Publishing Boot Camp

Are you serious about publishing your first book, or interested in publishing as a career? 

This course gives you the momentum to hit the ground running.

Are you

• a professional who would benefit from publishing?
• interested in writing/publishing as a career?

Do you have

• a publishing idea that you would like to turn into a proposal?
• a manuscript in the bottom drawer?

Do you want to

• make contacts in the industry?
• apply for grants?

When

Every Tuesday, October 4 to November 8, 2011
7-8.30pm

Where

Burlington Central Library, 2331 New Street, Builders Room

Cost

$200/person ($35 optional materials kit) The non-refundable fee is payable in advance at time of registration. Register in person, 3rd floor Central Library.

What's it all about?

In this age of digital readers, electronic books, and social media, would-be authors have to be savvy, smart and aware. In this six-week course, people who are serious about publishing their first book will learn the trade secrets that will help tear down the walls and make the publishing industry accessible.

This six-week course is for people who are serious about publishing their first book, or interested in publishing as a career. Get the basic information and tools to help get you started.

Guest speakers include: a self-published author, a freelance editor, a published adult fiction author, a bookstore owner.

The Sessions

Week #1: Sorting It Out

So you’ve got a book idea. Great! What now?

Week 1 topics include:

• Course overview
• Know yourself: What type of writer are you?
• Know your project: Where does it fit?

Week #2: Publishing People and Processes

The writing life may be solitary, but publishing is far from it. You need help, in all shapes and sizes.

Week 2 topics include:

• Editors, agents, publicists and more!
• Professional organizations and grants
• Freelance help: What it is and how to find it

Week #3: The Three P’s: Portfolio, Presentation and Packaging

Regardless of how you want your book to hit the market, you’re going to need a portfolio.

Week 3 topics include:

• What to include, and what not to include
• Reaching out: Presentation and pitch
• Follow up

Week #4: The Big House vs. Going Alone

Are you looking for a publishing house experience, or might you be more comfortable with self-publishing?

Week 4 topics include:

• Figuring out what’s right for you
• Publishing houses and how they work
• The self-publishing process

Week #5: Beyond the Manuscript

Successful publishing is about much more than a manuscript. Your project needs to get out there and connect with an audience. But how do you make that happen?
Week 5 topics include:

• Bookstore visit: Covers, selling and “the other side” of publishing
• Marketing and publicity: Do it yourself, or get help?
• Social media and other ways of reaching out

Week #6: Pitch Time!
Class members present their portfolios and “pitch” to each other. The finished proposals will be reviewed by the instructors.

Instructor Bios

Sharon McKay

Sharon is a multi-award winning author of twenty-five books: adult non-fiction, young adult fiction and children’s. She has worked in newspapers, magazines and in the television and film industry. Sharon is also a Canadian War Artist (CFAP-Vet, Afghanistan.) Sharon has been twice nominated for the Governor General’s Award, and has won the Geoffery Bilson Award, IODE, IBBY, the Arthur Ellis Award, the Hamilton Literary Award, and has been short-listed for numerous others. The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) lists Thunder Over Kandahar as one of the top 40 international books for its 2011 honor list.

Linda Pruessen

Linda is a publishing professional with twenty years of experience as both an in-house and freelance editor. Her most recent in-house position – as editor-in-chief at Key Porter Books – allowed her to work with authors as talented and varied as Margaret Atwood, George Jonas, Mark Kingwell, Andrew Cohen, Paul Heinbecker, Rebecca Eckler, Kathy Buckworth, Dennis Lee, Jane Yolen, Carol Matas, John Wilson and others. In her freelance business, Pruessen has worked with publishing houses such as Random House, McClelland & Stewart, Thomas Allen, John Wiley & Sons, Annick Press, and many more. She specializes in editing adult non-fiction and young adult, though like most editors, she’s done a little bit of everything.

For more information

Call 905.639.3611 ext 1321 or visit www.sharonmckay.com + click on Boot Camp

Publishing Boot Camp is part of Burlington Public Library's Creative Writing Series.