Printable 2022 Conference Booklet (printed booklet provided at conference)
Printable 2022 Schedule at a Glance (included in conference booklet)
Friday, May 6, 2022
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| Time: | Activity: | Location: |
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Noon – 4 p.m. |
Registration |
Lobby |
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1 – 4 p.m.
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Individual sessions available:
On Friday afternoon, meet with Dandelion Web Marketing owner Celeste Anton to discuss options for creating or enhancing your existing author website. Ask questions about the other pieces of an online writer’s platform such as social media marketing, email lists and google analytics. |
Concourse |
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1:15 – 4 p.m.
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Pitch sessions available:
WWA Press, represented by Barry Wightman, is looking for Wisconsin-themed original material of good quality that celebrates and explores all walks of life and for all ages, be it historical, fictional, nonfiction, lyrical, or speculative. Family friendly, please. |
Boardroom |
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1 – 2 p.m. |
Conquer Writer’s Block Authors at all levels struggle with writer’s block. Successful writers have found ways to get around, over, or through the issues that are causing their creativity to flounder. This session highlights some core issues that can cause writing blockages, empowers writers to embrace a messy first draft, and includes practical writing exercises to get those creative juices flowing. |
Henrietta |
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1 – 2 p.m. |
Explore the many benefits of incorporating poetry into your daily life. Through hands-on activities, participants will learn how to write poetry that can improve your personal life and mental well-being. |
Thistle |
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1 – 2 p.m. |
Indie Publishing Confused about indie publishing? It’s understandable. Christine will help point you in the right direction by sharing clear steps through the publishing process so you use your money and time wisely. Some of the things you’ll learn include the basic steps to print and ebook publishing; cover design options/recommendations, and definition of common terms. |
Hutchinson |
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2:10 – 3 p.m. |
The Snowflake Method for Novel Writing Software architect Randy Ingermanson invented a process for “designing a novel.” But can 10 simple steps really produce a worthy work of fiction? Fantasy author David Michael Williams recently gave the Snowflake Method a try and is eager share his experiences and observations, using his YA novel, The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot, as a case study. |
Henrietta |
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2:10 – 3 p.m. |
Characterization Through Dialogue When characters talk to each other, the story moves forward and the reader learns about the speaker. In this class, you’ll learn how to create characters out of thin air, and the do’s and don’ts of finding the right words to put into their mouths. |
Thistle |
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2:10 – 3 p.m. |
This interactive session will demystify the use of Instagram for authors by helping to create a “handle,” and develop consistent content to cultivate an online community while building your author platform. |
Hutchinson |
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3-3:30 p.m. |
Break |
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3:30 – 4:30 p.m. |
As you begin the rewriting process, you also start the editing process. This is the art and the heart of it; this is when you begin to build castles. A poorly edited manuscript is certain death for any legitimate agent or publisher. Learning how to edit your manuscript will not only reduce cost but will improve your skill as a writer. |
Henrietta |
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3:30 – 4:30 p.m. |
Learn the ins and outs of writing a query that will capture agents’/editors’ attention. This presentation will help provide you with a guideline of organizing your query for any genre, writing the pitch, and reveal the secret that will help give your query the best possible chance to engage an agent/editor. |
Thistle |
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3:30 – 4:30 p.m. |
This session will introduce you to the basics of writing serials for Kindle Vella, will share pros and cons of Vella/serials as compared to writing full-length novels, and will help you decide if Vella is the right platform for you. Tips and strategies for creating engaging author notes and hooking readers will be provided. |
Hutchinson |
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5- 6:30 p.m. |
Dinner (On your own): A room has been reserved at Becket’s Restaurant- Dutch Treat | |
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7 – 9 p.m. |
After Hours Open Mic, Oshkosh Public Library It’s your turn to take the stage! At After Hours Open Mic, you’ll have five minutes to read your work in front of an audience. Join other writers for a fun night of listening and sharing. |
Oshkosh Public Library, under the dome, 106 Washington Avenue (Enter through the Washington Avenue doors.) |
Celeste Anton
Barry Wightman
Improve Your Life Through Poetry
Instagram for Writers
A 10-Step Plan for Self-editing
Queries 101
Venturing into Vella Please Note: On Saturday, vendors are asked to set up between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 7, 2022
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| Time: | Activity: | Location: |
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7:30 – 8:30 a.m. |
Vendor Set-up |
West Paul L. |
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7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
Registration |
Lobby |
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10 – 11:30 a.m. &
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Pitch sessions available:
Dan Cramer, founder/agent of Page Turner Literary Agency, will accept pitches for children’s literature – picture through YA, and graphic novels. Prior to opening his own agency, Dan interned and was an associate agent at Flannery Literary, working directly with Jennifer Flannery, agent to the late Gary Paulsen. |
Boardroom |
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10:10 – 11:25 a.m. &
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Pitch sessions available:
