We have arranged for informal contact with those key faculty members who can provide insight into the world of publishing as it exists today. These networking experiences, the manuscript evaluation scheme, the agent pitch sessions, the query letter critiques, the hands-on help with social media, AND the class sessions make the 2012 Midwest Writers Workshop, our 39th! – July 26-28, 2012 – a must for all writers.
We have continued the successful format of the past few years, with the workshop divided into two parts. Part I offers seven genre-specific Intensive Sessions.
Part II is filled to the brim with information on marketing and writing techniques that is valuable to writers of any genre. Participants in Part II also have the opportunity to send a 5-page manuscript to our Manuscript Evaluation Team. You may enroll in both parts, or choose just one.
NEW SESSION FOR 2012!!
In between Part I and Part II we are offering a brand-new opportunity for those of you who will be with us on Thursday night. Jane Friedman, former publisher of Writer’s Digest, now serving as a full-time assistant professor of e-media at the University of Cincinnati, will consult with us about how to get digital! Changes in the publishing industry have forced writers to become “author-preneurs”—marketers, promoters, social media experts, and much more. At MWW, we know how time-consuming and confusing these tasks can be, and we want to help by offering individualized social media services. This isn’t just about “self-promotion.” New technologies allow us to seek out other readers and writers, to participate in a community that isn’t limited by geography. Consultants will be available to show you how to start a blog, or how to join and engage with Facebook or Twitter.
The 2012 MWW includes quality instruction by authors, plus the opportunity to meet other writers with similar interests. Don’t miss this one!
The following MWW opportunities are exclusive to those registering for Part II (or both Parts).
Manuscript Evaluations ($35 extra)
Send us up to five pages plus a one-page synopsis of a manuscript, completed or in progress. (Sorry, no screenwriting or plays accepted.) All submissions should be typed and double-spaced. The synopsis should detail your work from beginning to end. Synopsis may be single-spaced. This opportunity is available only if you are registered for Part II and will be onsite Friday and Saturday. The $35 fee covers a 15-minute appointment with a member of the Manuscript Evaluation Team who has read your work before the appointment. Because of time constraints, each member of the Manuscript Evaluation Team will evaluate a limited number of manuscripts. Manuscripts will be accepted on a “first-come” basis and no manuscript will be accepted for this program after July 1, 2012. ALL MATERIALS should be appropriately labeled (i.e., LEFT CORNER: your name, address, phone, email; RIGHT CORNER: Manuscript Evaluator’s name). Mail manuscript to: Jama Bigger (Midwest Writers Workshop), c/o E.B. & Bertha C. Ball Center, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306.
2012 Manuscript Evaluation Team members:
- Lee Martin – 10 manuscripts
- Julie Hyzy – 5 manuscripts
- Terence Faherty – 5 manuscripts
- Erica O’Rourke – 5 YA manuscripts
- Jack Heffron – 5 manuscripts
- Dennis Hensley – 10-12 manuscripts
- Holly Miller – 10 manuscripts
- Kathleen Rooney – 4 manuscripts
The Team Member will determine the day/time of each conference. Schedules will be posted by the Registration Table.
NEW!! Query Critique Team ($35 extra)
New this year, we have a Query Critique Team, similar to our Manuscript Evaluation Team. For an additional fee of $35, you can meet for a 10-minute one-on-one consultation with either Chuck Sambuchino or Jane Friedman.
Email (to midwestwriters@yahoo.com) by July 1, 2012 your 1-page single-spaced query and you will receive a comprehensive critique. If you have multiple versions of the same letter, and aren’t sure which one is best, send a copy of each version.
This opportunity is available only if you are registered for Part II and will be onsite Friday and Saturday.
The query letter is the time-honored tool for writers seeking publication. A query letter is a sales letter that attempts to persuade an editor or agent to request a full manuscript or proposal.
It’s your all-important first contact with an agent. It’s a one-page letter that explains who you are and what your book is about. Your query must be exceptional to get agents to request sample chapters for review. If your query letter is not up to snuff, agents will send a rejection rather than a request for more material.
For tips on queries, click on these links from Jane Friedman:
- See my favorite how-to post on novel queries by Marcus Sakey.
- You can also read my 10-part series on writing novel queries.
- For special considerations on memoir, reference this post.
To see testimonials from Chuck’s past query critiques, click here:
Agent Pitch Sessions
We have four agents who will meet with participants for 5-minute, one-on-one appointments. Pitch sessions are available only if you are registered for Part II and will be onsite Friday and Saturday. There is no cost for these pitch sessions, but you MUST register for the agent you prefer.
Each agent will meet with a limited number of participants, so register early. The agents will determine the day/time of the pitch appointments and the schedule will be posted by the Registration Table. Each agent will meet with individuals who pre-registered.
Suggestions on pitching to agents:
Preparation is the key.
Before the conference, it helps to do a little homework. Agents are impressed when a writer knows something about their agency and the writers it represents. At minimum, know whether the agent represents your kind of book. Don’t pitch your adult thriller to an agent who handles only children’s books. Know where your project falls in the marketplace. If it’s fiction, is it a romance, a mystery, mainstream? Can you compare it to another published author’s work? If it’s nonfiction, who is the audience? What types of publishers are likely to buy it?
Authors must know about similar books that have been published and why theirs will be different. What category does it fall into, who are the readers and how will it fit into the market?
Prepare a three-minute pitch where you boil your project down to three to five sentences. Practice that pitch until you can deliver it smoothly. The whole point of the pitch session is to get your writing read. You’re not there to chat, make a new friend or list the problems you’re having with your writing but to convince the agent to give it a look.
