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Published on May 20, 2020 02:04

Resources For Authors

Struggling to come up with a good title for your book? Try these online tools

By Scott Lorenz

Let’s be honest. Coming up with a title for your book is easier said than done. The good news is there are online tools you can use to jump start the creative process. Use them to help create a compelling, attention-grabbing title that speaks to your audience. A good title is the key to increasing sales, interest, and impact. Keep reading to learn about the various options at your disposal.

Portent’s Content Idea Generator : Simply enter the subject of your book and this generator will give you some ideas. You can continue to click the arrow until you find a title that piques your interest.
Kopy Writing Kourse Book Name Generator : Once you type in your subject, it will give you a long list of hundreds of book titles. Chances are you’ll find one (or a few) that suit your book.
Awesome Titles Title Generator : Believe it or not, this generator can open your eyes to 700 catchy titles. Enter a main keyword and you’ll get 3 pages worth of ideas.
com Nonfiction Book Title Generator : If you’re in need of a title for your nonfiction book, this generator is invaluable. Enter a word that describes its topic. After you click “Generate,” it’ll deliver some good options.
Ruggenberg Title Generator : Get six titles at one time with this generator. All you have to do is click “Give me some titles,” sit back, relax, and allow the tool to work its magic.
Adazing Book Title Generator : This book title generator will give you “perfect titles in less than 30 seconds.” It’s a bit more involved than other generators because it asks you to select your genre and type in details like the occupation of the protagonist and main character’s goal.
Serendipity Fantasy Novel Title Generator : For a simple generator for your fantasy book, the Serendipity Fantasy Novel Title Generator a solid pick. Continue to click “Another” until you see what you’re looking for.
Sumo Kickass Headline Generator : The Sumo Kickass Headline Generator allows you to choose the type of title you want: a numbered list, how-to, controversial, playful, etc. Once you do, it’ll ask you to enter a topic and desired outcome before it spits out an option.
Writing Exercises Story Title Generator : With the Writing Exercises Story Title Generator, you can click back and forth between the “Adjective” and “Noun” buttons to create a unique story title.

Check out my new book on how to title a book. Using book title generators is just one of the dozens of tips and techniques you need to consider while titling your book.

The Bottom Line: Your book title can mean the difference between a best seller and a book that stays on the shelf for good. Put these tools into the process of naming your book.

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

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Published on May 03, 2020 04:26

Here’s How to Get Your Book on BookTV on C-Span

Want to Get on BookTV on C-SPAN? Check out this article by book publicist Scott Lorenz

By Scott Lorenz, Book Publicist

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Want to get your book in front of millions of book lovers? BookTV can help. BookTV is a program that airs on C-Span every weekend from 8:00 a.m. EST Sat to 8:00 a.m. Monday. It’s been around since 1998 and dedicates 48-hours to non-fiction books and authors. In addition, it offers live coverage of book events across the nation. Here are a few examples of authors who have been featured on BookTV:

Tara Westover: Author of Educated: A Memoir, a memoir about family, loss, and struggle that was honored by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe Bestseller.
Jodi Picoult: Author of 24 novels, eight of which have earned a #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Her books include My Sister’s Keeper, Small Great Things, and A Spark of Light.
James Comey: Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Author of A Higher Loyalty: Truth Lies and Leadership, a book about his career in the previous two decades of American government.

BookTV grants readers the opportunity to listen to non-fiction authors speak from the comfort of their own homes. If you’re a non-fiction author, you may be asking yourself, “How do I get my book on BookTV?” After all, this is a great opportunity to promote your book(s) and put yourself in front of the ideal audience.

To start, you can email BookTV at booktv@c-span.org or leave a phone message at 202-737-3220. When you email or call, make sure you state the following:

Your name.
The non-fiction book(s) you’ve written.
Why you believe you’re a good fit for BookTV.
Anything that makes you and/or your book(s) unique.

C-SPAN has an editorial board that meets on a daily basis to determine which authors and books to cover. If they have an interest in covering you, they’ll get back to you.

Before you pitch BookTV, it’s a good idea to check out its archive of programs and schedule for upcoming programming. This way, you can get a feel for what piques their interest and what they typically cover.

