Workshops & Retreats…Arvon

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.


What is Arvon?

Founded in 1968, Arvon is an institution in the creative writing world. Offering both residential writing courses and writing retreats, Arvon gives writers an inspirational setting free of daily distractions, a supportive writing community and encouragement of the creative spirit with which to work.

Arvon uses four historic houses spread across the United Kingdom for its courses and retreats. The participants live family-style, sharing a bathroom and sometimes a bedroom. Each participant prepares one of the meals during the week, using menus provided by Arvon. The faculty includes two professional, published writers per workshop plus a guest writer. The writers on faculty live with the participants so there is plenty of time for casual discussions or specific questions. The guest writer comes about midweek to read and share with the participants.

What kind of courses does Arvon offer?


From "Starting to Write" to "Screenwriting (Film & TV)", pick any genre, any field, and there's a good chance that it is in the list of courses offered by Arvon. In a course, your day will begin with an instructive session as a group with one or both of the faculty (also called tutors). The afternoons are open for you to pursue your own work or schedule some one-on-one time with a tutor. There are readings for the participants in the evenings as well.

On the retreats, there are no tutors. You still live family-style with other writers and you're still required to cook one meal during the week, but when you write and where is up to you. On some retreats, the writers have set up reading sessions to get feedback from each other, but there is no formal schedule.

Both the courses and the retreats begin Monday morning and end at noon Saturday.

What does this cost?

The rate is all-inclusive and there are a limited number of grants available as well. Cost for writing courses with a single room is £550. Sharing a room drops the tuition to £499. Writers Retreats are £385. Currently, it takes $1.86 US to match a British pound sterling.

You can check availability and book your course or retreat week online.

The Details:

Arvon - a 40-year-old organization that offers 5-1/2 day writing courses and writers' retreats
Tuition - includes all meals and lodging - Courses: £550/single room, £499/shared room; Retreats: £385, a limited number of grants are available.
Lodging - Courses/Retreats are held in four historic houses scattered in the English countryside.



Photos from the Arvon Writing Houses Gallery

Workshops & Retreats…Fearless Writing Retreats

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.


What is a Fearless Writing Retreat?

ClarityWorks, which offers classes, retreats and other resources for women writers, is the brainchild of writer and speaker Peggy Tabor Millin. The Fearless Writing Retreats are held three times a year and are limited to between eight and twelve women writers. The next retreat runs November 9-16 at Lake Logan Episcopal Center near Asheville, NC.

The schedule includes group sessions each morning, where Millin instructs on "Centered Writing Practice™", free time each afternoon for private writing or recreation and evening gatherings that focus on a specific writing related topic, like writing dialogue, description, and publication, and open readings from retreat participants.


Millin is also available for private sessions for an additional fee. This fee includes reading and discussing five pages of double-spaced text. This is not a critique session.

Who is Peggy Tabor Millin?

Millin has been writing fiction and nonfiction since childhood. She published Mary's Way, a spiritual memoir about her pilgrimage to Medjugorje in Bosnia, as well as numerous magazine articles, training manuals and short stories. In addition, she has worked as an editor for authors and publishers. She has taught workshops at conferences, retreats and seminars for women, for writers and for other professionals. She founded ClarityWorks in 1996 "to explore how the writing process nurtures the inner life and transforms the outer world of the writer."

What's included in the tuition?

Tuition includes the program, lodging and all meals. The private meetings with Millin are an additional $60 for 30 minutes. Lodging consist of a private room/bath in a cabin shared by four participants. Early bird tuition is $1689 and is guaranteed by an $875 deposit due by August 24. Full tuition is $1739 and the $875 deposit is due upon registration. The balance is due by September 28. A scholarship is available.


Registration is limited to 11 and interested writers must submit a "Fall Inquiry Form" and a sample of their writing. Millin will contact the writer for a discussion about her goals and interest in the retreat.

The Details:

Fearless Writing Retreat: November 9-16 at Lake Logan Episcopal Center near Asheville, NC.
Tuition/Registration: Early Bird - $1689 by August 24, Full - $1739 by September 28, $875 deposit is non-refundable; scholarship available; Fall Inquiry Form required; private sessions with Millin - $60/30-minutes.
Lodging: 4-bedroom cabins with a private room and bath for each participant, cabins' common areas include a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker, dining hall on the Center's campus.



ED NOTE: The photos are of the fall retreat 2007 from the ClarityWorks website.

Workshops & Retreats…The High Tension Workshop

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is the High Tension Workshop?

