2021 LDSPMA Annual Conference Workshops

Fiction Writing (with a Fantasy Emphasis)

Brandon Mull

Audience: Beginner and intermediate fiction writers, especially fantasy writers.

Attendees will learn principles of creating stories, including building engaging characters, writing effective scenes, and reaching a satisfying conclusion. The writing of all fiction uses similar principles, but there will be an emphasis on fantasy, especially in the worldbuilding discussion.

The workshop will also include an in-depth Q&A where you can ask Brandon Mull anything and he’ll give you the advice he would give his best friend on the topics of your choice, including finding time to write, getting paid, marketing, movie deals, foreign rights, agents, touring, working with publishers, building a career, and whatever else you want to delve into.

During this workshop, you will get thoughts and training on the following:

• Planning in a way that works for you
• Infusing life into characters
• Developing relationships
• Introducing and maintaining conflict
• Managing decisions and consequences
• Tracking point of view
• Striving for honesty
• Worldbuilding
• Sharing/selling your work

Bio: Brandon Mull is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. He also created and outlined the Spirit Animals series for Scholastic, writing the first of those seven novels. He is currently writing book five of the Dragonwatch series.

A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his four children and a dog named Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.

Power Storytelling Techniques to Captivate Readers: The Hero’s Journey, Writing Juicy, and the Three-Act Play

Bridget Cook-Burch

Audience: Intermediate fiction and non-fiction writers who already understand the basics of good writing.

Participants will learn clear, effective ways to use three of the most powerful storytelling techniques in all of writing history. By building upon one another, these remarkable techniques will make your storytelling stronger, make your narrative more compelling, and take your personal growth off the charts! Bridget makes the information clear and inspirational and gives real-world fiction and nonfiction examples as she works with participants hands-on to incorporate deepest conflicts, dark-night-of-the-soul drama, and climaxes that will have your readers singing! 

This workshop is for fiction and nonfiction authors with a “Mighty Message”—something they are so passionate about writing that they can’t sleep at night but haven’t gotten onto the page in as big a way as their passion declares is possible. Whether their book is meant to entertain, educate, motivate, or inspire, participants in this workshop will learn the following:

• How techniques used to write the most epic stories of all time helps authors understand the power of their own story naturally and organically, guiding them to become leaders in their profession who are passionate enough to create not just readers, but movements.
• How to write using both their left brain and right brain for “master brain” outlining and writing—particularly useful in nonfiction for compelling memoir, autobiographies, narrative nonfiction, DIY, and self-help books as well as creating robust fiction, regardless of genre.
• All twelve steps of the hero’s journey—laid out as easy, understandable pieces of the story (no matter who the character is)—cutting months or even years off their writing process by seeing the patterns for what they are.
• Why they are smack in the middle of their own hero’s journey—and how to use the dark night to turn their mess into their message, their misery into their ministry and career path—and, in fiction, to create very saleable stuff too!

Participant Prework:

• Come ready to learn, open to new possibilities in their lives and careers as authors
• Have a rudimentary one-page outline of their book, if possible
• Bring scratch paper, pens, and two differently colored markers

Bio: Since the world of writing can be crazy and overwhelming, Bridget loves to guide writers into completing manuscripts and becoming published authors and leaders. Bridget is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, transformational speaker, writing mentor, and leader of writing retreats in Utah and Ireland. She has had books showcased on Oprah, Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, Today, and People magazine. A passionate humanitarian, Bridget is cofounder and executive director of SHEROES United, a nonprofit organization that champions women leaders out of deep trauma. Knowing how profoundly storytelling affects quality of life, Bridget’s challenge to you is to believe in the power of your story to change the world.

Developmental Editing for Fiction: Character Development, Dialogue, Pacing, Setting, Head-Hopping, Etc.

Suzy Bills

Assisted by Noelle Barrus

Audience: Intermediate editors who would like to increase their skills in developmentally editing novels. Fiction authors can also benefit from the workshop.

