Getting Ready for SCWW Conference

The conference will start sooner for me than for attendees. You've still got 16 days before the event begins. I'll be Myrtle Beach bound Oct. 16.

Some of you are probably thinking, "Really? Lucky Duck. What's there to do?"

Well, I'll be reviewing the menus, meeting space and decorations. I'll take care of last-minute details concerning faculty flights, driving schedules and room reservations. With the help of volunteers, Co-chair Kia Goins and Board President Ginny Padgett, I'll put together the notebooks and the conference bags. We'll help the silent auction group, headed by Kim Blum Hyclak, with stuffing baskets and making bid sheets.

But enough about what will be going on behind the curtain, here's what you'll need to know:

1. Appointment times -- The week before the conference, we'll send emails to attendees who purchased appointments, providing the faculty name and the time and day they'll meet. Remember, critiques are on Friday and pitches and real-time queries are Saturday and Sunday.

2. Hotel reservations -- Have you made yours?

3. Meals -- Did you purchase a complete package. If so, you'll start receiving conference meals with Friday dinner and every time the meal bell rings from then until Sunday breakfast, you're covered. If you purchased the Friday morning or all-day intensive sessions, you're also covered for Friday breakfast and Friday lunch. Did you purchase a basic package? Then you're only covered for Saturday and Sunday breakfasts. Meal tickets will be checked. Please, don't try to sneak in. There's only enough for those who purchased.

Want to purchase a meal ticket for yourself or a guest/spouse? Be sure to email scwwconference2011@gmail.com. If you purchase meal tickets at the conference, there will be a fee increase (because it costs us more per meal from The Hilton).

4. Lay of the Land -- Not sure where to go once you arrive at The Hilton? As soon as you stand in front of the hotel reservation desk, look to your right. At the end of the room you'll see a big desk. That's the registration desk as of Thursday evening. Once you check in there, we'll provide you with a conference bag which includes a notebook with a map.

We'll be sending out a special mailing this weekend with other last-minute information about the conference. Remember, it isn't too late to register! We have a handful of appointment times available and there's still room at sessions and the meal tables. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet with faculty and other writers. For more information, check the conference website, www.myscww.org/conference.

Conference Appointment Update!

Here's a short update of what appointments are still available during the 2011 conference (Oct. 21-23).

Jon Sternfeld -- 1 Pitch

Sarah LaPolla -- 1 Real-Time Query -- JUST OPENED UP

Stephen Barr -- Sold Out of all appointments

Bernadette Baker-Baughman -- Sold Out of all appointments

Sorche Fairbank -- 3 Pitches

Alyssa Henkin -- 5 Pitches

Molly O'Neill - 3 Real-Time Queries

Stephanie Sun -- 2 Real-Time Queries

Jim Frenkel -- 3 Pitches

Eddie Schneider -- 3 Pitches

Melissa Jeglinski -- 5 Pitches, 5 Real-Time Queries

Jessica Regel -- 4 Pitches

If, when you register, you notice the words SOLD OUT next to a faculty name, do not select that name. There is no way to arrange an appointment once a faculty member is SOLD OUT. There is no waiting list.

2011 Conference Countdown Update

It happens every year that I've worked with the SCWW conference. Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, it does. Here's a list of what we're working on and what you have to look forward to this year!

1. We're offering a specific batch of critiques attendees (already registered and those who haven't registered yet) through Sept. 15. If you already purchased a critique, those materials were due Sept. 1. If you haven't submitted your required electronic and hard copies, do so immediately. When you sent in your materials, sent you an email confirming the faculty for your appointment (unless you emailed or mailed a couple of days before Sept. 1. I'm still processing those!). Here's a list of the new critiques we're offering, in random order:

* Sorche Fairbank -- extended and standard critiques

* Jon Sternfeld -- extended and standard critiques

* Melissa Jeglinski -- standard critiques

* Jim Frenkel -- standard critiques

* Molly O'Neill -- extended critiques

* Alyssa Henkin -- standard critiques

* Eddie Schneider -- extended critiques

* Bernadette Baker-Baughman -- one extended critique

* Sarah LaPolla -- standard and extended critiques

* Stephanie Sun --standard and extended critiques

* Jessica Regel -- standard and extended critiques

* Stepehn Barr -- standard critiques

If you've already registered and want to add a critique, email scwwconference2011@gmail.com.

2. We really want to hear from our members! Tell us what you think about what's posted on the SCWW blog. To put our enthusiasm where our typing is, we're having a blog chapter challenge. For the month of September (all posts in September), the chapter with the most comments on the SCWW blog will win a free pitch to be given to the chapter member of its choice. Remember, for your chapter to get credit, you need to mention your chapter in your post. If it catches on, we'll give away something else for October, right before the conference.

3. I'm not sure if you've heard the news, but we have a new keynote for the 2011 conference -- Andrew Gross! The New York Times bestselling author will not only provide a keynote address Saturday night, he's teaching a session Saturday. For more on Mr. Gross, be sure to visit his faculty profile on the conference site, www.myscww.org/conference.

4. And one of our late faculty additions, Mollie Glick is hard at work this weekend helping me iron out a few details on her three sessions. Be sure to check the class descriptions next week for updated titles, but here's a hint -- her Friday session will guide you from putting together your list of who to query all the way to working with an agent to get your book into publication. Her appointment times are sold out, so you'll really want to add her Friday session to your schedule. Already signed up for the conference, but haven't added Friday? Email scwwconference2011@gmail.com and I'll walk you through the process.