“My advice for authors and publicists who want to be carried by BookTV: Know our mission of promoting nonfiction, public policy, history, biography, and science books and authors. And keep pitching us! Also, join the over 100,000 book lovers who follow us on twitter, @booktv,” says Peter Slen, BookTV’s Executive Producer.

Remember that since BookTV delivers 48 hours of programming every weekend, there’s plenty of room for authors like you. If you don’t get a response right off the bat, keep trying as there is a good chance you’ll hear back eventually.

The Bottom Line: BookTV is an excellent way for non-fiction authors to gain exposure. While getting on BookTV may take some time and persistence, it will certainly pay off.

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers, and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

The post Here’s How to Get Your Book on BookTV on C-Span appeared first on The Book Publicist.

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Published on April 12, 2020 08:26

Authors- Want to Create a Pen Name? Here’s How to Do It

Having a difficult time selecting a pen name? Try these random name generators. You may get some inspiration from some of these and it’s fun to see what they come up with.

By: Scott Lorenz

Westwind Book Marketing

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A rich tradition has existed for hundreds of years for fiction writers to use pen names. You may be surprised to learn that some authors have more than 10 pen names. Here’s why pen names have been and continue to be widely used: Many authors believe that their name can affect how their audience sees them and even affect their book sales.

One of the most famous pen names, of course, was Samuel Clemens who wrote under the name Mark Twain. Another well-known one is Lewis Carroll, which was used by Alice in Wonderland’s author, Charles Dodgdon. He gained a considerable reputation as a mathematician and didn’t want to create confusion by writing fiction under his real name.

Nora Roberts, is a pen name used by Eleanor Marie Roberts. Nora Roberts’ name has regularly appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List since 1999. Since her first best seller in 1991, Nora’s books have spent 1,045 weeks on the Best Seller List. Believe it or not, that’s equivalent to 20 consecutive years of weekly bestsellers.

In 1992, Putnam Publishers asked Nora Roberts to come up with a second pen name because they could not keep up with the prolific writer’s romance novels let alone the new genre of romance suspense novels she wanted to write. So she took the initials J.D. from sons Jason and Dan and shortened Roberts to Robb. She also has written under the pen names Jill March and Sara Hardesty.

Whether you call it a pen name, pseudonym, non de plume, alias or AKA, you are creating a new persona that’ll need care and feeding! Scott Lorenz, Book Publicist

One of my book marketing clients served as a Navy Seal in the Iraq War and then returned to write a book about his war experiences. To protect his personal safety and maintain security for his family, my client wrote under the pen name Chuck Bravedy. The author was concerned that extremists living in America would be offended and angered by his controversial book and come after him or his family.

The fact that Bravedy’s name was “not in the phone book” raised some attention from the Pentagon who called me to inquire about Chuck Bravedy because they did not have his name in their files. The Pentagon was concerned because they want to keep phonies from impersonating military officials.

Since the publishers of JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, were unsure if the preteen boys that she was targeting would accept wizard stories that were written by a woman, they encouraged her to use her initials instead of her real name, which is Joanne Rowling. The “K’ in JK came from her grandmother’s name Kathleen and she’s been known as JK Rowling ever since.

Known as one of the most famous comic book writers in the world, Stan Lee’s real name is Stanley Martin Lieber. He initially decided to publish under Stan Lee because he thought he would eventually transition to more serious work and wanted to use his real name when and if that time came. Once he realized that he was destined to stay a comic book writer, he legally changed his name to Stan Lee.

If you’ve ever read the popular children’s series, A Series of Unfortunate Events and All the Wrong Questions, you probably know that the author is Lemony Snicket. Believe it or not, his real name is Daniel Handler. He decided to go with Lemony Snicket because he wanted to anonymously contact right-wing organizations. Handler first came up with the Lemony Snicket pen name while doing research for his first novel, The Basic Eight. He needed to contact right-wing organizations for the book, but he didn’t want to give them his real name. So he called himself “Lemony Snicket,” and the moniker stuck.

One client I represented, who asked my advice about using a pen name, was a former CIA operative. He was concerned about the impact a pen name would have on promoting his book. He wondered whether radio and TV interviewers would be willing to use the pen name during an interview or would insist on using his birth name.

