Bemused Writer: Meet Agents! Take Workshops. Learn all kinds of things Writing! Have a Great time!

The James River Writers Conference things are Hoppin’ !

If you’ve had your eye on one of the one-on-one talk with / pitch the Literary Agents, you might not want to wait -

One agent’s time slots are already filled - Gone. Sorry, you missed it.

Others are still open — but filling fast!!!

David Henry Sterry is almost filled up!

Time’s a-awastin’ people!

Need to sign up for the JRW Conference Soon! Especially if you want your pick of one of those Agent one-on-one slots!

Well, the ones that are left.

But if that’s difficult for you this year check out the Friday Workshops.

There are Really great Workshops! Really!

You don’t have to come to the Conference to sign up and take the workshops.

Of course we’d like for you to sign up, and come to the Conference. We’d REALLY Like it!

But you’re going to want to come to a Workshop.

Just take a Look!

Choices and help for your writing, your writing career. All Kinds.

Publishing help. Query Help. If you’re a writer trying to get your work out to agents to get published (hopefully) then you’ll know what that means. And how valuable that is.

Uh-huh. See. You can learn a lot from them. More if you come to the Conference too. *Grin*

James River Writers has been kicking off our conference for several years now with Pre-Conference Master Classes. Absorb the wisdom of the experts and gain hands-on experience, whether you want to discover that perfect angle to get published or explore nuances of your craft.

The Pre-Conference Master Classes take place on Friday, October 17, 2014, at the Virginia State Capitol, Capitol Sq., Richmond., from 9:00-11:00 a.m., 11:15 a.m.-1:15 a.m., and 2:00-4:00 p.m., with two options in each time slot. You must be a registered conference attendee to sign up for the Conference Master Classes. After October 1, if space remains, classes will be available to those not attending the conference.

Friday, October 17th, 2014
9:00 am – 11:00 am	Literary Agent Jody Rein To Self (Publish) or NOT to Self? How to Decide! with Jody Rein A personalized step-by-step workshop on the key decision every writer working today must make. What is the best publishing path for you, your book and your writing career? A self-published ebook or an agented, traditionally published hardcover? Or something in-between? What are the options? What are the real costs–in time, in money, in reputation, in sales?	Author Kelly O’Connor McNees Point of View: Who’s Telling and Who’s Listening? with Kelly O’Connor McNees Fiction writers have to make choices about how and why our narrators tell their stories. Does your novel call for a first-person point of view with a strong voice but a limited scope? Or an omniscient narrator to tell the story of a whole town, allowing us to peek in the windows? Through exercises and short readings, this class will explore the role of point of view in crafting compelling fiction, and how to find the perfect storyteller for your tale.
11:15 am – 1:15 pm	Author Hugh Howey Author Platform: What You Need to Know with Hugh Howey With so many books competing in the marketplace, how do you get your fair share of attention? An effective platform has never been more important for authors than it is right now. Learn how to build your author platform by increasing your discoverability, extending your network, and reaching your target audience.	Editor Jane Friedman How to Get Your Book Published with Jane Friedman This class covers all the basics on how to get your book published. Topics include how to research markets and contact agents; how to capture the attention of a New York publisher; what expectations you should have when it comes to the marketing and promotion of your work; and how to analyze publishing options.
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Author Sheri Reynolds Speed Up, Slow Down, Cast Forward, Flash Back: A Multi-genre Exploration of Pacing with Sheri Reynolds Update your writer’s toolbox with a firm understanding of tempo. What makes a narrative speed up and slow down, zoom in and zoom out? How does a writer shift gears smoothly from scene to summary to scene again? Analyze excerpts from fiction and nonfiction to see how successful writers manipulate time. Get hands-on experience with techniques to control the tempo of your narrative.	Editor Jane Friedman How to Write a Query That Gets Manuscript Requests with Jane Friedman If you’ve written your query like a pro, then you should be getting requests for your manuscript (or proposal) about 50% of the time. Learn the five key elements of every query, what it means to sell the sizzle, and how to avoid problems that plague (and sabatoge) queries.