5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference

The Schedule for the 5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference is Now Available!

The time is here and open registration for the 5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference is upon us. Though the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed our event online, we still plan to offer the same great lineup, complete with plenty of informative and inspirational panels and workshops, one-on-one pitch sessions with agents, as well as our brand new one-on-one mentoring sessions with authors and agents, and a one-on-one first page critique with New York Times bestselling author David L. Robbins! All for a lower price! We’re confident you will get all you expect from us, and as much more as we can possibly offer!

The 5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference Schedule is now available for you to review! From open Q&A sessions, to storytelling, to getting your outline and story structure in place, we’ve put together a schedule of sessions we know will give you the tools and inspiration you need to grow as an artist, and to pursue your dreams of publication.

On Saturday, October 17th, we’ll kick things off with an open Q&A session with a legend of the comic book and gaming industries (You can’t say Wolverine without mentioning him!), Paul Jenkins! We can think of no greater source of encouragement and information to get your weekend started than Paul, and this is your opportunity to hear his story, pick his brain, and learn from one of the best around.

Consisting of 7 more panels and 1 workshop, our Saturday schedule digs its heels into the hard work of creating a dynamic story, memorable characters, and, of course, nailing that first page. An annual favorite, the First Page Critique returns to close out the day, giving you the opportunity to have the first page of your manuscript critiqued by our panel of literary agents. The submissions are anonymous and highly recommended. Not ready to submit? No problem! You can still attend and gain invaluable tips from agents to assist you in perfecting your first page!

We return on Sunday with a brand-new session! Our literary agents will sit once more, this time to listen to your query letters! A daunting undertaking for any writer, this will be your chance to hear what agents have to say about the query letters our attendees have submitted! Much like First Pages, if you are not up for submitting, no worries! You can still gain from their insights and use all you learn to get yours right! But we do recommend you submit! After all, your submissions remain anonymous!

With 6 additional panels and 2 more workshops, Sunday is another busy day full of opportunities to learn! And it includes another new session we’re beyond excited to present. Hosted by the dynamic duo of YATL, Kimberly Jones and Vania Stoyanova, the YATL Pitch Match is your chance to present your story to an agent in a whole new way! Covering four categories—Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, and Nonfiction—we will select four attendees for each (you will submit your name on Saturday) and Kimberly and Vania will lead our contestants through a series of fun and entertaining questions and scenarios for a literary agent that represents that category. At the end, our agent will select a winner and meet with them in a private breakout room for 15 minutes to discuss the story further! Not only will it be fun, but you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about pitching your work and give an agent even more reason to consider reading your manuscript!

We’re working hard to add more elements to this quite different way of presenting a conference. From social rooms to chat with other attendees and our speakers, to a storytelling reception to celebrate our fifth year of existence, we plan on giving you all the elements of our conference from the cozy confines of your home. Additionally, you no longer have to decide between which session to attend. Every attendee of the 5th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference will receive access to the recordings of every session! Watch it all again or catch the ones you missed!

Register early to ensure your place in our one-on-one sessions! With your registration you receive one pitch and one mentoring session, but for an extra $25 for each you can add more if you wish! With a lower cost, yet as much or more of what we normally offer, this is an incredible opportunity to attend a conference and grow as a writer! We hope to see you there!

BWA Conference

2016 Broadleaf Writers Conference Schedule Now Available!

The 2016 Schedule for the Broadleaf Writers Conference is now available*! Click the link for a downloadable version, or scroll below to see it now!

Saturday, September 24th

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Writing With Confidence

Keynote Address, Paul Jenkins

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

The Southern Voice: Writing Southern Fiction

Panelists: Patti Callahan Henry, Joshilyn Jackson, Brian Panowich

Moderator: George Weinstein

 

The Butler Didn’t Do It: Keeping the Mystery in Your Work

Panelists: Shelli Johannes-Wells, Grant Jerkins, Romily Bernard

Moderator: TBD

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

A Panel of Panels: The Comic Book Writer

Panelists: Paul Jenkins, Clay McLeod Chapman, James A. Moore

Moderator: Bill Blume

 

Kill Your Darlings, Over and Again: Editing Your Work

Panelists: Jessica Handler, Joshilyn Jackson, David L. Robbins, Colleen Oakley

Moderator: George Weinstein

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

You Just Don’t Understand Me!: Writing for Teens and Children

Panelists: Romily Bernard, Shelli Johannes Wells, Clay McLeod Chapman

Moderator: Bill Blume

 

Marketing in a Digital Age: Marketing and Branding on Social Media

Panelists: Clifford Brooks III, Nicki Salcedo, Kate Sweeney

Moderator: TBD

3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

First Pages Critique

Panelists: Kristy Hunter, Kaylee Davis, Kimiko Nakamura, David L. Robbins

Moderator: Zachary Steele

 

Sunday, September 25th

9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.

