A Day of Many Firsts

By Kathy Hobbs

After submitting my registration for the Pikes Peak 2015 Writers' Conference, I anxiously awaited confirmation of my Read and Critique session. Weeks had passed when I finally received the anticipated email, confirming my appointment for my Read and Critique with Author Laura DiSilverio.

Now it was time to get the first two pages of my in-progress novel ready for critique. At first I thought my first chapter was ready, without any revisions. So I practiced reading the pages out loud, just as I will have to for the critique. It didn't take long before I realized my first pages needed some refinement before they were ready for another author's ears. When I started evaluating my written pages from the perspective of a critic, it was surprising how quickly it became apparent where revisions were necessary.

I spent a few hours revising those two pages, to make them critique ready. This effort resulted in a much more interesting beginning to my novel and going through this process was invigorating. My pages were now ready for the Read and Critique session.

Finally, the opening day of the Writers Conference had arrived. This was a day of many firsts for me. Attending my first writers conference, writing my first novel, and having my writing critiqued for the first time. I was very relieved that my Read and Critique was scheduled for the very first hour of the conference. Although I was looking forward to the critique, my nerves were anxious to get it behind me and enjoy the remainder of the conference.

Every seat at the conference room table in the closed critique session was occupied by nervous writers, quietly awaiting Laura DiSilverio's arrival. She entered the room, introduced herself, and quickly explained the process. I would be the last one to read my writing.

I never expected to learn so much from listening to Laura's critique of each writer's reading. There were varying levels of expertise among the writers and everyone's writing was so unique. Listening to each piece being read by its creator allowed all of us attending the critique to get exposure to different styles of writing. Laura was impressive in the way she was able to rapidly make notes on the writer's printed copy while she listened to them read their pieces. She was able to provide each writer precise feedback on their writing.

Having the opportunity to hear Laura's critique of each writer's piece was the most beneficial aspect of the entire conference. As I listened to each writer read the opening pages of his novel, I kept thinking how great everyone's work sounded. Laura was still able to offer suggestions for each writer to make what he wrote even better. Most of us nodded our heads in agreement as she explained her reasoning for the suggested change. It would truly make the written piece even more powerful.

My critique session proved to be very enlightening. Even after spending hours revising my two pages in preparation of the session , Laura provided helpful suggestions for improving the opening pages of my novel. It was such a worthwhile experience to receive feedback from the perspective of a successfully published author.

The Read and Critique was such a valuable session for me that I highly encourage other writers to consider participating in one at next year's conference. Not only will you benefit by getting feedback on your own writing, you will expand your writer's knowledge by listening to the critique given to the other writers attending the same session.

I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to attend the 2015 PPWC. This scholarship allowed me the opportunity to attend the conference and have the insightful experience of participating in a Read and Critique session. Thank you, Pikes Peak Writer, for granting me this scholarship to attend three days of valuable learning and networking with other writers.


  

  About the Writer: Kathy Hobbs is the author and independent publisher of the Get Wise book series, which focuses on personal safety prevention. It is Kathy's aspiration to inspire people to become better informed and take responsibility for their own personal safety. Kathy has created the "Hoots of Wisdom" blog at www.getwisebooks.com, to diversify her writing and provide useful and interesting postings on a variety of lifestyle topics. Kathy is in the process of fulfilling a lifetime dream of writing her first mystery novel. 

Pikes Peak Writers Conference: Read and Critique

By Robert Spiller

Here's the deal. I am excited (read somewhat intimidated) to be the Read And Critique Coordinator for the 2015 Pikes Peak Writers Conference - in my opinion the finest, most useful, funnest (yeah, that's a word) writing conference in the solar system.

In hopes of being more than just a pretty face, let me school you about Read and Critique sessions in general and the types of sessions in particular.

What the heck is a Read and Critique Appointment, you say?

Are you proud of your work? Here is a chance to show it off!

Industry Professionals (Authors, Agents, Editors) will provide immediate, I'm talking on the spot, feedback concerning the beginning of your manuscript. And it doesn't have to be completed as of the conference.

What are the types of Read and Critique Sessions?

Read and Critique Author

As the title suggests, you are with a published author. You read your opening two pages. (Don't cheat. We're talking industry standard format.) You are in a small intimate setting; just you, your author, and a few other participants. The author provides immediate feedback. Additional feedback from the other participants is encouraged. 

Read and Critique 1,2,3

A staffer reads your first page, 16 lines (either chapter 1 or your prologue) aloud. You remain anonymous. A panel of one Author, one Agent, and one Editor listens, then each provides insight and direction. These sessions are open to attendees to listen in and take notes.

