1/23/2016 Top 5 Reasons to Attend a Writers Conference (1/23/2016 #RWA #amwriting #romance)Read Now ![]() Writing is essentially an individual activity. For many of us (especially me), being alone is the only way I can write. However, a successful writer usually does not achieve success alone. There are critique partners, beta readers, agents, editors, and chapter members who support and contribute to the process and mental well-being of every author. Writers Conferences are a great way to connect with other writers and learn about the ever evolving business of writing. Top 5 Reasons to Attend a Writers Conference1. Meet other writers. No one else will understand when you talk about the "voices in your head not letting you finish this manuscript." With others, you might end up in a 48-hour psych hold. 2. Learn from experts. Consider the speakers above. Both are multi-published authors with tons of experience. Publishing changes all the time. Avoid the pitfalls by learning from others. 3. Learn what editors and agents look for. The first page has to hook the editor or agent. Not to mention a reader. The panel of editors and agents will comment on a limited number of submissions. 4. Pitch your manuscript to editors. Many conferences will provide opportunities to pitch your finished work to acquiring editors and agents. Local conferences allow a little more relaxed experience, with other writers just as nervous. My first pitch was a forced march by a writer friend to an editor who gently walked me through the pitch process. My take away: come prepared with a rehearsed speech but remember editors are people, too. Connecting with them on a human level is equally as important. 5. Take notes. Yes, I know. We're in the digital age. But if you have a life and don't have an eidetic memory, you probably need to jot down notes of things you need to do. Paper or device, write down ideas that will make you more successful. If you live near Williamsburg, Virginia, Chesapeake Romance Writers is hosting a conference March 5, 2016 at the Regional Library. We are a relaxed, fun, and supportive group of writers and we'd love to meet you. Whether you need a chapter or are ready to pitch your manuscript, we invite you to join us. Register here. Here is the schedule: ![]()
Guest Blog by Author of A Matter of TimeSince childhood, my personal version of heaven has resembled Mr. Scrooge’s time-traveling adventures, only with a much more enjoyable spin: being able to visit any time period anywhere, to fully understand what life was like then. Rome in its heyday? I could be there. Charlemagne’s ascension to emperor? Yup. Witnessing the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Sign me up! Of course, I’d be invisible, a mere witness, not an active participant (I wouldn’t want to potentially mess anything up!) – which means I’d like to avoid the more horrific points in human history. Still, imagining what people, places, and events were truly like in times past thrills me just as much today as it did when I was younger. It’s one of the reasons writing time-travel romance seemed like a natural fit. I spent hours brainstorming what A Matter of Time’s Eliza James might have experienced once in Regency England. I danced over some of the less savory realities she’d likely encounter (time-of-the-month issues, anyone?) in favor of imagining the furniture, the horses, the open country, the lavish foods … and of course, the handsome, cravat-bedecked gentlemen. For Eliza, Jane Austen’s time is her ultimate dream-come-true. Until it isn’t. Because, of course, reality never can quite live up to fantasy, right? And accepting that is one of the ways we grow and mature. No matter what time we live in. So, tell me, if you could travel to any period in history, where would you go? Why? What do you think your first reactions would be? I, for one, would want to take a bag like Hermione’s bag from Harry Potter, with its Undetectable Extension Charm, so that I could have all the storage without all the bulk. Because I’d want Advil, and Bandaids, and pads, maybe my Kindle . . . Though I suppose if I had all those things, it’d rather defeat the purpose. I might as well stay right here, in twenty-first century Virginia, curled up in my chair with a good book in hand. Which isn’t such a bad idea, actually, because books allow me to experience my own imaged heaven, right here on earth, every single day. ![]() A Matter of Time: Love comes when least expected. Nobody would blame widowed doctoral student Eliza James for giving up on Happily Ever After; at twenty-nine, she’s suffered more loss than most people do in a lifetime. But Eliza’s convinced her own hero is still out there, waiting for her, just like in the beloved romance novels she devours. Every girl deserves a Darcy, right? Only Eliza doesn’t dream of a modern-day affair: she wants the whole Regency experience. When a magical manuscript thrusts her back two hundred years into the arms and life of one Deveric Mattersley, Duke of Claremont, however, Eliza soon realizes some fantasies aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially when her duke proves himself less than a Prince Charming. Deveric Mattersley has no interest in women, much less marriage. Determined to atone for his sins after convincing himself he's at fault for the death of his first wife, he decrees himself content to focus on running his family’s estates, and on raising his son–until the mysterious Mrs. James appears. Who is she? What does she want? And why does she make Dev’s blood run hot in a way no woman ever has? Can a man with a past and a woman from the future forge a love for all time? ![]() Biography: A lover of romance novels since the age of ten (shh, don't tell mom!), Margaret Locke declared as a teen that she'd write romances when she grew up. Once an adult, however, she figured she ought to be doing grown-up things (such as earning that master's degree in medieval history), not penning steamy love stories. Yeah, whatever. Turning forty cured her of that silly notion. Margaret is now happily ensconced back in the clutches of her first love, this time as an author as well as a reader. Margaret lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia with her fantastic husband, two fabulous kids, and two fat cats. You can usually find her in front of some sort of screen (electronic or window); she's come to terms with the fact that she's not an outdoors person. Margaret loves to interact with fellow readers and authors! You may find her here: Website/Blog: http://margaretlocke.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/AuthorMargaretLocke Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/Margaret_Locke Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Margaret_Locke Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/MLAmz Email: AuthorMargaretLocke@gmail.com Buy Link: http://bit.ly/AMatterOfTime Magical romantic comedy A Man of Character now available! http://bit.ly/AManOfCharacter
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Shifters & Spice (e-book 99 cents!) AuthorRomance writer. Paranormal and contemporary. Mother of two and wife of perfect husband. Love the environment, travel and reading. Subscribe:Archives
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