Some CIA friends of my client also had published books and used their real names without problems. To cover his bases while he decided, the former CIA officer went ahead and registered web domains under his real name and under his pen name. After talking with him about the options, my client decided to use his real name.

I also have represented authors who used a pen name because they had a past they were not proud of and wanted to protect their family members and loved ones from public embarrassment.

From a marketing standpoint if your real-life identify is associated with a business and you want the book to promote your business or vice versa, then a pen name should not be used. But if you have success, and don’t want that success threatened by pursuing an avocation of writing, then a pen name would be in order. Pen names may create marketing challenges, most of which can be overcome, and so the marketing implications need to be examined before publishing.

Reasons for using a pen name include

To avoid embarrassment
For personal safety or security
If you write under more than one genre
If your name is hard to pronounce or spell
If your name is not marketable
If your name conflicts with the name of another author
To hide gender (a male writing in the predominantly female genre)
To avoid confusing readers if you are well known in another field

If you want to hide from the public and from people you work with or worked with, etc., then a pen name is fine. But, if it’s not important, why bother? So, my vote is to use your own name. Here are just a few points to ponder.

Use real name if you are not trying to hide from anyone.
Use a real name to brand your name for speaking gigs or consulting assignments
Use real name if you are planning to write a series of books
Use real name so acquaintances can better locate your published works
A real name builds trust and confidence amongst readers
It’s far easier to brand a real name than a pen name
Expertise is validated by an individual’s real-life experience
Long-term loyalty with readers is easier to build with a real name

Here’s some interesting information I’ve obtained from librarians and employees at book stores. Is there a popular author whose work is similar to yours? Why not select a pen name beginning with the same letter as that author’s name? Since most books are filed by genre and then the author’s last name, selecting a pen name with the same letter puts you in close proximity to their books.

Someone searching for that author could ‘stumble’ upon your book and decide to take a look. Radio stations have done it for years by selecting their location on the ‘dial’ nearby other highly rated stations so they could benefit from the proximity of that popular station. Crafty? Perhaps but do you want to sell books or not?

Having a difficult time selecting a pen name? Try these random name generators. You may get some inspiration from some of these and it’s fun to see what they come up with.

http://generator.chucklehound.com

https://www.dotomator.com/
http://www.naming.net/

https://www.netsubstance.com/

The Bottom Line: If you want to brand your name for speaking gigs or for consulting engagements then use your own name. If you plan to write in multiple genres or are concerned about safety and privacy then get a pen name.

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

The post appeared first on The Book Publicist.

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Published on April 11, 2020 07:15

Should Authors ‘Pay For PR Placement’ or Pay a Monthly Retainer?

By Scott Lorenz

Westwind Book Marketing

Authors will on occasion request an alternative payment arrangement other than the typical retainer fee arrangement most PR firms including Westwind Communications require.

I could discuss all day the various payment options offered for PR services such as ‘pay for placement,’ ‘hourly fee’ or ‘retainer fee’. In a nutshell, the retainer fee allows the client to have a fixed budget amount for PR each month and it allows my firm to rely on a steady cash flow. The work goes up and down depending upon opportunities and implementation of the marketing plan. Clients will also appreciate the logic of this concept as the billing process is simplified for both parties.

For example, let’s say we get a placement or review in the Chicago Tribune – what’s that worth? What about a photo? You would think that should demand more money right? How much more? What about a one-line quote in the Wall Street Journal? What’s that worth? What happens if a newspaper in Singapore or Australia runs that quote right out of the journal? What’s that worth? What happens if a meeting planner sees it and calls the client for a speaking gig? Does the PR firm get a piece of that speaking fee? Why not?

Tell your fellow authors about this article and get the conversation going!

What’s the value of a TV interview in the hometown of a self-published author on WBZ in Boston that includes her book cover, photo and link to her web site and the book trailer on YouTube? What happens if that leads to a movie deal? Would my firm be entitled to a piece of that? Or, does the fee for pay-for-placement relate to the ad rate for the airtime and space for the web site? For example, an ad a little larger than a business card is $10,000 in the NY Times Sunday Book Review!

Do you want to share profits with the publicist?

I’ve promoted new medical techniques which resulted in hundreds of procedures at $5,000 apiece. In that case the worth or value of the TV story is dramatically higher. I wish I would have had a piece of that!

