F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
How to Craft Query
Letters and Other Submission Materials That Get Noticed Boot Camp
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When your submission
materials – a query letter, synopsis, manuscript, or book proposal – arrive
in an agent's inbox, they land among hundreds of others. At that point, one
of two things will happen. Either the agent (or the agent’s assistant) will
like the submission and request more materials, or they will reply with a
rejection.
Authors who get rejected tend to fall in one of two categories when
submitting materials: they try too hard, or not enough. This Writer’s Digest
Boot Camp is designed to help you streamline your submission materials to
stand out in a good way.
Attendees will learn how to write a dynamite query letter, tackle a one-page
synopsis (for fiction) and a book proposal (for nonfiction). The instructing
literary agents will also explain the importance of author platform in
addition to basic etiquette in dealing with an agent and manuscript basics.
Lastly, all attendees will have an opportunity to interact one-on-one with an
agent and submit ten double-spaced pages of materials (in any
combination--query, synopsis, book proposal, first pages of your manuscript)
for valuable feedback provided by successful literary agents.
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On
January 15,
you will gain access to a special 60-minute online tutorial presented by
literary agents Kimberley Cameron and Elizabeth Kracht. This tutorial will
provide nuts & bolts advice on how to help you streamline your submission
materials—including the query letter, novel synopsis, nonfiction book
proposal, and first pages.
After listening to the presentation, attendees will spend the next two days
revising materials as necessary. Following the tutorial, writers will have
two days in which to log onto the discussion boards and ask your assigned
agent critiquer questions related to revising your materials.
The agents will be
available for a discussion session from 4-6 p.m. (ET) on both Wednesday,
January 16 and Thursday, January 17. By end of day (11:59
p.m., ET) on Friday,
January 18 attendees will submit up to 10 double-spaced pages
for review to their assigned agents. These pages can include any combination
of a double-spaced query, a synopsis, a book proposal, or pages of their
manuscript.
The agents will spend three weeks reviewing all assigned pages, provide
relevant feedback and offer suggestions to help attendees improve upon them.
The agents reserve the right to request more materials if they feel a strong
connection to the work and want to read more.
In addition to feedback from agents, attendees will also have access to
"Everything You Need to Know About Literary Agents," an on-demand
webinar by Chuck Sambuchino.
While we accept requests to work with a specific agent, there are no
guarantees that attendees will be matched with their requested agent.
All agents are able to provide critiques for all genres. |
Boot Camp Runs: January 15 - 18, 2019
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Mary C. Moore
Mary started her career in publishing as a
writer. She graduated from Mills College with an MFA in Creative Writing.
After freelancing for two years as an editor and writer in non-literary
sectors, she began an internship with Kimberley Cameron & Associates with
the desire to learn more about the literary business for her own writing.
During the internship, she discovered a passion for helping others develop
their manuscripts. Now she balances three jobs: writer, editor, and agent,
and finds that the experience in each helps and supports the other. She is
looking for unusual fantasy, grounded science-fiction, and atypical romance.
Strong female characters and unique cultures especially catch her eye.
Although she will not consider most nonfiction, stories about traditional
dance or pagan culture may interest her. Above all, she is looking for
writing that sweeps her away.
Seeking:
Fantasy! Science Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, Historical, Women’s
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Lisa Abellera
Lisa Abellera joined Kimberley Cameron and
Associates in 2013 with a background in management, marketing, and finance.
She has studied creative writing, design, and business, earning her B.A. in
Strategic Management from Dominican University of CA and her M.F.A. in
Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco. Diversity in genre
fiction is dear to Tricia’s heart. As an agent, Tricia wants to represent
authors who reflect diversity and cultures in their work. She specializes in
Adult, Young Adult and Middle Grade.
Seeking: Upmarket
Fiction, Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Speculative
or Medical Science Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy, NA, YA and Middle
Grade.
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Dorian Maffei
Dorian Maffei began at Kimberley Cameron
& Associates as an intern in 2013. She has since become a junior agent
and is now looking to build a client list of her own. While she appreciates
most fiction that traverses across multiple genres, she is especially
interested in magical realism, fabulism, reimagined fairy tales, speculative
fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, unique voices,
and innovative storytelling that sometimes veers on the weird. She values
work that provokes a deep-rooted connection after the last page, and explores
the peculiar within the mundane. Check out her Manuscript Wish List page to
get a better understanding of the types of books she gravitates toward.
Seeking: Fiction.
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Elizabeth Kracht
Elizabeth Kracht represents both literary and
commercial fiction as well as nonfiction and brings to the agency experience
as a former acquisitions editor, freelance publicist, and writer. Elizabeth's
career in publishing took root in Puerto Rico where she completed her BA in
English and worked as a copy editor for an English-language newspaper. When
she returned to the mainland she found her "vein of gold" in book
publishing. She thrives on working closely with authors and researching the
potential market for new books.
