Tag Archives: Writers

@WriteOnCon #Conference Is Coming!

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WriteOnCon

WriteOnCon is “A writing conference you don’t even have to wear pants to. (Please wear pants, though.)” This isn’t just an opportunity to attend a writing workshop, but it’ll be the cheapest and closet conference you’ve ever attend (aside of being free, of course). Seriously, you can participate from your home! And while you might have missed the raffles and perks to buy, there is still time to sign up to join. Admission is either $5 (General Admission), $10 (General + Live Events), or $15 (General + Live Events + Extended Access). You can’t wrong with any choice!

WriteOnCon is an online conference for kidlit writers and illustrators. Connect with writers, authors, and agents in this event. There will even be Ninja Agents & Editors and live pitch sessions (check the schedule for all 3 days)! But hurry to get registered because it’ll take place Thursday-Saturday, February 2nd-4th, 2017.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Writing With The Stars

Contests, Literary, Mentor Program, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BeckyTara Books is hosting Writing With The Stars, a mentorship opportunity for picture book writers and illustrators. The industry stars who have generously agreed to donate their time and knowledge to this program can be found here. Applicants who are selected will be paired with one of these amazing author/illustrators for a three-month mentorship. Wowza!

Be sure to check their complete submission rules and application. Deadline to enter is January 16, 2017. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction

Little, Brown Emerging Artist Award

Awards, Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers announces the LITTLE, BROWN EMERGING ARTIST AWARD for an unpublished artist with a great picture book idea. This new initiative seeks promising new talent and encourages the development of high-quality picture books that resonate with readers of diverse backgrounds and experience, while also providing valuable mentorship by an acclaimed illustrator and children’s book professionals.

Only one award will be given:

  • American Express® gift cards totaling $2,500;
  • Round-trip travel for the winner to New York City;
  • A day at LBYR’s offices in New York, including lunch with an editor, an art director, and the Artist Mentor, an in-person portfolio review by the Artist Mentor and the LBYR publishing staff, and a tour of the office; and
  • An opportunity for the winning submission to be reviewed by LBYR’s editorial team for possible future publication. (**A subsequent book publishing deal, if any, would be separately negotiated, and is not considered part of the Award).

Submissions must be received by January 15, 2017. Be sure and check out the complete official rules. As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Dear Lucky Agent Contest: Middle Grade Fiction

Contests, Critiques, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chuck Sambuchino announced Writer’s Digest is hosting the 30th “Dear Lucky Agent Contest“. The agent judge is Caitie Flum from Liza Dawson Associates.

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She is now building her own list of clients. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2009 with a B.A. in English with a concentration in publishing studies. She interned at Hachette Book Group and Writers House. Caitie is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction with great characters and superb writing, especially historical fiction, mysteries/thrillers of all kinds, romance, and book club fiction. She is open to science fiction and fantasy that crosses over to a young adult market. She is also looking for middle grade and young adult projects. In nonfiction, she is looking for narrative nonfiction, especially history that’s impossible to put down, books on pop culture, theater, current events, women’s issues, and humor. But remember, this contest is for Middle Grade fiction only.

The contest is now live and runs through the end of January 31, 2017 (PST). There will be three winners! According to the website, they all get the same prize (which is different than prior contest). Top 3 winners each get: 1) A critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your work by your agent judge. 2) Their choice of any of Chuck’s two new books that came out in fall (the Guide to Literary Agents 2017 or the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market 2017).

Be sure to check out the submission guidelines and pay close attention to a few things you need to do in order to be eligible. And as always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers & Illustrators of the Future

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L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest entries end at 5pm on December 31, 2016. So, hurry and get your submissions in.

Writers

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new and amateur writers of new short stories or novelettes of science fiction or fantasy. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All awards are adjudicated by professional writers only. Prizes every three months: $1,000, $750, $500, Annual Grand Prize: $5,000 additional! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

Illustrators

L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrators of the Future Contest is an opportunity for new science fiction and fantasy artists worldwide. No entry fee is required. Entrants retain all publication rights. All judging by professional artists only. $1,500 in prizes each quarter. Quarterly winners compete for $5,000 additional annual prize! If you have not read the contest rules, please click here before submitting. To enter, go here.

