We hope you had a great first day of the Agents & Editors Conference! We know, of course, that you can only be in one place at once, which is a real downer when there are multiple sessions that you'd like to attend. To help, we're sending an email tonight and tomorrow night to catch you up on the day's events and offer a few highlights from each.

Also, I really want to pass this along: We whisked our agents and editors away at the end of the reception for dinner, and all of them said how well prepared our attendees pitches were. Great work!
 
We'll see you tomorrow!

-- Michael Noll
Program Director
QUOTES FROM THE CONFERENCE: DAY ONE
GENRE SESSIONS  
 
General Fiction (Led by John Pipkin and Stacey Swann)
  • "Why should anyone be interested in reading your book?" - John Pipkin
Science Fiction/Fantasy (Led by Sukyi McMahon and Tex Thompson)
  • "If you mention a book that's come out in the past five years, it shows that you are current in the genre." - Tex Thompson
Picture Book/Middle Grade/Young Adult (Led by Mari Mancusi and Leila Sales)
  • "Nobody gets into this industry to make people feel bad." - Leila Sales 
    •
Nonfiction (Led by Josh Frank)
  • "There's one story that's told, the easiest story, the story the newspapers are writing about. But there's always a story underneath. Why don't I tell that story?" - Josh Frank
    •
Memoir (Led by Juli Berwald and Jessica Lamb Shapiro)
  • "Every book is its own small business. Why are you a good business bet?" - Juli Berwald
    •
Mystery/Thriller (Led by Meg Gardiner and Walt Gragg)
  • "Start with a bang; start with the meat of a story. Don't be coy." - Meg Gardiner 
    •
Historical Fiction (Led by James L. Haley and Patrice Sarath)
  • "I have never successfully pitched." - Patrice Sarath
    •
Romance (Led by Katie Golding and Julia London)
  • "When you're pitching, if it could work for any other book, then it's not specific enough for yours. We're all using the same letters of the alphabet, the same tropes, and headed to the same ending. So what sets your story apart?" - Katie Golding
    •
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TOMORROW
PANELS
On Craft
  • "Crafting Irresistible Opening Pages": 10:15, Hill Country A&B
  • "Character and Voice: They Have That Je Ne Sais Quois or Nah": 10:15, Texas Ballroom 6
  • "Connecting Character and Setting in Compelling Fictional Worlds": 11:15, Texas Ballroom 5
  • "Writing the Quiet Moments Between Plot Points": 2:00, Hill Country A&B
  • "Finding Your Book's Best Ending": 3:00, Hill Country A&B
  • "Revving Up Your Plot's Engine": 3:00, Hill Country C&D
  • "Discovering Your Book's Voice, Tone, and Style": Texas Ballroom 7
  • "Revision: Is It Done or Are You Just Exhausted": Texas Ballroom 5
 
On Working with Agents and Editors 
  • "Making Queries Stand Out": 10:15, Hill Country C&D
  • "Before You Sign: Questions to Ask an Agent": 11:15, Hill Country A&B
  • "Getting Noticed: Pitch Wars and Twitter Pitch Events": 11:15, Hill Country C&D  
  • "Anatomy of a Deal: Two Literary Novels": 11:15, Texas Ballroom 6
  • "How Agents Work for Their Clients": 2:00, Hill Country C&D
  • "Anatomy of a Deal: Two Suspense Novels": 2:00, Texas Ballroom 6
  • "Why I Represented and Bought These Books": 3:00, Texas Ballroom 6
  • "Inside a Publishing House: How Decisions Are Made": 4:00, Texas Ballroom 6
 
On the Path to Publication 
  • "The Importance of Journals and Magazines": 10:15, Texas Ballroom 5
  • "Building Your Platform as a Nonfiction Writer": 2:00, Texas Ballroom 5
  • "Thrills and Challenges of the Debut Book": 3:00, Texas Ballroom 5
  • "Self-Promotion for Authors: Self, Indie, and Big-House Published": 4:00, Hill Country C&D
 
On Genre
  • "Genre Close-Up: Nonfiction and Memoir Proposals": 10:15, Texas Ballroom 7  
  • "Genre Close-Up: Kid Lit": 11:15, Texas Ballroom 7
  • "Genre Close-Up: Science Fiction/Fantasy": 2:00, Texas Ballroom 5
  • "Genre Close-Up: Memoir": 4:00, Hill Country A&B
  • "Genre Close-Up: Mystery/Thriller": 4:00, Texas Ballroom 7

KEYNOTES
  • "Opening Session: Conversation with Becka Oliver and Monique Patterson": 9:00, Texas Ballroom 
  • "Keynote Luncheon with Naomi Shihab Nye": 12:15, Texas Ballroom (Tickets available for purchase at the Writers' League table.)
  • "Evening Keynote with Tom Hart": 5:00, Texas Ballroom
DON'T FORGET
FOOD
  • Breakfast tomorrow: 8-9:00 a.m. in the Texas Ballroom
  • Popcorn and drinks: 5:00 p.m. at the Evening Keynote
COFFEE
  • Between sessions: Texas Foyer
  • Starbucks: first floor
BOOKS
  • Support authors and find your next favorite book: BookPeople, Texas Foyer
EXHIBIT HALL
  • Visit with our exhibitors: Texas Foyer
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED HELP
  • Go to the Writers' League Table: Texas Foyer (second floor)
SPOTTED AT THE AGENTS & EDITORS CONFERENCE
Unfortunately he is not taking consultations.


This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department. Visit Austin at NowPlayingAustin.com.

 
Writers' League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts - Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to  www.arts.texas.gov .  
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