The last two posts described six of
the nine breakout sessions at the 2017 Steel Pen Creative Writers’ Conference,
and this post will cover the remaining three. Each of the workshops listed
below is designed to help writers sell their books. Read on for more
information.
They DO Judge a
Book by Its Cover: Cover Design 101 for Authors
When readers aren’t familiar with
your work, what draws them to your books? The beginning paragraphs are
important, but potential buyers must open the book to read them. The cover is
usually the first thing that catches readers’ eyes and makes them look inside. Self-published
authors are responsible for designing or selecting their own covers, so how can
you make your cover stand out in a good way? This workshop uses discussion, exercises
and examples to share sure-fire methods for creating great book covers.
Rod Martinez is the recipient of
the 2017 Jerry Spinelli Scholarship from the Highlights Foundation. He writes
middle grade fiction and has published a half dozen books. To view his book
covers and find other information about Rod, go to http://rodmartinez.us.
Online Marketing:
Using Your Website to Maximize Sales
It’s common knowledge that every
author needs a website, but what do you do with it when you have it? J. Steven
Young’s session answers that question and provides advice on simple and
economical ways to enhance your website and build your marketing platform.
As a writer, Steven has authored
over a dozen books ranging from early childhood activity books to YA fantasy.
As a marketer, he utilizes cost-effective and free tools to boost exposure and sales
and to streamline the self-marketing process. Steven combines his technology
training with his love of writing by holding webinars, providing individual
training, and engaging in consulting work to show authors how to brand
themselves and sell their books in a digital world. You can learn more about
him at www.jstevenyoung.com.
Picking Up the
Mic: Using Performance Storytelling to Enhance Promotional Opportunities
Do you give library presentations
or school talks, or are you looking for a way to increase attendance at book
signings? Performance storytelling can generate interest and add value to those
promotional opportunities. In this workshop, Mary Dean Cason and Gregg Fraley
will help writers find their spoken voice and will provide essential tools and
techniques to be better story performers.
Mary Dean Cason teaches the art and
craft of live storytelling and has performed at venues throughout Chicago,
Northwest Indiana, and Mexico. She is the founder of Wine, Women & Stories,
co-founder of Indigan Storyteller, and co-creator of Michiana Stories. Mary
Dean is the author of What Solomon Saw
and Other Stories, the recipient of the Pinch Literary Award, and the
winner of the University of Chicago’s 2008 Writer’s Prize for Fiction. For more
information, check out her website at www.marydeancason.com.
Gregg Fraley is an author, speaker,
creativity consultant, and radio host. His program, “Michiana Story Hour,” airs
on WRHC in Three Oaks, Michigan. You can find out more about him at http://greggfraley.com.
As noted in the first post in this
series, the Conference Committee hasn’t set the actual schedule yet, so it is
too early to know which of the nine breakout sessions will conflict. But with
this lineup, you can’t lose.
Registration for the 2017 Steel Pen
Creative Writers’ Conference is now open. Sign up at www.inwriters.org/steel-pen-conference and join us at
Fair Oaks Farms on October 28.
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