For fiction, divide the pitch into three points: the setup, hook and resolution. For nonfiction, the title should convey the main concept of the book. Explain what the book is about, why you are qualified to write it, who will read it and what you can do to promote it.
Agents and editors are not usually willing or able to carry your manuscript home with them, but if they are interested, they may take a brief written summary. Don’t expect an agent or editor to read your synopsis while you wait. Sell the agent on you as a writer and then the book you’re doing. It is much more helpful to convince the agent of your talent, vision, commitment and ability and then hopefully about the book itself. In a short meeting, if the agents are interested, they will usually follow up on the phone later and get into the book stuff.
NEW!! You won’t want to miss our Thursday evening program! Chuck Sambuchino will present “Mastering the In-person Pitch.”
This is a chance for anyone and everyone to practice their “agent pitch”! Chuck will critique the pitch for all to hear. Individuals can pitch or simply attend to listen in on other pitches. It’s an opportunity for writers to rehearse their elevator pitch before sitting face-to-face with agents. This session targets fiction and nonfiction writers, both novice and intermediate; and it breaks down what needs to be in a pitch, and what NOT to include in a pitch. Chuck will listen to sample pitches to help you prepare for your pitch with an agent on Friday or Saturday.
2012 Agents:
- Sarah LaPolla, Curtis Brown, Ltd.
- Kathleen Ortiz, Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation
- Brooks Sherman, FinePrint Literary Management
- JL Stermer, N.S. Bienstock
NEW!! Social Media Consultants & Lab ($35 extra)
Changes in the publishing industry have forced writers to become “author-preneurs”—marketers, promoters, social media experts, and much more. At MWW, we know how time-consuming and confusing these tasks can be, and we want to help by offering individualized social media services. This isn’t just about “self-promotion.” New technologies allow us to seek out other readers and writers, to participate in a community that isn’t limited by geography. Consultants will be available to show you how to start a blog and how to use Facebook and Twitter effectively.
Media Consultations are available only if you are registered for Part II and will be onsite Friday and Saturday. Sign up for a 45 minute individual tutorial priced at $35, bring your laptop and/or smartphone, and get ready to join the digital age!
Social Media Consultations to learn:
- Creating a blog
Writing Contests
Manny Writing Contest
The Manny Awards have become a tradition at Midwest Writers Workshop. The contest offers cash awards and is designed to recognize works in progress in four categories: short fiction, novel, poetry and nonfiction. The Manny Writing Contest’s top winner receive will receive The R. Karl Largent Writing Award and a $200 cash award, made possible through Robin Vincent Publishers and MWW. The award has been named in honor of long-time and popular committee member, R. Karl Largent. You may enter one category only. Entries are limited to the first five pages of a manuscript. Poems should be no more than three pages. Postmark no later than July 1, 2012. Judges reserve the right not to award a cash prize in a category that does not attract sufficient entries. There is no cost to enter the Manny Contest. ALL MATERIALS should be appropriately labeled (i.e., LEFT CORNER: your name, address, phone, email; RIGHT CORNER: Manny Contest /name of category: long fiction, short fiction, nonfiction, poetry). Mail manuscript to: Jama Bigger (Midwest Writers Workshop), c/o E.B. & Bertha C. Ball Center, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306.
The Great Midwest Writers Write-Off
The Great Midwest Writers Write-Off is our on-site contest scheduled for Friday evening in combination with our Pizza Party. Here’s how it works: First a topic will be assigned. Every writer – fiction, nonfiction, poetry, mystery, children’s, etc.– has the same topic. You’ll have an hour to craft your best first 100 words in your genre. If anyone writes more, the judges will disregard them and read only the first 100 words. Then, Midwest Writers committee members select the top five entries and the winner of the Great Midwest Writers Write-Off receives a check for $100.
Buttonhole the Experts
Buttonhole the Experts is our fun Saturday morning activity. We have 15 or so tables in the banquet hall with an “expert” (our faculty members) at each one. Everyone gets their coffee, muffins/bagels, etc and then six participants sit at each table and chat informally with the expert for about 20 minutes. Then at the ring of a bell and it’s like musical chairs, the six at each table rise and head to another table of interest for another 20-minute chat. This process is repeated four times. In other words, everyone drinks way too much coffee but learns much about the various genres/topics from our experts.
Bookstore
Books about writing and by faculty authors and participants will be on sale at the MWW Bookstore. The Bookstore opens at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 26 and accepts VISA and MasterCard payments. We also have a MWW merchandise table with sweatshirts, totes, and mugs (accepts cash/check only).
What to do if you have your own books to consign:
* Contact the Welcome Center when you register or visit the Bookstore on Friday morning.
* Please have the books you bring priced.
* The bookstore has the established commission rate of 20%.
Scholarships
Midwest Writers will award a limited number of scholarships for participation in Part II. Awards are based on financial need, interest and a writing sample of five pages. Scholarship applications must be postmarked on or before June 1, 2012. If you are applying for a Scholarship, click here for the Scholarship Application, print out the Registration Form and mail it with a biographical letter (explaining your financial need) and 5-page writing sample. Include your name, address, phone and email in upper left of your manuscript. Label your materials and envelope with name, address and “Scholarship Entry.” Applicants will be notified in time to complete registration; unsuccessful applicants must re-register. Our workshop fills quickly. Participants can earn a scholarship once every five years.
