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Archive for the ‘Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference’ Category

GPCWC – Editorial needs and advice for “nervous Nellies”

Posted in Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Marketing, Publishing journey on June 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

It’s taken longer than I hoped and planned, but I trust you’ll agree it’s worth waiting for good things and that you’ll overlook the formatting errors. Expression Web is the most challenging software I’ve ever tried to learn.

Editorial needs and bios are now posted for everyone on faculty at the August 1-4 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. That includes:

Diana Flegal, Hartline Literary – Diana has “a passion for getting great writers published.”

Bill Jensen, William K. Jensen Literary Agency – Bill has worked in book publishing for over 35 years.

 Amanda Luedeke, MacGregor Literary – Amanda is interested in representing African American fiction, women’s fiction,  fantasy, and more.

 Barbara Scott, WordServe Literary – Barbara provided a long list of specific interests from children through adult.

Rob Eagar, author of June 2012 Writer’s Digest Book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, who is teaching the continuing session, “Marketing for the Promotionally Challenged Author.”

Suzanne Kuhn – founder of SuzyQ, a full-service author promotion firm. We’ve added an additional workshop for her on Wednesday at 5:00 pm, “Getting the Social Back in Social Media,” where you’ll learn how to build true fans and readers.

  •  Book editors – 16 editors representing 23 publishers offering exciting break-in opportunities in a wide variety of genres.
  • Periodical editors – 13 editors representing 22 periodicals. (My first sale was to a Christian periodical. It led to over 1,000 more sales plus 8 books.  Father, please open the door for many first sales through this year’s GPCWC.)
  • Authors – 19 authors available to meet with you one-on-one.

Although this is my 29th year directing GPCWC, I never cease to be amazed at the faculty Father provides and how He connects His people. “God-incidents” abound!

With the 4th of July falling mid-week this year, I know some of you will turn either this weekend or next into a holiday weekend. As a result, I’m extending the July 7 registration price through July 12, the same date applications are due for GPCWC’s clinics. I encourage you to register ASAP to give yourself the best opportunity to receive your top appointment picks. And for those who are nervous about meeting with an editor, here’s more encouragement from faculty member, Patti Shene, vice president and editor with Written World communications.

Part 3 of Donna Brennan’s Interview
with Patti Shene

Question: New writers (and some not-so-new writers) are often nervous about meeting an editor face-to-face. Do you have anything you want to say to the nervous Nellies among us?

I came up with an acronym for a simple approach to conference appointments that may prove helpful.

Smile! Don’t approach your appointment as though you are headed to the dentist’s chair! Editors are human too. A smile exudes confidence and puts both of you at ease.

Introduce yourself. Even though a list is available to the editor, appointments are sometimes shifted. Be sure the editor knows who he is speaking with from the start of the meeting.

Make known your intentions. Explain why you chose to speak to that particular editor. Have questions prepared and easily accessible. Are you pitching a manuscript for a specific book imprint or simply seeking general information about the publishing house?

Provide paper. Present the editor with something visual, such as a one-sheet that contains the maximum information attractively arranged in a minimum amount of space. Don’t expect her to keep it. Paper adds weight to luggage and can be cumbersome to manage. Email is more convenient, but visual works for initial contact.

Listen! Pay attention to what the editor tells you. Has he expressed an interest in your work or referred you to someone else who can better meet your needs? Have you been asked to provide further information? Make notes to ensure follow through. File business cards where they can be easily found after the conference.

Express your appreciation Thank the editor for her time, even if she is unable to use the work you presented. Recognition of her efforts builds a positive relationship for future contact.

Thanks, Patti, for this helpful advice, and thank You, Father, for the opportunities at this year’s conference. Help us to look to You and to trust You to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond.

 

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More GPCWC News and Part 2 – Interview with Patti Shene

Posted in Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on June 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

There are so many opportunities at the August 1-4 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference to connect with professionals who can help you grow your writing ministry and get your work in print. The bios and editorial needs for GPCWC’s 16 book editors are now online at www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia/book-editors.htm. Info on our agents, periodical editors, and authors will be posted in the next few days.

GPCWC happens just once a year! I’m praying you won’t miss it. Partial scholarships are still available for those with financial need. Time payments can also be arranged if needed.

