Novelists, bloggers, and beginners alike are invited to attend the Southwest Michigan Writers’ Conference, this Saturday, October 22nd, at the Niles District Library beginning at 10 a.m. This all-day event is a joint effort between six area libraries, where presenters will break down the steps to successful writing and publishing, “to empower local writers.”
The Sturgis District Library, Lincoln Township Public Library, Niles District Library, Benton Harbor Public Library, Richland Community Library, and Dowagiac District Library are working together to make this event possible, and now in its fifth year, the SWMI Writers Conference has proven to be a great collaboration.
Brian Johnston, the Adult Services Librarian at the Lincoln Township Public Library in Stevensville, explains the five breakout sessions that will be offered throughout the day, in hopes that this can “bridge the gap between where to start and how to finish, by providing some instruction, information, and answering lots of different questions during the conference,” he says.
“If you’re interested at all in writing a book, or for a website – any writing whatsoever, we think will be a great event for you to attend,” says Brian. His passion for the conference comes from personal experience; after completing his first book, he found it difficult to market his work, and had many questions, while looking for an editor, that couldn’t be answered easily.
The sessions are one hour each, and will be led by local authors, library staff, and writers, and will cover a variety of topics. Attending every session is not mandatory; you can choose any and all. The schedule will be:
10 a.m Flash Fiction – what it is and how to get started on it
11:15 a.m What Makes Good Writing
1:15 p.m How To Perfect Your Query Letter – submitting your work to a literary agent and how to market your book
2:30 p.m Self Publishing With Kindle Direct Publishing – how to publish your work on your own
3:45 p.m Thoughts, Emotions, Imaginings; Fictional Character Development
This event is free and open to the public, and pre-registration online is requested. “I think the diversity of topics will draw in a lot of people,” says Brian. “These seminars will be packed with a lot of good information, so you’re going to want to take a lot of notes!”
The conference will be held this Saturday, October 22nd, at the Niles District Library, at 620 E. Main St, and you can register on the Southwest Michigan Writers Conference Facebook page.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
