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If you can, please support this new initiative by buying a ticket and attending so more writers become published.

Saturday $65

Sunday $60

Includes

free membership For

-World Writers Collective-

-The Story Mint-

Writers Symposium October 2018

Your guide to creating a sustainable writing career

Over two BIG days with lunch

Prices from $60 a day

$115 for both days

 

Covers all fiction and non-fiction writing with expert speakers in various fields
Get your ticket now so you can learn from and mingle with writers, editors, publishers, directors, and branding experts

Pitch session NOW AVAILABLE - limited tickets.

Pitch your manuscript to a publisher in person!

(Publisher list)

Starts 6 October 2018 - Ends 7 October 2018

 

ESSENTIAL documents to view / download / print

CLICK THE LINK: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1e6g1cpaptqoj7s/AAC4zx6IfXY0wLMbnIC28K1pa?dl=0

Ensure you check this often, right up to starting Saturday morning.

Full programme and pitch session information is included.

Breaking the Code: from published to best-selling author

By Suraya Dewing (NZ) and Mat Clarke (AU)

Proudly brought to you by The Story Mint and 

World Writers Collective

Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October 2018

Belgian Beer Cafe Melbourne: Southbank (Upstairs function area)

5 Riverside Quay Southbank, Southbank

Make the leap and attend a writer’s symposium designed to help

you take control of your writing career and propel you into the

author market.

       Yes, it is a tough market! But many have done it,

so why can't you? 

This is an international forum for writers to exchange knowledge and experiences with editors, social media experts, literary agents, indie publishers, traditional publishers and reviewers. This is where writers, learn how to make the transition from published writer to financially successful author!

Speakers from Australia, New Zealand, India and the USA will present personally or via teleconference.

All Videos

All Videos

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Who should attend Breaking the Code: from published to best-selling author?

  • writers at all stages of development

  • writers wanting to make money from their writing

  • bucket list writers (yes, the one's who say that 'one day, I'll write a book')

Who is presenting Breaking the Code: from published to best-selling author?

Jointly presented by:

 

Opening

We open with a pre-recorded video message from New York based Founder and President of the successful international literary and film consultancy, Langtons International Agency. Linda Langton co-founded the highly successful Ink Company in Australia and New Zealand before moving to New York. She will answer your questions if you submit them to either suraya@thestorymint.com or matclarke.author@gmail.com by the end of August.

What is in the programme for Breaking the Code: from published to best-selling author?

We have over 30 speakers from six countries, all experts in their fields related to writing, publishing and promoting. Most sessions are delivered by speakers and panellists happy to take your questions. Others are hands-on workshops in a smaller room. Four sessions are delivered via teleconference from USA, India and France.

Set the agenda of what you learn when you purchase your ticket by choosing the ones you wish to attend. The sessions are listed below.

 

We have worked tirelessly to create an informative and packed Programme. However, please be aware that there will still be a few small changes before the event date as new information comes to light. The programme could also change depending on your feedback.

Basics:

Compere - Cory Corbett, actor, producer and writer

 

Setting the theme. Breaking the code: From published to best-selling author

Welcome and Symposium Opening: Linda Langton, Founder and President of the successful international literary and film consultancy group, New York Langton’s International Agency. Formerly from Australia. Pre-recorded. (USA)

 

From a Publisher’s Perspective

Blaise van Hecke - Owner at Busybird Publishing (Aus)

Les Zig - Publications Manager and Chief Editor, Busybird Publishing (Aus)

 

Stylefit™ - New Technology/New Possibilities

Suraya Dewing, CEO, The Story Mint, (NZ)

Linda Alley - writer (Aus)

 

Five minute presentations followed by a Panel Discussion: 

Topic: A story not sold is a story not told

Nishant Kaushik (Aus), Shmavon Azatyan (Armenia), Shriram Iyer (Aus)

 

Tahnee Hopman, editing and marketing communications (Aus)

Jessica Anwyl, writer and marketing strategist (Aus)

 

The Power of PR – Selling You, Your Brand and Your Books

Andrew Harris, Author The C Clef and A Litany of Good Intentions. (UK)

 

Personal Brand and content reach

Clare Dea, Nominated for Telstra Business Woman of the Year, international performance artist, speaker and mentor (Aus)

Davin Clarke, business coach, brand creator (Aus)

 

A Writers Journey 

Rachel Mathews PhD, author, lecturer and VCE English teacher (Aus)

 

Writing is a Small Business

Prepared by Anna Cairo and delivered by Solene Anglaret.

