2011 Program
The 2011 Bay to Ocean Writers Conference is an educational and motivational opportunity for writers of all levels. Over 30 experienced speakers include authors, poets, film writers, writing instructors, editors, and publishers. The program will address writing craft, inspiration, publishing, marketing and up-to-date uses of the Internet. Expert manuscript reviews will also be offered (see Manuscripts).
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
in Kent Humanities Building and Cadby Theater
9:15 - 10:15 - Five sessions, choose one
9:15 - 10:15 - Cadby Auditorium
Austin Camacho - Marketing Your Book
Austin Camacho shares proven tips and strategies to make your book a sales success. These are the winning tactics he has used to get his seven novels onto the shelves of major bookstores and into the hands of thousands of readers. He'll show you how to create a basic marketing plan and much more.9:15 - 10:15 - Classroom
Kris Baxter - The Art and Craft of Screenplay Adaptation
This workshop offers fundamental strategies for anyone wanting to write a screenplay adaptation (e.g.condensing a 350 page novel or expanding a short story). We’ll examine how screenwriters tackle the challenges of adapting different forms (novel, short story, play). As well, we’ll review the conventions of screenwriting: story, structure, and writing dramatic scenes.
9:15 - 10:15 - Classroom
George Merrill - The Wells of Creativity in Writing the Personal Essay
As authors write about something “out there,” it will always draw energy from what’s “in here.” The two deepest wells of creativity for writers are their spirituality and imagination. This presentation will discuss how to access these inner resources and utilize them in our writing tasks. 9:15 - 10:15 - Classroom
Kate Blackwell - Handling Time in Fiction: Common Problems and Solutions
Kate Blackwell will discuss solutions to common problems novelists confront: 1) Escaping the linear: “And then, and then, and then…, 2) The deadly weight of back story and, 3) The draggy middle9:15 - 10:15 - Classroom
Rose Solari - Retelling the Tale: New Slants on Old Stories
From John Keats to Margaret Atwood, William Shakespeare to Louise Glück, writers have found sources of inspiration and tales worth telling in classical mythology. In this workshop, we’ll look at some of the ways in which contemporary writers have re-envisioned these old stories, and we’ll attempt some retellings of our own. Five sessions from 10:30 - 11:30: Choose one.
10:30 - 11:30 - Auditorium
Barbara Esstman - Craft Aspects of Fiction, Memoir and Novels
Learning the tricks of the trade and requirements of your genre can save you time wasted on missteps and make your writing stronger. Ranging from simple technical fixes to more complicated psychological awareness of how both writers and readers interact with a story, these tips are designed to give you mastery over your material, and will clear up some of the mystery of how to both streamline the writing process and avoid the pain and suffering of going off in the wrong direction. 10:30 - 11:30 - Classroom
Margaret Meacham - Inside a Story; Writing for Children and Young adults
From picture books to YA novels, learn about writing for kids of all ages. We will look at getting story ideas, capturing your audience, finding a voice that works for kids, creating stories with action and conflict that will keep kids reading. We will finish with strategies for publishing your work in today’s markets.10:30 - 11:30 - Classroom
Bill O'Sullivan - The Personal Essay: Writing for Publication
William O’Sullivan asks what makes an essay a personal essay? How can you elevate an experience from the anecdotal to an exploration that has an idea behind it, that asks questions and leaves readers with something meaningful to contemplate or to relate to their own lives? This workshop will look at elements the best personal essays share.10:30 - 11:30 - Classroom
Judy Reveal - The Four Elements of Fiction: There are only two types of fiction books - The Page Turner and The Shelf Sitter. Which one you create will depend upon your understanding of the Four Elements of Fiction and how well you tie them together. Judy Reveal will provide insight into what these elements are and how they should relate to one another to create a compelling, page turner!
10:30 - 11:30 - Classroom
Diane Marquette, moderator: Regional Publishers' Panel with Terry Plowman, John Lewis and Joe Sugarman
Publishers and editors from three Delmarva regional magazines will reveal what they are looking for from freelance writers. They will focus on what types of stories interest their readers and satisfy their advertisers. This panel will provide the details of magazines’ submission requirements, compensation potential, and the best way to develop a relationship with a magazine editor. 11:45 - 1:00 -
Buffet Networking Lunch - Cafeteria
Five Sessions from 1:15 - 2:15: Choose one.
