Keynote Address: Wesley McNair
We’re thrilled to present Wesley McNair, who has been called “one of the most inventive minds in American poetry” by the Hartford Courant and “one of the great storytellers of contemporary poetry” by Philip Levine.
McNair is the author of eight collections of verse, including his most recent, Talking in the Dark, Fire, and The Ghosts of You and Me. His work has also appeared in such prestigious publications as The Atlantic Monthly, Iowa Review, Ploughshares, Poetry, and Yankee.
His honors include fellowships from the Rockefeller, Fulbright, and Guggenheim Foundations, as well as a United States Artists Fellowship, awarded to fifty of “America’s finest living artists.” He has also received the Robert Frost Prize, the Jane Kenyon Award for Outstanding Book of Poetry (for Fire), and the Sarah Josepha Hale Medal.
With his intimate, poignant, and humorous keynote address, McNair will take us on a multimedia journey into his life as a writer, showing us through slides drawn from his personal archive how life and art intertwine. This is a rare opportunity to get a glimpse into the makings of a great American poet and to see the process he uses to create poems. At the same time, we’ll see how the memories and artifacts of childhood—such as photographs, report cards, treasured books, and early writings—can reveal important writing themes; how adversity can inspire art; and how the support of other writers can help us to develop our writing. No matter what your genre, Wesley McNair’s presentation will inspire you to reflect on the stories of your writing life and to pursue your writing dreams!   

To read about all Writers' Day 2008 presenters, click here.

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Session #1 Classes, 10:00 to 11:15 a.m.

A. Meet the Keynote
Wesley McNair
Beginning with a short reading of autobiographical poems related to his keynote address, Wesley McNair will field questions about the range of themes his address has touched on, including how writers develop, the creative process, the role of mentors, and the relationship between the living of a life and the vision of art.

B. Movement, Stillness, and Self-Expression: Yoga and Writing
Karen Kenney
At the heart of this workshop are yoga, meditation, and creative writing, a powerful union of movement, stillness, and self-expression. We will begin with some gentle yoga movements and breathing and end with a period of relaxation, reflection, and meditation. Next, we’ll write, using free-flowing exercises that allow us to quiet the mind’s critic and access our imaginations. Through this exploration process, we’ll begin to harness the power of our own authentic voices.

C. From Memory to Memoir
Mimi Schwartz
Our memories are either tied to life-shaping events or to small moments connected with an object, a sound, taste, saying, or smell. How do we know which life stories to write down for ourselves and for others? How do we turn fragments of memory into a fully developed memoir? How do we remember what we don’t remember? Through writing exercises, models, and discussion, this class will address these questions and guide participants in strategies for getting started, finding voice, and shaping experience into finished work, using storytelling techniques such as description, dialogue, and character development.

D. Creating Vivid Scenes  This Class is fully BOOKED
Michael White
Creating believable, vivid, and dramatic scenes is one of the most important challenges of writing fiction. Scenes are "mini-plays," filled with character-developing dialogue and tension-increasing conflict. Yet in order for the scene to be credible and the dialogue to be believable, it must have characters whose feet are solidly on the ground. In this class, we will discuss the importance of grounding, look at examples from published works, and do a scene-developing exercise. While all writers can take this class, it is recommended for intermediate to advanced writers.

E. Moments of Illumination: Finding Ideas for Short Fiction
Ann Joslin Williams
(Also offered in Session #2)
Stories can bloom from all sorts of places: images, memories, newspaper clippings, snippets of overheard dialogue. In this class, we’ll talk about where stories come from, explore sources fiction writers use, generate ideas for our own stories, and begin to shape our ideas through discussion and writing experiences. Come prepared to brainstorm, to write, and to discover story starters that you can take home and turn into fiction.