Seeking: Literary,
commercial, women's, thrillers, mysteries, and YA with crossover appeal.
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*While we accept requests to
work with a specific agent, there are no guarantees that attendees will be
matched with their requested agent. All agents are able to provide critiques
for all genres.
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F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
Step-by-step writing
guidance
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Have you always
wanted to be a writer? Don't let doubt or fear get the best of you—take a
chance and learn how to start writing a book, novel, short story, memoir, or
essay.
When you take this online writing workshop, you'll discover your voice, learn
the basics of grammar and examine the different types of writing. No matter
what type of writing you're planning on crafting—nonfiction or fiction—you'll
need guidance along the way.
During this workshop, you can expect to take an in-depth look at Keys to
Great Writing by Stephen Wilbers, who teaches beginner writers how to start
writing a novel or book and what it takes to get published. Draw upon advice
from published authors and start your writing career today.
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Learn the fundamentals of grammar and
mechanics
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Learn how to enhance your writing through
description and sensory details
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Learn the principles of creative writing
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Learn the types of short nonfiction,
including research articles, personal essays, books, and memoirs
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Learn he various forms of fiction
including short stories, short-short stories, novellas, and novels
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Learn the importance of editing and
rewriting
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Writers who have always been interested in
writing but have found it difficult to dedicate the time and/or weren’t
sure how or where to start
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Beginning writers who want to explore
multiple disciplines to discover what writing style they enjoy most
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Writers looking to kick start their
writing with the help of a Published Author
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"Love Gloria.
Even though I was a "writers 101 student", I enjoyed this
challenging course. Gloria was very knowledgeable and reachable for me.
Would recommend her highly." -NL
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"I loved the
feedbacks from the professor and her prompt responses. Taking this course
showed me my strengths and weaknesses in writing, that I plan to improve
on. I would recommend this course." -SE
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Thursday, December 20, 2018 - March 14, 2019
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Instructor: Gloria
Kempton
Gloria Kempton has two passions: writing and
working with writers. As the daughter of a successful freelance writer, she
understood from an early age how to arrange the elements of an effective
story so as to connect with readers: an action-filled plot, characters the
reader will remember, a setting that enhances the plot, conflict that
challenges the protagonist, tension-filled dialogue.
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EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS
INVALUABLE FEEDBACK
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F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
Get working on your
first draft for 2019!
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Dive into the world
of writing and learn all 12 steps needed to complete a first draft. In this
writing workshop you will tackle the steps to writing a book, learn effective
writing techniques along the way, and of course, begin writing your first
draft.
You'll take an in-depth look at Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird as well as more
contemporary novels such as Alice Sebold's The
Lovely Bones and Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge. When you take this
workshop, you will learn invaluable tips on writing a book and receive
detailed instruction through weekly lessons and writing assignments.
In the workshop, you will be able to finish either a decently developed half
draft (of half of your novel) or a rough “in-progress" full draft.
However, you'll learn all the tools needed to complete the full first draft.
At the end of this workshop, you will have accomplished every writer's goal –
an “in-progress" working first draft.
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How to use effective writing techniques to
start the first draft of your novel
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How to create a 12-week plan for writing a
first draft of a novel
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How to weave literary elements such as
plot, character, setting, style, exposition, dialogue, and tension within
your novel
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How to pace your novel
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How to apply Hemingway’s “Iceberg Theory”
and Chekhov’s “Gun Theory” to your writing
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How to maintain a writing routine and set
clear goals
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Anyone who wants to learn how to write a
novel (any genre)
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Writers who want to learn the 12 elements
needed in a rough draft of their novel
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Writers who want to get a solid start on
the first draft of their novel
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Aspiring novelists who want a published
author to coach them
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"Outstanding
teacher! Wonderful course! I accomplished far more than I imagined!" -DH
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"I enjoyed
this writing course immensely. The instructor, Miki, went over my work
carefully. She marked her suggestions on my writing all the way from
beginning to end..." -DM
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Thursday, December 13, 2018 - March 7, 2019
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Instructor: Mark
Spencer
Mark Spencer is a professor of English and
Creative Writing in the MFA program and Dean of the School of Arts and
Humanities at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. His short stories and
articles have appeared in a wide variety of literary magazines, including The Laurel Review, Short Story, The Chariton Review, Beloit Fiction Journal, Z Miscellaneous, and
elsewhere. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize eight times and has
received four Special Mentions in Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses.
He also won the 2003 St. Andrews Press Short Fiction Prize.
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EXPERT INSTRUCTORS | CONVENIENT ACCESS
INVALUABLE FEEDBACK
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F+W, 10151
Carver Road, Suite 300, Blue Ash, OH, 45242 USA
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