the muse & the marketplace 2010

event details

date, time & location

The Muse & the Marketplace will be held Saturday May 1st, 2010 and Sunday May 2nd, 2010 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 50 Park Plaza at Arlington Street, Boston. Both days' programs begin at 8AM and end at 6PM. The Park Plaza Hotel is handicapped accessible.

event description

The Muse and the Marketplace is a two-day symposium designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, inside information about the world of publishing, and thoughtful networking opportunities. Both days, prominent nationally-recognized authors lead craft seminars on various topics, and editors, agents and publicists lead sessions on the business aspects of creative writing. We also offer the fifth annual Manuscript Mart, where, for an additional fee, attendees meet one-on-one with an established literary agent or editor who has read their work in advance and will provide direct feedback.

Both days, established authors will run seminars, lectures and panels on various issues of craft. Editors, agents and special guests will speak on panels and at special events about the business aspects of creative writing.

The conference includes:

  • your choice of eight or four workshop sessions (depending on whether you choose the full weekend, Saturday-only or Sunday-only registration options). Workshop choices feature a mix of craft seminars and industry-focused panels with agents and editors.
  • a casual sit-down served lunch* with short readings from Grub Street National Book Prize winner Vestal McIntyre. For an additional fee of $50, participants may choose to sit at one of our “Five-Star” tables, which includes a combination of five authors, editors and agents. These tables also offer a better view of speakers. Preferred seating is subject to availability.
  • our sixth annual Manuscript Mart, where attendees spend 20 minutes discussing their work one-on-one with a prominent literary agent or editor, who will have read the work in advance (Manuscript Mart costs $130 extra).
  • keynote lunch on Sunday with renowned author Chuck Palahniuk.

event schedule

  • saturday may 1st, 2010
8:00-9:45am Registration, continental breakfast, meet & greet
8:30 - 9:40 Manuscript Mart Sessions I, II and III
9:45 - 11:00 Session 1 workshops and panels
11:15 - 12:30pm Session 2 workshops and panels
12:45 - 2:00 Casual lunch*
2:15 - 3:30 Session 3 workshops and panels
3:45 - 4:45 Hour of Power Seminars
Manuscript Mart Sessions IV, V, VI and VII
4:45 - 6:00 Cash Bar, Meet and Greet

* During lunch, participants have the option to sit with authors, editors and agents for an additional fee. Scroll down to see table options. Vegetarian options available.

  • sunday may 2nd, 2010

8:00-9:45am Registration, continental breakfast, meet & greet
8:30 - 9:40 Manuscript Mart VIII, IX and X
9:45 - 11:00 Session 4 workshops and panels
11:15 - 12:30pm Session 5 workshops and panels
12:45 - 2:30 Keynote Lunch** with Chuck Palahniuk
2:45 - 4:00 Session 6 workshops and panels
4:15 - 5:15 Hour of Power Seminars
5:15 - 6:00 Cash Bar, Meet and Greet

**Seating at keynote lunch will be open. No tables may be reserved in advance.

contributing authors, publishing professionals and special guests

Every Muse & the Marketplace conference features critically acclaimed authors and leading industry professionals. For more information about the people you'll meet, see the bios section. Be sure to check back often as we add more special guests in the weeks leading up to the event.

workshops and panel discussions

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in numerous workshops and panel discussions (the exact number is based on which registration option you choose). All sessions include your choice of writing workshops with authors and industry-focused panels with agents and editors. The format and level of each session varies, but each is categorized as either a Lecture with Q&A, a Discussion Class, or a Series of Writing Exercises. Please read the description carefully and decide which session is best for you. Each session leader has been asked to provide at least one "take-away" handout.

We ask you to choose in advance which sessions you'd like to attend and register for them to secure your place. Please know that sessions fill up quickly, so be sure to provide a backup option when you register. You do not have to pre-register for the "Hour of Power" sessions, which are first-come, first-served and limited to 50 participants.

All sessions generally have between 15 and 50 participants. While "Literary Idol" offers the chance to get direct feedback on your work in a group setting, no sessions are traditional workshops that offer a thorough critique of your manuscript. If you are interested in getting such feedback, consider submitting a 20-page manuscript to the Manuscript Mart.

