May 1st, 2020: 10am-3pm PT / 1pm-6pm ET
Join Linda Joy and Brooke and our talented and inspiring guests—best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love and Committed), Joshua Mohr (Sirens), and Alia Hanna Habib (literary agent).
Itinerary:
10am PT/1pm ET: Answer What’s Calling You
Brooke Warner kicks off the day with an invitation to dream big—into what your memoir wants to be, into your publishing possibilities, and into the power of your self-expression. This hour is about voice—what you’ll do with it, how to get yourself out there, and how to nurture and grow the energy and inspiration of your creative calling.
11am PT/2pm ET: You and You: How to Access the Two “I’s” of Memoir Writing
Joshua Mohr offers up a craft-based hour about the two “I’s” in memoir writing—the one who’s “living” through the arc of the story, and the retrospective narrator, the one looking back and telling the yarn. This session will teach techniques to bring out the best in both these I’s, so they add up to a cohesive whole that’s emotionally fraught, with ratcheted-up stakes to engage the audience.
Noon PT/3pm ET: Big “Memoir” Magic
Elizabeth Gilbert will be in conversation with Brooke during this memoir-focused hour that will explore creativity, permission, passion, and what Liz has learned from living out loud. Brooke will field participant questions in real-time as we get to the heart of how Liz thinks about memoir and why telling your story matters, now more than ever.
1pm PT/4pm ET—Publishing Tips & Success Strategies for Memoirists
Literary agent Alia Hanna Habib offers up a behind-the-industry-scenes look at what literary agents are looking for when considering taking on memoirs: 1) concept; 2) voice; and 3) author platform. She’ll unpack these keys to success and explain what aspiring authors can do to up the ante in these areas to capture agents’ and editors’ attention.
2pm PT/5pm ET: Layering Meaning Into Your Scenes
Linda Joy Myers closes the day with a deep and practical presentation about how to layer detail and meaning into your scenes. In this hour you’ll learn how words paint pictures, how different narrative techniques allow you to deepen the readers’ experience, and how to balance showing vs. telling.