Saturday, October 14, 2017
8:45 - 9:15 Opening Ceremonies
Poetry by Ron Smith
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Paths to Publication
Speakers: Cherise Fisher, Joy Harris, Sadeqa Johnson, Kim Drew Wright
Sponsored by Tuck Austin Associates
Moderator: Julie Valerie
Room: E10A-B
Track: Publishing
The path to publication is no longer cut and dry. Options now include traditional publishing, self-publishing, and hybrid publishing. Learn the pros and cons to assist you in determining your path forward.
Writing Authentically
Speakers: Gigi Amateau, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Panio Gianopoulos, Annie Hwang
Moderator: Kristi Tuck Austin
Room: E10C
Track: Craft
A story is only as good as the authenticity of place, character, and culture that a reader perceives. Learn how important diversity and culture are in creating a rich and engaging narrative.
Mind the Gaps
Speakers: Amy Gary, Jon Kukla, Beth Macy, Meg Medina
Moderator: Karen Chase
Room: E10D
Track: Craft
Historical records give an author a framework to hang the story on. How do you fill in the gaps in character development and event details so that you can draw the reader into the story?
Heroes vs. Villains
Speakers: Marguerite Bennett, Booker T. Mattison, Angele McQuade, Patty Smith
Moderator: Douglas Jones
Room: E11A
Track: Craft
Gone are the days of mustache-twirling villains and heroes who save the day–every day. What twist of fate separates a villain from a hero or anti-hero? Why are relatable heroes and villains important to storytelling?
10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Polishing Your Pearls
Speakers: Nicole Dennis-Benn, Jaime Coyne, Peter Hubbard, Carrie Thornton
Moderator: Kris Spisak
Room: E10A-B
Track: Publishing
Learn tips and tricks every author needs to know about self-editing, when to bring in an editor, and how to process the feedback given by agents and editors.
Social Media
Speakers: Panio Gianopoulos, Sadeqa Johnson, Sonja Yoerg
Moderator: Joshua Paul Cane
Room: E10C
What is the best way to reach your readers through social media? Our experts will help you make the best use of your time and make your presence known.
Don\’t Sweat It
Speakers: Nicole Terez Dutton, David Kazzie, Dr. Sarah Sneed, Tia Williams
Moderator: Kristi Tuck Austin
Room: E10D
Track: Author Care
Most writers have moments where the whole \”writing thing\” is not going well, and sometimes it feels like it might not ever go well again. Explore ways to cope with self-doubt, depression, impostor syndrome, and anxiety.
Bad Words vs. Strong Language
Speakers: Marguerite Bennett, Meg Medina, Esi Sogah, Kim Drew Wright
Moderator: Julie Valerie
Room: E11A
Track: Craft
How does the choice of words affect the story and the reader? Can strong language be an acceptable substitution for curse words? What are the rules of thumb for usage in different genres?
Noon - 2:00 p.m. Library of Virginia Literary Awards Luncheon Including interview with Lifetime Achievement Award Winner David Baldacci
2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Been There, Done That – YA Tropes
Speakers: Gigi Amateau, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Alex Sanchez
Moderator: Shawna Christos
Room: E10A-B
Track: Craft
Absent or dead parents, love triangles, love at first sight, the chosen one. When is a trope comfortingly familiar, and when is it so overdone that it induces eye-rolling? How can you avoid or incorporate popular YA cliches?
Library of Virginia Award Finalists – Fiction
Speakers: Jane Alison, Elizabeth Poliner
Moderator: Erica Orloff
Room: E10C
Track: Craft
Sponsored by New York City Big Book Award
The Library of Virginia Literary Awards are given annually to outstanding authors as a way of celebrating the power of the written word. In this panel, the fiction finalists will discuss their experiences and thoughts on writing.
Library of Virginia Award Finalists – Nonfiction
Speakers: Belle Boggs, Annette Gordon-Reed, Patrick K. O\’Donnell
Moderator: David Streever
Room: E10D
Track: Craft
The Library of Virginia Literary Awards are given annually to outstanding authors as a way of celebrating the power of the written word. In this panel, the nonfiction finalists will discuss their experiences and thoughts on writing.