5. When it comes to submitting critique materials, you've got to follow the SCWW guidelines. Not sure what that means or where to find the guidelines? Check out the following blog: http://scwwblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/2011-crituque-guidelines-reminder.html. It's incredibly important to follow these rules so everyone gets the most of their appointments. Also, if you registered for a specific faculty member who doesn't accept your genre, we try to catch that and let you know there's a problem. However, be advised that we've got a small group of volunteers and a lot of critique appointments. Do your homework BEFORE you request an appointment.

6. Have you reserved your room for the conference? Part of the way we're able to keep down the cost of the SCWW conference is by agreeing our members will use a specific number of Hilton and Royal Palms rooms. In exchange we get free meeting space and great room rates. So please, keep that in mind when reserving a room. Also, we've gotten a couple more two-bedroom and three-bedroom condos at Royal Palms. With a gaggle of beds, these are great for chapter folks heading down as a group. For rates and our discount code, visit http://myscww.org/conference/accommodations.php.

7. Finally, did you know we don't have a cut-off date on Pitch and Real-Time Query appointment purchases? We'll sell those until we can't sell anymore! So, if you missed your critique faculty dream, you might want to snag one of these. Here's a list of folks what's sold out and what's available:

* Bernadette Baker- Baughman -- Sold out Real-Time Query, One Pitch left!

* Sarah LaPolla -- Sold out Real-Time Query, One Pitch left!

* Toni Plummer -- Sold out Real-Time Query, Pitches available

* Stephen Barr -- Sold out Pitch, no Real-Time Query (check critiques above)

* Stephanie Sun -- Sold out Pitch, Two Real-Time Queries

* Jim Frenkel -- Sold out Real-Time Query, Four Pitches available

* Eddie Schneider -- Sold out Real-Time Query, Five Pitches available

* Alyssa Henkin -- Sold out Real-Time Query, Three Pitches left

* Sorche Fairbank -- Sold out Real-Time Query, Five Pitches left

* Jon Sternfeld -- One Real-Time Query, Two Pitches left!

* Melissa Jeglinski -- Four Real-Time Queries, Four Pitches

* Molly O'Neill -- Three Real-Time Queries, no Pitch

* Jessica Regel -- Three Pitches, No Real-Time Query

* Mollie Glick -- Sold Out of all appointments

Have any questions about the conference? Email scwwconference2011@gmail.com.

Sold Out Appointments

Appointments are really selling this week, especially with the critiques deadline less than a week away. Here's a quick list of faculty who are sold out of specific types of appointments. We're attempting to update the registration system as quickly as possible.

Bernadette Baker-Baughman -- SOLD OUT of Real-Time Query

Sarah LaPolla -- SOLD OUT of Real-Time Query

Toni Plummer -- SOLD OUT of Real-Time Query, Standard Critique

Stephen Barr -- SOLD OUT of Pitch

Stephanie Sun -- SOLD OUT of Pitch

Jim Frenkel -- SOLD OUT of Extended Critique

Also, if you register for more than three of a specific appointment type, be sure to send an email to scwwconference2011@gmail.com with the complete list of your top choices, providing one more choice than the number you purchased (in case one of the choices is sold out).

Please, don't attempt to request someone who was not a choice during the registration process. It will be impossible to fill the request.

Finally, if you would like to add an appointment to your registration, please email scwwconference2011@gmail.com. Do not start a new online registration.

There’re Going Like Hot Cakes!

By Carrie McCullough

The deadline for submitting work for a critique from a conference faculty member is September 1, and appointments are going fast. And yes, you do have to be registered for the conference to purchase critique, pitch, and query appointments. Here’s what is and is not still available.

SOLD OUT:
Frenkel – extended critique
Plummer – standard (didn't offer extended)

NEARLY SOLD OUT:
2 Baker - Baughman standard critiques
3 LaPolla - Real-Time Queries
1 Barr - Pitch
4 Barr – Extended critiques
2 Jeglinski – Extended critiques
2 Henkin – Standard critiques
3 O'Neil – Standard critiques
3 Sun - Pitches
4 Sun – Real-Time Queries

For the most up-to-date and accurate answers to your appointment questions, read the September issue of the Quill. We'll tell you what to bring, what you shouldn't bring and tips to make your appointments productive. If you have a question you'd like answered in the September issue, be sure to email it to scwwconference2011@gmail.com.

New Faculty Member & Other Updates

We’ve added our final faculty member for the 2011 conference – Mollie Glick of Foundry Media. For more information on Mollie, please be sure to visit the SCWW website, www.myscww.org/conference. You’ll also find updated pages on many of the faculty members, as well as more information on critiques.

Speaking of critiques and other faculty appointments, we've got several faculty members selling out or close to selling out. Here's a quick udate:


SOLD OUT:
Frenkel Extended Critiques
Plummer Standard Critiques

NEARLY SOLD OUT:
Baker-Baughman Standard Critiques
LaPolla Real-Time Queries
Barr Pitches
Barr Extended Critiques
Jeglinski Extended Critiques
Henkin Standard Critiques
O'Neil Standard Critiques
Sun Pitches
Sun Real-Time Queries

If you haven't registered yet, be sure to do so soon if you want the best chance to grab an appointment with your dream faculty member. All appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first served basis. And, to clarify some confusion from last year, that means first-to-register-online basis. Do not lose the chance to get one-on-one time with a faculty member because you think you can sign up for time when you get to the conference. All appointments must be purchased before the conference. In addition, to lessen confusion at the appointment rooms, you may not change, transfer or swap appointment times. This way, all attendees will be able to make the most of every second of their appointment times.

As mentioned before, attendees who register for critiques will be notified within five business days of receipt of critique materials who their appointments will be with in October. Shortly before the conference, attendees with appointments will receive emails with their times.

Should you have any questions about other faculty appointments, please wait until at least five business days after you register and then email scwwconference2011@gmail.com.

Finally, if you've already registered and would like to add an appointment, please email scwwconference2011@gmail for more information.