(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next KWW is an in-person event happening in Louisville on April 19, 2024. See you there.)

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THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024):

Agent pitches and critique consultations overlap with the sessions below. The schedule of presentation topics below is subject to change and updates:

9:30 – 10:30: Session 1

How to Write a Great Query Letter for Your Novel, taught by Brian Klems. This workshop is a thorough crash course in writing an awesome query letter. What things should you avoid in query writing? What beginnings are overused and don’t work? How to compose a great pitch? How do you whittle down a long query? This session will cover all those questions and more.

10:45 – 11:50: Session 2

What is an Author Brand and How Do You Develop One for Yourself? Taught by Lacy Phillips. Your public image is more important now than ever in the publishing world. With individuals being increasingly tasked with marketing their books, it’s vital to know how to manage your digital presence to give your stories the best chance to find their audience. An expert brand manager will give you tips on how to develop a unique online identity, manage your reputation, and strategically market your work.

11:50 – 1:15: Lunch on Your Own

You have 85 minutes on your own to break and eat.

1:15 – 2:30: Session 3

“Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. (All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be novels or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.)

2:45 – 3:45: Session 4

Writing Setting As Character, taught by Katy Yocom. What happens in a story is intricately connected to where it happens. In this session, participants will learn how experts make their setting a living, breathing element of their novel that walks and talks in its own right.

4:00 – 5:00: Session 5

Overcoming Failure—How to Keep Striving for “Yes” in the Face of a Hundred “Nos,” taught by Brittany Thurman. In this talk, you’ll hear stories of accomplished people who have weathered terrible defeats, and you’ll come to see that “failure” is not the opposite of “success” but is actually the pathway to it.

5:00: The Day is Over

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FREE ADDITIONAL RECORDED CLASSES:

We will actually send attendees extra FREE pre-recorded classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the weekend’s classes to enjoy live and in person, we will also send you 5 more free recorded classes on the side, from amazing instructors. In the week leading up to your in-person conference, we will send all confirmed attendees these classes below, some of which will aid in your pitching efforts:

1. “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an In-Person Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
2. “Tips on Pitching Literary Agents & Editors at an Online Event,” taught by literary agent Carlie Webber
3. “Talking Dollars and Cents — How Authors Make Money,” from our Tennessee Writing Workshop
4. “Publishing Options: Pros and Cons of Both Traditional and Indie Publishing,” from our Atlanta Writing Workshop
5. “Overcoming Failure: How to Strive for ‘Yes’ in the Face of a Hundred Nos,” from our Florida Writing Workshop