It is a brand-new workshop from Free Expression Literary Services and Seminars, featuring New York literary agent Donald Maass. Held November 6-9 in Tampa, FL, the workshop is for writers with a completed or nearly completed novel manuscript. The website description calls the workshop a "three-and-a-half day course devoted to the creation of breathtaking, page-turning fiction." It will feature discussions and exercises with your manuscript on creating, building and maintaining tension on a line-by-line basis, scene-by-scene basis, and even within your pitch or query letters.

Who is Donald Maass?

Maass is the founder and president of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. He has written more than a dozen novels using a pen name and several instructional books on novel writing, including The Career Novelist and Writing the Breakout Novel, which is the basis of his first seminar with Free Expressions. The agency has over 100 clients, including Anne Perry, Jim Butcher, Stuart Kaminsky, and Anne Bishop among others, representing dozens of genres, including science fiction, horror, romance, mainstream and more. The agency announces on its website what it is seeking as well as submission guidelines. Current needs (July and August 2008) are beach reads for summer 2009. Click here to get full details.

How much does this workshop cost?

If you have attended any Free Expressions seminar, you are classified as a "returning student." The rate is $449 before August 8 and $499 after that date. New student rates are $479 before August 8 and $529 after that date. You can register online. The seminar runs all day November 6, 7, and 8 and for a half day on November 9.

The website does not list a specific location in Tampa or give any hotel options. A call placed to Free Expressions has not been returned. When new information is received, we'll update this article.

The Details:

The High Tension Workshop with Donald Maass, November 6-9, 2008, Tampa, FL.
Tuition: Returning Students (from any Free Expressions seminar): $449 before August 8/$499 after; New Students: $479 before August 8/$529 after, register online.
Lodging/Location info not currently available.




Reminder: Bill Frederick will stop by August 5 to discuss his e-book My Virtual Book Tour Secrets. Leave questions or comments for him by August 1 - click here

Workshops & Retreats…Tony Hillerman Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

Who should attend this conference?

Held November 5-9 in Albuquerque, NM, the Tony Hillerman Writers Conference caters to mystery and suspense writers. Subtitled "Focus on Mystery," the conference features such workshops as Writing Mysteries in the 21st Century, How to Write Great Action Scenes and Researching Historical and Science-Based Mysteries, as well as general writers conference topics like Winning Queries, What Agents Expect from Authors and Be Your Own Best Editor. Other activities include contests and awards, private meetings with agents, special pre-conference workshops, book signings and more.

Agent appointments are offered on a first come-first served basis to attendees who have paid for the full conference. Note your order of preference on the registration form.

Who makes up the conference faculty?

Plans have not been finalized for all of the faculty, but organizers have already gathered a host of published mystery and suspense authors as well as editors and agents in the field. Below is a partial list.





AUTHORS:

Michael McGarrity
Craig Johnson
Pari Noskin Taichert
Sandi Ault
Judith Van Gieson
Steve Havill
Joe Badal
Paula Paul
and Christine Barber - winner of the 2007 Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Novel.

PUBLISHERS/EDITORS:

Barbara Peters, Founder of Poisoned Pen Press
Peter Joseph, Editor at St. Martin's Press

LITERARY AGENTS:

Betsy Amster - Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises
Tony Outhwaite - JCA Literary Agency
Liz Trupin-Pulli - JET Literary Associates, Inc

What is the conference going to cost?

You can register for the conference online or by mail. A registration form is required. The full conference tuition is $395 until September 14, $425 between September 15 and November 2. This includes all the events from Thursday evening to Sunday and all meals. It does not include the pre-conference workshops. You must pay for them separately. You can register for just one day, if you'd like, and extra meal tickets, including to the keynote dinner are also available. There are no fees for agent appointments.

The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque. There are rooms available for a conference rate of $115 per night. You must ask for the Hillerman Conference Rate when you register.

The Details:

Tony Hillerman Writers Conference: Focus on Mystery - November 5-9 - Albuquerque, NM.
Location/Lodging: Hyatt Regency Albuquerque - $115 Hillerman Conference Rate.
Tuition: $395/Full conference until September 14, $425/Full conference from September 15-November 2, includes meals plus all conference activities. Pre-conference workshops are not included and must be purchased separately. Daily rate and separate meal tickets also available separately.
Contests and free private agent appointments are also featured.

Workshops & Retreats…Getting It Write: James River Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.


Is this conference open only to members of the James River Writers?