When you visit the conference website, be sure to click on the News & Update page. We’ve added two more book editors and have had some changes in workshops including the addition of a new 5:00 – 6:00 pm Wednesday earlybird workshop. Suzanne Kuhn will be presenting her popular workshop, Getting the Social Back in Social Media. This workshop focuses on engagement, building true fans and readers through the process and becoming relevant to your audience. (This is not a mechanics workshop.)

Suzanne has more than 20 years of book retailing experience, working in all areas of book retailing and event sales, including traveling as part of Karen Kingsbury’s team. In 2010 Suzanne launched SuzyQ, a full-service author promotion firm that works with authors, publishers and retailers, helping to coordinate any type of live event and training authors to engage and connect with readers. Suzanne’s experience and knowledge in the book retailing venue gives her an edge when facilitating book tours, arena events, and speaking engagements, ensuring a more successful and profitable event. Suzanne truly believes in the power of Christian literature to impact and change lives.

Enough from me. 🙂 Now . . . here’s Donna and Patti!

Part 2 – Interview with Patti Shene
An Editor Who Mentors and Encourages Both Young and Old

by Donna Brennan

Question: Where do you get your passion for mentoring youth and publishing the writing of teens and young kids?

I truly believe God puts us in certain places in our lives to prepare us for work He has for us in our future. I am a retired RN and practiced mainly in the psychiatric nursing field. I worked at a residential child care facility for several years. My husband and I raised two children, but my time with those troubled young boys in the clinical setting helped me realize some of the tougher issues young people face today.

Add to that the fact that my granddaughter is strongly interested in writing. She is my assistant. She gives me a kid’s opinion of some of the work that is submitted and she proofreads, in addition to helping me keep track of email and paperwork.

The written word is one way for young people to express their frustrations, fears, dreams, and aspirations. It also serves as an effective means to advocate for young people.

Question: What are some of the things you like most about working with young writers?

I love their creativity, their realistic view of the world, the way they analyze and study the things we adults take for granted. Their dreams are boundless. They have ambitious goals and they are willing to work hard to reach them.

When I was approached about WWC and the editorship of Starsongs, I developed a vision for the magazine. Over the past few months, I’ve been rewarded with the excitement and enthusiasm kids experience when they are published.

Some of our Starsongs contributors are crafting novels and a couple of them already have novels in print! I think this is amazingly wonderful. My dream is that someday I’ll walk into a major bookstore and find that one of our Starsongs contributors is a multi-published author.

Question: Tell us about Written World Communication’s annual writing contest for kids. Where can we go to get more information?

This contest has two facets, novella length work for young people ages 9-12 and novel length work for ages 13-19. This is open to all genres, again as long as the “R” rating restriction is met. The grand prize is publication with Written World Communications. Contest rules, including judging criteria and due dates can be found at the Starsongs blog, www.kidspublished.blogspot.com.

Question: From teaching teens and younger kids to teaching adults starting their writing career after the age of 50—you definitely cover both ends of the spectrum. Why do you feel it’s never too soon or too late to begin the writing journey?

It’s never too late to begin any journey! We tend to impose limitations on ourselves all the time, and age is one of them. Young writers bring innocence and a sense of curiosity to writing that we older writers tend to lose over the years. On the other hand, over 50 writers contribute a factor that young people can’t claim – experience – years of it!

God can and, if we let Him, does use each and every one of us to fulfill His purpose. He places no restriction on age or any other factor for those who are willing to spread His Word.

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Editor at GPCWC shares exciting writing opportunities

Posted in Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Guest blogger Donna Brennan
Interviews Patti Shene
Editor with Written World Communications

One of the benefits of going to a writer’s conference is the opportunity to meet face-to-face with agents and editors. Both the August 1-4 Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference each May allow you four agent/editor appointments if you attend all three days. That’s more than most other conferences offer.

Patti Shene is one of the editors you can meet with this year at the Philly conference. She is Division Manager for YA and Children’s Imprints with Written World Communications (WWC) and Executive Editor of Starsongs Magazine, one of WWC’s publications.

In addition to taking appointments, Patti will be teaching a session for the over 50 writer. And she will be one of the instructors for the Teens Write full-day program on Thursday, August 2.

I got in touch with Patti to ask her some questions about what type of books and articles she’s looking for and to find out some more information about the sessions she will be teaching.