F. The Inside Story on Cobblestone
Meg Chorlian, Elizabeth Carpentiere, Beth Lindstrom, Peg Lopata, Marcia Lusted, and Lou Waryncia
If your goal is publication, then it’s time to think seriously about writing nonfiction for children’s magazines. Even if you have never written for young readers, you should know that opportunities abound to write fresh, kid-appealing articles about a range of topics, from science to history to world cultures, and more. The editorial staff from Cobblestone Publishing will introduce you to the company’s magazines, share the inside story on writing magazine nonfiction, and answer your questions.

G. Queries That Rock
Linda Formichelli and W. Eric Martin
(Also offered in Session #2)
Learn from two accomplished magazine writers how to write a query letter that will land assignments. Linda and Eric will discuss the elements of a successful query, common mistakes to avoid, query rules to break, tips for finding the right editor to pitch and the best way to make contact. This class will include examples of queries that rock and a Q&A session.

H. Writing for Love and Money This Class is fully BOOKED
Barbara Beckwith and Charlotte Dennett
You’re a freelancer who knows how to write, but to get published you must know about the business of freelancing. Ever wonder whether to write the article/book before contacting an editor, the difference between a query letter and a book proposal, or whether you need an agent? Learn the inside scoop on how to pitch an idea, understand contract language, negotiate money and rights, and more, from two experienced freelancers, both National Writers Union activists who have published books and articles in national markets.

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Session #2 Classes, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

I. Ways a Poem Can Move This Class is fully BOOKED
Martha Carlson-Bradley
Some poets use narrative strategies similar to those of fiction writers, such as transition phrases and cues, to move through space and time in their poems. Writers of lyric poems often delight in surprising the reader with unexplained shifts in time or place. Still other poets cover a great deal of movement by using subtle signals in imagery and sentence structure. Poets also borrow from one another’s strategies to create compelling moments in their writing. In this class, we’ll look at several contemporary poems to explore the ways a poem can move; we’ll also try an exercise, using different strategies. For beginner to intermediate poets.

J. Zen and the Writing Marathon
Katherine Towler
(Also offered in Session #3)
Sustaining the energy, vision, endurance, and just plain faith required by a long writing project is perhaps the hardest part of the work. Whether you’re writing a novel, a memoir, or a collection of poems, you’re going to spend a lot of hours sitting at your desk. This class will explore strategies for starting, sustaining, and completing a long writing project. We will discuss potential roadblocks and how to overcome them. We will also talk about the importance of revision. How much revising should you expect to do? And how can you build time and energy for revision into the writing process? Each writer’s process is unique. This class will focus on helping you discover and embrace your own process. Time for questions and discussion and brainstorming will be included.

K. Finding True and Amazing Stories
Pagan Kennedy
(Also offered in Session #3)
In Hollywood, they call it “high concept”—a story idea that is both simple and wildly unusual. Editors pore through their slush piles looking for such never-before-told tales. It’s hard enough to come up with “high concept” ideas when you’re writing fiction. But how do you discover true stories that will amaze? How do you make a nonfiction editor’s heart thump? In this class, you will learn research tricks and mental exercises to help you zero in on fantastic-yet-undiscovered stories. Susan Orlean, Tom Frank, Sebastian Junger, and Elizabeth Gilbert will be invoked. Come prepared to pitch ideas.

L. Cliff Diving: How to Get Your Character to Take Risks
Kim Ponders
(Also offered in Session #3)
We often spend the early drafts of our stories and novels getting to know and love our main character—so much so that we may find ourselves loath to put him or her in harm’s way. There’s a reluctance to let our character—or worse, ourselves—look foolish by taking some unwise action within the narrative, only to have to live down the consequences of that action. But this process of making bad choices and living out their consequences is exactly what good, illuminating fiction is all about. In this class we’ll talk about ways to help our characters enter—and take risks in—the world around them.  