As always, good luck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Digital Book World 2017 + Expo

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With the boom of digital publishing, it’s no wonder conferences are covering the topic. After all, as much as I love holding a book, I download a LOT of books to my Kindle app to read and keep up with market trends. As publishing evolves, so has Digital Book World (a conference for anyone in publishing). They say they will now be known as simply DBW. And that’s not all they’ve changed for the conference January 17-19, 2017:

More Real-World Solutions | Your team needs tactical, actionable solutions to the challenges facing publishing—DBW’s speakers have them.

Fresh Content | Experience targeted programming across a host of four brand-new DBW focus areas.

More Choices | A new program means new pricing and registration options. Now you can bring your whole team—executive, editorial, production and marketing.

Some of the publishers and agents attending are:

With over two hundred publishers and agencies in attendance, there are too many to name! For a complete list of those currently registered, go here. And as for the speakers list, go here. You won’t be disappointed! So be sure to register to attend and make your reservations at the New York Hilton Midtown.

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Merry Christmas

Holiday, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Santa

Wishing all my family and friends a Merry Christmas! Safe travels to everyone going out of town. I hope everyone has plenty of food to stuff their bellies and joy to fill their hearts. And if it’s within your power, remember those less fortunate. Christmas should be about giving and less about taking.

Also, I send prayers out to those whom are ill this Christmas and fighting diseases. May God touch you with his grace, heal you, and bless this day and everyday for your future.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

San Francisco Writers Conference

Literary, Writing Conferences & Getaways, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The 2017 San Francisco Writers Conference will be held on February 16-19 at the historical Mark Hopkins Hotel. Meet keynoters:  

But the SFWC presenters list also includes many more bestselling authors, literary agents, editors, and publishers from major publishing houses.  There are experts on self-publishing, book promotion, platform building, social media, and author websites.

PRESENTERS:
Jon Agee, children’s book author/illustrator
Nina Amir, author, speaker, journalist, nonfiction editor/coach/consultant
Kathleen Antrim, author, Co-President, of International Thriller Writers
Jim Azevedo, Smashwords Marketing Director
Aya de Leon, author and poet
Frances Caballo, SFWC social media director
Zoe FitzGerald Carter, author of Imperfect Endings: A Daughter’s Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go
Stephanie Chandler, author, speaker and CEO
Mark Coker, Smashwords Founder
Rana DiOrio, Chief Executive Officer of Little Pickle Press
Julia Drake, co-founder of Wildbound PR
Selden Edwards, author of The Lost Prince
Kate Farrell, author, librarian, storyteller
Steaphen Fick, founder of the Davenriche Martial Artes School
Elizabeth Fishel, author of Getting To 30:  A Parent’s Guide to the 20-Something Years (coauthored with Jeffrey Arnett)
Diane Frank, poet and author of six books of poems
Joel Friedlander, award-winning book designer and blogger
Tanya Egan Gibson, author, freelance editor and consultant
Cali Gilbert, author
Jewelle Gomez, author, poet, critic and playwright
Constance Hale, journalist and author
Melissa Hart, author and contributing editor at The Writer Magazine
K.J. Howe, author and Executive Director of ThrillerFest
Stuart Horwitz, founder and principal of Book Architecture
Carla King, adventure travel author, Founder of Self-Pub Boot Camp and Author Friendly
Michael Larsen, author, co-founder/co-director of the SFWC
Linda Lee, web site designer and WordPress expert 
Donna Levin, author/writing teacher
Richard Loranger, writer, performer, visual artist
Mary Mackey, novelist, poet, screenwriter
Susie Meserve, memoirist, essayist, and poet
Tim McCanna, author of Bitty Bot and Watersong
Jennie Nash, author, teacher and CCO of AuthorAccelerator
Louise Nayer, co-authored How To Bury A Goldfish: 113 Rituals for Everyday Life.
Kathryn Otoshi, children’s book author
Douglas Rees, children’s book author and librarian
Olivia Rivers, children’s book author
Jordan E. Rosenfeld, author, editor and writing coach
Orna Ross, Irish indie author. She writes and publishes novels, poetry and the Go Creative!
Naheed Senzai, children’s book author
Lida Sideris, author of Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters
Justin Sloan, video game writer, novelist and screenwriter
Steven Spatz, writer,marketer and President of BookBaby
Elizabeth Stark, author,mentor and podcaster
Penny Warner, author and Agatha Award winner
Dylan Yates, author, writer and vocal coach

