Presentations for the 17th Annual Rochester Writers’ Conference
Fiction, Non Fiction, and Business Topics presented as Lectures, Workshops, and Panel Discussions. Featuring Michigan Authors, Speakers, Agents, and Educators.
- Saturday | October 19, 2024 | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Held in the Oakland Center at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan
Keynote Address – Surviving the Writing Life – Presented by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Michigan author Bonnie Jo Campbell returns to keynote the 17th annual Rochester Writers’ Conference with her new novel, The Waters, a national bestseller. Bonnie Jo Campbell offers insights on how to navigate the difficulties of the writing journey, sharing practical advice on resilience and perseverance in a writer’s career. With her distinct ability to capture the tension and beauty of life, Campbell will share insights into storytelling, the writing process, and how to create vivid and lasting narratives.
Surviving the Writing Life follows lunch. Ms. Campbell will sign books after her keynote address, and she will present a breakout session about creating collections. Bonnie Jo Campbell was our 2015 Keynote Speaker and Rochester Writers is excited to welcome her back to Rochester.
Literary Agent Panel
Our three presenting literary agents come together for a discussion on the current literary landscape, submission tips, and what agents are looking for in new writers. This session will offer practical advice for authors looking to navigate the publishing world. Moderated by Lisa Howard, this panel includes a Q&A session for attendees.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Panelists: Carrie Howland, Linda S. Glaz, and Justin Brouckaert
Amazon 101: Kindle Direct Publishing
This presentation will take writers through an in-depth tour of Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform, from navigating the dashboard to utilizing marketing tools. Whether you’re new to self-publishing or looking to improve your current strategy, this session will break down the essential steps for getting your book published and optimizing its performance on Amazon. This class will provide practical tips on using Amazon’s marketing tabs to enhance book discoverability and boost sales. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks that are crucial for authors aiming to succeed in the competitive world of online book sales. Consider attending Making Keywords Count: Increasing Your Book’s Discoverability on Amazon as a follow up to this presentation.
- Takeaways: Understand the navigation of the KDP dashboard, knowing how to use the marketing tabs to enhance your book on Amazon, and understanding important tasks needed for the self-publishing business.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Sylvia Hubbard
Choosing the Best Point-of-View for Your Story
Have you ever struggled over what point-of-view (POV) is the most effective for your story or novel? How do you know what’s a good fit? How do readers relate to different points-of-view? Your choice involves much more than what pronouns to use, since POV is the lens through which the reader experiences your characters and story. We’ll look at examples of strategic use of POV, discuss the different ways each one works, and close with a writing exercise to tie it all together.
- Takeaways: A clear understanding of how POV works in fiction, and how POV in turn affects readers.
- Audience: Fiction writers
- Presenter: Linda K. Sienkiewicz
Making Keywords Count: Increasing Your Book’s Discoverability on Amazon
Why do some books float to the top of Amazon searches and others sink to the bottom? There is no magic answer, however keywords can make a significant difference. Strategic selection of keywords and optimizing metadata will help your book fall into the hands of more readers by increasing its discoverability. Learn how to choose the right keywords to make your book stand out from the crowd so it shows up more often in searches. This presentation is applicable to both fiction and nonfiction authors who plan on publishing with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). It is helpful, but not necessary, for the participant to be familiar with the KDP dashboard. Consider attending Amazon 101 prior to this presentation.
- Takeaways: What are keywords and why do they matter, different types of keywords, how to find the right keywords, keywords to avoid or are prohibited, where to use keywords when creating your book’s sales page, and how to enter/change keywords in your book’s metadata.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Sabrina Wagner
How to Build Your Author Platform
Whether you’re self-publishing or seeking an agent, you need a platform. Ditto for whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction books or articles or blog posts – these days, everybody needs a platform in order to create their unique brand, connect with potential readers, and grow as a communicator and writer. While it might sound a bit overwhelming, building a platform can actually be a lot of fun! (And it can lead to finding new sources of income.) During this session, we’ll define what a “platform” is and explore ways that each of us can focus on and expand our particular niche.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Lisa Howard
He Said, She Said: How to Write Opposite Genders Correctly
This talk is a humorous and insightful look at how to write characters of the opposite gender with authenticity. Struggling with whether he should have said “fuchsia” or she should have said, “How’s it hangin’?” This session will help navigate common missteps and craft believable dialogue and actions for characters. Feel free to bring along a short scene from your work in this vein. You might get a chance to read for clarity if time permits.
- Takeaways: Honestly knowing how to write the opposite gender truthfully.