Several of my legal related PR placements resulted in multimillion-dollar settlements for my lawyer clients and plaintiffs when the opposing party saw the story on the local TV news. Once they knew we were prepared to continue to do battle in ‘the court of public opinion’ they settled. Should I have gotten a piece of the lawsuit settlement? Why not? Do you see the dilemma?

What happens if we hit our stride and all the big shows want the author? Can you afford the $3-6,000 fee per show? I personally have met authors who’ve turned down major national morning shows because they could not afford the ‘pay for placement’ fee. That would never happen on a fixed fee retainer basis because you’d get all the shows for one flat fee.

Do you like reviewing complicated bills? How about fighting over ‘value’ of a PR hit?

The way I see it, ‘pay-for-placement’ is a bad deal for authors. Furthermore, there is no way authors would want to review that detail every month and frankly it would cost us hundreds or thousands of dollars per month to prepare a bill with such a breakdown. The very thought of doing it that way is rather terrifying!

There are other reasons we believe it’s in our mutual interest to use retainer fees over other billing methods. Usually people who want such a deal have had a bad experience with a PR firm that did nothing or they don’t have enough money in the first place and they’re trying to generate sales from the PR to pay for the PR. Finding out the reason for asking for a non-retainer deal is essential to formulating an equitable arrangement.

The real issue is the futile attempt to place a ‘value’ on PR placement on a monthly basis. Nobody knows the value with certainty because the benefit may come down the road in the form of new business, speaking gigs, consulting deals, TV shows, book deals or even more publicity. Trying to measure its value every month is like trying to place a future value on a baby in a bassinet… it cannot be done.

Another issue is about trust. Can the PR firm deliver the PR that is proposed? Can they be trusted to deliver media placements? I believe that past results are a predictor of future results, especially when it comes to PR. There need be no leap of faith if a PR firm has a track record of success with placements.

Will your book publicity result in book sales, a speaking gig or will it change somebody’s life?

Furthermore, with some PR projects there is just no way to assess how the media and public is going to respond. We could go through a lot of expense to create a PR strategy, press materials and pitch it to an audience that is just not interested. I once had a reporter at Bloomberg News say “Scott your guy’s book on INDIA looks great, but it’s the 7th book on India I’ve had this month so sorry we can’t run another one!” Or, there’s a problem with the credentials of the author, founder, CEO etc. that were not disclosed to the PR firm in advance. These revelations could tank a PR effort and cost the PR firm money instead of making money.

Sometimes even with PR, people may not buy the book. In fact there have been authors on CNBC and Good Morning America who have not sold any books!

Are you available willing and able to do almost any interview almost anytime?

Finally, another reason the pay for placement deal won’t work is if the author doesn’t hold up his or her end of the bargain, such as being available for interviews, preparing for interviews, book signings, traveling, etc. Little things like these will result in little or no book sales and the publicist gets stuck with little or no compensation. Sorry, that’s a deal killer.

The Bottom Line: We’ll stick to a retainer fee basis, and my clients get to keep profits from their sales, movie deals and speaking gigs. Fair enough?

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com fill out the form below or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Check out our new book trailer at https://bit.ly/BookPublicistScottLorenz Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

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Published on April 09, 2020 13:08

Christian Authors- Check out These ‘Christian Writers’ Conferences’ for 2020

If you have a Christian themed book or are a Christian author then get involved with the Christian Writers Community and attend a Christian Writers Conference, you’ll be glad you did!@aBookPublicist #rt #IAN1 #AMWRITING #ACFW

If you’re writing or have written a book with a Christian theme or genre, you may find a Christian writers’ conference to be well worth your time.

By attending one of these Christian Book Marketing events, you can strengthen your skills and gain a competitive advantage in the Christian writing industry.

Here’s a good overview of some of the Christian writers’ conferences in 2020 that you should consider attending:

Capital Christian Writers Fellowship will be held January 25, 2020 in Annandale, VA. There will be sessions designed for aspiring writers, beginner writers, and advanced writers.

Asheville Christian Writers Conference will take place February 22-24 2020 in Asheville, NC. Writers who attend can receive one-on-one mentoring and earn scholarships.

Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat is planned for March 25-28 2020 in Andalusia, AL. It will offer training and networking opportunities as well as lodging for three nights and all meals.