1:15 - 2:15 - Auditorium
Leslie Walker - The Future of Journalism: What Every Writer Needs To Know About What Comes Next
From iPads to social objects, from micropayments to mobile augmented reality, the tech trends roiling the digital media landscape can be bewildering for writers. In this highly visual session, Leslie Walker explains the top trends shaping digital storytelling and shows how they are profoundly changing journalism and the way people read, write and share information. 1:15 - 2:15 - Classroom
C.M. Mayo - Top 10 Techniques of Creative Nonfiction and Fiction
Whether literary, mystery, spy, detective, romance, science or historical, fiction relies on specific techniques to invite the reader to form and maintain a "vivid dream" in his or her mind. The same is true for creative nonfiction, that is, literary travel writing, personal memoir and literary journalism. With examples of many different kinds of highly effective writing, award-winning travelwriter and novelist C.M. Mayo covers the ten most powerful of these techniques.1:15 - 2:15 - Classroom
Kathryn M.Johnson - Writing Long Fiction: the Novel and How to Keep It Going
New (and experienced) authors frequently begin writing a novel with great enthusiasm, only to find they develop “writer’s block”, run out of plot ideas, or simple become overwhelmed, exhausted and confused through the middle of the project…and therefore fail to finish writing the book. During this session, she will give you the tools to break through the wall of insecurity and GET THE BOOK WRITTEN! 1:15 - 2:15 - Classroom
Melnaie Rigney - Diving into the Wreck....Revision
Revision is all too often a dreaded word when, in fact, revision is at the heart of all excellent writing, and is where the true treasures of a story, memoir, or novel are often discovered. In this workshop, dive into the art of revision (which literally means to re-see) with new eyes so that the process becomes what it is meant to be: not a matter of fixing what is broken but a process of searching for, finding, unearthing and saving what you have not yet explored in your writing.1:15 - 2:15 - Classroom
Sue Ellen Thompson - Moderator
Panel: "Writers' Retreats and Conferences: Do They Help?"
Panelists Kate Blackwell, Amanda Newell and Ellen Wise will discuss their experiences at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, The Frost Place, and other venues where writers can go to create and/or get feedback on their work. Five sessions from 2:30 - 3:30: Choose one.
2:30 - 3:30 - Auditorium
Gregg Wilhelm - E(volution) of the Book: Publishing Options in the 21st Century
Felt caught between a nook and a kindle place? E-books not quite the apple of your eye? Confused about the publishing landscape? Learn about your publishing options (print and digital) in a world where technology is impacting the way the written word is produced, disseminated, marketed, and read. info@citylitproject.org
2:30 -3:30 - Classroom
Ally E. Peltier - Polishing Your Work and Query Letter for Submission
Every writer knows—or soon learns—that it takes multiple revisions to create a piece ready to compete for book buyers’ attention. This talk will introduce you to the most common problems that plague written works and offer simple ways to identify and resolve them in your own novel, short story, or memoir. You’ll also receive tips on writing an effective query letter, critical for those going the non-DIY route.ally@ambitiousenterprises.com
2:30 -3:30 - Classroom
Mary McCarthy - Blogging and Making Money Online
So you want to start a blog? How do you do it? Who will read it? Will it make money? What are other ways to make money writing online? Come to this session to discover more about blogging as a writing form and how to be creative to make a little money doing so.marytmccarthy@msn.com
2:30 -3:30 - Classroom
Wilson Wyatt - Moderator: PR – Writing for Business & Nonprofits
Panelists: Amy Steward, Patti Willis, and Paul Lagasse
A panel of experienced public relations and writing professionals will discuss writing opportunities throughout the region for business and nonprofit organizations. They will explore the most common types of writing needed, the market, skill levels, and pay expectations. Panelists will represent perspectives of regional agencies, corporations, and freelance practitioners. Bring your questions.2:30 -3:30 - Classroom
Sue Ellen Thompson -
The End of the Line: A Craft Class on Line Breaks in Poetry
Many free verse poets write for years without really understanding how a line of poetry functions and where it should end. In this workshop, we will look at how contemporary poets have dealt with this issue and how we can use the line break to add tension, surprise, and interest to our own poems.iambic@aol.com
Five Sessions from 3:45 - 4:45: Choose one.