- Audience: Fiction writers
- Presenter: Linda S. Glaz
AI Tools for Writers
In this presentation, authors will learn how Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can significantly enhance and complement their writing processes. The session will provide practical examples of how AI can save time on tasks such as brainstorming, editing, and research, and more, allowing writers to focus more on creativity and storytelling. The talk emphasizes that these tools are designed to assist rather than replace the unique skills and insights that authors bring to their work. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to integrate AI into their writing toolkit effectively. Attendees should be comfortable with using a computer and have a general familiarity with writing software. The session is ideal for intermediate to advanced writers looking to streamline their workflow and explore new methods to boost productivity. The presentation is not suited for complete novices or advanced tech experts.
- Takeaways: The importance of perseverance, meeting deadlines, keeping your butt in the chair, and your fingers cruising the keyboard.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Donovan M. Neal
Polishing Your Novel: Key Points and Tips in Editing
This class will share a practical editing checklist designed to help writers polish their manuscripts before submission. This session will cover essential elements such as improving dialogue tags, avoiding overused words, using foreshadowing effectively, and refining imagery with similes and metaphors. Attendees will leave with actionable tips to make their novels shine and resonate with readers.
- Takeaways: A checklist of suggested edits for a novel.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Brenda Hasse
Are We There Yet? How Place Informs Writing
Explore the significant role of place in shaping narrative and character development. Writers will learn how to incorporate a strong sense of setting into their work, making their stories feel more grounded and authentic. This session will help writers understand how place can influence not only the plot but also the emotional and thematic layers of their writing. What does it mean to define place in your writing? Why is it important? How can we showcase diversity of place in our books? This craft talk will help writers develop a sense of place within their books, but also to see how place informs their writing. This craft talk is meant for anyone writing in a narrative style, from fiction to nonfiction. It will apply to novelists, memoirists, essayists, etc. It may not be applicable to those writing prescriptive nonfiction, cookbooks, etc.
- Takeaways: How place informs who we are, what we write, and the importance of developing a sense of place in our books.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Presenter: Carrie Howland
Creating Collections
Explores the process of creating cohesive short story, poetry, or essay collections. This session will cover the art of curating a collection that feels unified while allowing each piece to stand on its own. Writers will learn strategies for structuring their collections and making them more impactful than the sum of their parts.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Panelists: Bonnie Jo Campbell
Self-Published Indie Author Panel
From production to promotion, our panelists will share their experiences with self-publishing, offering insights into the challenges and rewards of going independent. This panel includes a Q&A session and discusses the ins and outs of indie publishing. Indie publishing, also known as self-publishing, is when an author takes full control of the publishing process, from production to promotion, without going through a traditional publisher.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Panelists: Sabrina Wagner, Donovan M. Neal, and Brenda Hasse
What Happens After the Book Deal
Congratulations, you’ve sold your book! Now what? From submitting your manuscript for developmental edits to seeing your finished book on the shelf, this session will help demystify what comes after you sign with a publisher. We’ll discuss contract basics and deal announcements, the editorial stages of publishing, the cover design process, and a broad overview of the marketing and publicity from the publisher’s side. Aspiring creators will receive advice on how to handle this stressful and exciting time and will have the opportunity to ask all of their burning questions about how to set themselves up for success.
- Takeaways: Patience and collaboration are key to any successful publishing experience.
- Audience: Both nonfiction and fiction writers
- Panelists: Justin Brouckaert
One Registration to attend the Rochester Writers’ Fall Conference. Includes keynote, breakout sessions, coffee, snacks, lunch, and parking. Check-in will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the first session 10:00 a.m. The conference will end by 5:00 p.m.
- At-the-door Registration is $190.00 CASH, CHECK, OR CARD
>> Full Schedule at a Glance <<
Attendees may bring a fully charged laptop or tablet. Although not necessary, a computer will enhance the experience with a hands-on feel. Use the hashtag: #RochesterWriters before, during and after the event in your posts, likes, and tweets.
Fresh hot coffee and tea available throughout the day. Light breakfast snacks and a full lunch included with registration. Please contact us if you have special dietary concerns. A charging station will be available for mobile devices in the registration area.
Attendees will be able to choose one presentation per session time at the conference. Schedule could change without notice – Rochester Writers reserves the right to add, subtract, or substitute any of the presentations and speakers. Thank you.
Please Note: All events take place in the Oakland Center of Oakland University (312 Meadow Brook Rd, Auburn Hills, MI 48326). Use the parking lot (P1) and walk East for the shortest distance into the Oakland Center. Use the Interactive Map to zoom in and view parking and building information. The Oakland Center is positioned between the parking lot and the Clock Tower. Look for Bright Yellow Signs. The Oakland Center on this Campus Map (zoom in for a better view).
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