Organized by the James River Writers, Getting it Write is open to both JRW members and nonmembers. The conference runs October 10-11, 2008 and features two days of panels and seminars on the many aspects of fiction writing, script writing, poetry, nonfiction writing, marketing and promotions. Each hour has a mix of four sessions. Sample seminars include "What's My Genre -- Mass Market Fiction? Literary Fiction?" "It's All About Me and My Book: Understanding Publicity", and "Breaking into Print."

Participants can sign up for a 5-minute "elevator" pitch session with one of four agents or a 15-minute session with a public relations/marketing firm. First Pages Panel Critiques offer an opportunity for participants to submit the first two pages of their novel or nonfiction book for a critique by a panel made up of agents, editors and authors. There will be one session for fiction and one section for nonfiction.

Who is on the faculty?

JRW has gathered agents, authors and editors from around the country and in their own backyard. To see a full list of the faculty and read their bios, click here. Below are some of the featured faculty members.

Authors/Editors:

Chuck Adams - editor, Algonquin Books.
David Baldacci - author of 17 novels, most recently The Whole Truth.
Diane Mott Davidson - author of 15 novels most recently Sweet Revenge due out in August.
Kirk Ellis - script writer/co-executive producer of HBO's "John Adams."
Claudia Emerson - 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winning poet for her collection Late Wife.
Kate Jacobs - freelance writer/editor, two novels include Friday Night Knitting Club.
Shannon Ravenel - co-founder/editor, Shannon Ravenel Books (imprint of Algonquin Books).
Adriana Trigiani - author of seven novels including The Queen of the Big Time.

Agents/PR Team:


Barbara Clark - Barbara Clark Literary Agency.
Jeanne Fredericks - Jeanne Fredericks Literary Agency.
Lynda and Jim O'Conner - O'Conner Communications.
Natanya Wheeler - Lowenstein-Yost Literary Agency.
Ken Wright - Writers House.

How much will the conference cost you?

If you register before September 1, you can attend both days for $140. After that date, tuition goes up to $155. There is no mention of a discount for JRW members, however, they do have priority registration. In addition, there may be a few one-day-only tickets available after October 1, if you miss the registration dates for the full conference. Those tickets will be $85 if spaces are still available. Requests for refunds must be postmarked by September 10 and there is a $25 cancellation fee on all refunds. No refunds will be made after that date. You can register online or you can download the registration form in a PDF file.


In terms of lodging, JRW has secured a conference rate for a block of rooms in the Linden Row Inn. You must mention the conference to receive the discounted rate. Click here to see other hotel options JRW has compiled.

The Details:

Getting It Write: James River Writers Conference, October 10-11, 2008.
Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad St., Richmond, VA.
Lodging: Linden Row Inn - mention conference for group rate, other hotels listed here.
Tuition: Early - $140, After September 1 - $155, One-Day-Only (after October 1 if available) - $85, register online or download the registration form in a PDF file.
One-on-One with Literary Agent or PR/Marketing firm - no extra fee.
First Pages Panel Critique - no extra fee - submit between September 1-15 ONLY.

Workshops & Retreats…The Sackett Street Writers' Workshop

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.


What is the Sackett Street Writers' Workshop?

Founded in 2002, the workshop began with eight writers in the kitchen of founder Julia Fierro in Brooklyn, NY. She was looking for a community of writers outside of the academia, and when she was unable to find what she wanted, she decided to create it. She soon realized she was filling a void for a lot of writers in the five boroughs of New York City and she enlisted help in the form of additional instructors.

The Sackett Street Writers' Workshop includes eight different workshops, meeting for two hours once a week for six to eight weeks apiece. There is Fiction Writing I, II and III, Novel Writing, Nonfiction Writing, Flash Fiction, Post-MFA writing and a workshop on MFA application preparation. The workshops are limited to eight people each, and like the first one, they meet in the home of the instructor.

You must apply to be accepted to one of the workshops. You can apply through an online form and you will need to cut and paste a writing sample on the form. Previous workshop or writing class experience is expected except for Fiction Writing I. The Novel Writing Workshop requires that you have at least two chapters of your novel completed. There are 10 workshops set between now and the middle of September.

The instructors are also available for private consultations. This is ideal for writers with a completed manuscript looking for advice and feedback before submitting it to an agent or publisher. The private consultations are outside of the workshops for an additional fee.

Who are the instructors?

