Syllabus for Jane's Conferences


PART I:WRITING FOR CHILDREN


  1. WRITING THE STORY
    1. Targeting the age you write for.
      1. Needs of children
      2. Developmentally appropriate writing
    2. Getting started with ideas.
      1. How to research
      2. Writing the first paragraph
    3. Writing structures
      1. Plot;keep it tight.
      2. Theme;keep it moving
      3. Beginning, middle, and end
      4. Rhythm and sentence structure
    4. How to edit your own story and when to revise
    5. Writing a picture book proposal
    6. Writing your curriculum vitae
    7. Several writing sessions with feedback.


PART II:GETTING PUBLISHED

 

  1. HOW TO GET YOUR CHILDRENS' BOOKS PUBLISHED
    1. Books and electronic media
    2. Mega Publishers
    3. Finding the publisher for you
      1. How to keep a tracking journal
      2. How to develop a pool of publishers
    4. Query letters.
      1. Keeping your manuscript out of the slush pile
      2. Starting a relationship with an editor
      3. Simultaneous queries
    5. Response to No
    6. Response to Yes
      1. Cover letter
      2. Book proposals
      3. Curriculum Vitae
      4. About the author
      5. The perfect manuscript
      6. How to mail
    7. Contracts
      1. Advances and royalties
      2. Rights
      3. Terminations
    8. Agents
    9. Writing sessions. queries, covers, proposals, manuscripts.

      Here are three quotes from participants in Jane's latest Conference:


      I am so very fortunate to have met you early in my "wanting to publish"career. You have given me a wonderful foundation on that process. For years I have been writing and am now inspired to pursue publishing my work. You have helped me believe in my writings. Successful people often do not share their secrets. You, however, have exposed your procedures and shed light on how you believe publishers consider materials. You have made a profound impact on my attitude. Thank you, Jane, for your sharing and caring. You are a very special lady that has touched my life. I look forward to our next meeting.

       

      I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to meet you. I had come to a point in my life where I seemed to have crawled under a rock. God had given me a great gift, and I had packed it up in a box marked FRAGILE and placed it on a very high shelf.I felt disappointed because I knew I could do it, but was afraid to try. I believe God decided to it was time for me to get that box off the shelf. So he sent me to Austin. And amidst my sister's harsh reprimands for having thrown away my talents and doubting myself, God used a very soft, very gentle, and very caring voice to draw me out of my fear. Thank you for being so encouraging when all I could do was criticize what I had written. You got me thinking, "Hey, what if? What if that inner critic has been wrong all this time?!!" So I opened my box.

       

      Thank you for a very special weekend workshop, and for acknowledging what each of us knows, but forgets-"Write when you feel like it!". And now, I've daffodils in yellow asway, and I shall watch them grow. I do watch things grow, and thanks to you, I also feel like writing!

      Please refer to the Schedule of Recent and Future Conferences


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