Free Muse Online Writers Conference: What a Line Up!

Lea Schizas is sharing more about our FREE Muse Online Writers Conference as a guest blogger today!

Each year Carolyn and I host a plethora of various workshops to suit any and all types of writers: mystery, children's writers, fantasy, romance, nonfiction, etc. Along with the specific genre workshops we also host ones that help a writer in many ways, for instance here are just a few workshops mentioned in our website:

Adding Suspense with JD Webb and Pepper Smith

Bipolars Don't Twitch: Mental Illness Workshop with Cathy Chance

Have a character with a disorder? Then workshop all week with Cathy Chance and flesh your character out.

How To Promote When You Don’t Know How with Jamieson Wolf

Pre-Publisher Book Marketing with Karina Fabian

"So, you want to be a Freelance Writer" with Bob Medak

Red Hot Internet Basics: Touring Yourself Online with Penny Sansevieri

When Do Promotions Begin? with L. Diane Wolfe

Online Marketing for Authors: Build a Platform and Sell More Books with Stephanie Chandler

and so many more.


Besides the weeklong workshops, we also have one hour real time chats and this year we are thrilled to introduce Pitch Sessions with various publishers and agents taking part. During the summer for all who have registered before the deadline, an info e-mail will go out explaining how you may be one of the lucky writers who will have a turn to pitch to a publisher or agent. Details as to guidelines and what to do will be sent but you need to be registered. Simply go to http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com click on Registrations and make sure you are on board for our 2009 Conference to be held October 12 - 18 this year.

Now, it's not because we organize the event that I'm so hyped and proud of it but it's because of the talented professionals who volunteer their time and effort to guide and teach writers what they have learned over the course of their careers.

The one week private forum workshops are intense, let's not quip about that. You need to dedicate that week to a few workshops and give it your all. Just because it's free many have the assumption 'you get what you paid for'...well, let me just say you will be surprised at the info-overload that will cascade your Muse that week.

Not only are the handouts valuable information you can refer to over and over again, but the networking will help you in your marketing and promoting at some point in your career. Along with the Conference we also have a conference yahoo group that now boasts close to 600 members who have attended the conference in the past. Register and you will find the link to join this group of professionals who never tire helping one another.

Carolyn, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about the conference. All I want to ask of your readers is to please spread the word. The more the merrier. We don't charge a fee but ask anyone who can to please donate. This year we are committed to give back a portion of all donations to the conference to the Shaking the System-Autism Awareness Foundation- a project that is very dear to me and my co-writer. We've been offering awareness days at various establishments, recently hosted an autism awareness conference with four guest speakers,and in June 2009 we are hosting our first autism awareness walkathon. The website for more info is: http://www.theautismepidemic.com

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.