Your Passport to Publication

An Autumn Workshop

              

Our series of six author-focused, three-hour workshops, the first five in Old Allentown and the last in Emmaus, directs writers from the first draft, through the publishing process, to the finished book.

• Meet editors who will guide you in taking your writing from good to great.
• Tailor your project to today’s increasingly digital market by supporting print with internet activity.
• Move your project forward with regular assignments and deadlines. These workshops offer inspiration and opportunities for progress.

Learn how to:

• Analyze the publisher’s list
• Anticipate idiosyncrasies of editors
• Develop design ideas to give your proposal that extra edge
• Present yourself to readers as an author with authority

Session by Session

• Monday,   October    26,    6–9 PM:
  Moving Ahead with Your Book

  Whether you’ve just started a manuscript or are ready to publish, you’ll find this review of Steps to Publication helpful. We identify what your project needs to move ahead towards publication. At this session, participants are videotaped as they present their projects.

• Monday,   November   9,    6–9 PM:
  Your Image as an Author

  Literary agent and packager Dia Cornier is the guest critic at this Monday’s workshop. Dia evaluates author videos taken at the October 26 session with an eye toward Acquisitions. She addresses the tourability of each author and the viability of each book project. Dia also answers questions and advise authors of steps they can take to improve their presentations.

• Monday,   November 23,    6–9 PM:
  How Do Authors Make Money?

  This workshop includes analyses of how money flows from publisher to agent to author. It also covers the author’s tax situation from the beginning of his/her career to his/her final literary estate. This bird’s-eye view of money in the book business will help writers at all levels in planning their careers.

• Monday,   December   7,    6–9 PM:
  Why Should I Tweet?

  Donna Talarico explains how internet promotions have helped establish authors and sell books in the past year. She answers questions about the special uses of social media (that’s facebook, twitter and myspace, among others) in book promotions. For those of you who enjoyed Chris Casey’s excellent presentation on blogs this spring, Donna’s presentation will take you a step further into the amazing world of the internet.

• Monday,   December 21,    6–9 PM:
  Promoting Your Book on the Internet

  Though the internet can be intimidating, it is essential in selling books. This session introduces social networking, blogging, tweeting and meet-ups and their effectiveness as potential marketing tools for your project. We provide hands-on registration to useful sites.

• Tuesday, December 29, 6–8:30 PM:
  Writing Goals 2009/Plans for 2010

  This final session is held at the Emmaus Public Library, 11 E Main St, Emmaus, PA 18049, and is free and open to the public. For directions go to EmmausPL.org. There is ample parking in the rear of the library.
  
  Last year thirty Lehigh Valley writers gathered and wrote down their writing goals. We review those goals at this gathering and present each writer’s plans for the coming year. Refreshments are served along with encouragement, practical feedback and holiday cheer.

You can attend as many sessions as you like.

• Individual sessions — $20
• December 29^th session — Free
• Series of all 5 workshops — $80

The series includes two manuscript evaluations — one at the beginning of the course and one at the end. The final evaluation includes a To–do list to help you move towards publication.

How to Register

Call 484-274-6841
or e-mail Michele Horon at Michele.Horon@WhereBooksBegin.com
to reserve your spot.

We would like to read your work
before the sessions start.

Payment Options

You can choose among these options:

• 
  You can pay us directly online with your credit card.
• You can use PayPal by clicking on the PayPal icon above.
  It’s fast, free and secure!
• WHERE BOOKS BEGIN, LLC
  204 East Broad Street
  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018
  
  You can send a personal check to the above address.

About Where Books Begin

Where Books Begin, LLC was founded in 1992 by veteran editor Ellen E. M. Roberts to bring the old-time editorial attention back to authors. Roberts, who had been an acquisition editor at St. Martin’s Press, William Morrow and Prentice Hall, as well as a sales manager at Columbia University Press over a period of 25 years, understood that 80% of book income is earned by the top 5% of titles. She knew from her work in sales that it is the author rather than the publisher whose name actually sells books. Where Books Begin concentrates on helping authors get their reputations as well as their books into the best possible shape before the book is sold. This is crucial in today’s volatile publishing atmosphere.

What Participants Say

“The workshop offers such a skilled and nurturing environment that you not only believe you can write high-quality prose, you actually do.”
— Melanie Gold,
    Managing Editor (ex-St. Martin’s Press),
    Journalist and Author

“The workshop leaders bring a wealth of experience to the sessions inspiring new goals. The synergy provides each writer-participant a jump-start to writing dreams, with the bonus of a grander, clearer perspective on the world of publishing.”
— Lisa Tomarelli,
    GainFaithLoseWeight.com

“The workshop helped me structure what had just been an idea and several small stories into a proposal for my memoir: The Last Nurse.”
— Mitzi Flyte,
    RN/writer,
    GLVWG Literary Awards Winner, 2009

Questions:

• Email us at Michele.Horon@WhereBooksBegin.com.
• Get recommendations from previous attendees by calling 484-274-6841.
• Or call afternoons Monday-Friday to talk to us about your concerns.