Both aspiring and experienced writers can learn insider advice on advancing their careers and selling books during Shepherd University’s Manuscript to Marketplace Writers Conference September 6 and 7. The conference cost is $169, with an early bird rate of $139 for those who register by August 1. Proceeds will benefit Shepherd’s Department of English and Modern Languages.
The conference will begin Friday, September 6, at 6 p.m. with registration followed by a reception. It will continue Saturday, September 7, from 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. There will be four keynote speakers.
- Robin Cutler, “Go Publish Yourself.” Cutler is director of IngramSpark, an Ingram Content Group service for independent authors and publishers. During her career Cutler has published more than 1,000 books. She has served as associate director at University of South Carolina Press, CEO and founder of Summerhouse Press, and vendor manager/business development manager at Amazon Digital Services/CreateSpace. Cutler’s experience gives her broad knowledge of indie, academic, and trade publishing.
- Amy Collins, “Three Things You Can Do Right Now to Sell Your Book.” Collins is owner of New Shelves Books, which offers sales and marketing training and guidance to self-published and other authors, small presses, and independent publishers. Collins has sold to national chains such as Barnes & Noble, Target, Costco, and Borders. She helped launch several private label publishing programs before starting New Shelves Books.
- Wendy H. Jones, “Motivation Matters—Revolutionize Your Writing One Creative Step at a Time.” Jones is president of the Scottish Association of Writers. After 17 years in the Royal Navy and Army and a stint in academia, Jones took up writing crime novels. In January she released the first of her new series, “Cass Claymore Investigates.” She has also written the “Fergus and Flora Mysteries” for young adults, and recently published a children’s illustrated book, “Bertie the Buffalo.” Her original seven-novel series, “D.I. Shona MacKensie Investigates,” is set in her hometown, Dundee, Scotland, where she currently resides.
- Laurence O’Bryan, “The Latest Tactics for Faster Book Sales with Amazon Ads.” O’Bryan is an author and founder of BooksGoSocial, an assisted self-publishing service that helps authors prepare to publish and market their books. Through BooksGoSocial.com, O’Bryan has helped promote more than 7,500 international authors. Three of O’Bryan’s six novels were published by Harper Collins and translated in 10 languages, and one has been optioned twice to become a television series or movie.
The conference will offer panel discussions, workshops, and roundtable discussions that will cover how to write, sell, and market books. Participants from Shepherd will include Dr. Betty Ellzey, chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages; Dr. James Pate, assistant professor of English; and Alan Gibson, adjunct professor of French and Spanish.
To register and view the schedule and list of panelists, visit https://www.writersconferencesu.com/. For more information, email writersconferencesu@gmail.com.