M. Moments of Illumination: Finding Ideas for Short Fiction
Ann Joslin Williams
(Also offered in Session #1)
Stories can bloom from all sorts of places: images, memories, newspaper clippings, snippets of overheard dialogue. In this class, we’ll talk about where stories come from, explore sources fiction writers use, generate ideas for our own stories, and begin to shape our ideas through discussion and writing experiences. Come prepared to brainstorm, to write, and to discover story starters that you can take home and turn into fiction.

N. Artful Realism: Making History Come to Life
Julie Baker
This class will take you into the fascinating world of research for your nonfiction children’s or young adult (YA) writing project. We’ll start by examining ways in which award-winning authors artfully detail their stories, adding depth and realism to their manuscripts. Then we’ll delve into the captivating information you can find in historical societies, government Web sites, microfiche, journals, and photographs. Finally, we’ll discuss the market for children’s and YA historical nonfiction and effective ways to propose your book idea to an editor.

O. Queries That Rock This Class is fully BOOKED
Linda Formichelli and W. Eric Martin
(Also offered in Session #1)
Learn from two accomplished magazine writers how to write a query letter that will land assignments. Linda and Eric will discuss the elements of a successful query, common mistakes to avoid, query rules to break, tips for finding the right editor to pitch and the best way to make contact. This class will include examples of queries that rock and a Q&A session.

P. Regional Magazine Publishing Panel
Andi Axman, Rick Broussard, Cam Mirisola, and Matthew Mowry
Come with questions for these seasoned editors of New Hampshire Home, New Hampshire Magazine, New Hampshire ToDo, and Business NH Magazine. Find out what interests them in a pitch, how they work with writers, what kinds of stories they’re looking for, and what changes they foresee in the field of magazine journalism.

 

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Session #3 Classes, 2:45 to 4:00 p.m.

 

Q. The Art of Evocation in the Single-Image Poem This Class is fully BOOKED
Maggie Dietz
Some of the most vivid and memorable short lyrics—from Dickinson’s “There’s a Certain Slant of Light” to Stevens’s “A Jar in Tennessee”—are built upon the description of a single powerful image. We’ll begin this workshop by looking at a few poems in this tradition; then, through a guided exercise, we’ll write short, evocative poems and share them with the group. Come with an object (your subject) in mind!

R. Zen and the Writing Marathon
(Also offered in Session #2)
Katherine Towler
Sustaining the energy, vision, endurance, and just plain faith required by a long writing project is perhaps the hardest part of the work. Whether you’re writing a novel, a memoir, or a collection of poems, you’re going to spend a lot of hours sitting at your desk. This class will explore strategies for starting, sustaining, and completing a long writing project. We will discuss potential roadblocks and how to overcome them. We will also talk about the importance of revision. How much revising should you expect to do? And how can you build time and energy for revision into the writing process? Each writer’s process is unique. This class will focus on helping you discover and embrace your own process. Time for questions and discussion and brainstorming will be included.

S. Reading Your Work Aloud This Class is fully BOOKED
Lloyd Schwartz
Writers today often reach a wider audience through readings and live performances than they do through publication. Yet most writers are not trained to read their work aloud. Even well-known writers may read mechanically, monotonously, with too little—or too much—expression. In this class, we’ll discuss what makes a good reading and explore the wide range of successful reading styles. Up to eight participants will read from their work and receive feedback from the class and from the instructor, who is a poet and a regular commentator for NPR’s Fresh Air. Through practice and feedback, participants will come to a livelier, more effective reading as they deepen their understanding of their own work. Whether you want to read your work for the group or learn by watching others read, you will gain valuable insights into what makes a great reading. Writers of prose and poetry are welcome.

T. Finding True and Amazing Stories This Class is fully BOOKED
Pagan Kennedy
(Also offered in Session #2)
In Hollywood, they call it “high concept”—a story idea that is both simple and wildly unusual. Editors pore through their slush piles looking for such never-before-told tales. It’s hard enough to come up with “high concept” ideas when you’re writing fiction. But how do you discover true stories that will amaze? How do you make a nonfiction editor’s heart thump? In this class, you will learn research tricks and mental exercises to help you zero in on fantastic-yet-undiscovered stories. Susan Orlean, Tom Frank, Sebastian Junger, and Elizabeth Gilbert will be invoked. Come prepared to pitch ideas.

