Some people outline. Others don’t. There’s plenty of advice on how to do the former, but those who practice the latter sometimes feel that they’re floundering, and no one’s providing any guidelines. Working with my own process as well as that of students, clients, and mentees, I’ve come up with twelve principles that you can apply, post-pantsing, in order to start moving from chaos to order.

Why do we write? How do we write? How do we create something out of just our minds? The longer I've been writing for a living, the more I've been focusing on process. It's unique for every writer, but how we process idea, story and put them into our writing. A topic rarely covered, but I've found it's the most fundamental thing a writer needs to understand.

Writing experts tell you to write what you know. In order to distinguish yourself and your books from the gazillion others being published, they advise you to develop your unique voice. Turns out the same advice is true when it comes to deciding how to invest your time, talent and money so you stand out from the “pack.” Join two nationally bestselling authors, and a skilled public relations counselor, as they show you how to not only get readers to give your books a try but to convert them into dedicated fans.

So you finish your book and then what? Do you build your platform before you query agents, (and p.s. what is a “platform” in the first place)? Do you hire your own marketing people to develop not just your website, but your brand, and if so, where do you begin? Or should you try for the book deal first and hope for in-house marketing support? Or both? Where should you put your social media efforts in a sea of cyber overwhelm? The world of marketing can be as creative as the act of writing, but it uses different acumen and strategies. Laura will break down the essentials for you, as well as take questions to help you gain confidence and vital information to support your dream.

How do you sustain an exciting and profitable career over many years? This workshop looks at everything from writing about subjects you’re passionate about to being market savvy and staying healthy and inspired.

Launching to Win provides a comprehensive overview of the steps needed to ensure a successful launch of your indie‐published novel. Divided into three phases (Design, Pre‐Order, and Post Launch), this talk reveals the steps bestselling indie authors use to ensure their books launch with a bang and are indistinguishable from those of a Big Five publisher. Attendees will each receive a customizable Book Launch Planning Guide to organize their next book launch as well as a thorough overview of the steps needed to crack the popularity charts, gain – and hold – a high sales rank, and succeed in each launch phases.

How to get Publicity for your book- We teach a 20-minute course on how to write and pitch to the media. We help writers use their skill with query letters by dissecting a query letter to do a comparison between the two. We discuss basic terminology and the titles of who you should pitch and tips on how to present yourself. At the end of the seminar an email address will be given to an actual show so all the participants can send their completed pitch letters to garner some PR Exposure

Let’s be honest, we all judge a book by its cover. Books with compelling graphics, eye-catching fonts, and superior quality sell more copies than those books without. Join author Gerri Russell as she provides techniques, tips, tricks, and then show examples of book covers that were altered to reach a wider audience and maximize sales.
Host/Moderator

This is a review of where to find more potential readers in your everyday life and how it has helped us to sell. This workshop will explore a lot of anecdotes from our own selling tours.

New York Times Bestselling author Bob Mayer is speaking at PNWA 2020! He's a West Point graduate and a former Green Beret who has written more than 75 books that have sold over 5 mill copies.