On March 29, Kent District Library’s Cascade Township Branch will be holding their third annual Celebrate the Mitten Writers' Conference for writers interested in getting their work published.
The event is free and gives West Michigan writers a chance to receive insight on ways to get your work out there, whether it be self-publishing or traditional. In addition, writers can netowrk with fellow writers and experts in the field. Presenters at the conference include literary agents, editors and self-published authors who will share their experiences and discuss ways writers can take their writing to the next level. Writers of all genre and skill level are welcome.
The agenda for the conference is split up into a morning session and afternoon session. The afternoon session has open seats, however the morning session is currently full. People are encouraged to register for the waiting list for the morning session. Most people on the waiting list are able to get in the week before the conference due to cancellations, according to Morgan Jarema, KDL communications assistant and conference organizer.
The morning session will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and is geared more for writers who are not yet published. Conversation on traditional or self-publishing will be one of the things covered in this session with Publish Savy owner Shannon Janeczek, author Don Pearson and novelist Aric Davis.
The afternoon session, directed more towards published writers, will be from 1:45-5 p.m. During this session writers will receive insight on query letters, book proposals and social media and book marketing tips from published authors and copy editors. The session will be wrapped up with literary agent and copyeditor Ann Byle and sci-fi author Jim Hines speaking on “Taking Your Writing to the Next Level” from 3:45-4:30 p.m. Byle and Hines will cover publishing options, ways to build your platform on social media and how you can continue to improve your writing. Writers of any level are welcome to this session.
Writers who are interested in attending are encouraged to sign up for both sessions.
"Surrounding yourself with a community of other writers is invaluable," Jarema says. "This is an eight hour long pep rally that will happen on March 29."
To register to be on the waiting list or to reserve a spot for the afternoon session, call 616-784-2007 or register online for their morning session, afternoon session or both.
In the audio story, Jarema shares why they decided to start the Mitten Writer’s Conference three years ago. She also shares personal anecdote of how her husband had a change of heart on self-publishing after attending the conference and has since attained great success with his first book.
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