3:45 - 4:45 - Auditorium
John Ford and John Miller - Failures and Lapses of the Great Writers
A humorous and instructive presentation will help writers learn from the errors of the greats - Homer, Shakespeare, Milton, Twain and the present day.3:45 - 4:45 - Classroom
Melanie Rigney - Fabulous Openings!
Will your first 100 words keep readers reading? We’ll look at some great opening lines from novels and nonfiction books, and dissect what makes them compelling. Bring the first page of your own work in progress, and listen to what people say about your first paragraph, and how they might be stronger. See biographical and contact information above.
3:45 - 4:45 - Classroom
Mindie Burgoyne - Viral Networking – Social Media for Writers
Mindie Burgoyne will address how a writer can use social media to draw the attention of readers, agents, and publishers while broadening their reading audience. She will discuss and give brief introductions to the "big 5" social media networks: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and blogging, and will show how a writer can fit using social media into a busy schedule.
3:45 - 4:45 - Classroom
Austin Camacho - POD - Print on Demand Publishing
Print on Demand is one publishing option that can help you get your book into print without a huge investment. But is it right for you? Camacho discusses the pros and cons, how to choose a publisher, and what you should know before talking to a Print on Demand publisher.
http://ascamacho.blogspot.com
5:00 - Auditorium - Closing Remarks
February 26, 2011 Conference
February 25, 2012
Chesapeake College
Wye Mills, MD
His work includes five optioned screenplays and one produced film. Khris is a member of the Virginia Film Office where he is a judge for the annual Governor’s Screenwriting Competition. He is the founder of Baxter Baker & Associates (baxterbaker.com), a communications consulting firm.
Khris Baxter is a screenwriter, producer, and story consultant. He teaches screenwriting at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD, at Queens University in Charlotte, NC, and private workshops.
Kate Blackwell leads fiction writing workshops at The Writer's Center in Bethesda, MD, and other venues in Washington, DC and on the eastern shore. Her story collection, You Won't Remember This, was pubished in 2007. A former journalist, she now writes fcition full time.
A mystery novelist, Austin Camcho is a popular speaker and instructor on the craft of writing at Anne Arundel Community College. The author of five detective and two action adventure novels, he is a past president of the Maryland Writer's Association.
script evaluation services to more than 100 publishers, literary agents, and authors. She writes inspirational nonfiction and fiction.
Melanie Rigney is the owner of Editor for You (www.editorforyou.com), a publishing consultancy. She has nearly thirty years' experience as an editor and writer, five as editor of Writers Digest. In the past three years, her business, Editor for You, has provided content and copy editing and manu-
Kathryn Johnson's most recent novel, a 17th-century historical, is The Gentleman Poet. The author of 41 novels, she teaches the popular Extreme Novelist class at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. Her mentoring and editorial service helps authors, new and experienced, reach their publication goals.
Diane Marquette's articles have been published in regional and national newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four published novels.A mainstay of the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, Diane served as the chair for six years.
Nido, whichwon the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is on the faculty at the Writer's Center in Bethesda MD.
C.M. Mayo is the author of the novel The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire selected as one of the best books of 2009 by Library Journal. Author of Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, The Other Mexico, and Sky Over El
Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild and DelawareBeach Life Writing contest in 2009.
Rose Solari is the author of two full-length collections of poetry, Orpheus in the Park and Difficult Weather. She is currently at work on a historical novel set in the U.S. and England. She teaches and serves on the board of The Writer’s Center, in Bethesda, Maryland, and is a regular contributor to Poet Lore.
Barbara Esstman Internationally published and nationally awarded author Barbara Esstman is the coeditor of A More Perfect Union: Stories and Poems about the Modern Wedding (St. Martin’s Press). She is also the author of twoe novels adapted for television by Hallmark Productions. She teaches creative writing and creative nonfiction at universities and The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD.
Margaret Meacham is the award-winning author of fourteen novels for children and young adults. Meacham teaches writing and children’s literature at Goucher College and Gotham Writer’s Workshops in New York City. She holds degrees from Trinity College and University of MD.
Newsday, The North American Review, National Geographic Traveler, and Christopher Street, among others.
writing and is in her second term as President, Eastern Shore Writers' Association.
