2023 Itinerary/About

Springfield Writer’s Guild, Sleuths’ Ink, and Ozarks Romance Authors are pleased to present the second annual Between the Pages Writers Conference, June 9-11, 2023. Join us for an exciting lineup of guest speakers, workshops, and the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

2023 Conference Itinerary

TO PRINT THIS DETAILED AGENDA, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
A less detailed version will be provided in your goodie bag at the conference.

Friday, June 9

  • Bookstore setup 1 to 4 in Glendalough 1 a, b and c
  • Early registration starts at 1 and goes all afternoon: Glendalough lobby entrance
  • 4:00 to 5:00 – Glendalough 2 & 3 – Workshop Renee George – Marketing INDIE AUTHOR MARKETING 101 – Part 1 Learn to market yourself and make real money. (Presentation will be done in two parts. Part 2 on Saturday.)
  1. Developing an online presence
  2. Gathering followers
  3. Quit wasting time with promotions and ads that don’t work
  4. Amazon and Bookbub paid ads
  5. An Author’s best asset for promoting and marketing (yourself).
  • 6:00 Early registration
  • 6:30 – Rathdangan 1 – Cash bar opens You must have a ticket for admission.
  • 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Rathdangan 1– Meet and greet mixer (hors d’ oeuvres & cash bar). Meet the keynote and other speakers.

Saturday, June 10

  • 6:45 to 8:00 – Registration – Glendalough lobby entrance
  • 6:45 to 8:00 – Continental breakfast Rathdangan 1 You must have a ticket for admission.
  • 6:45 to 8:00 – Bookstore setup in Glendalough 1 a, b and c
  • 8:10 to 8:30 – Welcome – Glendalough 2 &3
  • 9:00 – Bookstore opens – Glendalough 1a, b & c, (some authors may be present at times during the day)
  • 9:00 – Professional headshots start and continue throughout the morning – Aleck Scott Room (You will need an appointment for these 7-minute sessions. Please be on time. Our photographer this year is awesome. We will also provide a photo booth for your enjoyment with friends. Here is a link to the photographer’s website. Please take time to see her amazing work. High School Senior Photographer of the Year – Angela Hughes)
  • 8:30 to 9:30 – Keynote Bill Bernhardt – Glendalough 2 & 3 – WHY YOUR WRITING MATTERS – New York Times- and national-bestselling author William Bernhardt shares the ideas that have fueled his career (and might fuel yours), where he finds the motivation and material to write more than sixty books and, as an added bonus, reveals the secret to life.
  • 9:00 – Professional headshots start and continue throughout the morning – Aleck Scott Room (You will need an appointment for these 7-minute sessions. Please make your appointment online and be on time. Our photographer this year is awesome. We will also provide a photo booth for your enjoyment with friends. Here is a link to the photographer’s website. Please take time to see her amazing work. High School Senior Photographer of the Year – Angela Hughes)
  • 9:40 to 10:40 – Breakout sessions/workshops
  • Michael Bracken – Glendalough 2 – EDITORIAL SAUSAGE – A behind-the-scenes look at how short-story anthologies and fiction magazines are put together
    • Get your stories into the editorial mix
    • Learn to work with editors
    • Develop long-term professional relationships
    • Grow your career
  • C. A. Simonson – Glendalough 3 – CONTENT WRITING vs CREATIVE WRITING – “Write for the Internet and Get Paid!” – Using credible venues such as Crowd Content and Textbroker, Simonson has written content and copywritten (articles, blog posts, ads, etc) for various companies. This  ‘write-on-demand’ type of writing requires much quick research on a deadline. It presents a challenge for tight, concise writing and provides an opportunity for creativity at the same time. Although not for everyone, she says “It provides a happy distraction when writing is slow, or ideas don’t come – plus, it’s guaranteed pay, and you learn new things.”
    • Content writing – what is it?
    • Write-on-demand assignments
    • Key points vs. keywords
    • Is it credible?
    • Is it worth it?
    • Other options
  • Cole Lanahan – Rathdangan 1 – GETTING THE FULL REQUEST – Agent Cole Lanahan explains the writing techniques necessary to entice agents and editors to read beyond your sample pages. Here are some common rejection letter phrases we will cover, and how to avoid them:
    • “I wasn’t drawn into the story”: How to detect and change passive voice, purple prose, and other writing hiccups that pull readers from the story.
    • “I couldn’t connect to the character”: Was your hero story worthy? Does your character have clear goals and motivations? Do they transform?
    • “Ultimately, I didn’t fall in love with this project as much as I’d hoped”: Did you stay true to the themes of your genre? Are you within expected wordcounts? Did your A story and B story effectively intertwine?
  • Renee George – Ann McLester Room – Marketing INDIE AUTHOR MARKETING 101 – Part 2 – Learn to market yourself and make real money.
    • Developing an online presence
    • Gathering followers
    • Quit wasting time with promotions and ads that don’t work
    • Amazon and Bookbub paid ads
    • An Author’s best asset for promoting and marketing (yourself).
  • 10:50 – Pitch sessions begin with Cole Lanahan
  • 10:50 to 11:50 – Breakout sessions/workshops
  • Tierney James – Glendalough 2 – WHY WRITING A BOOK SERIES IS A GOOD IDEA – Writing in a series will make it easier for you to write books. It will make the customers and readers happier, because they get great value, and they get lots of material, and they get to binge. You make more money.
    • The binge consumption culture means, if a reader discovers you, they are likely to go back and buy more.
    • A series will explain character flaws, history and actions.
    • Builds a backlist
    • Won’t have to condense an idea, world or adventure into one book
    • Most popular book series
    • Helps develop your niche
  • Clarissa Willis – Glendalough 3 – HOW TO WRITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS THAT SELL – Author, editor, and publisher Clarissa Willis shares her tips about writing a children’s book that will sell in an over-saturated market.
    • Examine various paths to publication
    • Find the illustrator that is right for you
    • Know your audience
    • Writing your book is easy: Marketing tips that work
  • Jaycee DeLorenzo – Rathdangan 1 – COVERING YOUR BRAND – Professional cover designer Jaycee DeLorenzo will show you how to develop an active author brand that will help you gain a following
    • Understand the powerful marketing tool book covers are (or should be)
    •  Utilize branding to make readers come to you
    •  Considerations for author brand development
    •  Common branding mistakes and how to avoid them
  • Lara Bernhardt – Ann McLester Room – CHARACTER MOTIVATION – The best characters are interesting and complex. How can writers avoid one-note protagonists and mustache-twirling antagonists? Identifying what motivates a character influences how the character acts, reacts, and interacts with others. In this session we will discuss types of motivation, analyze what drives behaviors, and explore tactics. Bring paper and pencil and come ready to play ball!