Library of Virginia Award Finalists – Poetry
Speakers: Rita Dove, Cathryn Hankla, Brynne Rebele-Henry, Sally Keith
Moderator: Ron Smith
Room: E11A
Track: Craft
The Library of Virginia Literary Awards are given annually to outstanding authors as a way of celebrating the power of the written word. In this panel, the poetry finalists will discuss their experiences and thoughts on writing.
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Plenary Session
A Conversation with Margot Lee Shetterly
Speakers: Margot Lee Shetterly, Kirk Schroder
Room: E10A-B
Track: Craft
Margot Lee Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures, discusses her journey in writing this national best-seller and her lessons learned along the way with entertainment attorney Kirk Schroder.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
8:45 - 9:15 Opening Ceremonies
9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Plenary Session
First Pages
Speakers: Erica Bauman, Jaime Coyne, Ben Grange, Carrie Thornton
Moderator: Bill Blume
Readers: dl Hopkins, A.B. Westrick
Room: E10A-B
Tracks: Publishing & Craft
Two agents and two editors across a broad spectrum of publishing listen to and critique first pages, read on the spot so the audience can hear their initial reactions. First pages should grab and not let go. Listen to the insights and gentle criticism from the experts. Will someone be \”discovered\” this year? (To submit your first page for consideration, see this page.)
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Out of the Slush Pile
Speakers: Caroline Eisenmann, Cherise Fisher, Annie Hwang
Moderator: Jon Sealy
Room: E10A-B
Track: Publishing
Is your pitch perfected? Agents talk about what they like to see in a query and what they\’d really like to never see again.
Poetry and Life
Speakers: Nicole Terez Dutton, Brynne Rebele-Henry, Laura-Gray Street
Moderator: Joanna S. Lee
Room: E10C
Track: Craft
Poets talk about how they pull inspiration from life and the events surrounding them to create compelling pieces of poetry that connect with the listener or reader.
Self-publishing 101
Speakers: Joy Harris, David Kazzie, Kim Drew Wright
Moderator: Melissa Powell Gay
Room: E10D
Track: Publishing
Navigating the world of self-publishing can be overwhelming. Our panelists will share the steps and resources that have allowed them to have success in this ever-evolving platform.
Queer Literature
Speakers: Nicole Dennis-Benn, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Alex Sanchez, Patty Smith
Moderator: Wendy DeGroat
Room: E11A
Track: Craft
What is queer literature? How do you create LGBTQ characters that aren\’t stereotypes? Our panelists will discuss current trends.
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Lunch
It\’s our fifteenth anniversary and we\’re celebrating during lunch with a variety of opportunities for you to enjoy. Choose from a panel in the main room where we\’ll share JRW success stories, or pick one of three Lunch and Learns offered by our three original founders. Whatever your choice, grab your lunch, and pull up a chair. We\’re ready to share fifteen-plus years of writing expertise!
James River Writers 15th Anniversary Panel
Speakers: Constance Costas, David Kazzie, Meg Medina, Joseph Papa, Maya Smart, and Ron Smith
Moderator: A. B. Westrick
Room: E10A-B
Former JRW Administrative Director and local award-winning author, A. B. Westrick, chats with a few of our literary super stars about how JRW has helped them and what their writing journey has been like so far.
Lunch and Learn: Content Marketing
Speaker: Phaedra Hise
Room: E10C
Want to freelance great stories and get paid fat corporate dollars? Phaedra Hise teaches you what to know about breaking into content marketing: What publications to target, how to get noticed and what to pitch.
Lunch and Learn: All Nonfiction Things Considered
Speaker: Dean King
Room: E10D
Learn how to formulate, research, write, and sell a nonfiction project—no questions too small or too large. This discussion is for anyone currently writing nonfiction or considering it. From proposals, to plots, to promotion, come prepared to ask, listen, and share.
Lunch and Learn: What Is Your Story?
Speaker: David L. Robbins
Room: E11A
What lies at the core of your story, beneath plot, character, and setting? Once you identify that raison d’etre that is the seed of the story, how do you build out from there to create a memorable story?
