Breakout Seminar Descriptions – New Jersey – June 2019

Monday, June 10, 2019

Breakout Seminars A – 11:00 AM

  • Sophfronia Scott
    • “The Miracle of Metaphor” In spiritual writing we’re often seeking to grasp and describe the ineffable while at the same time bringing the reader closer to experiences that are extremely personal. How do we do that? By using one of the most important keys in a writer’s toolbox: metaphor. We’ll explore this craft element through text examples and writing exercises.
  • Jessica Miller Kelley – Acquisitions Editor, Westminster John Knox
    • “Knowing Your Audience” Whether you’re still brainstorming your book or preparing a proposal, your writing will benefit from knowing who exactly you intend and expect to read it. We’ll discuss demographics and psychographics and explore what motivates readers to read what they do. Come with a project in mind and we’ll workshop audience descriptions to give you—and prospective publishers—a clearer picture of your book’s target reader.
  • Jack Seymour – former Dean, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    • “Write to be Read: From Academic to Popular and Public Writing”  How do we move religious scholarship from the academy and cloister to the public square?  How do we impact public conversation? How do we write so our ideas are read? After examining characteristics of academic, popular, and public writing in religion, this interactive workshop focuses on communicating academic research in public and popular ways.
  • Brian Allain – Writing for Your Life
    • “Why You Should Consider Indie/Self Publishing” In this presentation we will discuss how changes in the publishing industry mean that there has never been a better time to consider self (or indie) publishing. We will review recent and current industry structure, the top 10 reasons to consider self publishing (all the way from tools to economics to platform to sources of assistance), and deal with the concern of legitimacy. We will also consider a couple of examples.

Breakout Seminars B – 2:00 PM

  • Jonathan Merritt
    • “Birthing Your Book in 60 Minutes or Less” So you wanna write a book. Or at least you think you kind-of-sort-of-maybe want to, but you’re struggling to develop the idea. In this interactive workshop, critically-acclaimed author Jonathan Merritt will guide you through surprisingly simple strategies for clarifying your concept and developing your book.
  • Sophfronia Scott
    • “Another Way to Look at It: Using Detail and Description” It’s easy to write the sky was crystal blue and the man had salt and pepper hair. But if you want to write at a higher level you must wield important craft elements such as detail and description with more skill and intention. We’ll read examples of strong descriptive writing and practice using writing prompts.
  • Kathryn Helmers – CreativeTrust Literary Agency
    • “You and Your Creative Process–Five Steps to a Better Relationship” It used to be that “getting published” was every writer’s brass ring. Great for the lucky few who get signed—and whose books do well and stay in print. But what about everyone else who doesn’t get through that narrow funnel? I will identify what I think are the three biggest changes in the book industry and describe their implications for both published and unpublished writers, with real-life examples to illustrate. Then you and I will examine what this means for you by drilling down into the “so what” and “now what” of your creative process, helping you create a more satisfying way of defining and pursuing your writing goals.
  • Brian Allain – Writing for Your Life
    • “Why You Should Consider Indie/Self Publishing” In this presentation we will discuss how changes in the publishing industry mean that there has never been a better time to consider self (or indie) publishing. We will review recent and current industry structure, the top 10 reasons to consider self publishing (all the way from tools to economics to platform to sources of assistance), and deal with the concern of legitimacy. We will also consider a couple of examples.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Breakout Seminars C – 10:00 AM

