Thank You from the Conference Chair

Thank you flowers from LSF Writers. Aren’t they lovely?

Yes, I am tooting my own horn, but IMHO this weekend’s Create Something Magical Conference went wonderfully. There was so much energy, excitement and enthusiasm in the air from start to finish.  I have to give a huge thank you t o my conference committee. They are an amazing collection of individuals and I certainly couldn’t have pulled it off without them. Because I did have such a great committee I was able to set the conference chair on the shelf for a few minutes and pitch my manuscript.  I received multiple requests for my work SQUEE! Go Me.  But in all seriousness, the conference ran as smooth as it did up to and through the actual day of the conference because of my fabulous committee.

I also have to offer a HUGE thank you to Jonathan Maberry. He was an incredible and inspiring keynote speaker plus he’s been a great support of the Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference from the beginning.  There are not words enough to thank him.

Much gratitude goes out to all of the speakers who offered their time and expertise.  I’ve heard nothing but great things about every workshop.

To all of the editors and agents that attended we so appreciate you give up your Saturday to join us. Thank you for listening to pitches and for speaking on panels and offering your insights on the industry.

Thank you to all of the attendees, readers and writers alike. The conference certainly wouldn’t happen without you and all of the excitement and energy you bring with you. To all of your who pitched I wish you much luck on your submissions. For those who didn’t next year will be your year.

Finally, I’d like to send a mega shout out to Kim Rocha and all of the Book Obsessed Chicks. You throw one heck of a party, ladies. I was thrilled to have you there.  Next year, I’ll have to make a point to get in on at least one line dance. 😉

It really was a magical weekend. I hope to see everyone back next year! For now, the conference chair is going to take a nap.

~Best
Rayna

Pitch Writing: An Important Career Skill

I’m doing a pitch workshop at the Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical conference next month.  Nothing makes a conference goer sweat like the prospect of pitching her book. But the process isn’t something to fear. A 10 minute speed date with an agent or editor is hardly a bear sniffing your camping tent.  You’ll be fine, and the whole pitch process is a good exercise for your future career.

I haven’t pitched to an editor or agent in a few years, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t written pitches. If you think you’re done with pitching once you’ve snagged an agent or editor, think again.  Authors have to write pitches, too, except now they’re called proposals or short blurbs. Every time a new contract comes up, my editor doesn’t say, “If you send us books, we will pay you money.” No, she needs a proposal to take to her acquisitions meeting. Guess what the first sentence of  my proposal is?  A pitch.

Pitch writing doesn’t stop after a book is acquired either.  After the book is finished, cover and promotional copy has to be written.  Promo copy is pitches of different lengths, this time aimed at potential readers/buyers.

There might be slight differences in the wording or focus of the pitch depending upon the intended audience. But just like an action scene, a pitch has to grab the attention of the editor, agent, or in the case of promo copy, potential buyer.

The reader of the pitch must be hooked. In one or two sentences, you have to make them want to acquire/read your book.

I have one more use for a good pitch.  I like to pin my proposal to the bottom of my storyboard while I’m writing the book. During the actual plotting and writing process, rereading that initial pitch helps me stay focused on the core of the story.

Now that I’ve expounded on the importance of being able to pull the hook for your book from the rubble of a manuscript, I’m looking for some successful pitches from well-known movies or books to use in my workshop.  I have a few, but in my opinion, nothing explains a good pitch better than fabulous examples, and what makes that light bulb shine for one person might not work for another.

Does anyone have a killer pitch for a well-known book or movie?

_____ is Like Boiling Water

Learning through practice is like pushing a cart up a hill: if you slack off, it will slip backwards. – a Japanese proverb.

Back in June, I wrote a post (The Difference Between Men and Animals) on the first principle of Gichin Funakoshi’s Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate. Today, I wanted to discuss the eleventh principle, which pertains to everyone, not just martial artists.

Karate is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to its tepid state.

The book explains that continuous study, concentration and diligence is the hallmark of success. Random practice is not sufficient.

This is true of any life pursuit. Go ahead and fill the blank in for yourself.  _______ is like boiling water: without heat, it returns to its tepid state.

In the event you filled in the blank with the word WRITING, then perhaps you’d like to know of another opportunity for you to continue your writing training: the Liberty States Fiction Writer’s Conference in Woodbridge, NJ on Saturday March 16, 2013. This conference is for writers AND readers. Not only did I find my agent through this conference, but I also received a publishing offer (I ultimately signed with a different house, but still…magical things do happen in NJ!) There are plenty of workshops to continue craft and a book signing too.