Question: Most people deciding on editor appointments are interested in what each editor is looking for. You are representing several imprints; can you give us a brief description of each one and what their current needs are?

Hi Donna. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share with our conferees. I’m excited to meet with some great writers!

As Division Manager for YA and Children’s publications with Written World Communications, I will represent those three imprints.

Starsongs books can encompass several genres, from fantasy, mystery, and horror, to romance and historical. This is a secular market imprint. These stories showcase characters faced with challenges they confront with determination and resourcefulness. These books are meant to carry the reader beyond their everyday existence, yet provide a take away that leaves the reader with a life lesson learned.

Untapped books launch teen readers into a tempest of troubling scenarios that force them to examine their own beliefs, values, and decisions. These stories, whether contemporary or historical, carry a non-preachy Christian theme that guides the reader along a winding path of spiritual discovery concluding at the throne of grace.

Patchwork books is a Christian imprint that covers stories for pre-school through middle grade readers, homeschool curricula, parenting books, and family devotionals.

Starsongs magazine is a quarterly general market publication for kids written primarily by kids. We feature original short stories, essays, articles, poetry, photography, and artwork by young people ages 9-19. Each issue contains an article by an adult mentor related to writing or photography. Editorial needs: short stories, essays, articles, and poetry that reflect a young person’s view or opinion of his or her world, problems encountered and positive ways to resolve them. We accept secular and light Christian content.

Untapped magazine is a soon to be launched publication that will provide sound Christian content to teens. It will feature fiction and non-fiction, devotionals, thought-provoking articles, and address the edgy issues that today’s world forces teens to face. Editorial needs: We are looking for pieces that offer ideas for teens about how to live out their faith in active and exciting ways in today’s world.

Patchwork – We have just acquired a brand new editor for this future publication. Information about the magazine will be posted on the WWC web site at www.written-world.com.

Christine Richards and Rowena Kuo will be representing other WWC imprints at the Philly conference. Information about all our book imprints and magazines can be found on the web site at www.written-world.com.

Question: I noticed your reviews on Amazon and your blog covered a wide range of genres including suspense, romance, historical, YA, and western. You even covered non-fiction. Are your editorial interests just as wide?

I created the blog (Patti’s Porch found at www.pattishene.com) long before I was involved with WWC and mainly used it to promote the work of writing peers and favorite authors.

However, the editorial needs of WWC in general pretty much encompass all of those genres. We are always looking for unique work in just about any genre, For non-fiction, we would love to see parenting advice of special needs children from a Christian world view, Christian living books, and unique Bible study material. We are not interested in memoirs.

Question: Are there any types of writing you are definitely not interested in? Does length matter?

We are not interested in any material that contains graphic sex or violence. In other words, we do not accept work with an “R” rating or above. We limit book length to 90,000 words. Magazine length is addressed in Starsongs guidelines at www.kidspublished.blogspot.com.

*****************

Thanks Donna and Patti and for parts 2 and 3 to come when Patti will provide encouragement for those nervous about meeting with an editor and share her passion for mentoring young writers and those over 50.

 

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Addressing Today’s Critical Issues

Posted in Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Our Christian witness, Pondering Biblical Truth, Praying for our nation on June 13, 2012| 1 Comment »

ASSIST News Service (ANS) – PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net — E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Friday, June 8, 2012

Addressing Today’s Critical Issues

For Immediate Release
Contact: Marlene Bagnull mbagnull@aol.com

LANGHORNE, PA (ANS) — August 1-4 hundreds of published and not-yet-published writers plus a faculty of more than 50 editors, agents, and authors from across the nation will meet on the campus of Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, PA, for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference (GPCWC).

Founded in 1983 by Lansdale, PA, author Marlene Bagnull, GPCWC’s goal is to “encourage and equip you to write about a God who is real, who is reachable, and who changes lives.” But GPCWC is more than just a conference for aspiring and published writers. GPCWC also offers workshops for concerned Christians to learn how to effectively address today’s critical issues. These “Thursday Specials” meet during the popular all-day Teens Write program on August 2 and include:

* A Culture in Peril (10:00 am to noon) – What can one Christian do in the face of our nation’s spiritual crisis? Rather than a traditional lecture, this is a forum where we will grieve for our nation’s ills and encourage each other as God’s warriors to defend biblical principles. Rick Marschall, author of many political, cultural, and biblical works and a correspondent for the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net), has addressed this before. So have others. And so have you . . . perhaps in frustration! What can you do in the face of society’s crises?