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Finding Your Point of View
Speakers: Amy Gary, Panio Gianopoulos, Booker T. Mattison, Laura-Gray Street
Sponsored in loving memory of Emyl Jenkins by Robert Sexton
Moderator: dl Hopkins
Room: E10A-B
Track: Craft
Using the right frame or viewpoint will transport the reader or viewer into the author\’s world. Listen to experienced creatives talk about how they determine what point of view they use for their projects.
#OwnVoices
Speakers: Nicole Terez Dutton, Meg Medina, Esi Sogah
Moderator: Erica Orloff
Room: E10C
Tracks: Craft
Accurate representation of marginalized voices is critical. What does #OwnVoices mean to publishing and storytelling?
Filling Your Creative Well
Speakers: Gigi Amateau, Brynne Rebele-Henry, Alex Sanchez, Patty Smith
Moderator: Stacy Hawkins Adams
Room: E10D
Track: Author Care
Everyone gets stuck. Our panelists will share what they do to get past the barrier and let the creativity flow. The process won\’t be the same for any two writers, but the experiences of others can spark an idea.
Sexy Narratives
Speakers: Marguerite Bennett, Sadeqa Johnson, Tia Williams
Moderator: Robin Farmer
Room: E11A
Track: Craft
When including intimate content in a story, how does an author determine what is appropriate for their project\’s genre and intended audience? What are the boundaries, and how do you maximize the sexual tension?
2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Worlds Without End
Speakers: Erica Bauman, Marguerite Bennett, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Booker T. Mattison
Moderator: Bill Blume
Room: E10A-B
Track: Craft
Regardless of your genre or target audience, world building is key to successful storytelling . How do you build a world that engages the reader in your work? What elements help with the suspension of disbelief?
The Power of Community
Speakers: Maggie King, Joanna S. Lee, Angele McQuade, Maya Smart
Moderator: Shawna Christos
Room: E10C
Track: Author Care
Networking is important for writers, but how do you make the most of a writing community? How do you find people to critique your work, retweet your tweets, talk you through the hard times, and come to your book launch? What can getting out from behind the computer do for you?
Family Stories: For Your Family or the World?
Speakers: Caroline Eisenmann, Joy Harris, Carrie Thornton
Moderator: Kristen Green
Room: E10D
Track: Craft
Sponsored by Constance Costas
Every family has a story to tell. Is your story compelling enough to have an audience in the wider world? Does it have a unique point of view and a platform that will appeal to a large demographic? Our panelists weigh in on the elements of creative nonfiction that bring you readers.
What\’s Your Platform?
Speakers: Amy Gary, Peter Hubbard, Tia Williams, Sonja Yoerg
Moderator: Julie Valerie
Room: E11A
Track: Publishing
Agents, publishers, and readers look for writers who can craft their public persona as skillfully as they write their books. Learn how to build a successful platform and use it to sell books and get your message across.
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Plenary Session
Have you ever heard of the goofy 70s game show where a bachelor or bachelorette was matched with one of three mystery dates? Well, we\’ve brought back the popular James River Writers version for a second year!
Here\’s how it works . . .
During the two days of the conference, you can drop your name in a bowl, indicating your willingness to participate in The Agent Dating Game and selecting which category best describes your current work. A few examples of last year\’s categories include Nonfiction, YA/MG/Children\’s, Thriller and Suspense, and Romance. (Categories for 2017 TBD.)
An agent will take a chair as the “bachelor” or \”bachelorette.\” Our MC will then select three names from the bowl. If your name is called, take a seat in one of the three mystery date chairs.
Now the fun begins. Our agent will ask each writer a question (for instance, \”What would be your main character\’s idea of a perfect date?\” or \”What does your protagonist want most of all?\”) The three writers will then be given the chance to respond. After a few rounds of follow-up questions, our MC will encourage the agent to select a winner. And no, the winner will not take a sunset cruise with the agent, but they will have their proposal and first chapter read (nonfiction), or their synopsis and three chapters read (fiction).
The audience will gain insights into the thinking of agents—and who knows? One of our own dates just might find the perfect relationship.
Don’t miss it!
MC: Brian Rock
Agents/Editors participating: Erica Bauman, Caroline Eisenmann, Cherise Fisher, Annie Hwang, Ben Grange, Esi Sogah
Room: E10A-B