Workshop Schedule — Saturday Afternoon
Please note this is a preliminary workshop schedule. A final list will be available on-site in the conference program.
Saturday, August 2
12:45-1:45 p.m.
Doddering Butlers, Pert Housemaids, and Faithful Retainers: Busting the Servant Myths (RESEARCH) — Janet Mullany
Award-winning author Janet Mullany teaches how to use servants as characters and plot devices and how to add flavor and authenticity to your historical romance novel.
Home Is Where the Story Is (CRAFT) — Elizabeth Bevarly and Christie Ridgway
Two award-winning, best-selling authors show you how writing where you know can add color and character that will create a stand-out read.
Integrated Marketing, Publicity, and Promotions for Romance Novelists (CAREER) — Madeline Hunter, Shannon Aviles, and Trish Claussen
A panel of professionals in marketing, publicity and promotions join best-selling author Madeline Hunter for a discussion on how to use both old and new media to create an integrated plan to create buzz for your name and increase your sales.
Location, Location, Location: Setting as Character (CRAFT) — Annie Solomon
Join a RITA award-winning, romantic suspense author in an exploration of setting as a way to create, deepen, and enrich character.
Non-Stop Romance (CRAFT) -- Alina Adams, Susan Dansby, Amy Handelsman, and Julia London
Soap operas have been telling tales of romance and passion for, in the case of CBS’s Guiding Light and As The World Turns, 70 and 51 years, respectively. They attract several million faithful fans on a daily basis. What can the world of daytime drama offer romance writers in the areas of character continuity, series structure and long-term story telling? The panelists -- best-selling romance authors, industry professionals, and a current writer for As the World Turns – will tell you.
Spotlight on Kensington Books
Spotlight on Tor
The Power of Teamwork: How Finding the Right Collaborative Partner Can Lead to Career Success (CAREER) — Faye Hughes and Christie Craig
This information-packed, highly entertaining workshop explains how writers can form partnerships to write, market, plot, and succeed.
Writing—and Selling—Crossover Fiction (CRAFT) — Ann Aguirre, Catherine Asaro, and Cindy Hwang
The panel, including a newly published author in urban fantasy, an established paranormal romance author, a best-selling science-fiction author, and an editor who buys and publishes crossover fiction, will present a variety of viewpoints on this timely topic.
Saturday, August 2
2:00-3:00 p.m.
Arc of the Trilogy: Why They Need to Read the Next Book (CRAFT) — Susan Mallery
A best-selling, award-winning author shares a step-by-step process for planning and writing a successful trilogy that will find its place on readers’ keeper shelves.
DH 101: or How to Stay Married and Continue Writing (WRITER’S LIFE) — Melinda Curtis and Curtis Wooten
Join this husband-and-wife team for a light-hearted, he said/she said approach to how writing and publishing affects a marriage.
How to Make a Living Writing Romance Novels (CAREER) — Stephanie Bond
Self-supporting, multipublished author Stephanie Bond empowers writers to strategize production schedules to maximize cash flow and take control of their careers and financial future.
Learning to Leap…Off the Page (CRAFT) — Rhonda Nelson, Brenda Chin, and Jennifer LaBrecque
Learn from a Harlequin senior editor and two award-winning authors how to create characters that leap off the page. This workshop offers tried-and-true techniques to notch up characterization in your novel, offers tips on keeping your writing and characters fresh with each new book, and provides been-there-done-that advice.
Spotlight on Morrow/Avon Books
Story Superglue: Make It Stick with Readers (CRAFT) — Susan Gable
This interactive workshop (from a former RITA finalist) explores methods to build 3-D, realistic characters and deepen the emotional bond between the character, writer and, ultimately, reader. (2 hours)
Take Five! The Agent Cartel Reveals Its Top Five Pearls of Wisdom for Career Success (PUBLISHING) — Kristin Nelson, Pam Ahearn, Roberta Brown, Natasha Kern, Lucienne Diver, Elaine English, Carolyn Grayson, Pam Hopkins, Jennifer Jackson, Patti Steele-Perkins, Deidre Knight and Michelle Grajkowski.
A dozen agents offer five pearls of wisdom for success in publishing. (2 hours)
The Plan: Project Planning for Writers (CAREER) — Elizabeth Boyle and Terrence Boyle
Award-winning author Elizabeth Boyle and Terrence Boyle discuss how one creative, disorganized writer let her project-planning husband take over her writing schedule and teach her how to turn in books on schedule.
Saturday, August 2
3:15-4:15 p.m.
Ghosts, Ghouls, Vampires, and Things That Go Bump in the Night (CAREER) — Heather Graham and Alexandra Sokoloff
Writing paranormal romance? Discover what is the rage, how long will it last, if it’s for you, and, if so, how to make it uniquely your own.
Legal Issues for Writers: an Author’s Guide to Protecting Your Rights and Avoiding Liability (PUBLISHING) — Teresa Bodwell
Join this attorney and author to discuss major legal issues including: copyright basics, trademark use in fiction, defamation issues, and the warranty clause in publishing contracts.
Spotlight on Grand Central Publishing
Story Superglue: Make It Stick with Readers (CRAFT) — continued
Take Five! The Agent Cartel Reveals Its Top Five Pearls of Wisdom for Career Success (PUBLISHING) — continued
Thinking Outside the Book: 10 Ways to Get Published Now (CAREER) — Sophie Littlefield
Writing for a variety of markets—ranging from magazine articles to confession stories to nonfiction books—will boost your confidence, build your name recognition, and earn money while you work towards publishing your novel.
Saturday, August 2
4:30-5:30 p.m.
A Place to Hang Your Scenes: Three-Act Structure for Novels (CRAFT) — Kara Lennox
An award-winning novelist and screenwriter teaches how to apply screenwriting techniques to your novel—in the planning stages or while revising—to create a compelling beginning, an excitement-filled middle, and an ending that satisfies.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing the Fiction Synopsis (CRAFT) — Pam McCutcheon
How can you possibly condense your masterpiece into a few pages? Find out how in this step-by-step workshop by an award-winning author.
Genre Bending: Insanity or Marketing Genius? Writing in Multiple Genres in Today's Market (CAREER) — Karen White, Karin Gillespie, Karen Hawkins, and Karen Solem
Three successful authors—all published in multiple genres—and an agent discuss the pros, cons, reasons why/why not, and marketing implications of making the switch to writing in another romance genre.
Seven Secrets for a Successful Novel (CRAFT) — Nikki Arana and Natasha Kern
A top literary agent and an award-winning novelist discuss the foundation of a marketable novel—the seven elements of story structure required for commercial fiction.
Spotlight on Bantam Dell
Three Ways to Make Yourself Irresistible to Agents and Publishers (CAREER) — Laurie McLean and Elizabeth Pomada
Two San Francisco agents give you the scoop on how to make yourself irresistible to agents and editors.
Tracking Trends, Fording the Future (CAREER) — Terri Ridgell and Hope Tarr
Candid advice and opinions from authors on if (and how) trends influence their writing, and if it’s in an author’s best interest to use trends when making career decisions.
View Friday afternoon workshops
View Saturday morning workshops