U.Cliff Diving: How to Get Your Character to Take Risks
Kim Ponders
(Also offered in Session #2)
We often spend the early drafts of our stories and novels getting to know and love our main character—so much so that we may find ourselves loath to put him or her in harm’s way. There’s a reluctance to let our character—or worse, ourselves—look foolish by taking some unwise action within the narrative, only to have to live down the consequences of that action. But this process of making bad choices and living out their consequences is exactly what good, illuminating fiction is all about. In this class we’ll talk about ways to help our characters enter—and take risks in—the world around them.

V. It’s Not Vanity: The Decision to Self-Publish
Muriel Dubois and Lisa Greenleaf
When Muriel Dubois couldn’t find a home for a biography she believed in, she teamed up with book designer/illustrator Lisa Greenleaf to self-publish To My Countrywomen: The Life of Sarah Josepha Hale. Technology has made self-publishing a viable option for today’s writers, yet it is not a decision to be made lightly. Dubois and Greenleaf will take participants through the process of self-publishing a book and present examples of self-published books, as well as the reasons for and against going this route. Recommended for intermediate to advanced writers.

W. Book Editors and Agents Panel
Sorche Elizabeth Fairbank, Anita D. McClellan, Colleen Mohyde, Anton Mueller, Lorin Rees, Randi Rivers, Barbara Collins Rosenberg, Lissa Warren
Come ask these book editors and literary agents about what it takes to get their ear. They’ll share their publishing experiences and give tips on how to approach them and their colleagues.

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Coffeehouse Showcase: Featured Readings, 4:15 to 5:00 p.m.

To cap off this exhilarating day, we’re offering coffee, cookies, and a spirited performance-poetry showcase by members of the 2007 New Hampshire Slam Team—Mark Palos, Eric Urban, Cara Losier, and Mat Tremblay (a.k.a. Unseen the Poet).

 

Reception with Book Sales and Signing,1:00-2:30 p.m and 5:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Gibson's Bookstore will be on hand all day selling books. We'll end the day with an informal reception for all Writers' Day participants and a time to have your books signed.

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Pitch Sessions: 1:00-2:00 p.m.

All Pitch Sessions are now filled

Back by Popular Demand : Five Minutes to Pitch your Book to an Editor or Agent!

Think of speed dating. . . with a publishing professional. You’ll have five minutes to talk up your book and hear comments and suggestions from an editor or agent. Will your idea fly? Is your concept marketable? This could be just the tip you need.

A limited number of slots are available, and it’s first come, first served, so register a.s.a.p.!

Important details: This opportunity is for Writers’ Day participants who are working on or have completed a fiction or nonfiction book. Please do not bring your manuscript to Writers’ Day— editors and agents will not be reading or receiving manuscripts. Do prepare a five-minute pitch for your manuscript that will allow time for feedback from the publishing professional.

More important details: Pitch sessions take place during lunch, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. (Don’t worry: You’ll have plenty of time to pick up your box lunch!) You will be scheduled a pitch session and assigned an editor or agent, based on your genre. To register: Check pitch session and your genre on the registration form.

Directions to Southern New Hampshire University

2500 North River Road, Manchester, NH 03106

From I-93: take exit 9N onto Hooksett Road (Route 3 and Route 28) heading north. At the first traffic light, go left onto West Alice Drive, which becomes Donati Drive at the sharp left curve. Follow Donati to the end, then go right onto Bicentennial Drive. Follow Bicentennial to the stop sign, then take a right onto North River Road. The university is 1/4 mile on the left.

From the Seacoast, take 101 West to 93 North and follow the directions above.