Welcome Back

9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Life, the Universe, and Everything: The Elements of World Building

Panelists: Paul Jenkins, Patti Callahan Henry, James A. Moore, Brian Panowich

Moderator: Bill Blume

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Driving a Stake Through Clichés: Writing Original Fantasy and Horror

Panelists: James A. Moore, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Clay McLeod Chapman

Moderator: TBD

 

You Could Say That: Choosing the Right Word

Panelists: Clifford Brooks III, David L. Robbins, Kate Sweeney

Moderator: Ed Hall

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Make ‘em Laugh: Injecting Humor In Your Work

Panelists: Patti Callahan Henry, Nicki Salcedo, Jessica Handler

Moderator: TBD

 

Putting Them Through Hell: Pushing Your Characters to the Brink

Panelists: Colleen Oakley, David L. Robbins, Grant Jerkins

Moderator: TBD

1:00p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Lunch

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

You Don’t Say…: Writing Believable Characters and Dialogue

Panelists: Nicki Salcedo, Brian Panowich, Grant Jerkins

Moderator: David L. Robbins

 

Sad Hours Seem Long: Writing Grief and Loss for Everyone

Panelists: Jessica Handler, Kate Sweeney, Colleen Oakley

Moderator: TBD

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Elevator Pitch: The 60-second Pitch

Panelists: Kristy Hunter, Kaylee Davis, Kimiko Nakamura,

Moderator: Zachary Steele

4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Clifford Brooks III, The Fifth Movement &

Closing Remarks

*schedule subject to change

BWA Conference

Registration is now open!

2016 BWA Conference

Registration for the 2016 Broadleaf Writers Conference is now open! To register, visit our event page. You can also include the purchase of an annual membership, which offers you an immediate discount on your registration!

For a current list of this year’s Speakers, click here!

We will be updating our conference page soon, with further details on scheduling one-on-one sessions with Literary Agents! If you haven’t done so yet, sign-up for our newsletter or visit us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates and news!

2017 Writers and Readers Cruise, BWA Conference

Cruising On

The holidays are behind us, 2016 has taken off running, and Broadleaf is busy compiling a hefty list of activities leading us to our first annual conference in September! The conference guest list is growing and we’ll be adding more talented writers, registration information and exciting news in the near future! Be sure to keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for our newsletter!

For us, 2016 is a year of growing roots. Though the conference is our focus, we hope to offer you as much programming and activities as we can possibly manage. Additionally, it is our aim to work with other local organizations designed to offer you, as a writer, a forum in which to network, to learn, and to hone your craft. As such, we will be offering our assistance as volunteers in the forthcoming Atlanta Writing Workshop, hosted by the staff behind the organization and instruction of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop. This workshop will held on Saturday, February 20 at the Hyatt House Atlanta/Cobb Galleria: Cobb Galleria Hotel. There are still spots available, so be sure to check out the website for more information! We hope to see you there!

Additionally, we are in the process of putting together multiple Open House networking events, the first of which we will be announcing quite soon. The aim of these events is to offer an opportunity to socialize with other writers, discuss the craft of writing and writing projects, meet some of the speakers we will be featuring at this year’s conference, and to learn more about the Broadleaf Writers Association. We will be featuring these events in forthcoming posts and newsletters, so keep an eye out! The fun is just beginning!

Of course, we aren’t only focusing on 2016. We want to offer you the best writing conference you can find in the Southeast, to be sure; but we’re keeping an eye on 2017 and beyond, working to expand our programming and offer you new opportunities you may not find elsewhere! The first of these arrives in January of 2017, when we launch, in partnership with Cruise Tour and Travel, the first Writers and Readers Cruise! Featuring Guest Writers David L. Robbins and Brian Panowich (both of whom will also be participating in the 2016 conference!) and a soon-to-be-announced third Guest Writer, this 7-day cruise will carry you from the port of Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Turk, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, aboard Holland America’s newest Pinnacle-class ship, the ms Koningsdam! While aboard, you can not only enjoy all the luxuries and amenities of cruising, but participate in a writing seminar, multiple meet-and-greet events, a cocktail party and dine with our Guest Writers! Book your rooms now! Join us for this rare opportunity to vacation with other writers, to have fun in the sun and expand your knowledge of writing, to be pampered and spoiled aboard this amazing vessel while creating a larger network of writers and readers to assist you in your efforts to improve your craft! For information on reserving or booking your stateroom, please contact Judy at 404-378-1080, or email her at judy@cruisetourandtravel.com. If you would like more information about the cruise, the writers, or general information, feel free to email Zach at broadleafwriters@gmail.com!

This is just the beginning of what we hope to offer! If you are interested in joining our organization, let us know! If you like what you’re seeing and want to help us in our efforts to grow, please consider donating to our cause! A donation of $40 or more earns you a membership in BWA, which will offer you discount opportunities on registrations, information to special V.I.P events, and will help further our efforts to expand our programming! Every dollar helps!