The lists for attending agents and editors looks topnotch! Some of the agents will even be accepting pitches during the Speed Dating For Agents. You can see a list of those participating here. Their are also editors doing eight minute consultations. More information on the consults is here. But for an idea of the many agents and editors that will be in attendance, here is a list:

AGENTS:
Lisa Abellera, Kimberley Cameron and Associates (CA)
Peter Beren, Peter Beren Literary Agency (CA)
Jennifer Chen Tran, Fuse Literary (CA)
Amy Cloughley, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc. (CA)
Sorche Elizabeth Fairbank, Fairbank Literary Representation (NY)
Mark Gottlieb, Trident Media Group, LLC (NYC)
Sarah Levitt, Aevitas Creative Management (NY)
Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary (CA)
Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Associates (CA)
Dana Newman, Dana Newman Literary (CA)
Kim Perel, Irene Goodman Literary Agency (NY)
Jody Rein, Jody Rein Books (CO)
Andy Ross, Andy Ross Agency (CA)
Rayhané Sanders, Lippincott Massie McQuilkin (NY)
Ken Sherman, Ken Sherman & Associates (CA)
Jennifer March Soloway, Associate Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (CA)
Gordon Warnock, Fuse Literary (CA)
Carlie Webber, CK Webber Associates (CA)
Ted Weinstein, Ted Weinstein Literary (CA)
Anna Worrall, The Gernert Company (NY)
Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Foundry Literary + Media (NY)

EDITORS:
Chuck Adams, Executive editor at Algonquin Books
Brenda Copeland, St. Martins Press
Jason Gardner, New World Library
Mary Knippel, Independent Editor
Heather Lazare, Editor & Publishing Consultant
Tyler Moss, Managing Editor at Writers Digest
Taylor Norman, Chronicle Books
Jane Ormerod, Founding editor at great weather for MEDIA
Mary Rakow, Independent Editor
Leila Sales, author and Associate Publishing Manager at Viking Children’s Books
Lauren Spiegel, Senior Editor at Touchstone (S&S)
Liz Stein, Editor at Park Row Books, a division of Harlequin/HarperCollins
Annie Tucker, independent writing coach, developmental editor, and copy editor 
Monica Wesolowska, Editor and teacher of fiction and creative non-fiction
Lisa Westmoreland, Executive Editor at 10 Speed Press

For those attending, this sounds like a great four days of learning and marketing yourself!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Operation Awesome: Scouting New Blogger

Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

patriotic-owl-operaton-awesome

THEY WANT YOU!

Operation Awesome is looking for a new team member to commit to blogging every Thursday in 2017. The schedule will be flexible around contests and other date-sensitive posts, but this blogger will still be expected to blog approximately four times a month. They state they also need help running their Pass Or Pages contest, so they’re hoping the new blogger will like to help with the contest as well!

If you’re not familiar with their site, head over there now. Requirements and guidelines to apply are here. They will accept applications until Friday, January 6th, 2017. Questions may be asked directly on their blog post (not mine), or on Twitter @OpAwesome6 or @reynoldstribe.

As always, goodluck!

P.D. Pabst
Blogger and writer of MG/YA fiction.

Contest Time!

Contests, Literary, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey Readers! Take a look at this contest I came across! Don’t you just love “Press This” on WordPress? If you’re looking for a cover design, this ones for you. Oh, and there are a few books to be won! Woot!

Hello readers and writers! Today marks the first day in a month-long contest. The talented Sean Lowery with High Impact Covers and author Allison Maruska have generously donated prizes to 6 …

Source: Contest Time!