Show. She served as an advisor to National Geographic Television Network and has been a featured guest on National Public Radio affiliates. Her website is: www.writingthevision.com.
Mary McCarthy is the Editor of Chesapeake Family magazine in Annapolis and the owner of pajamasandcoffee.com, which is ranked the #1 Humor Blog. She has nearly two decades' experience in professional writing publications. She's also written for many websites, including Suite101.com, and appeared on Juju Chang's Moms Get Real and NBC's Today Show.
as publisher of CityLit Press and teaches in the School of Communications Design at the University of Baltimore.
Sue Ellen Thompson’s fourth volume of poetry, The Golden Hour, appeared in June 2006 was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, her second nomination. She recently edited The Autumn House Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry. Ms. Thompson teaches at The Writers' Center in Bethesda and was the winner of the 2010 Maryland Author Award.
and edited books for Touchstone Fireside/Simon & Schuster. She speaks regularly on publishing and writing related topics. www.ambitiousenterprises.com
William O’Sullivan is senior managing editor at the Washingtonian magazine, and teaches “the personal essay” at the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He has published in The New York Times,
Judy Reveal has published four books (including Cheating Death and The Music Room) and a dozen short stories which have appeared in local, regional, and national magazines. She teaches creative.
An essayist, exhibited fine art photographer and editor, George Merrill is also an Episcopal priest. His essays have appeared in regional magazines and newspapers. He serves on the Editorial Board of the Delmarva Review. George was awarded first prize for non-fiction in the
Gregg Wilhelm is Executive Director of CityLit Project, which he founded in Baltimore in 2004. He has been an editor, designer, production manager, and marketer with various publishers. Gregg serves
Mindie Burgoyne, former publisher of Trinity Music and The Pastoral Press, has written three books – all focused on Maryland. Her articles and music compositions have been featured in numerous magazines and on the Today
John Ford is currently Facilities Manager at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. He has helped facilitate nearly 20 courses on literature for the Academy for Lifelong Learning at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. He is also president of the Easton Town Council.
Leslie Walker is a pioneer in Internet news. Currently the Knight Visiting Professor in Digital Innovation at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, she spent 16 years as a reporter, columnist, and editor
Joe Sugarman is the editor of Chesapeake Life.
Terry Plowman is the founder and publisher of Delaware Beach Life, where he serves as an editor, writer, and photographer.
Amy Steward is an award winning writer and owner of Steward Writing and Communications, a public relations firm in Easton (www.stewardwriting.com).
Patti Willis is Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications of Shore Health System, a part of the University of Maryland Medical System.
Wilson Wyatt, Moderator, is a former journalist, marketing, and public relations professional. He was Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications at Travelers Insurance Companies, PNC Bank Corp., and BATUS. In
Paul Lagasse is an award winning freelance writer, editor and novelist. Owner of Active Voice Writing & Editorial Services (www.avwrites.com), he is the past president of the Baltimore Chapter of the Maryland Writers’ Association.
addition to writing, he chairs the Bay to Ocean Conference and the The Delmarva Review Editorial Board.
John Miller is the VP of Advancement at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Before coming to CBMM, he taught at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University,The Ellis School, American University and Washington College. At CBMM he helped establish the Academy for Lifelong Learning.
John Lewis is an award-winning writer of magazine profiles and arts criticism. He is currently the arts and culture editor and arts blogger at Baltimore magazine,
for The Washington Post, much of it chronicling how the Internet transformed media economics.
Creative Arts (VCCA). Amherst, VA, 2008, and VCCA Auvillar, France, 2009. She serves as board member for Perugia Press, publishers of emerging women poets.
Ellen Wise, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Creative Fellow and semifinalist for the Pablo Neruda Prize in Poetry, was awarded residencies at Virginia Center for the
Delmarva Review, The Summerset Review,and The Little Patuxent Review. She was a contributor at the 2010 Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. Amanda teaches at Gunston Day School in Centreville, Maryland.
Amanda Newell recently won the 2010 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize for a chapbook-length poetry collection. Her work has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, Tar River Poetry, Poet Lore, The
Ally E. Peltier is chief editor, writer, and publishing consultant for Ambitious Enterprises, a creative services boutique. Ally formerly acquired
