Mollie Glick offers more extended critiques

Mollie Glick has agreed to offer FIVE more extended critiques. If you would like an extended critique with Ms. Glick, please let me know as soon as possible via email, scwwconference2011@gmail.com.

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.

Sit Down and Relax: The Agent Meeting

Melissa Jeglinski - The Knight Agency
Conference Faculty Member

So you’ll be attending the South Carolina Writers' Workshop in October. And you want to make the most of your experience. You’ve looked over the program and decided which workshops to attend. But the list of agents is confusing. Who do you meet with and what do you do when you sit down face to face?

First, remember that the agent is there to find quality material. As much as I love the idea of Myrtle Beach in October, I’m still giving away my weekend of free time to work. (Though an ocean view can make anything sweeter.) We all want to come out of this with something positive to show for our time. I would love nothing more than to find my dream project and sign a client right on the spot.

You need to decide whether you want to work with an agent. If so, which agent or agents? Why meet with one you have no interest in? Time is a valuable commodity for everyone so don’t waste it just because you’re curious. If that’s the case, come to one of our sessions and ask questions there. But save the one on one times for those who are really interested in that agent; the opportunity for such a face to face meet does not often occur. And remember, you can always chat us up over a meal or in the hall between sessions--as long as we’re not looking like a frazzled mess.

Be sure you’re meeting with an agent who represents the type of project you are working on. For example, I don’t do non-fiction or illustrated books or short story collections; not because I don’t enjoy those works, I’m simply concentrating on other areas. Take a look at the agent’s website and see who they represent and what types of projects they are currently selling. If you think you may be a good match, try to get an appointment.

When you have the chance to sit down with the agent, be prepared. When pitching your project, be succinct but complete. I like to know the title, word length and genre. Most importantly, is the manuscript complete because I can’t shop an unfinished project by and unpublished author. As for synopsizing the plot; I prefer to just hear about the main conflicts, set up and resolution. I don’t need to know every little plot point. Tell me if it is a planned series or a standalone novel. I’d also like to know about your writing credentials or background, something that tells me you are serious about your craft. I’m using this introduction to see if this is a project I could be excited about and not every project will be the right fit. However, if I’m intrigued I will ask you to send me your work as nothing can tell me as much about your writing as actually reading it.

Then it’s time for you to ask questions.

There’s a time limit for these appointments and it’s usually pretty tight. So really plan out what you want to know about the agent. If you’re the type to get nervous, have your questions in front of you. It’s okay to read from a piece of paper or jot down notes. You can ask about the agent’s current client list, most recent sales, subjects or genres they are particularly interested in. Question them about their agency agreement, commission percentages and the like. Feel free to ask them how they prefer to work with clients; are they very hands-on, do they send revisions, give detailed notes, etc. Any question is fair as long as it has to do with publishing.

When your meeting is over and you go back to the conference and then return home, don’t forget to follow up with the agent. If they requested material...send it. If it’s not quite ready, update the agent on when you expect to submit the project. Or, if you’ve decided that you wouldn’t be a good fit, let them know that as well. Acting in a professional manner is always key.

Hopefully the conference will prove a wonderful experience for you and provide an opportunity for us all to make some terrific connections.

Looking forward to seeing you in October!

Building a Solid Weekend - Part 3

Today I spent a few hours rethinking a plot point of my current project. I should confess that I’ve actually been working on things for this manuscript for several months. Come to think of it, I’ve been reconsidering portions of a book I wrote six years ago.

Maybe you have some of the same issues. You’re almost done and yet you aren’t because there’s one more thing you want to fix. That one more thing turns into two, then three, then … Well you get the idea.

What to do? What to do? Rewrite, rewrite and rewrite again. Then? Edit, edit and edit some more.

But you protest, "I was done with it. I even wrote THE END."

That's fine, and you did write it in all caps so we'd know you really were done. There is one point I would make though, it can't hurt to go over your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb.

"No one goes through all of that!" You grumble. "I catch mistakes in printed books all the time."

So do I, but then again, we all make mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers and computers have a DELETE key.

A writer friend told me about a published author she’d recently heard interviewed. The author confessed that she edited her manuscripts more than fifty times before she was satisfied that they were as polished as they could be.

My friend and I chuckled at the thought of going through our manuscripts that many times before we submitted them. Then we both realized that that author had something neither of us had: published books.

I don’t know if a manuscript requires more than fifty edits, but every manuscript could use some rewriting and perhaps a little editing even when you’re convinced it’s finished.

Most of the sessions I highlight here are designed to give you the tools necessary to get your manuscript into its best form. And once it's in tip-top shape, the rest of these sessions are all about submitting your project to an editor or agent for potential representation.

Look these over and plan on showing up to at least one of them, your manuscript and writing career will benefit.

You’re Done (at least with the 1^st draft)! Now What?

Friday 9:00 –

(1) Editing Isn’t for Kids: The Young Adult/Children’s Markets from an Editing Point of View – Molly O’Neill

(2) Am I Done Now?: Editing from the First Paragraph to the Last Period – Carrie McCullough

Friday 1:30 –

(1) That’s Different … Get Positive Attention from Editors and What Will

Hurt! – James Frenkel

Saturday 9:00 –

(1) Courting a Query: Tips to Catch an Agent – Melissa Jeglinski

Saturday 10:30 –

(1) Case Solved: Finding Ways to Grab a Mystery Editor’s Eye – Toni Plummer

Saturday 1:30 –

(1) Not Kids’ Games: Making Your Young Adult and Children’s Manuscripts Editor-Ready Works – Molly O’Neill

(2) A Little Verb, A Little Noun: Creating A Synposis That Sells – Stephanie Sun

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.