 

Preparing Your Pitch

Practical tips on pitching to publishers

 

Indie Publishing Tools (demonstration)

Andrew Tesoriero (Aus) Up and Up Media and Launch Pad Writers Club.

 

Networking and after party

 

Developing a Holistic Digital Marketing and Social Media Communications Strategy

Rebekah Radice (USA) (Teleconference)

 

Putting Publishing into the Hands of the Future

Grattan Street Press, Graduate students from the School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne.

 

How social media works for writers.

Sue Ellson, Author 120 Ways To Achieve Your Purpose With LinkedIn, ‘120 Ways To Attract The Right Career Or Business’ and ‘120 Ways To Market Your Business Hyper Locally’ (Aus) 

 

Writing Believable Dialogue - From award winning screenwriting experts

Stu Mentha, Playwright, blogger, producer (Aus)

Noel Anderson, Playwright & Director (Aus)

 

Panel Discussion 

Traditional vs Self Publishing (Question and discussion)

Traditional: Blaise van Hecke, (Aus)  Les Zig (Aus), Grattan Street Press (Aus) Niche Publishing (Aus)

Self published: Andrew Tesoriero (Aus), Ana Spoke (Aus), Dean MacAllister (Aus)

 

Discovering the World of Imagination

Louise Crossley, ELICOS course coordinator, author, curriculum writer (Aus)

Solene Anglaret, Founder, writer, presenter of Be Beyond Borders (Aus)

 

Publisher’s time

Odyssey   Sales and distribution

 

Building an online presence through online publications

Azadeh Nafissi, Writer/filmmaker and social media manager (France) (Teleconference)

Hearing Books

Dave Stokes – Audio publishing (Aus)

 

Dialogue between literary agent, book promoter and author.

Hemali Ajmera, Writer and Lalitha Ravindran Literary Agent and Book Promoter (India)

Lalitha is attending and will talk to Hemali via teleconference

 

Pitching to agents and publishers

The sole reason this session has been created is to help you get published!


WORKSHOPS

  1. Developing your pitch to agents and publishers

  2. Writing games and editing help from professionals

  3. What to send in a query letter, and then once you are accepted what to send. Also how to structure each area

  4. Editing nitty gritty, writing dialogue, mapping out characters

  5. How to craft a query letter, synopsis, biography

  6. Public speaking for your book launch

  7. Pitching to agents and publishers (this session only - $30)

Mat Clark – Author and Founder of the World Writers Collective

Rachel Matthews - Writer Lecturer RMIT

Special Activities

  • Three-minute pitch to Literary Agent or Publisher

  • Saturday night networking party

Refreshments

Did I hear you ask about free snacks? Carry on the conversation with the presenters and your fellow writers over complimentary morning tea and light lunch.

You won’t have to think about anything else except getting published and how many books you are going to sell...

So what will a pitch session look like?

You’ll line up at the table where the publisher you want to pitch to is sitting. When it is your turn you will sit down opposite the publisher and tell her about your manuscript. When your three minutes are up, you will stand up, thank the publisher for their time, and go line up somewhere else.

 

What are the publishers looking for?

It is always hard to know what a publisher wants to see. Some will say, they just know it when they her it, others will give good guidelines to go by.See the ticket page for more information.

 

Publishers

Busybird Publishing

Grattan Street Press

Odyssey Publishers

Niche Publishing

The Story Mint

See the ESSENTIAL documents dropbox for further information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Venue

Belgian Beer Cafe Melbourne: Southbank

The Belgian Beer Cafe is at the base of Eureka Tower in Southbank and has an upstairs private conference area that provides an elegant and relaxed space for all occasions. We have gathered many experienced people together in this wonderful space to bring you an amazing symposium over one weekend of intensive learning. If your brain does not hurt by closing on Saturday, then knuckle down because we have so much more on Sunday.

