By
Patricia Skalka
A writers’
conference can be transformational. For those attending the 2018 Steel Pen
Conference on October 27th, the magic will occur in one way or
another. I know that from personal experience.
Two
years ago, I had the honor of presenting a program at the 2016 Steel Pen. It was a great session, but my most vivid
memory from the event was the luncheon. Sitting in a room filled with book
lovers, I listened to the keynote speaker talk about the intrinsic value of the
literary community. That was the first
time I’d heard the term and it has stayed with me – in fact, I share the
concept and the cause with others whenever I have the opportunity because it’s
so vitally important. Whether we are readers, writers, librarians, or book sellers,
each of us plays a role in nurturing this world. What an honor and responsibility!
Of
course, there are other reasons to take the time out of a busy schedule to spend
a day listening to experts talk about writing. If you’ve been to other conferences, you will
have already heard much of what will be said at this year’s event, but – and it
is a big one – there’s an excellent chance you’ll learn something new, and that
one thing may be the nugget of information that changes everything for you. I
know because it happened to me.
I’d
hit a wall with my work – despite a career as a professional non-fiction writer
and years of struggle as a mystery writer, I didn’t have an agent or a
publisher. Since I wanted to take the traditional route, there seemed to be
nowhere to go. In fact, I was ready to toss the manuscript for my first book when
I attended a local writers conference and sat in on a session about independent
and academic publishers. Until that day, I had never considered this a serious
option. Long story short, I decided to
give it a try. Within a year, I had a publisher and within two years I had
signed a multi-book deal for a mystery series. Recently, a Hollywood studio reached out to me about
the possibility of optioning my work for TV. If I hadn’t gone to that
conference, there’s a chance that none of this would have happened.
A
good series appeals to both publishers and readers. In some ways, it’s easier to write a series
than to move from one stand-alone novel to another. In others, it’s more
challenging. At this year’s Steel Pen
Conference, I’ll share what I’ve learned about the process. During my presentation, I’ll discuss the
elements that go into creating a good series and talk about both the factors
you need to consider before you start writing book one and the potential
stumbling blocks you’ll encounter as you proceed with book two and the others
that will follow. We’ll even go through
the steps needed to build a solid and saleable series. This craft session is
for those who are thinking of writing a series, working on the initial story,
or moving beyond the first book. See you in October.
__________
Patricia Skalka is the author of the
ongoing Dave Cubiak Door County Mystery Series published by the University of
Wisconsin Press: Death Stalks Door County;
Death at Gills Rock; Death in Cold Water, winner of the Edna
Ferber Fiction Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers; and Death Rides the Ferry. “A first rate
series,” says Kirkus. Previously a
nonfiction writer, Skalka published in Reader’s
Digest and other national print and online magazines. She is a member of
The Authors Guild of America, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime
(President of the Chicagoland Chapter), and Society of Midland Authors.
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