This forum offers a new approach. This will not be a lecture or seminar or workshop . . . but a creative blend of all these modes. There will be free-wheeling discussion on topics from biblical traditions, to our American heritage, to dilemmas Christians face living in today’s world. A highlight will be on-the-spot assignments, for discussion and writing. Whether you write sermons or novels, children’s books or romances, newsletters or letters to the editor [and we all can and need to write letters to the editor], you will be challenged to discover ways you can counter our cultural decline. You’ll discover your warrior’s strengths and weaknesses, exercise your skills in creative brainstorming, and come away with a clearer idea of what you can do, where you are, with what you have!

Rick Marschall has written or edited almost 70 books and hundreds of magazine articles in many fields, from popular culture (Bostonia magazine called him “perhaps America’s foremost authority on popular culture”) to history and criticism, country music, biography, and children’s books. He is a former political cartoonist, columnist, and editor of Rare Jewel magazine, the Christian worldview journal of culture and politics. He was on the editorial staff of the 1599 Geneva Bible Restoration Project (Tolle Lege Press, 2007).

* Compassion, Justice, Advocacy (1:00 – 3:00 pm) – Are you concerned about human trafficking, orphans, abortion, the poor, racism, the learning impaired, the handicapped, the hungry, the persecuted church, the oppressed, and so much more that is close to the heart and call of Jesus? If God has given you a burden to be an advocate, to tell a story, or make a cause or issue known, Steve Lawson, Senior Editor at Regal Publishing Group, invites you to join him to discover how we can be most effective. Steve ran a news service reporting on the Persecuted Church in the 1980s and formerly worked with Christian Solidarity International and on assignment for World Vision International.

* Telling the Truth – Writing, Speaking, and Living as a Christian in a Postmodern World (3:30 – 5:30 pm) – “In postmodern America,” says award-winning author, Ann Tatlock, “we are experiencing one huge compassionate love-fest on the deck of the Titanic. With the loss of absolute truth and the rise of relativism, people are celebrating diversity and a myriad of custom-designed paths to God–even as the ship is rapidly sinking. How did this come about and what are the philosophies behind postmodernism? What’s the connection between this cultural phenomenon and New Age spirituality? How is this cultural shift affecting the church? And how should we as Christians respond when what is contrary to God’s Word begins to appear both right and good? Come and find out answers to these questions, and learn how you can speak out boldly for the truth of the Gospel.”

Tatlock’s ninth novel, Travelers Rest, was released in May from Bethany House Publishers. Her previous novel, Promises to Keep, was named by Booklist Magazine as one of the top ten historical novels of the year. She has also authored a non-fiction eBook, Writing to a Post-Christian World.

To register for one or more of these Thursday Specials, Teens Write, or the writers’ conference, visit www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia. No registration is needed for the keynotes and general sessions in Chatlos Chapel that include “Praying the News” (Thursday, August 2, 7:30 pm) with Craig von Buseck, Ministries Director, CBN.com and “Answering the Call of the King” (Friday, August 3, 7:30 pm) with Ken Gire, award-winning author and founder of Reflective Living. Contact Marlene Bagnull, conference director, at mbagnull@aol.com or 484-991-8581 for a free 16-page conference brochure.

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Breaththrough!

Posted in Called to write, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Publishing journey on June 9, 2012| 1 Comment »

A paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 7:5-6 (TLB):

When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us;

     When I got home at 2:30 am May 23 from directing the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, there was no time to rest.

Outside, trouble was on every hand and all around us;

     Problems with the website for the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on top of an overwhelming to-do list, bills to pay, and over 1,500 emails pressed in on me.

Within us, our hearts were full of dread and fear

     I was filled with dread and fear that I’d not be able to fix the Philly website and manage everything I needed to get done.

Then God who cheers those who are discouraged

     I was not just discouraged; I was near despair.

Refreshed us by the arrival of Titus.

     The prayers of others and encouraging notes helped me to keep on keeping on to the needed breakthrough:

     Online registration for the Greater Philly Christian Writer Conference is again open!