Three minute pitch to Literary Agent or Publisher

A three-minute pitch session is being prepared for the second day (Sunday) as a separately ticketed event. However, it will only be available if you have bought tickets to the symposium. Planning for this is currently in its infancy. Tickets available shortly.

Please ensure you attend at least one of our workshops involving preparing your pitch so that you are ready for the big day in front of a literary agent /publisher.

Saturday night networking party with creatives

We will be staying late on Saturday night to network. Hang around have a drink, get involved with the raffle and win some prizes. Chat to editors writers, publishers, and directors. Who knows what networking connections you will make.

You’ll be added to our subscription list and receive exciting updates on writing, editing, and publishing as well as have the opportunity to become involved with many free offers, such as writing competitions and serial stories. Each of these comes with the fantastic opportunity of becoming published on either of the two separate websites.

Further Information is sent out via The Story Mint and World Writers Collective subscription emails as it comes to hand. Please subscribe via their websites.

You can also check here as well: http://www.thestorymint.com/content/april-2018-newsletter 

 

And remember, the benefits of persistence in this enjoyable and difficult creative path will help see you through.
 

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publishers

Q&A

What can I expect from Breaking the Code: From published to best selling author?

You can expect to find answers to questions about editing, publishing, and marketing your publications. If your question is not answered in a presentation or Q&A session you can personally approach anyone at the Symposium.

Why should I attend?

You will connect with people who have learnt from their mistakes and can offer solutions or perhaps you have answers to offer other writers.

What does my ticket buy?

Membership of The Story Mint (TSM) and The World Writers Collective (WWC), access to sessions, lunch, tea/coffee, morning and afternoon tea, a show bag, networking.

Will I really end up a best-selling author if I attend?

We can’t make promises. We can show you how other people have succeeded and they can tell you what they have done. After that, it is over to you to use the connections you make and the knowledge you gain to continue the journey of developing your writing career.

How will registration happen?

We will have several people at the registration desk and they will make sure you are registered and get your gift bag.

How will I find out about events?

We are preparing a programme which will be available on the day and on our websites.

Will there be someone to help me find my way around?

Several volunteers will answer questions and direct you.

Will there be things to buy?

Some of our speakers will selling their books and other merchandise. Cash only.

Can I get something similar to Breaking the Code on line?

This is unique. There are Writers Festivals which feature writers promoting their books and there are Book Clubs. This event is looking at what happens after you are published. 

What else is out there to help writers get established?


You can get writing courses on line and you can join a wide range of writing groups. The difference between what TSM and WWC offer is that we combine all levels of communication – personalised as at this conference and online. You get the best of all worlds.

What if I am not a published author aiming to become financially secure? Should I be interested in attending?

This will be of interest to you if:

  • You are a writer because you will meet other writers and people who could be influential in your future 

  • You want to support a writer going through the process of finding a publisher or a path to publication

  • You are an agent looking to represent writer or already have writers on your books

  • You are a bookseller because these are the people whose books you may want to stock

  • You are a Publisher because you will be meeting authors who are working on projects that may be of interest to you.

The focus of ‘Breaking the Code’ is to examine how writers succeed financially after their book is published. Why?


We have found that many writers set the goal of getting published and do not think beyond that. Often they expect buyers to flock to them the moment it is published. This rarely happens. That is why writers need to think about how they will generate sales in a world that is now inundated with books.


So how can a writer be noticed by readers in this new world?


Sales and marketing is usually in the hands of the author. Amazon publishes a new book every five minutes. www.techcrunch.com/2014/08/21/there-is-one-new-book-on-amazon-every-five-minutes
The driver behind the ‘Breaking the Code’ is the conviction that the answer to this question lies with each of us pooling resources. 


Should I even try?