When she decided to expand the workshop from her initial eight, Fierro put out a call from applications. She received over 100 from professional writers, editors and teachers, who have MFA degrees from prestigious writing program and have taught writing at major universities. The faculty includes: (click here to see their full bios)

Kate Hill Cantrill - taught at the University of the Arts and the University of Texas-Austin, nominated for the Pushcart Prize, published in StoryQuarterly, the Mississippi Review and others.
Julia Fierro - founder/director of the Sackett Street Writers' Workshop, has taught at the University of Iowa and Hofstra University.
Taylor Larsen - teaches literature and writing at a college in Manhattan, attended the Breadloaf Writers Conference, selected to particpate in the Columbia University Faculty Selects Reading Series.
Heather Aimee O'Neill - teaches at the CUNY Hunter College, was co-director of The Speakeasy Reading Series, published in Bostonia and others and writes a monthly column for AfterEllen.com
Nancy Rawlinson - freelance editor for publishers/agents, senior editor for Guernica: a Magazine of Politcs and Art, has published in The Guardian, Mosaic Literary Magazine and others.
Eric Rosenblum - has taught at the Pratt Institute, Syracuse University, Yeshiva University, has published fiction and nonfiction in the Chicago Tribune, Guernica Magazine and others.
Aria Sloss - editorial assistant at Harvard University Press, received the Iowa Arts Fellowship and a fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center, won the James Veech Prize for Fiction at Yale University.
Anna Solomon - writing/teaching fellowship at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, nominated for the Pushcart Prize, has been published in the Georgia Review, One Story and others.
Caeli Wolfson Widger - assistant director of the Sackett Street Writers' Workshop, received writing/teaching fellowships at the University of Montana, Vermont Studio Center, published poet and short story writer.

How much is the tuition?

Tuition depends on the length of the workshop. Six-week workshops are $350. Eight-week workshops are $395. There is a $175 deposit required to reserve a spot. It is refundable up to two weeks before the workshop begins. Private consultations are $60/hour, but there is a flat rate for manuscripts over 100 pages.

The Details:

The Sackett Street Writers' Workshops meet once a week for six or eight weeks depending on the class.
Workshops offered: Fiction Writing I, II and III; Novel Writing, Nonfiction Writing, Flash Fiction, Post-MFA writing and MFA application preparation.
Location: Workshops meet in the individual homes of the instructors.
Tuition: $350 - 6-week workshop, $395 - 8-week workshop; $175 deposit (refundable up to two weeks before the workshop.
Private consultations are available. $60/hour or flat fee for manuscripts over 100 pages.
Application required; previous workshop or creative writing class experience preferred.







Magazine covers are samples of the publications where the instructors have published. These are not the actual issues.

Workshops & Retreats…ShawGuides Guide to Writers Conferences & Workshops

How do you find a writer's workshop or conference that's right for you?

The Internet has made this task so much easier. You can put "writer's conferences" into Google or any search engine to get started. However, there are also various searchable databases online. Writer's Mart, a service of Writer's Digest, has two sub-categories once you click "conferences" on the home page. Different events are listed on the front page of each sub-category but when you search with the same keyword, you come up with the same results. The Writer's Mart search engine works best with single keyword searches. I took two keywords from the first listing on the page and the search engine failed to find the conference.

A database that has helped me is ShawGuides Guide to Writers Conferences & Workshops. I can search by nearly two dozen genres, all 50 states, every month of the year and by over three dozen countries around the world. I can click the menu or type in keywords. It's not fool-proof. I typed in Maine, memoir and September and got five entries. Three have events in Maine, offer memoir classes and have events in September. One is in Canada. It will be held in September, does have memoir section and an instructor is from Maine. Another is from France, but offers a class on memoir and will be held in September.

Why does 3 Questions recommend ShawGuides?


I have worked with ShawGuides from both sides. I helped organize the Southeastern Writers Workshop for several years and the database was the workshop's primary advertising. Now I use it to select the workshops, conferences and retreats I profile here. I like ShawGuides because I know the information is current and because it is easy to use.

The database is free to search but organizations must subscribe to be listed. The administrators of the database contact each organization before their subscriptions expire. If a group doesn't renew, ShawGuides pulls the listing. The organization fills out its own listing and update it as needed so you can trust that they are accurate. There is also a link to the group's webpage. I have never found a broken link.

As I showed above, searching ShawGuides is easy. The listings give a brief outline of the event, the cost, even the faculty plus snail mail, email and web access where available if you decide you want more information. Some listings have photos and other features as well. The database is vast with over 900 writing programs listed.


There are two things I don't like about ShawGuides. One it is a very cluttered screen. Many of the listing pages have sidebars with advertisements and featured or sponsored links to other conferences. Some of those have photos that rotate through a cycle. It takes away from the main listing and sends me looking for the website link to escape.

