Schedule & Workshops
Saturday morning, March 28, 2009
Please note: If you registered on Friday for both days you don't need to check in.
The bookstore is open 7:45 a.m. The bookstore has copies of the contest winners for you to read in the lounge area.
Lunch is on your own today, noon-1:15 pm. There are many quick choices on State Street and next door. Recommendations will be provided.
| 8:00-8:45 am |
Registration (coffee, tea, juice, pastries). The bookstore is open at 7:45 am. The bookstore has copies of the contest winners for you to read in the lounge area. |
| 9:00 am-11:45 am |
Featured instructor: Linda Seger |
Creating the character spine
Characters need a motivation to push them into a story, a goal to pull them through the story, and someone to present conflict and obstacles. We’ll examine the challenges of this character spine, and different types of conflict to make a story and a character dramatically interesting.
Break: 10:15-10:30 a.m.
Integrating character and theme
Every film or story needs to be about something—a universal idea that deepens the story and creates connections with the audience. We’ll examine types of themes, and how to find those connections.
E1-E39 Private pitch times (8 minutes each), 9:30-11:15 am
If you have an agent meeting, please try to sit near the door of the classroom so that you may leave with the minimum of disruption to others. Thank you.
For novel/nonfiction writers. Each writer gets eight minutes. Please sign up for a time slot when you register (or at the event if slots remain open). Additional fee.
E1-11 Private pitches with Bill Contardi
E12-21 Private pitches with Melissa Jeglinski
E22-32 Private pitches with Victoria Skurnick
E33-E39 Private pitches with Paige Wheeler
10:15-10:30 a.m. Break
E40-E42 Private consultations (15 minutes each) with Beth Bohn, 9:30-10:15 am
Meet with Beth for 15 minutes of confidential counsel on how to move your idea forward in the entertainment industry. Please sign up when you register (or at the event if slots remain open). Additional fee.
Do you have something you think might sell as a reality TV show? A new sitcom or hour-long drama show? Do you have a novel that you’d like to adapt as a movie script? Have you written a true-story screenplay and aren’t sure how to market it? Do you have an idea that could be big on the Internet? …What do you do next? Meet with Beth and get advice on how to advance your idea or script.
Saturday afternoon, March 29
Held at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St.
| 1:00—2:15 p.m. |
Agents/managers forum |
| 2:15-2:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:30-4:00 pm |
Concurrent Sessions (choose one) |
| 4:00-4:15 pm |
Break |
| 4:15-5:30 pm |
Concurrent Sessions (choose on) |
1:00-2:15 pm Agents/managers forum: "The world for writers is changing and here's what's new and what you should do..."
A look at the marketplace, trends, what doesn’t work anymore and what does, how first-time writers are making it, what to do to revitalize your career, and much more.
Panelists: Beth Bohn, Bill Contardi, Melissa Jeglinski, Victoria Skurnick, Paige Wheeler
Moderated by Christine DeSmet
Break: 2:15-2:30 pm. Sodas provided.
F1 Creating cinematic images, with Linda Seger
A film relies more on images than on talk to get across its story and ideas. We’ll explore how to create images and image systems that make the story cinematic.
F2 How to critique yourself and everyone else, with Laurel Yourke
If you can’t critique, you probably can’t revise. If you can’t diagnose the strengths and weaknesses in someone else’s work, you probably can’t do it in your own. A good critique transcends “That’s really good,” or “That doesn’t work for me.” In contrast, a solid critique grapples with why the scene, opening, detail or transition isn’t doing its job. You’ll explore the fine art of diagnosis, the etiquette of critique (including when critiquing yourself!), and some tricks for focusing on structure rather than superficialities. You can apply these techniques whether critiquing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or all of the above.
F3 Writing for teens ROCKS and here’s why!, with Simone Elkeles
Simone discusses how YA fiction differs from writing adult fiction – the writing, the publishing and the fans. This workshop is a primer on the young adult market for those interested in writing for the 12-21-year-old crowd. Simone talks about who’s buying what, types of sensuality, YA project taboos, and the difference in voice and dialogue for those who are used to adult fiction. And, most importantly, she talks candidly about what you can do to break into this hot market. The ever-changing YA market is still a hot one, and Simone gives tips on what themes are overdone and what’s selling like hotcakes as well as gives tips on how to create and sell your own YA novel. She includes bonus tips about teen dialogue and how to tell if you’re showing your age when you write for teens, which is a no-no.