From the Monadnock region, here are two options: (1) Take 101 East to 293 South to 93 North and follow the directions above. OR (2) Take 101 East to 293 North to Exit 6. Cross the Amoskeag Bridge, then turn left on Elm Street. Follow Elm Street for 1 mile, then turn left onto Bennington Road. Go 1 block, then turn right onto North River Road. The University is 1.5 miles down the road on the left.

Look for event parking signs when you arrive.
Registration, keynote address, book sales, lunch, coffeehouse, and other programs take place in the Fieldhouse in the Athletic Complex on the SNHU campus. Classes take place in several other buildings. The campus is wheelchair accessible. You can view a map of campus at www.snhu.edu/212.asp. We will include a map with your confirmation letter or email. If you have mobility concerns, please call our office at 603-314-7980 before you register, so that we can discuss your needs.

View a map of campus here. Building 19 is the Athletic Complex. Building 2 is Robert Frost Hall.

Registration
You may register online with a MasterCard or Visa using the form below.

Enrollment is limited, so preregistration and prepayment are required. We're sorry we can't offer refunds, but please let us know if you can't attend so that we can accommodate those people on our waiting list.

Note: All facilities are wheelchair accessible.

PLEASE SELECT MEMBER OR NONMEMBER CONFERENCE RATE

Writers' Day Conference - $95 member rate
Writers' Day Conference - $125 nonmember rate

I would like to renew my membership/become a member of NHWP at the individual rate of $45 and enjoy the Writers' Day member discount

I would like to renew my membership/join NHWP at the senior rate (age 65 and up) of $25 and enjoy the Writers' Day member discount

I would like to renew my membership/join NHWP at the full-time student rate of $25 and enjoy the Writers' Day member discount

Workshop Session #1
(please indicate first choice in lefthand check box and second choice in righthand check box)

A: MEET THE KEYNOTE
B: MOVEMENT, STILLNESS, SELF-EXPRESSSION
C: FROM MEMORY TO MEMOIR
D: CREATING VIVID SCENES This Class is fully BOOKED
E: MOMENTS OF ILLUMINATION
F: THE INSIDE STORY ON COBBLESTONE
G: QUERIES THAT ROCK
H: WRITING FOR LOVE AND MONEY This Class is fully BOOKED

Workshop Session #2
(please indicate first choice in lefthand check box and second choice in righthand check box)

I: WAYS A POEM CAN MOVE This Class is fully BOOKED
J: ZEN AND THE WRITING MARATHON
K: FINDING TRUE AND AMAZING STORIES
L: CLIFF DIVING
M: MOMENTS OF ILLUMINATION
N: ARTFUL REALISM
O: QUERIES THAT ROCK This Class is fully BOOKED
P: REGIONAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHING PANEL

Workshop Session #3
(please indicate first choice in lefthand check box and second choice in righthand check box)

Q: THE ART OF EVOCATION This Class is fully BOOKED
R: ZEN AND THE WRITING MARATHON
S: READING YOUR WORK ALOUD This Class is fully BOOKED
T: FINDING TRUE AND AMAZING STORIES This Class is fully BOOKED
U: CLIFF DIVING
V: IT'S NOT VANITY
W: BOOK EDITORS AND AGENTS PANEL

Pitch Sessions -- All pitch sessions are fully BOOKED
Yes, I'd like to sign up for a 5-minute pitch session. Please choose one:

Fiction -- BOOKED
Nonfiction -- BOOKED
Children's-- BOOKED

I understand that my pitch will be to an assigned editor or agent for a book-length work and is available first come, first served. (Register a.s.a.p.!) Pitch sessions take place during lunch.

Box Lunch Choice
Please click your choice.

Tuna Sandwich
Turkey Sandwich
Roast Beef Sandwich
Cheese Sandwich

Member Book Sales
If you are a member and are interested in selling your books at Writers' Day, preregistration is required by March 26, 2008.
Yes, please contact me with information about selling up to two of my books at the member book sales table at Writers' Day.