They say immersion is the best way

RWA 2013

RWA 2013

Thursday, July 18, 2013 began at 8:30 am with the workshop, Eight Essentials for your Self-Publishing Business.
I had decided that since I am published by small publishers that I would attend workshops as if I was self published. All published authors have to find ways to have the light shine on their books, some more so than others.
The first step in this workshop was “write the manuscript”. Check.
The next step was to set up a business structure. “Your writing career is your business and you are the CEO.” Hmmm, another wardrobe. Business suits and a brief case.
There were many good ideas in this workshop that I can use but other details are the responsibility of my publishers.

The next workshop I attended was “Publishing with Independent Presses: the New Black (Career workshop)
Savvy agents and authors discuss the ins and outs of publishing with a small press.
Some of the advantages of publishing with a small press can be larger royalties and faster publishing speed. The author has more input.
The cautious tale is that an author must ask about the editing process and what type of edits will be provided.
But the end result is to do your homework and decide if you as the author can live with the contract that is on offer.

I followed up the two career workshops with a craft workshop: The Contemporary Challenge: How to Write 300 pages of Romance without Demons, Death, or World Destruction.

In contemporary novels the characters are ordinary people in real settings. They are people who readers can identify with but the author also has to make them interesting so the reader will invest time in getting to know and like the characters. And research, research just because it is contemporary does not mean you can be lazy.

Finally, lunch with the Keynote from Cathy Maxwell surrounded by over two thousand other authors but at a table with other Soul Mate Authors and our publisher.

Wow

Wow

I thought about taking the workshop about The Tiny Art of Elevator Pitches but it took two hours to give this career workshop. I thought it was ironic that the minute pitch should take two hours to teach. I understand that brevity is a skill but . . .

My last workshop of the day was a craft workshop titled Double D’s: Dynamic Description and Delicious Dialogue by Laurie Schnebly Campbell. She provided a series of exercises which showed us how to turn our description and dialogue into fun for us as writers and for the reader.

The end of a day filled with so many things to learn and practice.

Time to find somewhere for a dinner and then to bed.

I went and I came back much wiser

RWA 2013

RWA 2013

I arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 and picked up my registration package.
On Wednesday, July 17, I didn’t have to be anywhere specific until 5:15 pm,another writer friend and I went to the High Museum of Art to see the Girl with a Pearl Earring exhibition featuring thirty-five masterpieces from The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague. http://www.high.org/Girl-With-A-Pearl-Earring.aspx

A sign in the gallery stated: “Genre paintings portray scenes from every day life.”
That is how I write, I take everyday life and bring it into story and as the Girl with A Pearl Earring, there is the question of where will fact end and fiction begin.

The Girl with a Pearl Earring is Johannes Vermeer’s Mona Lisa. It is not a true portrait but rather studies or characterizations of certain facial expressions. As with Mona Lisa, everyone wonders who she might have been. The question is, was she really one girl of a compilation of many girls just like when writers develop characters.

On Wednesday evening, I took my place for the “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing along with over 400 authors as we autographed romance novels at a mass book signing. Proceeds from the book sales went to ProLiteracy World wide, Literacy Action and Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta. The event raised over $50,000.00.

And can you imagine the excitement in the room?

And can you imagine the excitement in the room?

Because Woman of Substance is available in print and because my publisher Debby Gilbert of Soul Mate Publishing http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/ donated books on my behalf, I was able to achieve a goal which has been on my bucket list. I was chosen to sign at this event and be part of the excitement and joy of reading.

And don't I look happy

And don’t I look happy

And I wasn't on the top floor.

And I wasn’t on the top floor.

At the end of the day, my view from my hotel window.

I’m getting ready to attend the RWA Conference in Atlanta.

It's that time of year again

It’s that time of year again

I’m going to be in a room of 450 other authors signing Woman of Substance
This is it.

This is it.

books on July 17, 2013 5:30pm until 7:30pm in EDT https://www.facebook.com/events/264785860317243/

Join more than 400 romance authors signing their books & raising money for literacy charities. A list of participating authors is available at http://www.rwa.org/literacy.

Atlanta Marriott Marquis
265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia 30303

I have a room.

I have a room.


http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/atlmq-atlanta-marriott-marquis/

I'm so excited. I’m so excited.This is part of the RWA Conference http://www.rwa.org/conference

Watch for more news. I pick up my bookmarks and business cards tomorrow.
My dresses will be ready from the tailors.
Just need to decide on comfortable shoes.