Read and Critique X

You read aloud your first page - again 16 lines - to an Agent or Editor. The coolness factor in this type of session is that every effort will be made to match you up with professionals who align with your genre. As in all Read and Critique sessions, feedback will be immediate and one-on-one.

How might I avail myself of these wonderful opportunities to have my work evaluated?

Glad you asked!

First be diligent. Decide what type of Read and Critique suits you. Research the conference faculty at the Pikes Peak Writers Website.

Next, request an appointment on your registration form.

Which brings us to registration. Register for the conference ASAP. The earlier you are ensconced in the conference, the more likely you will receive the Read and Critique appointment of your choice. Be sure to provide your genre, since this will determine how you are assigned a session and who you will be with.

Oh yeah, one more thing. All Read and Critique sessions are at no extra charge.

If you have any additional questions, I would advise a delightful excursion to the Pikes Peak Writers Website. Write on. 

About the Author: Robert Spiller is a displaced Pennsylvanian living the good life in Colorado Springs, Colorado with his wife Barbara. Within shouting distance are his three daughters and four grandchildren.  

He is the author of the Bonnie Pinkwater mysteries: The Witch of Agnesi, A Calculated Demise, Irrational Numbers, and Radical Equations. These combine four of his passions: teaching, mathematics, math history, and writing. 

Although recently retired, Robert has taught math from elementary to college for the past thirty-five years. In 2005, he realized a long time dream when he ran the Pikes Peak Ascent - a thirteen mile half marathon to the top of America's mountain. He is the 2015 Pikes Peak Writers Conference Read and Critique Coordinator.

Quote of the Week and Week to Come

"You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club."

www.gopixpic.com

Jack London

(January 12, 1876 - November 22, 1916)

The Call of the Wild, White Fang

This week on Writing from the Peak:

 * PPWC Conference: Read & Critique     Robert Spiller

* Glossary of Fiction Terms                       Jax Hunter

* Why Can't We Be Friends?                     Aaron Michael Ritchey

Countdown to Conference - Taking Advantage

By M.B. Partlow

Take Advantage of Me!

Well, not me, personally. I have teenagers for that, thanks.

The "me" I speak of is the 2014 Pikes Peak Writers Conference. In particular, there are four different opportunities that offer a way to get some professional feedback on your work.

The first three are for those who haven't quite completed that manuscript.

For the absolute lowest stress possible, we offer R&C (Read & Critique) Author. This is a closed session, meaning the only people in the room are: the moderator, the published author giving feedback, and eight lucky attendees. You bring three copies of the first two pages of your manuscript. You may give the title and logline at the beginning. Example: "Bullwinkle Must Die is a noir mystery set in cyberspace. When someone threatens Bullwinkle's life, it's up to Boris and Natasha to save the day and prove their innocence." You read it aloud, seated at the table, and the author gives you immediate feedback and helpful comments. Because this is a smaller, more intimate setting, there's more interaction between you and the author in your session.

Our time-tested favorite is called R&C X. Why X? Why not? In this session, everyone who has signed up in advance will give two copies of their first page to the moderator. When your name is called, you stand up and state your title. It's acceptable to give your genre, perhaps word length, and a brief logline. Example: "Life Among the Frogs" is a 90,000 word romance. When a girl has kissed all the frogs in her hometown, where does she look for love?" Then you read that first page aloud. You may sit or continue to stand (your choice) while the agent or editor faculty member gives you their immediate feedback. This session is open, meaning anyone can attend. It's a great way to suss out an agent or editor you're going to be pitching to, which is why we allow audience members who are not participating in the R&C to attend. The agent or editor may ask you a question or two, but there's not really time for lengthy questions.

The latest and greatest is R&C 123. Similar to the X version, you hand over four copies of your first page to the moderator. It's perfectly acceptable to have the genre and logline at the top. Something like "The Litterbox Conundrum is Science Fiction. When all the cats on Earth reveal their hidden opposable thumbs, who will be left holding the business end of the pooper scooper?" Then our extremely talented designated reader will read the submissions, one by one, to a panel consisting of one agent, one editor and one published author. The panel will give feedback on their first impressions. No questions and no stress for the writer, because nobody knows who it is. You don't have to worry about your knees knocking or your voice cracking.