Father, thank You for helping me not to give up but to persevere. You know it wasn’t easy for me to keep exercising my faith muscles. It would have been so much easier to believe the lies of the evil one and to give up. But You’ve promised that when You call us to do something You also equip us. Especially when I cannot see Your answer or feel Your presence I need to keep trusting You and to press on.

And Father, these hard lessons You’re teaching me are certainly applicable to all those You’ve called to “write Your answer.” Please encourage each one reading this. Thank You that “even when we are too weak to have any faith left, [you remain] faithful to us and will help us” (2 Timothy 2:13 TLB). “Thank You that Your “gifts and [your] call can never be withdrawn; [you] will never go back on [your] promises” (Romans 11:29 TLB).

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Help Needed

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on June 5, 2012| 2 Comments »

For the past five months I’ve been struggling to transition the websites for the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conferences from FrontPage 2002 to Expression Web 4. The process is testing my patience and faith.

Early registration for the August 1-4 Greater Philly conference is scheduled to end tomorrow, June 6. I’ve extended early registration through June 15 because right now online registration is not working. I’m also not able to make any changes to the website because of a “runtime” error that crashes Expression Web. I’ve had an open case with Microsoft Tech Support since Friday at the cost of $279. The tech does not speak understandable English and has not been able to resolve the problem that has now been escalated to a senior technician.

Friends have encouraged me to farm out the websites to a “Christian nerd who would be eager to help.” Sounds good but it’s not practical or affordable. The conference websites plus the parent www.writehisanswer.com site are huge. They are not a problem to maintain and update WHEN the software is working. In fact, it’s something I actually enjoy doing. During conference season (which stretches over nine months of the year) I make changes and additions often on a daily basis and even multiple times a day. It would not make sense or cents (or save time) to send someone the changes, wait for him to make them, and then check that the changes were accurately made.  I’ve been there, done that. It was not time or cost effective. And I can’t begin to imagine what it would cost now that the conferences and websites are so much larger.

I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:27 (TLB):

All of you together are the one body of Christ
and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

 I’m praying that soneone reading this uses Expression Web, has encountered a similar problem, and knows how to resolve it. I’m also asking all of you to join me in praying for a solution.

The Colorado conference last month was powerful. God met us on the mountain and I know lives will be changed for eternity because of the words conferees will write and publish. I expect His presence also will be very real at the August 1-4 Philly conference. I’m choosing to look to the Lord for His answer. I know He has not promised it will be easy to follow Him, but He has promised always to be with us.

Again, please pray and please pass this message along to anyone in the body of Christ who might be able to help.

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Don’t Give Up!

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Publishing journey on June 2, 2012| 5 Comments »

No matter how hard you try – and you pray – do you ever feel like you’re up against a brick wall? Is the breakthrough you need, whether it be in your finances, relationships, or writing, alluding you?

A week and a half ago I got home at 2:30 am from the Colorado Christian Writers Conference exhausted but praising God. He did meet us on the mountain and enabled us to overcome the obstacles we encountered. From a squirrel chewing through an electric line that left a major portion of the YMCA campus without power the first day of the conference, to a printer that was delivered but lost, to the intense behind-the-scene challenges and time pressures, He was with us.

Now I’m facing more challenges for the August 1-4 Philly conference. Again the greatest challenge is the conference website. I get a runtime error that crashes Expression Web whenever I try to make a change and save a page. Online registration is not working, but I am unable to add a note to say early registration will be extended until June 15 and to please try again. I’m exasperated, frustrated, discouraged, and disheartened.

I can identify with the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:8. I do feel “pressed on every side by troubles” and “perplexed because [I] don’t know why things happen as they do.” Yet I’m reminded of Peter’s words that “These trials are only to test [my] faith to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it – and [my] faith is far more precious to God than mere gold” (1 Peter 1:7 TLB).

The bottom line is that you and I have an adversary who “prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart” (1 Peter 5:8 TLB). The more we seek to serve the Lord, the more fiercely he will attack us.