Second, I can't move from one listing to the next or to the previous while I'm on a conference listing page. I have to go back to the search list and click on the next one. These aren't big problems keeping me off the database, but they are annoying.


What else should you know about ShawGuides?

ShawGuides has 10 other databases in addition to Guide to Workshops and Conferences. If your interests include art, photography, cooking, travel or more, you can find events for professional advancement or just recreational exploration.

ShawGuides can make your search for the perfect writer's conference easier and faster. Plus it is free.

Workshops & Retreats…Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference

What is the Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference?

Not every poet can attend this poetry conference, held at The Round House in Colrain, MA. The conference has an application process before you can register. On the website is a list to help you decide if this is the right conference for you. The first element of a successful applicant is that you have a completed book-length poetry manuscript. The three-day conference will help you organize and polish your manuscript, covering everything from the merit of individual poems to the order in which they are collected.

The conference begins with a dinner on Friday, August 22 and ends with a wrap up session Monday morning, August 25. Saturday is dedicated to manuscript preparation with the conference faculty, then Sunday has a panel of editors taking questions in the morning, but most of the day will be spent meeting with the editors in small groups. Monday morning the conference faculty will help participants review the work and advice they have received and will help to set goals for their next steps in the publishing process.

Who are the faculty members?

This list does not include the visiting editors that will meet with participants on Sunday. That list is not available at this time.


Jeffrey Shotts - Poetry Editor, Graywolf Press
Jeffrey Levine - Editor-in-Chief/Publisher, Tupelo Press
Joan Houlihan - Founder/Director of Concord Poetry Center (and this conference); Poetry Editor, Del Sol Press
Fred Marchant - former Acquisitions Editor, Graywolf Press; Director of the Creative Writing Program, Suffolk University


How much will this cost you?

The only thing not covered by the conference fee is your transportation. Your lodging, meals and tuition are included in the $995 fee. You can receive a full refund up to July 11. After that, your fee will be credited to a future conference. The registration form is online here and you can pay by PayPal or by snail mail.

The Round House

Details:

Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference - August 22-25, 2008, at The Round House in Colrain, MA.
Tuition - $995 all-inclusive (except travel), full refund available until July 11.
Registration form online - all applications will be reviewed to determine acceptance to the program.

Workshops & Retreats…Ireland's Anam Cara

What is Anam Cara?

It is a retreat for writers and artists on the Beara Peninsula in West Cork, Ireland. The cottage and five acres of gardens hosts both workshops for groups of writers and artists or simply a creative getaway for individuals working on existing projects or developing new ones. Hostess Sue Booth-Forbes, a writer and editor, has set a daily schedule to help guests focus their creative minds on the project at hand. For example, from 9:30 to 5:30 each day are the "Quiet Working Hours." Even if you don't feel like working, you are expected to be courteous of others. Morning and evening meals are shared with all the residents. Lunch can be shared or on your own.

The cottage houses five guests and the bedrooms have large desks and work areas and "inspiring" views of the Beara landscape. There are several community areas in the house where you can work: the library, the conservatory/sunroom, and the gallery to name a few. Internet access is available but limited, and residents have access to a copier, scanner, printers, fax and a telephone if you have a phone card. If you need extensive Internet access, the nearest town with such services is four kilometers (2.5 miles) away.


The gardens offer five acres with benches, swings, hammocks and other areas for creativity outdoors. There are two kilometers (1.2 miles) of walking trails in the garden, a duck pond, the Kealincha River, a mountain stream, flower and vegetable gardens among other features.

What writing workshops are offered?

Anam Cara offers five workshops this summer and fall. Three of them are for writers.

The Poem and the Dream - June 21-28 - Paula Meehan (Ireland) and Juliet Clancy (USA) - contact anamcararetreat(at)eircom(dot)net
Writing from Within - July 12-19 - Maeve O'Sullivan (Ireland) and Kim Richardson (England) - contact anamcararetreat(at)eircom(dot)net
Writing in Ireland - October 11-18 - Karen Blomain (USA) - contact karenblomain(at)gmail(dot)com

For more information about the individual workshops and the instructors, visit the website. All participants either stay at the cottage or at one of the Bed and Breakfasts nearby. Transportation is provided during inclement weather. Lunch and dinner is served at Anam Cara.

For information on registering, rates, space availability and everything else, please email the corresponding addresses above.


Why should you try a writer's retreat?