Every passionate writer has to write and writers are denying an urge as natural as eating if they stop. Here is the good news – more people are reading than ever before. A 2005 Gallup poll put the number of Americans reading a novel at 47%, the highest is had ever been.

www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/04/the-next-time-someone-says-the-internet-killed-reading-books-show-them-this-chart/255572
A recent poll showed that figure had increased to 88% of people under 30 and 79% of those over 30 so the reading trend is growing. Millennials are devouring books.


So the answer to the question is yes, but write to your market. That is where symposium’s like this come in. They help you to understand what the market wants to read. 

How do I register?

Go HERE and register.

Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/breaking-the-code-from-published-to-best-selling-author-tickets-45261228553

When does the earlybird offer end?

The last day of the early bird offer is June 17.

What does membership of The Story Mint World Writers Collective offer me?

The Story Mint has been going for six years and offers people a way to grow their writing skills by writing collaborative serials and using Stylefit™, a technology that enables writers to find their perfect pitch. It also encourages writers to showcase their work so they can grow their following. The goal is publication and financial success.  

www.thestorymint.com

World Writers Collective is an online platform for indie writers.
It is here that readers can become fully immersed within a writer’s work and learn all about your developing career. This is your first step to becoming a paid writer. 

  • Have your work edited by an experienced editor, or for free within our Dropbox.

  • Join in with the writing competitions.

  • And get your work online and in our published yearly short story anthology.

I have always wanted to be a writer but haven’t known how to go about it. Do you have suggestions?

You start by writing. If you join WWC and TSM you will have all your questions answered by experienced writers who belong to these groups. You will also be encouraged by the community. Members give constructive feedback and help with editing. 

Do I have to be an established writer to belong to TSM and WWC?

No, both organisations encourage people to join regardless of skill level because we provide the perfect safe place for you to practice and steadily improve. As you do that you grow your following which is good for when you are ready to publish. 

What does becoming a successful writer involve?

Practice, practice, practice. A willingness to work hard and to share your writing with others and to graciously accept their honest feedback. This bit can be scary but hearing the truth before your writing goes saves a lot of pain. 

Should I ask family and friends to give me feedback?

By all means do this but be very cautious about how seriously you take their comments. They love you and don’t want to hurt your feelings so there’s a risk they’ll say what you want to hear.

Should I use an editor?

Always! Editors are distanced from your writing and will be objective about what they say. There is nothing more horrible than having someone point our mistakes once your work is published.

How do I get feedback?

Form a beta reading group. These are people who read your work and give you their reactions without being worried about offending you. Their remarks will prove invaluable because they give you a reader’s perspective and you can trust that what they say will be honest. You’ve given them a job to do so they will do it. Willingly. The only caveat we put on that is that you ask them to be specific. If they did not like something what was it they did not like and why?

World Writers Collective have experienced editors to help you, and a Dropbox you can use for free.

Go HERE.

Is doing a course worthwhile?

Yes. It is amazing how much you learn about the craft of writing by attending a course. A degree gives you credibility. But it is also a fast track to avoiding common mistakes about plot, characterisation and general storytelling principles. There are some excellent community courses which are run over weekends. Universities and Polytechnics also offer excellent courses.

Do commas in the right place matter?

Yes, a comma in the wrong place can give a sentence a whole different meaning to the one you intended. That can be embarrassing. But that is why an editor is indispensable. They pick up on those sorts of problems.

An editor will not write your story but he or she will polish it up.

Does writing need to be a passion?

It certainly helps because it will keep you going through all the re-writes and editing. No-one writes the perfect first draft.

How many drafts are necessary for something to be ready?

Do not expect your first draft to be the only one you do. It will be the first of many. Even experienced writers never regard their first draft as the final. I have heard of writers doing as many as five drafts…more at times and fewer on other occasions. But even experienced writers need to re-write their work many times.

At what point do I prepare my work for publication?

From the moment you put your first word on the page. 

What would be 3 key tips you would give to new writers?

  • Make your reader curious in your opening paragraph and make them care

  • Never give your reader a reason to say, ‘so what?’

  • Make sure that every word earns its keep and is there for a reason – it either adds to the story, describes a situation or character and does not repeat what has already been said using different words. In other words, avoid verbiage 
     

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