Notes from a Writer's Conference...

Saturday I returned from the Storymakers Conference in Provo. Had an opportunity to share and to learn. Here are a few things I took away that I've never heard before:

1. There is a 4th person in writing. We may be familiar with first and third, even with second, but fourth? Here's a snippet. "One can do what one does."

Photo by: Kendrick Martin, courtesy of Flickr

2. To sell more books: Write about something that people already know about, such as a time in history.

3. Want to develop your book into a film script? You need a logline: 2-3 sentences telling what your book is about, a title with irony, (and make the title short), characters that are strong and creative, dialogue that's real, a concept or world that you may not live in but can relate to, a three-act structure (including an intro, the journey with a dark point, and the climax or when the main character overcomes). Along with movie making, every story needs to end where it began and you need to "write it like you see it."

4. Consider boxed sets when you have created a series of three or more books. Brand them. Give them the same look.

5. Price your eBooks on Amazon at .99 cents during the week and higher on the weekend. Make some sales during the week when fewer writers are looking for books.

6. Trade book editing with someone who knows cover design. Save some money!

If you missed this years writer's conference in Provo, consider signing up for next year. This year the conference capped at 450 writers, next year they've decided on a new venue so that they can bring in 600 writers!