sciene fiction writer Eric Van Lustbader, southern writer Sheri Reynolds and romance writer Hope Tarr discuss how they use slang to make their books work. Moderator: Sheri Blume

2:15 to 3:15 pm How to Thrill Your Readers – What does it take to keep your readers up late, bleary-eyed and forced to turn the next page? Jon Kukla asks best-selling thriller writer Kyle Mills how he builds his stories and the lessons he's learned from his career.

3:30 to 4:30 pm Is There Anybody Out There?: Finding Your Audience – You've finished writing the story, but who's going to read it? Writer Sabrina Jeffries, agent Jessica Regal and editor Michael Stearns discuss how to take what you’ve written and find your audience. Moderator: Logan Ward Point of View – When it comes time to write your story, how do pick the right point of view for a scene and how do you get your reader's into the character's head? Speakers: Claudia Emerson, Eric Van Lustbader, Carolyn Parkhurst and David L. Robbins Moderator: Thom Didato Not Another Textbook – How do you write about science, nature and business in a way that informs, entertains and (most of all) sells.  Writers James Campbell, Lucinda Bartley, David H. Freedman and Phaedra Hise will tell you how they do it. Moderator: Caroline Kettlewell On the Dark Side – How can you tap into your darker side to improve your writing? Find out how to take what disturbs you and make it into an entertaining read. Speakers: Gigi Amateau, Clay Chapman, Doug Jones and Victoria Lustbader. Moderator: Charlie Munn

4:30 to 4:40 pm Concluding Remarks & Reminders David Robbins

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SATURDAY, September 29, 2007  

9 to 9:30 am Welcome and Announcements David Robbins

9:30 to 10:45 am A Southern Writer's Journey – Ginny Pye interviews best-selling southern writer and award-winning playwright Sheri Reynolds about how she achieved success by writing about the hope found in tragedy.

11 to noon The Truth About Getting Published in the 21st Century – How is the publishing industry changing, and how will it affect your chances of getting published? Agent Lori Perkins discusses the truth about getting published in the 21st century. The "Real" World: How to Make Your Setting Come to Life – Whether it’s a world of the past or one purely from imagination, writers Susann Cokal, Eric Van Lustbader, Victoria Lustbader and Carolyn Parkhurst discuss how they build convincing settings in their stories. Moderator: Sheri Blume Magazines in a Multimedia World – With magazines expanding their readership online, journalists Andrew Corsello, Richard Ernsberger and David H. Freedman explain how the Internet affects the way they approach their stories. Moderator: Phaedra Hise Saving Lives – Biographers James Campbell, Dean King and Jon Kukla discuss how they chronicle the lives of others and the obstacles they face in finding the right facts. Moderator: Mark Lazenby

NOON to 1 PM – LUNCH

1 to 2 pm Writing "Appalachian Quilts" – Emyl Jenkins talks with award-winning writer Sharyn McCrumb to discuss how she draws on the world around her to find inspiration for her books and her unique voice. The Home & the Tome – Between your day job, the kids and sleep, where do you find the time to write? Some successful writers share how they balance their writing with family life. Speakers: Phaedra Hise, Sabrina Jeffries and Corinne Schmidt. Moderator: Katharine Herndon Taking History to the Mainstream – Editor Lucinda Bartley and historical writers Woody Holton, Dean King and Jon Kukla share how they take the stories of the past and turn them into books that people just can't put down. Moderator: Stephen Previtera Finding Your Voice – One of the hardest challenges for writers is to find their own voice. Journalist Andrew Corsello, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Claudia Emerson, Southern writer Nancy Lemann and romance writer Hope Tarr discuss some of the ways aspiring writers can find their voice. Moderator: Sherrie Najarian

2:15 to 3:15 pm Love 'em or Leave 'em: Working with an Agent – You’ve got the book, but how do you find the right agent? And if you pick the wrong one, how do you find another without burning a bridge? The DOs and DON'Ts of working with an agent. Speakers: Liv Blumer, Lori Perkins, Jenny Rappaport, Merry Whiteford. Moderator: Ginny Pye Plan of Attack: Writing with an Outline – Can an outline make writing a book easier or does it sacrifice the spontaneity of the writing process? Thriller writers Eric Van Lustbader, Kyle Mills and David L. Robbins debate the pros and cons of using an outline. Moderator: Bill Blume Writing PG-13: What You Can & Can't Do in YA – What's the difference between Children's and Young Adult fiction? Find out the limits on what you can write for a younger market. Speakers: Gigi Amateau, Corinne Schmidt and Michael Stearns. Moderator: Susann Cokal Enter Stage Write: Writing for the Stage – What makes one script work better than another, and what works on the stage that just won't work in a book? Playwrights Clay Chapman, Doug Jones and Sheri Reynolds share the secrets of their craft. Moderator: Irene Ziegler