Father, please help me and everyone reading this to “stand firm when he attacks” (1 Peter 1:8 TLB) and to trust You. Thank You that we do not need to be “crushed and broken” or to “give up and quit” (2 Cor. 4:8 TLB). Thank You that Jesus already won the victory on the cross. Thank You for Your power that is incredibly great to help those who believe in You (Eph. 1:19).  Build our faith muscles, and in Your strength help us to scale every wall (Psalm 18:29) and to offer You our sacrifice of praise by telling others of the glory of Your name (Heb. 13:15) not just after, but before the needed breakthrough.

P.S. CDs of the keynotes, workshops, and continuing sessions (except “Please, NO Pat Answers”) are available. An order form will be posted at www.writehisanswer.com/Colorado as soon as the website problems are resolved.

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Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writing Fiction on May 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Developing Characters

Donna Brennan Interviews Robert Liparulo

Part 2

Question: In all your books you manage to create characters we really care about. And your villains are drawn so well we understand their motivation and sometimes even sympathize with them. Is there a secret to making us care?

I always try to make every character human. Sounds like common sense, but I’m not sure every writer understands what that means. It means doing everything possible to put flesh on him, imbue him with understandable, human feelings, examining his qualities and flaws. What are the things that humans do? They love, they have regrets, they have their own understanding of the world around them, right or wrong; they eat, sleep, desire companionship. I always look for tiny details that make up each character: scars, bad eyesight, kinky hair . . . anything that tells the reader, “Look, this person isn’t made of cardboard, he’s not a figment of the writer’s imagination (though, of course, he is)”-it all goes toward making him or her someone the reader can relate to. I spend a lot of time “being” my characters before I start writing. I encourage them to be different from me, to do things I wouldn’t do and think differently from the way I think. Because they become unique, I think readers forget they came from the writer’s mind.

Question: Are any of your characters based on people you know? Are any of them based on you?

Most of my characters are an amalgam of people I know and have read about or seen in interviews and me. Hutch from Deadfall and Deadlock is the character who comes closest to a person I know. He was modeled on my best friend, who’s a game warden in Wyoming. He’s the kind of guy who can be dropped into any wilderness in the world and not only come out alive, but probably drive out in a vehicle made of twigs. I wanted to know what he would do in a situation that seems hopeless. How would he cope? Where would he find the strength to survive?

All of my characters have traces of me, of course. Some of the heroes are acting in ways I hope I’d act in tough situations. But the character closest to who I am-or whom I used to be-is David from the Dreamhouse Kings. I was very much like him at his age, twelve. I was the mediator between my older brother and my parents, as he is; I was fairly adventurous, always getting into trouble by giving into my curiosity. I didn’t realize I was writing about myself until my mother read the first two books in that series and said, “That’s so you!” and she went on to name all the ways David was me.

_______________

Next – Tips on writing screenplays, research, and words of advice.

There’s still time to register for the May 15-19 Colorado Christian Writers Conference and to sign up for Robert’s continuing session. Click here. Robert is also teaching a continuing session at the August 1-4 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

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Writing Suspense Readers Can’t Put Down

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writing Fiction on May 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

How to Write Suspense Books That Readers Can’t Put Down
(And That Hollywood Producers
Want to Turn into Feature Motion Pictures)

Donna Brennan Interviews Robert Liparulo

 Part I

It might sound like a dream come true, but nine of Robert Liparulo’s thriller / suspense novels have been optioned for film and three are currently in various stages of production. And since so many young adults were reading his suspense thrillers, he wrote a whole series for them: Dreamhouse Kings. Of course, lots of his adult fans have read that series as well. Fortunately for us, Robert is teaching a continuing session, Writing Suspense and Thrillers, at both the Colorado Christian Writers Conference (May 16 – 19) and at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference (August 1 – 4). That’s six hours we can spend absorbing knowledge and wisdom from this critically acclaimed and very successful author.

I contacted Robert to ask him about the session he’ll be teaching. Here are his answers.

Question: Can someone really be taught how to write a successful thriller suspense story? Or is it a talent that some writers just seem to “have?”

It helps to have an attraction to thrillers in the first place. I’ve been reading thrillers since I was a kid, so I have a pretty comprehensive understanding of the genre’s tenets from a reader’s perspective. After a while, what works and what doesn’t becomes intuitive, which lets the writer focus on character development and his or her writing, instead of the structure and devices of the genre.