Participants will dive into the principles of developmental editing for fiction. In particular, they’ll learn to analyze and address issues regarding character development, head-hopping, pacing, dialogue, setting, description, and story arc. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be prepared to help novelists improve their writing so their novels will be more appealing to literary agents, publishers, and readers.

During the workshop, participants will:

• Identify and address head-hopping.
• Understand when pacing needs to speed up or slow down.
• Determine how to make dialogue more believable and engaging.
• Identify and address issues regarding character development.
• Identify and address problems related to setting and description.
• Address issues in a novel’s story arc.

Participant Prework:

Participants should have a basic understanding of fiction and the elements required in a novel.

Bio: Suzy Bills is an editor, author, and faculty member in the editing and publishing program at Brigham Young University. She was previously a lead editor for The Joseph Smith Papers, and she’s owned a writing and editing business for more than a decade, working with individuals and companies to publish everything from books to dissertations, video scripts, technical manuals, marketing materials, and cookbooks. She loves sharing her skills with others, whether through teaching, mentoring, helping authors get their thoughts on paper, or fine-tuning their writing. Her book The Freelance Editor’s Handbook was published this year by the University of California Press.

Preparing a Book Proposal and Finding a Publisher

Terri Baranowski

Audience: Beginning to intermediate writers.

In this workshop, we’ll take a broad look at publishing and book proposal writing. We’ll study the language used on book jackets to channel the structure of an inside flap. You’ll learn how to work from a template and to build your own for use later. You’ll learn how publishing credits work, how to get a book proposal noticed, and where to begin when seeking literary representation.

During the workshop, you will:

• Learn what a book proposal is and how it can benefit you.
• Learn about audiences, promotions, and platforms.
• Learn how to avoid a deal-breaking social media presence.
• Explore the key components of a query letter.
• Conceptualize longform nonfiction projects and their magazine offsprings.
• Understand the publishing industry as a business and the ways to navigate the sale of a book in the context of sales rather than art.

Bio: Terri Baranowski is a literary agent, writer, and teacher, as well as a stand-up comedian in an alternate universe. With over 20 years of experience working with writers, she has prepared numerous manuscripts for publication and is currently looking for stories with a quirky, witty, and deeply authentic voice. Presently working on a Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Lindenwood University, Terri graduated with a B.A. in English from Brigham Young University. The author of several award-winning humorous essays, Terri has also served as guest feature columnist for a St. Louis newspaper and has helped found various critique groups.

Successful Self-Publishing: How to Craft and Market a Book that Stands Out from the Crowd

Laurisa White Reyes

Audience: Writers who have decided or are considering self-publishing as opposed to traditional publishing. Appropriate for both fiction and non-fiction authors of any genre.

So, you’ve decided to self-publish. Great! What next?

Consider these questions: Is my book ready? Is self-publishing worth the effort? Where do I start?

Publishing a book is easy. Successfully publishing a book takes commitment, teamwork, and yes—money. Whether you’re a new or seasoned writer, in this workshop, award-winning author and senior editor of Skyrocket Press, Laurisa Reyes, reveals her 8-step strategy to giving your book that special edge that will shoot it toward success without breaking the bank.

Registration includes a free copy of The 8 Secrets to Successful Self-Publishing, which will be used during the workshop.

Topics covered include:

• Making sure your book is ready to self-publish.
• Budgeting for your book.
• Publishing “professionally.”
• Creating and using your author platform.
• After publication: marketing and promoting your book.

In this workshop, you will:

• Define what success means to you.
• Discover where to find your tribe and how to develop your craft.
• Gain the momentum to finish what you start.
• Learn how to use social media to create and promote your author platform.
• Determine which publishing options are best for your book.
• Identify key elements of books that sell.
• Devise an effective marketing plan for ongoing success.

Participant Prework:

Attendees may draft a 1–3 sentence tagline to bring to class (optional). A tagline is a brief hook that sets the tone of the book and hints at the plot. Taglines are often used on the front cover, in ads, on sales pages, or on websites.