3:30 to 4:30 pm What I Wish I'd Known ... – Successful writers aren't made overnight. Our distinguished panelists discuss some of the lessons about the craft and businesss they've learned the hard way so you don't have to. Speakers: Claudia Emerson, Eric Van Lustbader, Kyle Mills, Sheri Reynolds and Michael Stearns. Moderator: David L. Robbins

4:30 to 4:45 pm Concluding Remarks David Robbins

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One-on-One with a Literary Agent: 5 minutes each

This 5-minute meeting has become known as the "elevator pitch" – the chance to talk about your book in such a short and compelling manner that when mentioned while riding with an agent in an elevator, you find yourself hearing those golden words, "I'd like to see the whole manuscript."

Conference attendees will have an opportunity to sign up for 5 minutes with an agent, at no extra charge. Slots will be filled on a first come basis, with priority given to members of James River Writers. Please indicate your order of preference on the Conference Registration form.

The agents attending Conference 2007 will be:

Liv Blumer of the Blumer Literary Agency.  Liv's areas of interest are General Fiction, Mystery, Reference, Biography, Business/Investing/Finance, History, Mind/Body /Spirit, Health, Travel , Lifestyle, Cookbooks, African-American, Memoir, Self-Help, How-to, and Gift Books.

Lori Perkins of L. Perkins Agency.  Lori's areas of interest are Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, True Crime, Horror, Fantasy, Humor/Satire, Thrillers/Suspense, Gay & Lesbian, Erotica, Drama/Music, Art, Dating/Relationships, Women's Issues, Pop Culture, Narrative, Gay & Lesbian, Film & Entertainment, Humor, and Home/Design Books.

Jenny Rappaport of L. Perkins Agency.  Jenny's areas of interest are Science Fiction, Chick Lit, Horror, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Children's, Middle Grade, Memoirs, and Narrative.

Jessica Regel of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency (http://www.jvnla.com/).  Jessica's areas of interest are Literary Fiction, Science Fiction, Chick Lit, Mystery, Horror, Commercial Fiction, Fantasy, Women's Fiction, Romance, Family Saga, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Thrillers/Suspense, Multi-Cultural, Offbeat/Quirky, and Narrative.

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One-on-One Manuscript Review Sessions

Note that these manuscript-review sessions differ from agent meetings which are 5-minute sessions ("elevator pitches"), offered to all conference attendees on a first-come basis, at no additional charge.

For those writers eager for feedback regarding their work, this year's conference is offering a new opportunity. For a fee of $35, editorial consultant Marcela Landres will meet with a limited number of attendees in one-on-one sessions at this year's conference. These fifteen minute sessions will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2007. Slots will be scheduled on a first-come basis by postmark date, and must be received no later than August 1, 2007.

Attendees must submit a synopsis and a maximum of ten pages, double-spaced with one-inch margins in twelve-point font (preferably Times New Roman). Pages and a check made out to James River Writers for $35 should be mailed to Manuscript Reviews, 9630 Kennesaw Road, Richmond, VA  23236. Please include an SASE.

Additional Guidelines:

• Please do not submit poetry or children's books. This does not exclude young adult books. Marcela's website offers more information on what material she will handle (http://www.marcelalandres.com/Categories.html).
• Authors should include their name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address on their first page so they can be notified prior to the conference that their one-on-one session has been confirmed.
• The one-on-one manuscript review sessions will only be made available to conference attendees.
• Author's pages and check must be mailed together.
• The SASE will be used to mail back the author's submission should all slots be filled. 

For any additional questions, contact Bill Blume at BillandSheriBlume@comcast.net or by phone at (804) 240-4580.

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First Pages Critique

Warning: Submitting your first page could be hazardous to your writing health!

The "First Pages Critique session" has become one of the Conference's most feared and best attended sessions. Agents and editors are so swamped with submissions that they look for quick ways to reject everything in their slush piles. How can your writing get their attention? Send your first two pages to JRW and hear how the world's most critical readers would react to your writing.

Send five (5) copies of the first two pages of your manuscript to

First Pages Critique
9630 Kennesaw Rd.
Richmond, VA 23236

Deadline: September 10, 2007. Please use proper format (see below). All genres welcome. No fee. One submission per attendee. Authors remain anonymous. Identifying information will be deleted after registration is confirmed. Manuscripts will be pre-selected to ensure variety. Submissions will not be returned, and authors will not be notified if their work has been chosen to be read during this session.

Required format:
Name and address in upper left-hand corner (single spaced). Type of work in upper right-hand corner. TITLE and By (Your Name), on separate lines, centered, ½ way down the page. Text starts ¾ of the way down the page, 12 pt. font, double spaced, 25 line/page maximum.  8.5”x11” paper.  All margins at least 1 inch.

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