I’ve read the works of some writers who aren’t naturally attracted to suspense, but wanted to try their hand at it; what tends to come through in their stories are clichés or twists that they think are clever, but they’ve been done to death. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but it takes a lot more work than these authors believed.

Question: Your earlier books didn’t delve too much into the faith arena, yet there was a Christian worldview present the whole time. But now your latest book, The 13th Tribe, has a strong biblical basis-the tribe consisting of some of the Israelites, from Moses’s time, who had worshiped the golden calf. It seems like two opposite ends of the spectrum, and yet they both work. What are your reasons for the big shift? And where in the spectrum (if anyplace) do you advocate your students let their stories fall?

I’ve always tried to follow God’s leading in how I tell my stories. When I started Comes a Horseman, I prayed and fasted about how much overt Christianity to put into it. One morning, I was looking at Pikes Peak and I heard God speaking to me. He said, “Do you see me in that mountain.” I said, “Of course, I see you in everything.” He said, “Do you see my name carved into it?” “No.” “That’s how I want you to write your story.” So, I believe God is in my earlier books in ways that I could not have possibly written Him into them. And readers have responded, telling me that scenes comforted them and got them thinking about God-and none of it was intentionally written into those scenes. In fact, if the Holy Spirit weren’t pointing it out to them, readers wouldn’t have seen it at all.

When I was preparing to write a book about vigilantes, I heard God telling me it was time to be more overt about the spirituality. Following His calling, the story exploded into an examination of faith and justice and grace, and the idea of the Tribe fell into place. But despite the faith elements becoming more prevalent, I’m still a thriller writer, so making The 13th Tribe a Christian thriller felt very natural.

I don’t think Christian authors should necessarily try to fit into a particular market, whether that’s Christian or mainstream. They need to follow their hearts. If that means having strong spiritual content or addressing faith more subtly, then that’s what they should do.

Question: Your books seem to have strong themes: family, loyalty, doing the right thing, self-sacrifice, etc. While it may be obvious to include some type of theme in a Christian novel, how important are these themes to writing a thriller?

Themes in thrillers are less important than character and plot. In fact, a general rule is to not write with a theme in mind, because then every scene, every snatch of dialog, tends to fall back on that theme and it becomes heavy-handed and detracts from the natural flow of the story. However, I think themes are more important in Christian stories, simply because there are so many things about being a Christian that without some sort of theme in mind the story can get muddled. For The 13th Tribe, I had a general idea of the themes that would come through by the end; then as I started writing, I tried to forget those themes. I think they came through naturally because they were on my mind when I thought through the story, but not as I wrote it.

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 What a fabulous interview! Thank you, Donna and Robert. Watch for two more installments with more great questions and advice.

There’s still time to register for the May 15-19 Colorado Christian Writers Conference and to sign up for Robert’s continuing session. Click here.

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Getting Published

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Uncategorized on April 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Hungry to publish your writing?
Go about it in the right way and you won’t get stuck!

 

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I couldn’t resist sharing these two pictures. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

But Donna Brennan’s words below on how to prepare for appointments at a writers conference are worth a great deal and will help you not get stuck in an awkward situation because you’re unprepared.

Father, thank You for the editors and agents who are taking time from busy schedules to meet with conferees. May the appointments be fruitful for them and for our conferees.

How to Prepare for That Editor or Agent Appointment

by Donna Brennan

When you go to a conference you often have the opportunity to meet with an agent or editor and pitch your work. Depending on the conference, you may get one appointment or may get several. And the duration of the appointment varies too, typically ranging from five to fifteen minutes.

(Note: The Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference both give you four 15-minute long appointment opportunities if you attend for all three days!)

But how do you select which agent or editor would be the best one(s) for you to meet with? And how do you prepare for that meeting? And what if you don’t get an appointment with your first choice? Here’s some advice addressing those questions.

How to Select Which Agent or Editor to Meet With

The longer the list of available agents and editors, the more daunting the task may appear. But look at it as an opportunity to find the best fit for you and your work.

First, read the bios listed on the conference website, paying special attention to what their current needs are. Don’t pitch a fantasy to someone who is only interested in contemporary romance. Then, go to their websites (usually listed in the bio) for more information about them and their agency or publishing house, including titles of books they represent or publish. Read reviews and summaries of those books online. If you can, read the first few pages online, too.

