Into the Springs Writers Workshop

Mills Park Hotel. Banquet Room. All participants and staff follow the same schedule.

Agent Vicki Selvaggio will hear your pitches. Juliette Hyland will host Pen to Paper writing exercises. Both will lead sessions.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1:

6-6:30 PM: Check-in. Sign-up Sheets for Pitching and Open Mic Readings. Menus.

6:30-7: Welcome. Introductions

Agent 101: The Business & the Creative. Vicki will present an overview of what an agent (the business) does for a writer (the creative), including how traditional publishing works.

The Potholes of Pitching: Perfecting Your Book Pitch. Vicki will hear over 40 pitches throughout the weekend and encourages attendees to sign up for one if they have a book done. In this session, Juliette will simulate an author giving 3-4 pitches. Vicki will explain which one works and doesn’t work and why.

Characters to Root For. (Bring writing materials for use throughout the weekend.) Characters drive a story and every genre has its expectations for its characters. Juliette will show what makes the characters work and illustrate what she means with a writing exercise.

Vicki will hear pitches from 10:15-11:30 pm.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2:

6:45 AM: Coffee's Ready

7-8: Optional Writing Activity with Tara

9-9:15: Welcome Back

Query Letters: How to Best Introduce Your Work to an Agent. Vicki will cover it all: query letters that sell the book, how to repair your query letter, what’s a synopsis, what you should and shouldn’t say in a query letter, rejections, form letters. Juliette will again simulate an author who writes 3-4 query letters. Vicki will explain why each one works or not.

Potholes of Authoring. Juliette will talk about dealing with the stumbling blocks of being an author.

Vicki will hear book pitches until noon.

Noon-2: Lunch served for everyone in the Banquet Hall, included in fee.

Vicki will hear book pitches from 1-2.

2-2:05: Afternoon, evening expectations

Goal. Motivation. Conflict. (GMC) with Writing Exercises. Juliette will highlight these 3 key elements of writing, the GMC, by using the written work begin in Friday’s Characters to Root For.

Editing for the Eyes, Ears, Hands & Reactions with Vicki. Editing Before Publication Deadlines & After with Juliette.

5: Raffle Basket for Scholarship Drawing

5-7: Dinner Break (On Your Own).

7-9: Open Mic Readings hosted by Tara. Open to the Public.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3:

6:45 AM: Coffee's Ready

7-8: Optional Writing Activity with Tara.

9:30-10:30: Book Sales. Open to the Public. Half table for those who requested it on their registration sheet.

Vicki will hear book pitches.

Recommended Resources. Vicki & Juliette will elaborate on where a writer can go to look up info and get further assistance with their writing and its publication.

Last Chance Q&A with Vicki & Juliette

11:50-Noon: In Gratitude. Next Time. Surveys. Group Photo. Adjournment.