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.

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.

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.

Conference Alert! Looking for some one-on-one faculty time?

As I pause from conference registration prep a few minutes ago, I pinched myself. No, it wasn't just to make a new bruise... I just can't believe it's the third time I've been behind the scenes of the SCWW conference registration launch. Each time I'm amazed all of the time the faculty gives SCWW to help members reach their writing goals.

Which brings me to a very popular part of the conference, one-on-one appointments. There are three types again this year -- critiques (standard and extended), pitches and real-time queries. Here's a cheat sheet of which faculty members are offering each type of appointment. In the coming days, we'll also have a cheat sheet on the faculty members -- what they're looking for and what they're teaching.

Agents

1. Bernadette Baker-Baughman: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


2. Stephen Barr: Standard and Extended Critiques and Pitches


3. Sorche Fairbank: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


4. Alyssa Eisner Henkin: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


5. Melissa Jeglinski: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


6. Sarah LaPolla: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


7. Jessica Regel: Standard and Extended Critiques and Pitches


8. Eddie Schneider: Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


9. Jon Sternfeld: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


10. Stephanie Sun: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries

Editors

1. James Frenkel: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


2. Molly O'Neill: Standard and Extended Critiques and Real-Time Queries


3. Toni Plummer: Standard Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries

Authors

1. David B. Coe: Standard and Extended Critiques, Pitches and Real-Time Queries


2. Lisa Tucker: Pitches and Real-Time Queries

Editor Chuck Sambuchino and writers MJ Rose, Matthew Frederick and Bill Starr are also on faculty, but won't have any one-on-one appointment times.

So, now you know who you could meet with, but what do you need to do to make it happen? Register early! Conference registration will open at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 15, 2011. You must be registered for the conference in order to make an appointment. Also, please note that critiques will be held on Friday this year.