11:50 – 1:00 Lunch

  • 1:10 – Pitch sessions begin with Cole Lanahan – Pitch sessions begin with Ally Robertson
  • 1:10 – Professional headshots start and continue throughout the afternoon – Aleck Scott Room (You will need an appointment for these 7-minute sessions. Please make your appointment online and be on time. Our photographer this year is awesome. We will also provide a photo booth for your enjoyment with friends. Here is a link to the photographer’s website. Please take time to see her amazing work. High School Senior Photographer of the Year – Angela Hughes)
  • 1:10 to 2:10 – Breakout sessions/workshops
  • Michael Bracken – Glendalough 2 – PLOT STORIES USING A DECISION TREE – A well-developed decision tree can generate multiple stories
    • Create a decision tree
    • Use it to develop a story plot
    • Reuse it to create multiple plots
    • Learn to develop stories using your own decision tree
  • Cindy Kirk – Glendalough 3 – WRITE SMARTER, WRITE FASTER
    • Plotting with Friends- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
    • Know Your Process- Writing is not One Size Fits All
    • Tips & Tricks – How Prolific Writers Get Words on the Page
  • Dawn Frederick – Rathdangan 1 – BOOK PROPOSAL, 101 – Your book’s official proposal plan – For both fiction and nonfiction
    • The elements of a book proposal- for both fiction and nonfiction
    • The importance & benefits of book proposals
    • Hints and Tips on preparing your book proposal
  • Bill Bernhardt – Ann McLester Room – STORY STRUCTURE: THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL STORY TELLING – Does “structure” sound boring? Does it sound like something for uncreative hacks? Not when William Bernhardt explains this vital concept, one that will transform an ordinary story into an extraordinary one and vastly increase its likelihood of selling.
  • 2:20 – Pitch sessions with Dawn Frederick begin
  • 2:20 to 3:20 – Breakout sessions/workshops
  • Lara Bernhardt – Glendalough 2 – EDITING FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT – Whether you intend to seek representation and a publisher or to indie-publish your story, you want to guarantee a polished, emotional experience for your readers. “Editing for Maximum Impact” offers guidance and examples to elevate your manuscript to the next level. Bring paper and pencil and come ready to actively work through examples of structural editing and using rhetorical devices to heighten the reader’s experience.
  • Tierney James – Glendalough 3 – STAKES AND TENSION – When writing about stakes, ask yourself this question: Are the stakes high enough and does the pace of the plot keep the reader turning the pages?
    • Remember, a failure is bad enough when private; when your family, friends, school, town, or the entire universe knows about it, it’s devastating.
    • Understanding what your protagonist most values will allow you to place that thing at risk.
    • Escalate tension by making your protagonist wonder if what is at stake is worth it.
    • The stakes don’t have to be literally mortal. But they must feel like life and death to the specific character.
    • Remember: There are three kinds of death: physical, professional, psychological. Physical death needs no explanation.
  • WHAT ARE STORY STAKES
    • What does the protagonist stand to lose through the story’s central conflict?
    • What do they stand to gain?
    • What do they want or need to obtain or achieve, and what stands in the way of them doing this?
    • What are they risking in trying to achieve their objective?
  • Jon Chandler – THE STORY SONG: WHERE LITERATURE AND MUSIC MEET – Jon Chandler is a singer/songwriter, novelist and author of several nonfiction works. He is a three-time recipient of the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award and was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award. His 11 commercial recordings blend concepts from the literary and musical worlds, resulting in story songs in the American (Folk, Country and Roots) genre. Chandler’s workshop delves into the literary aspects of American music, and how to use them to craft exceptional songs. Elements of the presentation include:
    • A history of the American story song
    • The lyric and musical elements of story songs
    • Subjects, styles, structure and nuts & bolts
    • The writing process
    • Discussion – Ways to kickstart
  • Clarissa Willis – WRITING NON-FICTION FOR FUN AND PROFIT
    • Discover how to write a ‘paunchy’ book that sells
    • Turn your ideas into marketable non-fiction books
    • A simple way to write non-fiction one adventure at a time
  • 3:30 to 4:15 – Panel Discussion – Glendalough 2 & 3 – (check out book room, closes at 5:30) Panelists on stage: Bill Bernhardt, Lara Bernhardt, Jon Chandler, Ally Robertson, Michael Bracken, Cindy Kirk, Renee George, Clarissa Willis – Off stage: Tierney James, Jaycee DeLorenzo, C.A. Simonson, Dawn Frederick, Cole Lanahan
  • 4:25 to 5:30 – Book Signing – Glendalough 1a, b & c
  • 5:30 – Bookstore closes, and author teardown begins (Sunday morning teardown available. Must be done before 8:00 a.m.
  • 7:00 p.m. cash bar opens – Glendalough 2 &3 You must have a ticket for admission.
  • 7:30 Dinner Glendalough 2 & 3 – You must have a ticket for admission. Cash bar will stay open throughout the evening. Door/raffle prizes will be distributed. (Extra tickets for door prizes will be for sale. 1 for $1, 5 for $4, 7 for $5, 10 for $7) ENTERTAINMENT to follow featuring Jon Chandler – doors close no later than 10:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 11 – GLENDALOUGH 2 & 3