Colorado Christian Writers Conference will take place May 13-16 2020 in Estes Park, CO. Workshops, bible study, and an agents panel are all planned.

St. Davids Christian Writers’ Conference will be held June 24-28 2020 in Grove City, PA. The theme will be “From Heart to Pen” and feature boot camps, critique groups, and public speakers.

Florida Christian Writers Conference will be held October 21-25 2020 in Leesburg, FL. The conference will be full of critique groups, writing contents, and meetings with editors and agents.

American Christian Fiction Writers Conference will take place September 2020 This event will host inspiring keynote speakers who are veterans in Christian fiction.

Maranatha Christian Writers Conference will happen September 2020 in MI will host 24 essential workshops for various writers and feature over 28 leaders in the industry.

Ohio Christian Writers Conference will occur November 2020 in Ohio. There will be a keynote speaker and workshops related to the Christian writing industry.

The C.S. Lewis Retreat for Christian readers and writers will occur November in 2020 in TX. It’ll revolve around the work and life of C.S. Lewis, a British writer and theologian.

The Bottom Line: Get involved with the Christian Writers Community and attend a conference, you’ll be glad you did!

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it’s their first book or their 15th book. He’s handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman’s World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications’ book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090 or fill out the form below. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

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Published on February 19, 2020 20:00

The Top Writer’s Conferences for 2020 by Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

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Writers Conferences and Confabs are a great place to learn about publishing and writing from agents, publishers, authors and publicists.

By Scott Lorenz

If you are a serious writer with high aspirations, then you’ll want to go to a writers’ conference. Want to meet authors and exchange ideas, tips and techniques? Then sign up for a writer’s conference today.

A writers’ conference is a think tank for authors to build on each other’s ideas and inspire new achievements in their own work. For the cost of lodging and registration, the payoff for attending a writers’ conference could be tremendous.

Attending a writers’ conference gives you a chance to pitch your book, learn about the various publishing options and meet book editors, agents and book marketing specialists. If your book is six months or a year from being finished, you can talk to people with valuable input on shaping your book. At a writers’ conference, you’ll get all sorts of advice to help you wrap up your project when you return home.

Writers Conferences and Confabs are great place to learn about publishing and writing

Writers Conferences and Confabs are a great place to learn about publishing and writing from agents, publishers, authors and publicists.

Of course, you will want to prepare for any writers’ conference you attend by having a plan of what you want to find out and what you will do while there. I suggest you develop an ‘elevator pitch’ about your book that you can deliver in 30 seconds. Have a one-pager available with your book cover, author headshot, short 50-word synopsis, short bio, website URL, Twitter handle and your contact information. You never know who you’ll meet so be prepared for that moment!

Here are some upcoming writers’ conferences in 2020:

January 21-26, 2020 StoryCamp (St. George Island, FL) StoryCamp is a women’s writing retreat with writing and creativity workshops in a quiet, supporting atmosphere. http://aroundthewriterstable.com/storycamp/

February 13-16, 2020: San Francisco Writers Conference (San Francisco, CA) At this writers conference, you can expect over 100 presenters, which will be editors, literary agents, and bestselling authors. https://www.sfwriters.org/2020-conference/

February 21-23, 2020 Asheville Christian Writers Conference (Asheville, NC) The Asheville Christian Writers Conference will offer one-on-one mentoring, writing workshops, and discussion groups. https://ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/

March 7, 2020: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA) The title of the Atlanta Writing Workshop is “How to Get Published.” It focuses on classes and advice intended to help you get your works published. https://atlantawritingworkshop.com/

March 20, 2020: Kentucky Writers Conference (Bowling Green, KY) This writers conference offers workshops put on by the bestselling authors and educators in the SOKY Book Fest. https://sokybookfest.org/programs/ky-writers-conference/

March 28, 2020: Kansas City Writing Workshop (Kansas City, MO) At this writing workshop, you can learn about how to write queries and pitches, what you can do to market yourself and your books, and more. https://kansaswritingworkshop.com/

April 2-4 2020: Las Vegas Writers Conference (Las Vegas, NV) At the Las Vegas Writers Conference, writers can meet and learn from some of the greatest agents, authors, and professionals in publishing. https://lasvegaswritersconference.com/