Do they have a blog? Read that, too. That often helps you to get a feel for what kind of person they are.

Next, pray. Always pray. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to pray while reading their bios or visiting their websites or blogs.

Pick your top choices, but also have some back-up choices. Appointment slots usually fill up quickly, with folks who register for the conference early getting first dibs on who they meet with. So register as soon as you’re sure you’ll be attending.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

If pitching an article or short story, you should bring that with you. If you’re pitching a longer length article that isn’t written yet, bring a summary and outline of the article along with any other articles you have already written (to provide a sample of how you write).

For pitching a fiction book you typically want to have a one-sheet (described below) and the first chapter (in case the person you’re meeting with wants to look that over while you talk). It’s a good idea to bring along a one-page synopsis and a bullet list of critical points in your story. For pitching a nonfiction book you should bring a one-sheet, a synopsis, and an outline. A chapter by chapter summary is a good thing to have with you, as well as a bullet-list of important topics covered in your book. Your book does not have to be finished, but it does have to have a solid outline and be well thought out.

A one-sheet can be thought of as an at-a-glance overview of your story and you. Different people like to put different things into their one-sheets. (Be sure to check the agent or editor’s website to see if they have certain expectations as to what belongs in a one-sheet.) Basically it contains both an elevator pitch and a one-paragraph summary, along with your story’s genre, target audience, and word count. It also contains your bio, told in the third person. There are lots of examples of one-sheets online you can look at before creating your own including Marlene Bagnull’s sample one sheet (click here).

An elevator pitch is one or two sentences that sum up your story. It needs to be short enough that you can share it quickly if you happen to find yourself riding on an elevator with an agent or editor who represents your type of writing.

Sometimes it’s hard to condense your book into a one-page synopsis, let alone a one-paragraph summary or two-sentence elevator pitch. Here’s one way to get that done.

First, write the synopsis in however many words you need to tell what you feel is important about your book. And then you start cutting out all the non-crucial elements and all those extra words we writers like to sneak into our prose. Keep cutting until you get it down to one single-spaced page.

Once you have your synopsis done, start cutting some more until you can get down to a single paragraph. Then cut some more until you get it down to two sentences.

To put together a bullet list, go back to your synopsis and pull out any items crucial to what happens in your story or any main items you want to mention about your nonfiction book. Put them in the order you want to talk about them.

This list is for you while you’re talking so you don’t forget important points. Therefore, keep the descriptions of each item brief so you can glance down at your paper and remember the topic, but let it make enough sense so the agent or editor can understand if they ask to look at the paper.

If you’re having multiple appointments, bring several copies of the one-sheet, outline, and first chapter. Agents and editors don’t usually ask for hard copies of things at conferences (because they’re seeing lots of folks and that’s a lot of stuff to carry back home). But sometimes they do. And if you give away your only copy at your first appointment, you’ll have nothing to show at your other appointments.

When it’s time for your appointment, review your synopsis and bullet list before you walk in. Relax and know that the agent you’re meeting with wants to find clients to represent and the editors want to find work to publish.

What to Do if You Don’t Get an Appointment with Your First Choice(s)

If you don’t get the appointment you wanted, don’t despair. Sometimes God gives us what we need instead of what we ask for. You may learn something at the conference to let you know your manuscript is not ready yet. Or you may wind up in a chance meeting with this person at the conference that works out better than an appointment would have. Or you might have a surprise elevator ride with an agent or editor who wasn’t even on your radar.

So first pray, then prepare. Have your elevator pitch memorized and have your one-page with you all during the conference. If you’re already carrying a bag or notebook, stick your synopsis and first chapter in there-just in case. If you run into an agent or editor you were interested in but didn’t get an appointment with, ask if you can give them your elevator pitch (but please, don’t be pushy). If they say yes and they like it, ask if you can show them your one-page or send them a query letter. If you send a query, be sure to mention that you met them at the conference.

After the conference, if you didn’t get an opportunity to talk with a particular agent or editor, you can still send them a query letter. Say in your letter that you were at the conference but didn’t get a chance to meet with them. But . . . if you learned at the conference that your manuscript wasn’t quite ready, be sure to make those changes before sending out that query letter.

And did I mention pray? Always pray. If God put the desire to write in your heart, He will provide a way for your writing to be read by His intended audience.

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