Fall Conference 2006
Fall Conference 2006 was held in Durham, NC, at the
Sheraton Imperial Hotel. The conference is over, but we have
left this conference information on the site so that you can refer to it as a model
of what our Fall Conference is like.
Session I Classes: Fall Conference 2006
Saturday, November 11, 9:00-10:30 am
PUBLISHING - The Bling Bling Query Letter for Novelists, with Sally Hill McMillan
A good query letter contains a very short synopsis of a book. This
is sometimes the trickiest part for writers in the process of submitting
a novel. Fiction agent Sally Hill McMillan will show writers how Herman
Melville might have written such a query letter for Moby Dick and will
give tips on what you should and should not include. She'll cover when
to send a letter, to whom to send it, how it's like a resume for a job
interview, the four key paragraphs (lead, synopsis, bio,
pitch/conclusion), and how to write a brief synopsis.
PUBLISHING - How to Write an Irresistible Nonfiction Book Proposal, with Rita Rosenkranz
A veteran agent reviews the key components of a nonfiction proposal
that help shorten the distance between writing a proposal, finding an
agent, and publishing successfully. Rita will also discuss the
tried-and-true ways to find an agent and the features of the
agent/author relationship.
PUBLISHING - Panel: Ins and Outs of Self-Publishing,
with Jason Adams, Barbara Brannon, Andrew Callahan, Sarah Goddin, Kevin Watson
Is self-publishing an exercise in ego -- or is it the smartest tool a
writer can have to put his or her books in print? How does it work? How
do you guarantee quality? And once you're in print, how in the world do
you get reviews, distribution to bookstores, and sales through
Amazon.com? Learn the ins and outs of one of the hottest growth areas in
publishing.
CREATIVE NONFICTION - Oral History Interviews: A Foundation for Writing Projects, with Dorothy Spruill Redford
Millworker Nell Sigmon once said, "You don't have to be famous for
your life to be history." Those who are able to live and cope with the
universal problems of life by using wisdom and perspective provide
models to help the rest of us get the most out of our time on this
earth. These are the figures that often serve as the most memorable
characters in our most cherished stories. In this workshop, you will
learn strategies for conducting oral histories or "whole life histories"
that help you identify these figures within your own community. Learn
how to use interviews to produce powerful written works based on the
everyday experiences of these often-overlooked lives.
FICTION - Peeking Under the Hood: Using Great Stories to Rev Up Your Work, with Quinn Dalton
Think about your favorite short stories, the ones that gripped you
as a reader and inspired you as a writer. How can you learn from those
great stories to improve your own work? In this workshop, you will use a
step-by-step system to analyze a favorite author's published story and
then apply what you've learned to your own writing projects. Bring a
copy of your favorite story (it might be easier if the piece is fewer
than 20 pages long, but don't let that stop you if your first choice is
longer). Open to writers of all levels.
FICTION/NONFICTION - The Mind is a Playful Place: Generating New Ideas Using Fresh Freewriting Techniques and Group Exercises, with Nancy Peacock
Where do ideas originate? They come from play. In this workshop we
will use free writing and working from prompts as a playful place to
generate ideas and first drafts for short stories and essays. We will
discuss how to start your own "Ideas Group" using this method. At
whatever stage you are in your writing life, an Ideas Group will help to
free your spirit and your mind and fling off that nasty critic that
lurks inside us all.
* Writing exercises
POETRY - Workshop: Working with Words, with Gerald Barrax and Betty Adcock
This class, for beginning and emerging poets, covers the nuts and
bolts of writing and editing poetry. This is a rare opportunity to work
with two seasoned poets in an intensive workshop setting. Poets must
submit manuscript in advance. Limited to 12 attendees on a first-come,
first-reserve basis.
*Intensive Workshop: You must register for the conference and submit
a 2-poem manuscript in advance by October 2. Send poems to NCWN
Barrax/Adcock Workshop, PO Box 954, Carrboro, NC, 27510.
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