Workshop Schedule — Friday Morning
Please note this is a preliminary workshop schedule. A final list will be available on-site in the conference program.
Printable list as of April 30, 2008
Friday, August 1
8:30-9:30 a.m.
Beyond the Critique Group (CAREER) — Vicki Lewis Thompson, Jennifer LaBrecque, and Rhonda Nelson
New York Times best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson and her critique partners Jennifer LaBrecque and Rhonda Nelson discuss brainstorming and career planning.
Building Characters from the Head Down (CRAFT) — Laurie Schnebly Campbell
A counselor looks at several new and different ways to determine naturally lovable (and intriguingly flawed) personality types. Learn how to use traditional psychological tools to create plausible characters with realistic conflicts.
Confessions of Series Killers: Weathering Line Closings and Other Career Changes (CAREER) — Tanya Michaels and Holly Jacobs
Change in publishing is inevitable. Learn how to roll with the punches and come out on top from two funny, prolific, and award-winning authors.
Dead On: Writing a "Killer" Romantic Suspense (CRAFT) — Brenda Novak
An award-winning, best-selling author goes through all the elements that make a "killer" novel.
Finding Your Bliss While Stumbling Down Publishing’s Yellow Brick Road (WRITER’S LIFE) — JoAnn Ross
Inspiring New York Times best-selling author JoAnn Ross motivates you to keep writing when the writing gets tough.
From Cinema to the CW: Using Pop Culture in Your YA Novel (RESEARCH) — Trish Milburn and Julie Linker
Join these young-adult romance authors as they discuss teen-speak, the young adult mindset, and how to write your young-adult novel with authenticity.
Self-Promotion: It Isn’t Rocket Science (CAREER) — Kelley St. John and Caren Johnson
Hour one of this two-hour workshop focuses on an author and agent’s tools for self-promoting at the pre-published level. Hour two focuses on tips for those writers at the published level—what works, what doesn’t and what you should be doing at your stage of the game. (2 hours)
Spotlight on Harlequin, Silhouette, Mills & Boon, & Kimani (2 hours)
Start as You Mean to Go On: a Guide to Great Beginnings (CRAFT) — Leslie Wainger
Join Harlequin’s Leslie Wainger and learn why without a great beginning, a great ending isn’t worth a nickel.
Successful Rewriting: Paring Down and Fleshing Out (CRAFT) — Lisa Gardner
Join Lisa Gardner for her renowned “book doctor” exercise that helped her evolve the first draft of The Perfect Husband from a midlist title to a breakout debut novel. Yes it involves color-coded note cards, but you’ll have fun anyway!
The Art of Voice (CRAFT) — Nancy Robards Thompson, Teresa Elliott Brown, Michelle Grajkowski, Catherine Kean, and Tessa Woodward
Through observation and analysis of first paintings to iconic masterpieces by artists such as Monet, Picasso, and Pollock, three authors, an agent, and an editor examine the use of artistic technique and compare it to the development of the writer’s voice.
Friday, August 1
9:45-10:45 a.m.
All You Ever Do Is Pitch, Pitch, Pitch! (PUBLISHING) — Rhonda Pollero, Cherry Adair, and Donna Bagdasarian
Join best-selling authors Cherry Adair and Rhonda Pollero and agent Donna Bagdasarian of the Maria Carvainis Agency as they role-play perfect and not-so-perfect pitches. Bring your concerns and questions to this no-holds-barred session guaranteed to alleviate your fears, amp up your self-esteem, and prepare you to pitch to publishing professionals.
Beyond Brainstorming: Stirring Stories in the Creative Cauldron (CRAFT) — Mary Jo Putney, Susan King, and Patricia Rice
Three best-selling, award-winning authors teach brainstorming techniques for all stages of a writing career.
Emotion, Emotion, Emotion: Writing Romance with Global Appeal (CRAFT) — Jessica Hart, Lucy Brown, Barbara Hannay, Barbara McMahon
Two RITA winners, a two-time RITA finalist, and a Harlequin editor offer nitty-gritty advice on universal emotions and characters, plots, and themes with worldwide appeal. (2 hours)
Power…Not Theirs, Ours! (CAREER) — Jennifer Greene and Lindsay Longford
In a fiercely competitive marketplace, we all know what power the publishers have—the stuff we can't fix. But it's about time we talk about the writing areas where we hold the cards—and how to play them.
