The Mystic Writers Conferences
CALENDAR
MYSTIC RETREAT AND CONFERENCE AGENDA
Date: Friday, March 22
Time: 7:30PM-9:30PM
Meet-and-greet reception at the Hilton’s brick-walled Soundings Lounge for introductions, conversation and a lively exchange of ideas near a crackling fireplace. The restaurant/café’s cash bar serves a full selection of beer, wine and cocktails and offers a small bite menu.
Suzanne Strempek Shea and Elizabeth Searle will host optional student readings in the lounge’s relaxed, cozy New England atmosphere following the reception.
Saturday’s BUSY slate starts immediately after morning registration. There will be brief 5-10 minute breaks between each scheduled session, and two fifteen-minute intermissions (see agenda) during which we’ll have coffee available for all attendees.
We’re pleased to note that Suzanne Strempek Shea and Elizabeth Searle will be available for private consultations starting at 9:00AM and extending throughout the afternoon (whenever they aren’t holding scheduled sessions). Because slots are very limited, they must be reserved prior to the conference. We expect these special one-on-one opportunities to book up quickly, and will be posting more details about them soon.
Date: Saturday, March 23
Time: 8:00AM-8:15AM
Registration for attendees.
8:15AM-9:00AM
The Working Writer: Keynote and Q&A—Jerome Preisler
9:00AM-9:30AM
Class: The Author’s Toolbox: Everything The Aspiring Writer Needs to Know, from Query to Publication and Beyond—with John Talbot.
Based on inside knowledge from twenty-plus years as a highly successful literary agent and as an editor at two of New York City’s top three publishers, John Talbot reveals the inside scoop on getting your work published -- from honing the killer query to finding a savvy agent and managing your career for longevity and wealth. This seminar covers such nuts and bolts as how to develop your publishing knowledge base, but it is also inspirational and there’s little bit of inside story telling -- these are things you won’t hear at any other conference!
9:30AM-10AM
Class: e-Books versus Traditional Publishing: Choosing the Best Path for your Career … or “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” (Thank you, Yogi Berra)— with John Talbot
Coffee Break (15 minutes)
10:15AM-11:30AM
Class/Panel: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving as a Writer:
Self-Promotion, Social Media, Freelance Stories, Smart Submissions and More—with Suzanne Strempek Shea, Elizabeth Searle and Jerome
Preisler
The writing life is notoriously tough these days, yet also full of new opportunities. Suzanne Strempek Shea, Elizabeth Searle and Jerome have managed to sustain writing careers of twenty-plus years -- and still have fun along the way.
In this frank nitty-gritty seminar/Q&A session, they share their favorite strategies to survive and thrive, including tips on self-promotion, using social media, making smart submissions, seeking freelance journalism opportunities, approaching agents and publishers and more.
Come armed with your most nagging questions; our writers will share all.
11:30AM-12:15PM
Class: True Yarns: Applying a Novelist’s Sensibilities and Skills to Nonfiction—with Jerome Preisler
As a pioneer of the “new journalism”, Gay Talese has said he began by wondering: “Why can't I do as a non-fiction writer what short story writers do, what dramatists do, what novelists do? Which is write scenes."
Read by broad audiences and highly attractive to publishers, narrative nonfiction uses all the storytelling techniques of fiction writers to tell a factual story. The author of two major books and countless feature articles written in this popular genre, Jerome will discuss what goes into writing what Talese calls “stories with real names”.
12:15PM-1:30PM
LUNCH
Dining is available at the Hilton Hotel's Soundings Lounge and a number of great locales in scenic Mystic--including the famed Mystic Pizza! Check back here soon for links to various eateries within a short walk of the hotel.
1:30PM-2:30PM
Author Readings and Book Signings—Suzanne Strempek Shea, Elizabeth Searle and Jerome Preisler
Coffee Break (15 minutes)
2:45PM-3:15PM
Class: Cozy Boot Camp: How Create and Sell a Cozy Mystery Series-in Eight Weeks or Less!—John Talbot
Are you motivated to write, right now? Do you enjoy a good mystery? Well then, what are you waiting for? Let's write a cozy!
The cozy mystery is a vital and evergreen category in commercial publishing, and a great pathway to publication for aspiring professionals. If you enjoy puzzling out a good mystery, creating ensemble
casts of lovable and eccentric characters, writing about delicious meals, hanging out with cats, and dreaming up idyllic, small-town havens tucked away from the world's problems -- well, except for
the inconvenient body or two -- then this presentation is for you!
Cozy mysteries are sold on proposals. In this presentation, John Talbot will suggest ways for you to find your own best topic, he will enumerate and break down each section of a standard proposal,
and then he will show you how to put all these elements together into an irresistible package -- in eight weeks or less!
3:15PM-4:00PM
Class: The Genre Hopping Writer: Creative Multitasking In Today’s Market—Suzanne Strempek Shea, Elizabeth Searle, John Talbot and Jerome Preisler
Suzanne Strempek Shea, Elizabeth Searle and Jerome Preisler have all written in multiple forms and genres. Their combined experience is a literary grab-bag that includes biographical nonfiction to narrative history, thrillers to cozies, short stories to theatrical and movie scripts, sportswriting, poetry and more.
In an appropriately broad, free-ranging session, our authors close out the day's agenda with a panel discussion and Q&A on the benefits of working in different categories -- sharing their candid personal anecdotes, and giving insider tips that will help writers avoid the occasional pitfalls of this approach to their craft.
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