  • Jonathan Merritt
    • “Birthing Your Book in 60 Minutes or Less” So you wanna write a book. Or at least you think you kind-of-sort-of-maybe want to, but you’re struggling to develop the idea. In this interactive workshop, critically-acclaimed author Jonathan Merritt will guide you through surprisingly simple strategies for clarifying your concept and developing your book.
  • Jessica Miller Kelley – Acquisitions Editor, Westminster John Knox
    • “Knowing Your Audience” Whether you’re still brainstorming your book or preparing a proposal, your writing will benefit from knowing who exactly you intend and expect to read it. We’ll discuss demographics and psychographics and explore what motivates readers to read what they do. Come with a project in mind and we’ll workshop audience descriptions to give you—and prospective publishers—a clearer picture of your book’s target reader.
  • Kathy Khang
    • Movement in the Sedentary Life of a Writer: As writers we can sometimes spend as many hours sitting in our chairs as we do sleeping in our beds. Writer and certified yoga teacher Kathy Khang will address how caring for our mind, soul, and body is critical to the creative life as well as lead participants through a few journal prompts, meditation, breath work, and chair yoga.
  • Kathryn Helmers – CreativeTrust Literary Agency
    • “You and Your Creative Process–Five Steps to a Better Relationship” It used to be that “getting published” was every writer’s brass ring. Great for the lucky few who get signed—and whose books do well and stay in print. But what about everyone else who doesn’t get through that narrow funnel? I will identify what I think are the three biggest changes in the book industry and describe their implications for both published and unpublished writers, with real-life examples to illustrate. Then you and I will examine what this means for you by drilling down into the “so what” and “now what” of your creative process, helping you create a more satisfying way of defining and pursuing your writing goals.

 

Breakout Seminars D – 1:00 PM

  • Jessica Miller Kelley – Acquisitions Editor, Westminster John Knox
    • “Five Things NOT to Say in a Book Proposal” Learn the basics of crafting a compelling book proposal while avoiding some of the common blunders that raise red flags for acquisitions editors—things that might seem positive but actually send the wrong message to prospective publishers. Unpacking five potential pitfalls along the way, we will explore many more things to know about making the right first impression for yourself and your book. You’ll leave this session with a proposal template to guide you and the confidence to give your project the best shot at approval.
  • Jonathan Merritt
    • “Birthing Your Book in 60 Minutes or Less” So you wanna write a book. Or at least you think you kind-of-sort-of-maybe want to, but you’re struggling to develop the idea. In this interactive workshop, critically-acclaimed author Jonathan Merritt will guide you through surprisingly simple strategies for clarifying your concept and developing your book.
  • Kathryn Helmers – CreativeTrust Literary Agency
    • “You and Your Creative Process–Five Steps to a Better Relationship” It used to be that “getting published” was every writer’s brass ring. Great for the lucky few who get signed—and whose books do well and stay in print. But what about everyone else who doesn’t get through that narrow funnel? I will identify what I think are the three biggest changes in the book industry and describe their implications for both published and unpublished writers, with real-life examples to illustrate. Then you and I will examine what this means for you by drilling down into the “so what” and “now what” of your creative process, helping you create a more satisfying way of defining and pursuing your writing goals.
  • Panel: “My Journey to Getting Published” – including Sophfronia Scott, Kathy Khang, Jack Seymour

Breakout Seminars E – 2:30 PM

  • Kathy Khang
    • Movement in the Sedentary Life of a Writer: As writers we can sometimes spend as many hours sitting in our chairs as we do sleeping in our beds. Writer and certified yoga teacher Kathy Khang will address how caring for our mind, soul, and body is critical to the creative life as well as lead participants through a few journal prompts, meditation, breath work, and chair yoga.
  • Sophfronia Scott
    • “The Miracle of Metaphor” In spiritual writing we’re often seeking to grasp and describe the ineffable while at the same time bringing the reader closer to experiences that are extremely personal. How do we do that? By using one of the most important keys in a writer’s toolbox: metaphor. We’ll explore this craft element through text examples and writing exercises.
  • Jack Seymour – former Dean, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    • “Write to be Read: From Academic to Popular and Public Writing”  How do we move religious scholarship from the academy and cloister to the public square?  How do we impact public conversation? How do we write so our ideas are read? After examining characteristics of academic, popular, and public writing in religion, this interactive workshop focuses on communicating academic research in public and popular ways.
  • Brian Allain – Writing for Your Life
    • “Why You Should Consider Indie/Self Publishing” In this presentation we will discuss how changes in the publishing industry mean that there has never been a better time to consider self (or indie) publishing. We will review recent and current industry structure, the top 10 reasons to consider self publishing (all the way from tools to economics to platform to sources of assistance), and deal with the concern of legitimacy. We will also consider a couple of examples.

 

Schedule subject to change.

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