Here's one good reason: getting away from your daily like may be just the spark you need to finish your latest project. Instead of driving kids to and fro, instead of washing clothes and washing faces, instead of being pulled in 14 different directions at work and at home, you'll have only one purpose: to finish your manuscript. Given the opportunity to focus on just one task, your brain will spit out idea after idea. Studies in Belgium and England have found that the brain learns while sleeping. At Anam Cara, you can doze off in the hammock on the island in the river and wake up with the perfect solution for framing unsuspecting Uncle Fred in chapter four with the murder of the police commissioner on page one.

There is a lot to be said for the camaraderie you find in workshops, but even if you're retreating alone at Anam Cara, there will be other artists or writers with whom you can share your work, discuss or share a pint at the local pub. Writing is a solitary task, but it doesn't have to be solitary confinement. At Anam Cara, you can have your work time and your creative communing. It's the best of both worlds.




Photos are from Beara Tourism's website.

Workshops & Retreats…25th Annual Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference?

The GPCWC is a three-day conference, August 7-9, held at the Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, PA. The conference brings together over 60 agents, editors, authors and publishers for three days of classes, workshops and seminars on all aspects and genres of Christian based literature. Attendees can chose from 42 different one-day workshops and nine three-day "continuing sessions" which meet twice a day for two days and for two hours on the final day. Each attendee can pick two workshops every day and one continuing sessions for the entire conference. In addition, there are two classes for teens: Teens Write! and Special for Youth Leaders.

There are also four clinics for an additional fee. Attendees must apply to be accepted to only one of these intense workshops. Clinics are limited to 10 students and meet for six hour-long sessions. Deadline is July 16.

There will be four "Earlybirds" taught at the conference hotel in the afternoon and evening on August 6, also for an additional fee. Attendees may sign up for two of the four. Finally, attendees may sign up for 30-minute critique sessions as well with available faculty members.

The workshops fall into seven categories:

• Life & Craft
• Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Genres
• Get Published
• Promotion
• Specialty

The continuing sessions include:

• Book Marketing
• From Start to Finish for First-Time Authors
• Get Ready, Get Going, Get Writing, Get Published
• Making Your Living Writing
• Nangie for Beginning Novelists
• Polishing Your Manuscript for Publications
• The Write Way: 30 Tips/Techniques for Writing Nonfiction
• Transforming the World from the Inside Out
• Writing a Novel They Can't Put Down

Additional clinics are:

• Not Yet Published Novelists
• Nangie for Advanced Novelists
• Polish & Shine your Kid's Novel
• Nonfiction Books

Earlybirds at the Hotel:

• Practice Your Pitch; Discover Your Gift - 3:30-4:45
• More than a Story; Orientation - 6:30-7:45

Who is on the faculty?

The faculty consists of agents, editors, publishers and authors, as well as motivational and specialty presenters. You can see the full faculty list at this page. Here are a few highlights.

Agents: (click the agency for more info)

William K. Jensen - William K Jensen Literary Agency
Mark Littleton - Winsun Literary Agency
Erik Schmidgal - Hartline Literary Agency


Book Editors/Publishers: (click the publisher for more info)

Jeff Braun - Acquisitions Editor/Nonfiction - Bethany House Publishers
Brandt Dodson - Author Representative - Harvest House Publishers
Andrea Doering - Senior Acquisitions Editor - Revell Books

Periodicals Editors: (click the magazine for more info)

Terrence Clark - Chief Editor - Voice of One
Tracey Michae'l Lewis - Editor - Anointed Magazine Online

Authors: (click name to go the author's website)

James Scott Bell - Letting God Take Your Story Where it Needs to Go/Writing the Novel They Can't Put Down
Pam Halter - Fairies and Elves and Dwarves, Oh My!
Glenn Rambo - Feds, Firearms and Forensics
Lisa Samson - Living Intentionally, Writing on Purpose/Not Yet Published Novelists

How much will it cost you?

Depending on when you register, tuition ranges from $120 for one day by May 31 to $320 for the entire conference by July 31. There are discounts for pastors, conference alumni, seniors, students and teens (18 and under). There is also a scholarship available. Meals are $52 for three meals a day for the entire conference.

Earlybirds are $20 for one session, $30 for two, but Orientation is free. The 30-minute critique sessions are $30 each. The two offerings for teens are $25 each or $48 for both. Clinics are $65.

The conference has made a deal with the Holiday Inn Select in Trevose, PA, for a special rate of $112 per night for attendees. The conference will find you a roommate if you register by July 10 and turn in the roommate form.