April 3-5, 2020: The Muse & the Marketplace Writers Conference (Boston, MA) Here you’ll find over 130 interactive sessions led by authors as well as a happy hour session where you can network with agents, publishers, and authors. https://museandthemarketplace.com/

April 4, 2020: Get Published in Kentucky Workshop (Louisville, KY) The Get Published in Kentucky Workshop is essentially a full day of classes and advice that are designed to help you get your books published. https://kentuckywritingworkshop.com/

April 18, 2020: North Carolina Writers Workshop (Charlotte, NC): At the North Carolina Writers Workshop, you can gain all of the information you need to get your work to the publishing phase. https://carolinawritingworkshops.com/

April 25, 2020: Seattle Writers Conference (Seattle, WA): The Seattle Writers Conference aims to provide participants knowledge that can help them get their books published. https://theseattlewritingworkshop.com/

April 25, 2020: Michigan Writers Conference (Detroit, MI) At this writers conference, participants will enjoy a day of intense instruction on how to get their works published. https://michiganwritingworkshop.com/

April 30-May 2, 2020: Northern Colorado Writers Conference (Fort Collins, CO): The Northern Colorado Writers Conference will hold workshops, sessions, and four-hour master classes to inspire authors. https://northerncoloradowriters.com/Conference

May 2, 2020: Missouri Writers Guild (Cape Girardeau, MO) The Missouri Writers Guild offers market information, contests, and networking opportunities for writers. https://missouriwritersguild.org/

May 7-9 2020: Storymakers Conference (Provo, UT): The Storymakers Conference will consist of various classes that cover various topics such as cover design, marketing, creating a writing business, and the nuts and bolts of screenwriting. http://ldstorymakersconference.com/

May 8-9 2020: Washington Writers Conference (North Bethesda, MD): At the Washington Writers Conference, there will be one-on-one pitch sessions with literary agents from New York, Boston, and DC. http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/index.php/page/2020-washington-writers-conference

May 15-17, 2020: PennWriters Conference (Pittsburgh, PA): The PennWriters Conference offers three days of workshops, panels, networking opportunities for current and aspiring writers. https://pennwriters.org/

June 13, 2020: Tennessee Writers Workshop (Nashville, TN) Writers can learn the ins and outs of getting their works published at this conference. https://tennesseewritingworkshop.com/

June 14-19, 2020: Santa Barbara Writers Conference (Santa Barbara, CA) At the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, writers can enjoy six days and nights of over 30 writing workshops, speakers, and agents. https://www.sbwriters.com/

June 22-28, 2020: Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference (Bemidji, MN) This writing conference is full of workshops, Q&A sessions, panel talks. https://www.northwoodswriters.org/

July 26-July 31, 2020: Napa Valley Writers Conference (St. Helena, CA): At the Napa Valley Writers Conference, writers can participate in small workshops related to poetry, fiction, or translation that meet for two hours daily over a five day period. http://www.napawritersconference.org

June 27, 2020: The Writing Workshop of Chicago (Chicago, IL) The Writing Workshop of Chicago gives writers the opportunity to pitch editors and literary agents and get their questions answered. https://chicagowritingworkshop.com/

July 30-August 1: Mendocino Coast Writers Conference (Mendocino, CA): At this conference, writers can participate in morning workshops that related to various genres. http://mcwc.org/

August 19-22, 2020: Killer Nashville Writers Conference (Franklin, TN) Writers who attend the Killer Nashville Writers Conference can expect writing workshops, pitch sessions, panel discussions, author signings, and a book fair. https://www.newpages.com/writing-conferences/killer-nashville

October 23-25, 2020: La Jolla Writers Conference (San Diego, CA) At the La Jolla Writers Conference, writers can attend two types of classes: 50-minute lecture sessions or 110-minute workshops. https://lajollawritersconference.com

Select a writers’ conference of interest to you and be prepared to enjoy the benefits of meeting other writers. You may acquire knowledge you can use immediately, find a new market for your book, elevate your professional effectiveness, meet editors, agents and publishers, become inspired and return home energized.

The Bottom Line: Take a little working vacation and hit some writers’ conferences. Make it a priority to sign up for one in the coming weeks and months. You’ll be glad you did!