Bio: Former senior editor of Middle Shelf Magazine, Laurisa White Reyes has written and self-published 17 books, including the SCBWI Spark Award-winning novel The Storytellers and Spark Honor recipient Petals. After fifteen years as a newspaper editorialist, freelance writer, and book editor, Reyes finally focused on her dream of writing novels. She founded Skyrocket Press in 2014 to provide authors with quality, affordable editing and publishing services. She lives in Southern California where she is an adjunct English composition instructor at College of the Canyons.

The Finances of Successful Publishing

Bryce Mortimer

Audience: Publishing professionals who want to learn more about the financial side of publishing or who are starting or growing their own publishing company. Authors seeking to self-publish may also benefit from this workshop. And anyone who simply is curious about the mysteries of the inner workings of the book publishing industry will find this workshop eye-opening.

Peel away the mystery about the finances of publishing in this introductory publishing finance microcourse! Learn how to divide each dollar of book sales income between retail, production, printing, marketing, editorial services, royalties, overhead, and ultimately, profit. This course will also include topics such as how to assign pricing to products to turn a profit, what determines whether a product is profitable or not, how to create a P&L (profit and loss) forecast, and how publishing finances and ways to be profitable have changed in recent years compared to past decades. Finish the session with reporting tools and alternative ways to grow your income as a publisher.

1st Hour – Financial Breakdown

• How much goes to what? Store, printer, author, marketing, overhead, etc.

2nd Hour – All About Margin

• The importance of product margin, retail and inventory control, and the pros and cons of long- vs. short-run printing.
• The profitability of digital products vs. physical products.
• What margin can do to your profit & loss statement

3rd Hour – Industry Trends

• New additional ways to make money
• Custom books, courses, subscriptions and database management, turning international profits into US dollars

4th Hour – Industry Tools

• What reporting tools to use (Excel, Tableau), and how to use them
• Introductory inventory management
• Publishing services – cost models

Bio: Bryce Mortimer, the CEO of Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, was raised in publishing. He received his first check from Cedar Fort in 1993 and later acquired the company in 2015. He attended SUU on scholarship for vocal performance and is now completing a marketing degree at Western Governors University. Bryce loves to be outdoors and to fly remote-controlled airplanes—he has also flown solo in a plane and is planning to complete his private pilot’s license. Bryce served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and now lives in Mapleton, Utah, with his wife and 3 children.

Book Marketing Blueprint Workshop: 10 Strategies for Fiction and Nonfiction Book Launches

Michelle McCullough

Audience: Authors who would like to market an upcoming book (fiction or non-fiction) or do an additional marketing campaign for an existing book.

In this workshop, you will learn ten solid book marketing strategies that will make your next book launch a splash. Whether your goal is to climb bestseller lists or simply to sell a lot of books, these strategies balance the tried and true with the new and improved. With the two together, you will have a successful book launch!

During the workshop, you will:

• Learn how to leverage social media with the right graphics and how to create branded, cohesive graphics without breaking the budget.
• Learn tactics and strategies for generating buzz with teleseminars, blog parties, review chains, and more!
• Learn how to get media interviews and leverage press for maximum visibility.
• Learn how to get your audience to pre-order your book and collect email addresses to maintain a relationship with your audience long-term.
• Learn how to invite friends and family who support you to share your book and book launch activities.
• Learn the top three strategies for leveraging social media for maximum book launch results.

By the end of the workshop, you will have:

• Created a solid book marketing strategy for your next book launch.
• Developed a book launch schedule with deliverables 6 months, 3 months, 6 weeks, and 3 weeks out.
• Drafted and received feedback on media pitches for interviews on TV, radio, and in print.