Pam Parker, author and Staff Editor, will be representing Orange Hat Publishing | Ten16 Press, a small family-owned and operated indie publisher based in Waukesha, WI. Both publishing houses offer traditional and hybrid contracts depending on content, existing author readership, niche, and potential reach. |
Concourse |
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8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
Lakefly Marketplace |
West Paul L. |
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9 – 10 a.m. |
You long to cultivate your writing skills and publish your work but encounter obstacles at every turn. Is there a way forward? Dean Robbins offers hope—and hard-won secrets of success—in a tragicomic account of his career as a children’s author and journalist. Dean rebounded from a preposterous series of setbacks to become a nationally known writer. Here’s how you can, too. |
East Paul L. |
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10 – 10:30 a.m. |
Coffee, Tea & Time to Visit the Lakefly Marketplace |
Paul L. |
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10:30 – 11:20 a.m. |
Sensing some sink on the page? Is a lack of direction threatening to tear your characters asunder? Then batten down the hatches; you might have a case of scene sink! In this seminar, writers will learn how to keep their scenes above water through the use of goal-oriented storytelling. After collecting all five of the fun floaties of scene structure, enrollees will be more ready than ever to send their manuscripts sailing to greatness! |
Henrietta
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10:30 – 11:20 a.m. |
Planning a mystery series? Unfortunately, not every good idea lends itself to a series. In this craft session, we’ll consider the advantages and disadvantages of stand-alone versus series books. We’ll analyze the types of protagonists, settings, themes, and scope that can carry the weight of three, four, or even more books. We’ll also consider the challenges you face when you move past the first book. |
Thistle |
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10:30 – 11:20 a.m. |
Romancing The Story: Ratcheting Emotional Tension Through Romantic Conflict Whether you’re writing a classic romance novel or dramatic literary fiction, most storylines benefit from some exploration of the romantic journey. This workshop will offer practical tips to adding romantic tension to any work-in-progress, as well as powerful take-aways for creating and maintaining deep-seated character conflict that you can use on any project, love story or not.
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Hutchinson |
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11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. |
Lunch |
East Paul L. |
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12:30 – 1 p.m. |
Book Signing/ Dessert |
East Paul L. |
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1 – 1:50 p.m. |
What’s it like to respond to a raging fire with children trapped inside and have to make split-second life and death decisions on how best to rescue them? How do you get that emotion along with the chaotic scene onto the page for the reader? With twenty-eight years as an urban firefighter in Milwaukee, Renz will offer insight into writing authentic scenes that keep the reader riveted to the page. |
Henrietta |
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1 – 1:50 p.m. |
On Duende: Writing Poetry with Reverence & Irreverence, Wonder & Play Frederico Garcia Lorca in the “Theory and Play of The Duende” calls the duende a spirit, a force, which has no map. Yet, for the artist, “the aid of the duende is required to drive home the nail of artistic truth.” In this craft talk and workshop, participants will be introduced to Lorca’s idea of duende along with hands-on strategies that can be utilized to discover the poem’s core, its true subject, and its animating force. |
Thistle |
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1 – 1:50 p.m. |
Many authors start thinking about book marketing the day they sign with a publisher, but that’s too late. If you hope to get strong traction for your novel, you need to start building your author platform long before. In this fast-paced interactive workshop, you’ll learn a step-by-step process for doing that, from what to put on an author website when you don’t have a book and how to score blurbs from well-known authors in your genre. Whether you go indie, sign with a small or hybrid press, or land a contract with a major house, you’ll leave with a plan to strategically position yourself in today’s crowded book marketplace. |
Hutchinson |
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2 – 2:50 p.m. |
Essayer is French for “to try.” What better way to venture into the unknown than by writing a personal essay? Every time we begin an essay, we have no idea where it is going to take us, only that we can use it to explore and improve the craft of writing and use our words to connect with others. In this workshop, Christy will walk you through the steps of writing a personal essay, from idea building through revision and seeking publication. Attendees will leave with an action plan for next steps and some great resources for publication. |
Henrietta |
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2 – 2:50 p.m. |
In this workshop, we’ll look at successful short story openings from a variety of genres to discover how to craft an opening so that a reader or editor will want to continue reading after the first page, which is our goal, after all! |
Thistle |
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2 – 2:50 p.m. |
The Business Side of Writing A panel of conference speakers will answer your questions regarding publishing, marketing, and more! |
Hutchinson |
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3 – 3:45 p.m. |
Join Candace Decker and Ryan Cappleman through story and song as they celebrate writers, literary influences, and inspiring authors in this unique cabaret performance. |
East Paul L. |
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3:50 – 4:30 p.m. |
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East Paul L. |
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After Awards |
Door Prizes |
East Paul L. |
| Thank You! | ||
Dan Cramer
Pam Parker
Keynote: Ten Unlikely Secrets of Literary Success
Keeping Your Scenes Afloat (with the “Five Fun Floaties” of Scene Structure) 
Building Blocks of a Successful Mystery Series
Subject Matter Specialty: Firefighting 
Building Your Author Platform Before You’ve Written a Book
Well Begun is Half Done: Successful Story Openings
Literary Cabarets
2022 Lakefly Writing Contest Awards Ceremony