Program Sneak Peek
The full GenreCon program will be released next week, but since we know a lot of you are eager to see what’s in store, we figured we’d offer you a sneak peek of what’s going to be happening over the November weekend.
What have we got coming up? Well, it’s a combination of three things:
1) Presentations by Industry Specialists
There’s a series of presentations and discussions scheduled throughout GenreCon, including the following:
Ginger Clark: THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE AGENT
What is the role of the agent in the evolving publishing marketplace? Ginger Clark talks about the changing dynamic between publishers and agents, what authors should expect from agents in the future, and how you can establish and maintain a positive relationship with your agent during this period of publishing turmoil.
2) Workshops with Talented Writers and Specialists
GenreCon is a chance to hone your craft with some of the most talented genre writers in Australia. The following are just two of the six workshops on offer during GenreCon.
GETTING YOUR CHARACTER MOVING
Say goodbye to static scenes and get your characters in motion, learning how to direct your scenes with writer and theatre director Karen Miller. Uncover the secrets actors use to block dramatic action, and how these techniques can be used to stoke the drama in your own work. Learn when to use body language to best effect, how one character’s movements should affect anothers, and when it’s best to stay still instead of cutting lose.
RESEARCHING HISTORICAL FICTION
Join award-winning author Anna Campbell as she explains how to transform history into fiction. Learn what resources to search out and which details are best used to make your fiction come alive and transform history into a compelling story.
3) Great Discussion Panels
Between our special guests and our generous program volunteers, we’ve got a great program full of panels addressing craft, business, and research questions that every genre writer faces over the course of their career.
PRACTICAL WORLD-BUILDING
Losing yourself in an intricate and impeccably crafted world is one of the greatest reading pleasures. Learn the art of creating compelling and absorbing worlds with three master world-builders. Whether it’s a stylised representation of our own world, or a place with its own history, magic, culture, and geography, our panelists will give you the tricks, tropes, and practical tools needed to craft the perfect setting for your works.
Chair: Rowena Cory Daniels; Participants: Anna Campbell, Joe Abercrombie, PM Newton
NOT JUST A NARRATOR
These days writers are more than just storytellers – they’re critics, bloggers, podcasters, and other contributors to a community of readers that exists both online and off. We bring together a panel of online community leaders and authors to discuss the best way to engage with these communities – and the mistakes that can quickly alienate them.
Chair: Kate Cuthbert; Participants: Sarah Wendell, Ellen Forsyth, Kirstyn McDermott
CAPTURING THE MOOD
Place can be more than just window-dressing of a story – in the hands of a skilled writer it’s an evocative tool that can be as compelling as the bravest protagonist. Join our panelists as they serve as tour guide for some of the evocative settings they’ve used in their work and discuss the research and experiences that went into their fiction.
Chair: Damon Cavalchini; Participants: Jason Nahrung, L.A. Larkin, Bronwyn Parry
On top of this, the weekend will also have networking opportunities like the Pistols and Parasols Banquet on Saturday night, a pitching program that will put you up close with the publishers, and plenty of conversations in the café and bar.
Read MoreRegistrations Open for GenreCon 2012
The Australian Writer’s Marketplace is pleased to announce the launch of the first annual GenreCon, a convention for professional and aspiring writers of romance, mystery, science fiction, crime, fantasy, horror, thrillers, and more. One part party, one part professional development: GenreCon is the place to be if you’re an aspiring or established writer with a penchant for the types of fiction that get relegated to their own corner of the bookstore. Featuring international guests Joe Abercrombie (Author, The First Law Trilogy, Best Served Cold, The Heroes), Sarah Wendell (co-founder, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books), and Ginger Clark (Literary Agent, Curtis Brown), with more guests being announced in the coming weeks. GenreCon is the place to be if you want to:
- Educate yourself on the publishing industry
- Learn what it takes to become a successful genre author
- Build a network of writers who are passionate about genre fiction
- Meet editors, agents, publishers, and other genre publishing professionals
- Celebrate the rich contribution genre fiction has made to Australia’s literary landscape
The 2012 GenreCon will be held November 2-4, 2012 at the Rydges Hotel, Parramatta, NSW. Registrations are open now, with the special Early Bird ticket price of $190 available to the first 50 registrations. To register, visit us online at genrecon.com.au
Special Guests
We’re pleased to introduce you to this years international guests: Joe Abercrombie, Sarah Wendell, and Ginger Clark.
Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie was born in Lancaster, studied psychology at the University of Manchester, and spent ten years working as a film editor before his first book, The Blade Itself, was published in 2006. The First Law trilogy, a modern take on epic fantasy, is now available in more than twenty languages. His latest book, The Heroes, made no. 3 on the Times Hardcover Bestseller list. He lives in Bath with his wife and children and writes full time. Find him online at www.joeabercrombie.com.
Sarah Wendell
By day Sarah Wendell is mild mannered and heavily caffeinated. By evening she dons her cranky costume, consumes yet more caffeine, and becomes Smart Bitch Sarah of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. The site specializes in reviewing romance novels, examining the history and future of the genre, and bemoaning the enormous prevalence of bodacious pectorals adorning male cover models. Sarah is the co-founder of Smart Bitches, and the author of the book Everything I Know About Love, I Learned from Romance Novels and the co-author of Beyond Heaving Bosoms: the Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels, published in April 2009 by Touchstone Fireside.
Ginger Clark
Ginger Clark has been a literary agent with Curtis Brown LTD (New York) since 2005. She represents science fiction, fantasy, horror, and young adult and middle grade fiction. In addition to representing her own clients, she also represents British Commonwealth rights for the agency’s children’s list. She attends the Bologna and Frankfurt Book Fairs every year. She sits on the Rights Committee of the Book Industry Study Group, and is a member of the Contracts Committee of the AAR. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and lives in Brooklyn with her husband.
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