Bio: Michelle McCullough currently runs 3 companies and is the author of four books, including Make It Happen Blueprint and The Time Blueprint for Entrepreneurs. Besides running her own marketing agency, Michelle is the managing director for Startup Princess, an international business and blog listed by Forbes as “one of the top 10 resources for Women Entrepreneurs.”  A sought after speaker, she’s spoken for the Air Force Reserve, Goldman Sachs, and Ancestry.com; has been featured in entrepreneur.com, the 40 under 40 list, and Fox TV; and has been interviewed for television and radio over 100 times, including on Good Morning America and The Today Show. She’s the co-host of a gospel-based show called “Go & Be Show,” which drops weekly on the DeseretBookshelf app, YouTube, and podcast sites. Her own podcast, “Make It Happen,” has over 1.5 million downloads. www.speakmichelle.com

Social Media Marketing, Blogging, and Podcasting: What’s Working for Authors and Other Creative Artists

Trina Boice

Audience: Any creator who often feels overwhelmed with all of the social media marketing tasks and strategies that they hear they’re supposed to be doing to be successful.

This is a fun 4-hour workshop where we’ll take a deep dive into what is working in social media marketing, blogging, and podcasting right now. We’ll talk about algorithms, lead generation, marketing funnels, effective design for images, copy that converts, how to use affiliate marketing in your efforts to generate more income, the importance of linking, the use of virtual assistants, automation tools, and so much more to help you increase your impact and income!

During the workshop, you will:

• Define your ICA (Ideal Customer Avatar) because it determines how, what, where, and when you market everything!
• Create a social media content calendar
• Understand why building an email list is crucial to sales and success
• Design compelling images
• Write effective copy that converts
• Incorporate affiliate marketing links for an additional stream of income
• Create marketing funnels
• Collaborate with others for Joint Ventures and linking opportunities
• Consider utilizing inexpensive virtual assistants to avoid overwhelm
• Take advantage of free and simple automation tools
• Develop profitable lead generation
• And more!

Participant Prework:

Authors and other creatives will usually have a website, blog, or social media account to start with. If you don’t have any of that, it’s okay because you’ll learn where to put your efforts for the best results.

Bio: Dr. Trina Boice is a #1 best-selling author of 31 non-fiction books, and an author coach that helps writers become best-selling authors with strategic marketing at FromBooks2Business.com. She has 8 online courses, 4 YouTube channels, and a daily podcast. She currently teaches online for BYU-Idaho and writes movie reviews at MovieReviewMom.com. She received the CA Young Mother of the Year Award, which completely amuses her 4 sons. A popular keynote, she has gone on many speaking tours in China, Colombia, Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. She was a political correspondent for KPBS in San Diego before moving to Las Vegas. If she told you what she really does, she’d have to kill you.

Marketing for Freelancers: Becoming a Pro at Bringing in Business

Suzy Bills

Assisted by Noelle Barrus

Audience: Individuals who are already freelancing or who want to start freelancing and would like strategies for maximizing their marketing efforts.

In this workshop, participants will explore and apply a variety of strategies to market their freelance businesses effectively—and feel more confident doing so. Participants will learn information such as how to maximize word-of-mouth marketing, create an eye-catching LinkedIn profile, and network successfully. Additionally, participants will learn strategies to avoid because they aren’t typically as effective in marketing freelance businesses.

During the workshop, you will:

• Identify effective strategies for finding potential clients
• Apply strategies to increase word-of-mouth marketing
• Apply best practices to create an optimized LinkedIn profile
• Develop a unique selling proposition to use in marketing efforts
• Understand how to create a promotional piece as part of a marketing strategy
• Understand best practices for marketing on social media platforms
• Identify tactics to nurture marketing leads
• Understand strategies for networking effectively
• Identify marketing strategies that generally should be avoided

Paticipent Pre-work:

Attendees should have an idea of who potential clients are for the services they provide.

Bio: Suzy Bills is an editor, author, and faculty member in the editing and publishing program at Brigham Young University. She was previously a lead editor for The Joseph Smith Papers, and she’s owned a writing and editing business for more than a decade, working with individuals and companies to publish everything from books to dissertations, video scripts, technical manuals, marketing materials, and cookbooks. She loves sharing her skills with others, whether through teaching, mentoring, helping authors get their thoughts on paper, or fine-tuning their writing. Her book The Freelance Editor’s Handbook was published this year by the University of California Press.