  • 7:00 to 7:45 a.m. – Last minute bookstore breakdown
  • 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. – Ozarks Breakfast Buffet – and Contests Awards Ceremony You must have a ticket for admission.
  • 9:30 to 10:45 – Bill Bernhardt – FIVE SUPER-SECRET STEPS TO WRITING BETTER STORIES – Of course, if we told you what the secrets were, they wouldn’t be secrets, so you just need to come and find out for yourself. This talk is a collection of not-obvious, rarely taught skills Bernhardt has learned over the course of his 30+ years in the book business.
  • 10:45 – Thank you announcements and farewell until 2024
  • Hotel checkout 1:00 p.m.

About Springfield Writer’s Guild

In 1943, a few local writers from southwest Missouri decided a writers’ group was needed. The Springfield Writers’ Guild (SWG) was formed with the first president being Donna Ashworth Thompson. It is one of the first chapters of the Missouri Writers’ Guild (MWG) which was founded in 1915 by Walter Williams, the founder of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism in Columbia, MO. There are sister chapters all over the state. The SWG operates as a non-profit organization under the State of Missouri with a license that is renewed bi-annually.

The goals of the Guild are simple. To promote the craft of writing we will:

  • Encourage local writers in their craft.
  • Provide mutual support among members.
  • Encourage aspiring writers to become published writers.
  • Encourage writers in the marketing of their literary material for payment.

The Guild accomplishes these purposes by emphasizing mentoring, genre interest, motivation, publishing, and writing skills.

About Sleuths’ Ink

Sleuths’ Ink began in 1996 when a group of mystery writers decided they needed a forum for their specific genre. Since its inception, the group has hosted a variety of speakers, including forensic personnel, law enforcement, criminals, forensic specialists, mystery writers and more.

Sleuths’ Ink Mystery Writers is a nonprofit organization.

About Ozarks Romance Authors

ORA was established in 1987. Today, we proudly embrace the legacy established by our founding mother, Weta Nichols, and are glad to offer an encouraging place for local authors to gather, share, and network.

Our members can be found across a multitude of genres, including mystery, mainstream, Christian romance, inspirational, YA, paranormal, sci-fi, memoirs, non-fiction and many more. Naturally, we welcome romance writers of all subgenres and heat levels. Whether you like it sweet or raunchy, you have a home at ORA.

ORA meets on the first Saturday of the month, hosting guest speakers who offer information about numerous facets of the industry. Our presenters include published authors, acquiring editors and agents, self-publishing gurus, special-interest experts, marketing specialists, and more.