Southern Breeze:

Jen McVeity’s Book Boot Camp

Friday, June 17 – Sunday, June 19, 2005
Camp Sumatanga, Alabama

Introduction |  Schedule |  What Others Say |  Registration |  www.jenmcveity.com  |  Gallery

Schedule: Day By Day

Friday, June 17: Evening Session (7:30p.m.–9:00p.m.)

Enhancing Creativity

• Discover why the best ideas always come to you in the shower!
• Should you edit as you write or just ‘go with the flow’?
• Learn three common sense ways to avoid writers block
• Gain a unique insight into how creative people use both the conscious (logical) and the subconscious (creative) parts of their brain
• Take part in a simple exercise to achieve creative flow in just minutes.

Editing for Excellence

• Discover the vital difference between structural and copy editing
• What does a publisher's editor do?
• A quick technique to proof read for more accuracy
• How many drafts is enough?
• How to use manuscript assessments to improve – and get published

Impromptu First Pages (for those who are game!)

• Bring along a first page and see if it can be improved - on the spot.

Saturday, June 18: Morning Sessions (9:00a.m.–1:00p.m.)

Planning for Perfection

• Brainstorm 100 story ideas in ten minutes
• Discover how telling jokes actually works as plot practice
• Characters or plot – what should you start with?
• Two terrific tips on backfill to pull readers right into the story
• Get a simple, unique chart for a perfect plot every time

Sizzling Starts

• Write five story starts in five minutes – and want to do more!
• Top editor's tips on why starts are vital
• Know why 'the start is the way out of the slush pile'
• Get sample top starts from the professionals
• Enter the Bulwer Lytton 'worst story start' competition – IF you can stop laughing!

Exciting Endings

• Discover the 'bubble' method of creating great endings
• Do you always have to know your ending? Share the expert's way
• How can poetry give you 'finishing' practice?
• The three secrets of symbolism for powerful endings

Tightening Tension

• Create a powerful tension scene with three other people – in minutes
• Discover the 'slow motion' way to generate terrific tension
• The biggest reason why most tension scenes fail - and a simple cure
• Know the three ways language changes when writing tension
• The best technique ever to make you write with urgency

Saturday, June 18: Afternoon Sessions (2:00p.m.–4:00p.m.)

Researching Publishers

• The one book way to find all USA publishers
• A secret, sure fire method to find the top 'literary' publishers
• How to find international publishers

Reducing Rejection

• Top tips to targeting the best publishers
• How to get publisher's guidelines
• The two minute way to find the right editor
• Is email acceptable?
• The five basic rules to formatting a manuscript

Two Top Methods of Submitting

• Discover a fast track way to submit non-fiction (This saves you a year!)
• Three secrets for writing a sizzling synopsis
• What's a proposal?
• When to multiple submit and the etiquette required
• The insiders guide to selling to different countries at the same time
• The difference between 'nagging' and a professional follow-up
• How to pre-sell a book before it is even finished

Saturday, June 18: Evening Session (8:00p.m.–9:30p.m.)

Dialogue

• At last - the professional's answer to the problem of 'he said/she said'
• Discover the four meanings and levels of every conversation.
• The three functions of dialogue – and when to use them
• Get four author 'cheats' for dynamic dialogue
• Try out a five minute fight scene – on paper!

Body Language

• Three ways to write body language to 'show' not 'tell'
• Two reasons why body language is more convincing to show emotion
• Over 30 body language signals to reveal character
• Plus 15 top flirting gestures. (This really is to improve your writing skills, right?!)

Sunday, June 19: Session (9:00a.m.–12:00p.m.)

Cover Letter

• A fantastic step by step guide to a great cover letter – you'll walk out the door with your own letter ready to go in the mail
• Three fatal flaws that scream 'beginner'
• How to turn non-writing credits into a big advantage
• The two powerful people who have to be convinced other than the editor
• Four vital uses for your book blurb – including radio interviews

Negotiating Contacts

• Three hilarious role plays to show 'bunny' vs professional negotiation
• Top five points to watch out for in contracts
• How to get more free books
• Four things to say to get rising royalties.
• What's a typical advance?
• The $10,000 reason why you should hang onto international rights Quotes for PR blurb

 

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