The Details:

25th Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference - August 7-9 - Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, PA.
Tuition (1-2-3 days): by May 31 - $120, $210, $280; by June 30 - $130, $225, $300; by July 31 - $140, $240, $320; walk-ins pay an extra $15 on July 31 tuition. Discounts are available. A scholarship is available.
Extras: Earlybirds - $20/one; $35/both, Orientation is free. Clinics - $65. 30-minute critique - $30/each. Teen sessions; $25/one, $48/both.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Select in Travose, PA - Conference Rate: $112.


See the website for more information, registering online and all necessary forms.








Irish author Paul Kildoff will answer your questions about writing and his new book Ruinair as he kicks off his Virtual Book Tour here at 3 Questions...and Answers May 19. Read more and leave your questions here by 6pm EDT Friday, May 16.

Workshops & Retreats…2008 Backspace Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.
What is the Backspace Writers Conference?

Backspace is an online writers organization with hundreds of members around the globe. Their 2008 Writers Conference will be August 7-8 at the Radisson Martinique in New York City. Although its agenda is not finalized, the conference offers two full days of workshops and panels with authors, editors and agents in the areas of fiction (novel and short stories), nonfiction, memoirs, children's books, promotion and marketing.

Manuscript evaluations will not be offered, but there are workshops called "Two Minutes, Two Pages" where two agents will meet with small groups of writers, who will read the first two pages of their manuscripts for the agents' cold reaction. There will be multiple workshops and they will run concurrently with the rest of the conference. There is no additional cost, but there is a limit of one session per person and it is scheduled on a first come/first served basis. Agents and editors will also be available between sessions and during lunch to meet informally with attendees to discuss their work.

Who are the instructors?



The faculty list isn't finalized either but visit "Faculty" on the conference website for the current list. This will be updated as new faculty confirms their participation. Some highlights are:

Keynote Speakers:
Lee Child - NY times best-selling author
Mark Tavani - Senior Editor at Random House

Editors:
Charis Conn - Contributing Editor for Harper's Magazine
Hilary Rubin Teeman - Associate Editor at St. Martin's Press
Kristen Weber - Senior Editor at New American Library (Penguin Group)
…and others


Literary Agents:
Stephany Evans - Fine Print Literary Management
Ronnie Gramazio - Martin Literary Management
Scott Hoffman - Folio Literary Management LLC
Elisabeth Weed - Weed Literary LLC
…and others

Authors:
Reed Farrel Coleman
Harry Hunsicker
Pam Jenoff
Caroline Leavitt
Jason Pinter
…and others

How much will this cost you?

Tuition for the conference varies. For Backspace members it is $355. Nonmembers pay $395. If you’re a member of the Mystery Writers of America, you can get a $50 rebate from MWA on the nonmember tuition. You can pay online, but there is a registration form you must fill out for either online payment or mail-in payment.


If you'd like to stay at the Radisson Martinique, the conference rate is $249/night plus taxes for a double occupancy. Choices of accommodations include: King bed, Queen bed or two Double beds, smoking and nonsmoking. There are other rates for more than two people in a room and there is a upgrade rate as well. Visit "The Hotel" on the conference website for more information about the Radisson and about less expensive alternatives.

The Details:

2008 Backspace Writers Conference - August 7-8 - Radisson Martinique, NY, NY.
Agenda includes - panel discussions, workshops, "Two minutes, Two Pages" cold readings with agents.
Faculty includes - agents, authors, editors, other publishing professionals.
Tuition - $355/Backspace members; $395/Nonmembers. $50 rebate from Mystery Writers of America to MWA members paying full tuition. Registration from required.
Hotel conference rate - $249/night double occupancy, links to other alternatives on the conference website.

Workshops & Retreats…Harriette Austin Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is the Harriette Austin Writers Conference?

In its 15 years the Harriette Austin Writers Conference (HAWC) has grown and changed from primarily a mystery/true crime themed conference to one that features all areas of writing, including romance, poetry and writing for children. The dates this year are Friday, July 18 and Saturday July 19 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on the University of Georgia campus.

The HAWC holds two sessions of three-hour Intensive Workshops on Friday. Each session has three topics from which you can choose. Saturday conference is a day of hour-long seminars. Each hour has eight seminars offered. In addition, you may submit a manuscript to be evaluated by one of the agents or editors present. (click here for manuscript guidelines)

Who makes up the faculty? (click here for HAWC faculty bios)


Keynote Speaker - Sharyn McCrumb, author of Once Around the Track
Dinner Speaker - Ralph McInerny - author of the Father Dowling mysteries series.