F4 Tapping into online revenue streams: The scoop about freelancing for online magazines and blogs, with Peggy Williams
Online magazines like About.com, Suite101, Helium, and Associated Content are popping up like garage sale signs on street corners in the spring. Can freelance writers make money writing for these venues? This workshop will look at the burgeoning field of online content magazines, how writing for online readership differs from writing for print media, whether its possible to make money writing for these sites, and the art of writing for SEO (Search Engine Optimization.). We’ll also touch on blogging to increase the revenue stream and twittering to increase readership (along with other social networking strategies to get the word out).
F5-F41 Private pitch meetings (8 minutes), 2:30-4:00 p.m.
If you have an agent meeting, please try to sit near the door of the classroom so that you may leave with the minimum of disruption to others. Thank you.
Each writer gets eight minutes. Please sign up for a time slot when you register (or at the event if slots remain open). Additional fee.
F5-F14 Private pitch time, with Bill Contardi
F15-F24 Private pitch time, with Melissa Jeglinski
F25-F34 Private pitch time, with Victoria Skurnick
F35-F41 Private pitch time, with Paige Wheeler
F42-F46 Private consultations with Beth Bohn (15 minutes), 2:30-4:00 p.m.
If you have an agent meeting, please try to sit near the door of the classroom so that you may leave with the minimum of disruption to others. Thank you.
Meet with Beth for 15 minutes of confidential counsel on how to move your idea forward in the entertainment industry.
Do you have something you think might sell as a reality TV show? A new sitcom or hour-long drama show? Do you have a novel that you’d like to adapt as a movie script? Have you written a true-story screenplay and aren’t sure how to market it? Do you have an idea that could be big on the Internet? …What do you do next? Meet with Beth and get advice on how to advance your idea or script.
Break 4:00-4:15 pm refreshment break. (On your own)
4:15-5:30 Concurrent Sessions (choose one)
G1 So you want to write and sell to the entertainment industry, with Beth Bohn (repeated on Friday)
With the Internet, a lot of opportunities have opened up for writers like you—somebody with ideas, zeal, maybe a book or movie script, and not much cash. There are also opportunities in scripted and reality television, though those markets have changed drastically in the past five years. The old ways of pitching your spec TV show or Movie-of-the-Week script are gone. What’s replaced them? Beth gives advice on how to write for and sell to the entertainment industry.
G2 How to successfully market and promote your writing, with Victoria Goff
Writing talent and completing a manuscript are not enough. Without marketing and promoting your work, being a published author may remain a dream. If you take this workshop, you’ll learn about these missing parts of the equation to writing success and be motivated to take important action steps that will make your visions come true. Learn about query letters, book proposals, self-syndication, secondary rights, multiple marketing, and other marketing systems that improve your chances of getting published. You’ll also learn how to do your own promotion. Most authors only receive a small amount of money for promotion. Dr. Wayne Dyer, for example, only succeeded by doing his own publicity for his first book. Like Dyer, you’ll learn how to write press releases, arrange interviews, and book speaking engagements to promote your writing. Your success is as dependent on your marketing and promotion skills as it is on your writing ability. So if you want to sell your work and earn what you deserve once it’s sold, this workshop is for you.
G3 Critique workshop: Writing humorous essays, articles, and more, with Patricia Draznin
(Limited to 5 writers, additional fee. Private workshop.)
You can be the next…Patricia Draznin. Why not take your love of humor and sell your own humorous columns or blogs, articles and more? Get ahead of the lemmings out there by giving your writing a checkup or tune-up. You also learn from comments made on the four other writers’ material. This is a nurturing forum and fast way to take your writing to the next level. Send in up to 3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point TNR. Email them in an attachment by March 16 to coordinator Christine DeSmet, cdesmet@dcs.wisc.edu.
G4 Critique workshop: Improve your hook and your voice, with Les Edgerton
(Limited to 5 writers, additional fee. Private workshop.)
Those first pages matter—they matter a lot in today’s tough writing world. Take the plunge and let Les take the pulse of your opening hook. You also learn from comments made on the four other writers’ material. This is a nurturing forum and fast way to take your writing to the next level. Send in up to 3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point TNR. Email them in an attachment by March 16 to coordinator Christine DeSmet, cdesmet@dcs.wisc.edu.
Department
of Liberal Studies & the Arts
21 N Park Street - 7th floor, Madison WI 53715
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