No matter what you filled in the blank with, make sure you keep practicing it. Since this is the time of year to reflect on 2012 and prepare for 2013, this is a good time to think about how you will continue your practice.

What did you fill in the blank with?  What are you planning to do to continue practicing it? I love hearing from you! Please leave a comment below.

~K.M. Fawcett

Calling All Readers!

I love conferences. There is nothing more energizing and inspiring then getting together with other authors and talking books. As a writer you always need to learn, grow, and perfect your skills. At certain point in time, however, you have to step out from behind the desk and start interacting with your end user, your readers.  This year Liberty States Fiction Writers has given me the opportunity to create a forum for authors and readers to come together to hang out, have a little fun, and talk books at our Create Something Magical Conference. The conference will be held on March 17, 2012, so with registration starting very soon, I thought I’d give a sneak peak of what we have in store for the readers and writers that join us for our inaugural reader’s event.

Have you always wanted to attend Lady Jane’s Salon, but never had the opportunity? Well, here’s your chance. We will be starting things off with drinks, dessert and readings.  From there you’ll have the opportunity to hang out with some of you r favorite authors such as Larissa Ione, Katharine Ashe, Virginia Kantra, Jonathan Maberry, Ally Blue, Sarah MacLean and many more. Of course, there will be a book signing so you’ll have the chance to check a few items off of your to buy list. Finally, we’ll end the day with a little dinner and a lot of dancing.

That’s just the tip of the ice berg. We’ll have games and prizes as well as a few other surprises in store. So I hope we’ll see some of you on March 17, 2012 at the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel.

Liberty States Conference

The 2nd annual Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical conference was even better than the first.  First of all, there was no monsoon this year.  Secondly, the event was just plain fantastic!

Attendees raved about workshops covering topics from dialogue, voice, editing, pitching, marketing and promotion. With a line-up of terrific speakers including Jonathan Maberry, Virginia Kantra,  and Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, that wasn’t a surprise. One of my favorites was the Building Your Brand workshop with Angela James of Carina Press.  I couldn’t take notes fast enough, and nearly two hours went by all too quickly.  Kathy Fawcett and I shot, stabbed, kicked and choked each other in our own Kick Butt Heroes workshop.

One of the most exciting and nerve-wracking parts of a conference is the pitching experience.  Despite a New York train snafu, appointments with agents and editors went smoothly, and more than one writer emerging with that I-just-got-a-request post-pitch glow.

Mary Janice Davidson’s keynote speech was hilarious. She reminded us all that book publishing isn’t as sexy as we’d like to believe.  It’s always wonderful to hear that a New York Times Best had to wait for The Call just like the rest of us.

The day was topped off, like the whipped cream on a sundae, with a book fair that was open to the public. Readers had loads of time to buy books and talk with their favorite authors.

And, did I mention, there was no monsoon this year?

I’d like to thank all the volunteers.  Without you, the event would not have been possible.  Mark your calendars for March 17, 2012, and plan to visit New Jersey (it’s not like Jersey Shore, we promise) when paranormal romance author Larissa Ione gives the keynote speech at the next Create Something Magical conference.

The Kick Butt Heroes Workshop

Kathy, Rayna and I will be giving our Kick Butt Heroes Workshop both at the Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical Conference on March 19, 2011 in Iselin, New Jersey and at the Romance Writers of America National Conference in New York City June 28 – July 2, 2011.

The workshop will cover some fighting and writing basics, plus a whole lot of punching, stabbing, shooting and choking.  Good times, huh?  We’ll demonstrate some inventive ways to get your characters out of hairy situations, like having a gun barrel pressed against her temple or a knife held to his throat.  Not only will we show how a trained fighter would respond, but also how a novice might escape.  Practical defenses will be covered, as well as some more theatrical maneuvers.  We’ll change up the techniques each time, so no two workshops will be alike.  If you’re attending either conference, join us for an exciting hour.

And don’t forget, we’re running a critique contest this week.  Entries will be accepted through this Thursday, Feb 10th.  Send in your (500 word max) action scene and we’ll chose one lucky (brave) soul for a critique.  See last Thursday’s post, Calling to Action, for details.

A Taste of Kenpo

With the Liberty States Fiction Writers annual Create Something Magical conference coming up on March 19, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of martial arts self-defense training.   Kathy and I will be demonstrating techniques like this one in our Kick Butt Heroes workshop.

The Kenpo technique being performed in this link is called Crossed Twigs.  Picture your villain grabbing your hero or heroine from behind with both hands.  Maybe she is about to be restrained by handcuffs or plastic ties.  Good times!

(And yes, Kenpo techniques have very cool Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon type names which just add to the fun factor.)