Self-Promotion: It Isn’t Rocket Science (CAREER) — continued
Sex and the Single Title (CAREER) — CJ Lyons, Toni McGee Causey, Matthew Shear, and Debra Webb
Best-selling authors and the senior vice-president and publisher at St. Martin's Press tell you what editors want, what's selling, where the market’s going, and what’s the level of sexuality in mainstream single-title romance.
Spotlight on Harlequin, Silhouette, Mills & Boon, & Kimani -- continued
The 21st Century Heroine: How Far She’s Come and Where She’s Heading (PUBLISHING) — Michelle Monkou, Kate Duffy, Caridad Ferrer, Tracy Montoya, Candice Poarch, and Francis Ray
A panel of editors and authors facilitate a discussion that will highlight the past, focus on the present, and analyze the future of the romance heroine.
The Secret Handshake for Writing a Successful Series (CRAFT) — Pat White, Michelle Grajkowski, and Stephanie Rowe
Learn to create a successful series by mastering set-up, layering, and character arcs with two award-winning authors and an agent.
What to Do When You’re Stuck (CRAFT) — Jill Barnett
New York Times best-selling author, Jill Barnett, facilitates an intensive hands-on workshop designed to help attendees break through writing blocks. (2 hours)
Writing Inside the Pressure Cooker (WRITER’S LIFE) — Pamela Morsi, Robyn DeHart, and Emily McKay
Join RITA winner Pamela Morsi and authors Robyn DeHart and Emily McKay as they discuss how to keep going when life knocks you on your ass and the business kicks you in your teeth.
Friday, August 1
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Chat with Debbie Macomber
Chat with award-winning, New York Times best-selling author Debbie Macomber.
Emotion, Emotion, Emotion: Writing Romance with Global Appeal (CRAFT) — continued
Re-Energizing a Dying Project (or a Dying Career) (WRITER’S LIFE) — Lynda Sandoval
Award-winning, best-selling author Lynda Sandoval shows you how to identify seven major energy leaks and seven ways to stop the drain. This is an interactive workshop that includes self-assessment tests, visualization exercises, and free-writing.
Show, Don’t Tell (CRAFT) — Rita Herron
Show, don’t tell, goes the advice, but can you show every scene in detail? Or, are there times when telling is better? How do you write the memorable scenes that make your book stand out? Award-winner Rita Herron offers tips and specific examples on crafting an emotionally gripping page-turner.
Show Me the Money (PUBLISHING) — Brenda Hiatt Barber
Brenda Hiatt Barber presents her ever-popular survey of how much publishers really pay for romance novels and how soon will you see your money.
Spotlight on St. Martin’s Press
The Great Agent Hunt (CAREER) — Faye Hughes, Christie Craig, Jessica Faust, and Caren Johnson
Authors who have recently signed with new agents, along with experienced agents, offer advice (with a generous dose of humor) on how to survive the great agent hunt. You will learn the right way to “rope” in an agent.
The Top 10 List: Dos and Don'ts of Writing Contemporary Romance (CRAFT) — Kathleen Scheibling and Johanna Raisanen
Harlequin editors present their invaluable top 10 list for crafting contemporary series romance.
What to Do When You’re Stuck (CRAFT) — continued
World Building: Creating Your Own Universe (CRAFT) — Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
New York Times best-selling author Lisa Jackson and author Nancy Bush discuss how to build a believable, fictional world.
Writing for the Historical Market (PUBLISHING) — Elizabeth Boyle, May Chen, and Laura Lee Guhrke
The historical market is a vital and wonderful opportunity for new romance writers, but the ins and outs of selling and continuing to sell can be baffling without an insider’s perspective. Join best-selling, award-winning authors Elizabeth Boyle and Laura Lee Guhrke and HarperCollins editor May Chen at this workshop to discover the opportunities that abound by taking a step back in history—without making costly missteps.
View Friday afternoon workshops