Two things to bear in mind about R&C  sessions. First, when you hand over your precious manuscript pages, they'd better be in standard manuscript format. You know the drill: 1-inch margins, 12-pt Times New Roman or Courier font, double spaced. The moderator makes sure that everyone involved gets their fair share of time, so you aren't going to slip in single-space 7-point font and get away with it. (Note: on the copy that will be read aloud, feel free to make the font as large as you want.) Second, we aren't able to match you with specific authors, editors and agents. We ask you to specify what genre you're interested in, and we match you up from there.

Wait. I said R&C was open to finished or unfinished manuscripts. What about Pitching?

Pitch is for those with completed manuscripts. You show up at the Pitch sign-in desk 5-10 minutes before your designated pitch time, so you have time for a breath mint and wiping your clammy palms on your jacket. You will be ushered into the pitch room in an orderly manner, where you'll find your designated editor or agent, introduce yourself, and tell them about your book. At the end of your designated time, you will be ushered out in an orderly manner. (We're on a tight schedule, so please don't make us get out the cattle prods to remove you from your seat.)

Before you dismiss the entire concept of traditional publishing and roles of agents and editors, think again. These are industry professionals. These are the people who work every single day with new authors. They know what's out there. They know the marketplace. They know what's been done a million times and, like it or not, they know if your storyline sounds unique and interesting or not. This is a great opportunity to practice speaking in a professional manner about your book. Just because an agent or editor says, "Send me your first 50 pages" doesn't mean you're committing yourself to that agent or that editor. But isn't it nice to have options? And get some skilled, experienced feedback?

There is a beauty to each of these approaches. In R&C Author, you get advice from a fellow author, someone who has been in your shoes and is rooting for you to succeed. In X, there is something terrifying and yet exhilarating about reading your work out loud to others. It gives you an ownership of your words like nothing else can. In 123, you will hear your words through someone else, and there is nothing more eye-opening. You will have an immediate sense of what you did right and what you can improve, because the words aren't filtered through the voice inside your own head. And preparing for Pitch will make sure you understand your work backward and forward.

If you've never tried a Pitch appointment or an R&C session, consider signing up for one (or both) on your registration form. You can find all the details at pikespeakwriters.com about format and formalities. You'll have fun, you'll step outside your comfort zone, and you'll come out of it with a better handle on your work. All that, and we don't charge extra for it!

About the Author: MB Partlow, 2013 Programming Director for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, is hard at work getting fantastic speakers and participants for the conference.  You can reach her at programming@pikespeakwriters.com or find more information on the 2013 Pikes Peak Writers Conference at pikespeakwriters.com.

Countdown to Conference: How to Prepare

By MB Partlow

To properly prepare for conference, you need to take a page from the Santa Claus playbook.

Namely, you need to make a list and check it twice.

What am I blathering about? Come with me while I walk you through the thought process.

For beginning writers, start with the keynote speakers. Have you heard of them? Read anything they've written? If the answer is no, read their books. This is the easiest and fastest way to find out why these particular writers are considered our keynote speakers.  If you want more background than we have on the PPW website, go to the authors' websites. See if they're on Twitter, if that floats your boat. If you don't go to YouTube and see Libba Bray in the cow costume to promote Going Bovine, you're really missing out.

Look at the agents and editors next. Find out who works in the genres you write in, and make a note so you can attend their sessions at conference. Then take a look at all the other authors and specialists. You probably can't read all of everyone's work, but you can familiarize yourself with which ones are doing something you're interested in.

For those of you at a more intermediate level, start at the same place with the keynotes. But when you get to the agents and editors, pay a little more attention. You might decide to sign up for a Read and Critique (R&C) session, and we divide those up by genre. Wait, you don't know what R&C is?

R&C Author is a closed-door session where a few aspiring writers sit down with a published author and read their first page aloud. The author then gives immediate feedback, and with this smaller session, there's time for some back-and-forth between the newbie and the pro. The other two flavors of R&C are open for any conference goers to attend. In R&C X, you stand at the front of the room and read the first page of your work aloud. The agent or editor in that session will give you immediate, first-impression feedback.  In R&C 123, a designated reader will read each first page aloud, giving the author anonymity. Then the panel of one author, one agent and one editor will each give brief feedback.

One note: you need to sign up for R&C when you register for conference. These are highly organized and meticulously timed sessions, run by skilled moderators. I repeat: sign up in advance. Play nicely. Follow the rules you'll receive when you sign up--the moderator isn't going to let you read a first page that's got 1/4-inch margins and is single-spaced with 6-point type.