Doris Booth - Authorlink Literary Group
Andrea Brown - Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Barbara Casey - Barbara Casey Literary Agency
Zoe Fishman - Lowenstein-Yost Agency
Chip MacGregor - MacGregor Literary Agency
Cherry Weiner - Cherry Weiner Literary Agency

Tony Burton - editor/author - Wolfmont Press
Jane Friedman - editor - F+W Publications
Patrick LoBrutto - editor/author
Susan Mary Malone - Malone Editorial
Chris Roerden - editor
Brian Seidman - managing editor - NewSouth Books


Robert Alan Black - creativity expert
Andy Garrison - police procedural expert
Alex Graves - law enforcement expert
Ginny Stibolt -website for writers expert

Evelyn Coleman - children's author - White Socks Only
Susan Dansby - author/television writer - Guiding Light and other daytime dramas
Wally Eberhard - freelance writer/journalist
Darrell Huckaby - author/columnist - Need Two
Judy Iakovou - author - There Lies a Hidden Scorpion
Terry Kay - author - Taking Lottie Home
Tanya Michna - author - Necessary Arrangements
J.L. Miles - author - Roseflower Creek
Bobby Nash - cartoonist - Life in the Faster Lane
David Oates - poet/author
Frederick Smock - poet/author
Robert Vaughn - author - Brandywine's War
Dana Wildsmith - poet/author

How much might this cost you?


If you want to go to two Friday workshops and Saturday's conference it is $385 or $395 late registration after July 1. If you register before May 1, you can get a 10% discount. This two-day package includes lunches both days, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and the conference dinner Saturday night. One Friday workshop is $80/$90, two is $145/$155. The Saturday Conference alone is $190/$195. Manuscript evaluations are $50.

Lodging at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education runs from $89-$99 plus 7% sales tax. Rooms are standard hotel style rooms with double, queen, king sized beds.

The Details:

HAWC - July 18-19, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, University of Georgia, Athens GA
Tuition - from $80 for single 3-hour workshop to $385 for a two workshops and the conference day. (10% discount if you register before May 1 - add $10 if registering after July 1)
Manuscript evaluations - $50 - deadline - June 1 (received) - click here for details
Lodging at the Georgia Center - hotel style rooms - $89-$99 plus tax

Workshops & Retreats…Alaska Writers Guild Speculative Fiction Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is "speculative fiction?"

Speculative fiction is a collective term for multiple genres and subgenres, including sci-fi, fantasy, horror, alternate history and most comic book or graphic novels plus many more. The Alaska Writers Guild Speculative Fiction Conference celebrates everything speculative October 1-5 in Anchorage, AK. The Conference includes an opening reception, morning and afternoon sessions, a Q&A with a panel one evening, an evening of intensive small workshops, an awards banquet, manuscript reviews with one-on-one sessions with the critiquing faculty member and an associated contest: The Ralph Williams Prize for Speculative Fiction.


Who are the instructors? (click their names to learn more)

Brandi Bowles - Literary Agent, Howard Morhaim Agency
Ginger Clark - Literary Agent, Curtis Brown LTD
John Kremer - Book Marketing Expert
Marjorie M. Liu - Author
Laurie McLean - Literary Agent, Larsen Pomada Agency
Barbara Oakley - Author
Melanie Rawn - Author
Jennifer Roberson - Author
Katharine Sands - Literary Agent, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Harry Turtledove - Author

How much might this cost you?


Tuition for the Conference depends on when you register. You can register online with a credit card or through PayPal. Register by midnight April 15 - $375, by midnight July 31 - $425, August 1- October 1 (if space allows) - $475. Download a registration form on the website.

If you want your manuscript reviewed/critiqued it is $50 per 25-paged manuscript. If your 25 pages is part of a novel, included a 1-2 pages synopsis. Deadline July 15. The Ralph Williams Prize (completely separate from the manuscript review) has a $50 entry fee. Non-winning entries receive a written critique. Deadline May 1.

Lodging at the Coast International Inn runs between $555 and $591 for all four nights, unless there is a conference rate.

The Details:

Alaska Writers Guild Speculative Fiction Conference - October 1-5 @ Coast International Inn, Anchorage, AK.
Tuition - $375/April 15; $425/July 31; $475/August 1-October 1 if space allows. Registration form required.
Lodging $555-$591 at conference hotel for the entire conference.
Manuscript Review - $50 fee, deadline - July 15, click here for details.
Ralph Williams Prize for Speculative Ficiton - $50 entry fee, deadline - May 1, click here for complete guidelines.