More experienced writers, with completed manuscripts, have the option of signing up to pitch to an agent or editor. This means more research, because the last thing we want to do is waste the time of you or the agent/editor. When you visit their website, go further than the bio. Look at what authors they work with, what books they've had published recently. This pays a double dividend. First, it pays to be aware of what others in your genre are doing, what flavor of vampire is "it" this month. Second, it shows you exactly what type of books your targeted agent/editor likes to work on.

Are they on Twitter? Follow them. Run their names through your favorite search engine to turn up interviews they've done or industry news items. Remind yourself that you're a writer, not a stalker. Read their blog, and not just the most recent one. Not familiar with their authors? Go back to the library (or book store, your choice) and see for yourself what kind of work they like. One of the best pitch sessions I ever had resulted because I found out (ahead of time) that the agent and I had a favorite book in common, and it gave us something to talk about.

Oh, yeah, you read that right. A pitch session isn't you sitting across the table from an agent or editor and begging them to publish your masterpiece, this heart's blood that you've committed to paper. It's a small slice of time where you get to know each other. You're much more likely to be remembered (favorably) if you ask them a coherent question or two about their work.

The last suggestion I have for conference is this: practice. The question you will be asked, repeatedly, is "What do you write?" Have an answer. Practice saying it out loud. Say it to your mirror, your cat, your spouse or your neighbors.  If you're signing up for R&C, read your first page out loud. Not just in your head, cheaterpants. Really, out loud. Get the cringing out of the way in the privacy of your own home. Bonus: you'll discover in a hurry if something isn't right. If you're going to pitch, practice talking about your work. You should be able to cover the basic essence of the story, the log line, in a single sentence.

Now get out of my head. You've been here long enough, and you're leaving muddy footprints on my brain.


MB Partlow, 2013 Programming Director for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, is hard at work getting fantastic speakers and participants for the conference.  You can reach her at programming@pikespeakwriters.com or find more information on the 2013 Pikes Peak Writers Conference at pikespeakwriters.com.

PPW Conference Countdown: Read and Critique With Sandra Bond--A Report From Previous Conference by Debbie Maxwell Allen

Twenty-five writers sat tensed in their chairs, palms sweating, throats clearing. Clutched in each pair of hands: a single page. Each sheet contained just 16 lines, but those lines held power over each writer’s future. As the agent stepped into the room, 25 sets of eyes followed her and shone with questions. “Will she like it? Maybe a little?” “Will all these people snicker at the words I’ve poured from inside me?” A few sly glances gauged the distance to the exit, should the worst happen.

The agent, Sandra Bond, cleared her throat (did she rub her palms on her slacks?) and surprised us all. “I’m much more nervous than all of you,” she said. It hadn’t dawned on us that she was in the hot seat, having only five minutes to listen to and pass judgment on another’s writing.

Whether or not that made us feel better, it did remind us that agents are human. They don’t like rejection any more than the rest of us. Sandra’s vulnerability eased some of the tension in the room. As the writers stood and read from their pages, Sandra gave excellent, specific constructive criticisms, which added up to the equivalent of a wonderful seminar on how to hook a reader. Here are some highlights:

The first sentence is paramount. Start with a graphic, visual scene—action, tension, dark humor. Don’t confuse your reader with the first line, hoping they’ll keep reading to figure it out. They’re more likely to put it down. If your first line or paragraph doesn’t grab the friends you test it out on, try ditching it and begin with your second paragraph. Sandra says this won’t always work, but it’s worth a try.

Show your character’s personality immediately. Whether it’s through humor and sarcasm, or fear and paranoia, let your reader see your character’s quirks and sensitivities. What are the “must haves” or “can’t stands” in their world?

Beware the prologue. While many successful authors use them, Sandra warns that writers must be aware that lots of readers skip them. If your prologue reveals something crucial to the story, weave the information into your novel, or turn the prologue into chapter one.

Use the senses to pull in the reader. Two submissions that seemed to be popular with Sandra, and the group as a whole, employed this idea. One focused on several unusual smells that helped connect us to what the main character liked and didn’t like. Another used sound—a particular sound brings back snatches of memories from the lead character’s life—and makes us want to know what sound stirred up these recollections.

If you’re tackling a memoir... Sandra noted that memoirs are a difficult genre to get into. In order to distinguish yours, accentuate your voice to make it compelling and unique. She told us that a memoir should never begin with, “When I was nine...” Find the voice that will grab your reader.

Attending a Read & Critique session helped me realize that I could not only survive reading aloud in a group, but pick up some great writing tips as well. If you want to learn more, be brave and sign up for a Read & Critique next year!

Originally appeared in The Pikes Peak Writer, Volume VIII, Issue 3, May,June 2009