The Drum at The Muse Flash Fiction Contest!
Don’t miss this opportunity to have your flash fiction recorded by The Drum, a new online literary magazine publishing short fiction, essays, and author interviews in audio form. The editor, Grubbie Henriette Lazaridis Power, is looking for 500-word flash fiction that stands on its own (no excerpts), and has a beginning, middle, and end. The best pieces will be included in an upcoming issue of The Drum. Recording sessions will be held both days of the conference at the following times: during Saturday and Sunday registration (8AM-9:45AM), the end of Saturday’s lunch (1:30PM – 2:00PM) lunch, and anytime during the “Hour of Power” sessions on both Saturday and Sunday. No need to sign up ahead of time. If you would rather not read aloud but want to hear what The Drum has to offer, check us out at The Drum, a Literary Magazine For Your Ears. Most content is free, but if you subscribe during The Muse, you can read all the content at a discounted rate of $20 a year. Questions: email Henriette directly at editor@drumlitmag.com.

keynote lunch with Chuck Palahniuk

This year, Grub Street is excited to welcome Chuck Palahniuk, one of the most popular and compelling writers at work today. In addition to sharing his thoughts on the writing and publishing process, Mr. Palahniuk will make the Muse conference the very first stop on the book tour for his new novel, Tell All, a "dark reimaginging of All About Eve and a hilarious assault on celebrity," which will be available for pre-order at the conference and will be on sale nationwide on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. Mr. Palahniuk will speak for approximately one hour and take your questions on the content of the talk he has delivered, as well as other relevant questions relating to his work and the writing life. We look forward to a thought-provoking speech and the thoughtful discussion to follow. Please note that there will be no book-signing following Mr. Palahniuk's talk, but that signed copies of his books will be available at the Porter Square Books table at the conference.

event fees

  • Full Weekend Package - $310 for members; $345 for non-members. This option includes all Saturday and Sunday activities. (It does NOT include preferred lunch seating on Saturday or a Manuscript Mart session).
  • Saturday Only Package - $210 for members; $235 for non-members. This option includes all Saturday activities. (It does NOT include preferred lunch seating or a Manuscript session).
  • Sunday Only Package - $210 for members; $235 for non-members. This option includes all Sunday activities. (Manuscript Mart session not included).
  • Manuscript Mart - $130. Spend 20 minutes discussing your work with a prominent literary agent or editor, who will have read your manuscript in advance. This fee is in addition to package registration fees.
  • Preferred Lunch Seating - $50. Enjoy your lunch on Saturday at a "Five-Star Table" with a combination of 5 guest authors, editors and agents. Fee is in addition to other registration fees (Full Weekend or Saturday Only packages). Please note that the Saturday lunch features one ten-minute reading by Book Prize winner Vestal McIntyre.


    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 1: Steve Almond, Jessica Shattuck, Jeanne Leiby, Richard Abate, Elyse Cheney
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 2: Lynne Barrett, Martha Southgate, Christina Thompson, Jenni Ferrari-Adler, Lisa Grubka
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 3: Maud Casey, Ben Percy, Miriam Altshuler, PJ Mark, Vestal McIntyre
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 4: Michael Downing, Joseph Olshan, Elizabeth Evans, Tim Bartlett, Susan Tiberghien
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 5: Lauren Grodstein, Leslea Newman, Reagan Arthur, Regina Brooks, Joanna Volpe
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 6: Ann Hood, Allison Winn Scotch, Christine Pride, Stephany Evans, Mitchell Waters
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 7: Jennifer 8. Lee, Ethan Gilsdorf, Ladette Randolph, Elisabeth Weed, Rebecca Oliver
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 8: Thomas Mallon, Anita Shreve, Pamela Dorman, Julie Barer, Sorche Fairbank
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 9: Nathaniel Rich, Pablo Medina, Janna Malamud Smith, Jofie Ferrari-Adler, Denise Shannon
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 10: Elizabeth Strout, Michelle Hoover, Janet Silver, Amy Einhorn, Bret Anthony Johnston
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 11: Donovan Campbell, Katherine Fausset, Jill Kneerim, Elinor Lipman, Randy Susan Meyers
    ***SOLD OUT*** Table 12: Jenna Blum, Hallie Ephron, Lynne Griffin, Mameve Medwed, Katharine Sands
  • Registration begins on February 19th, 2010

Many participating authors, editors and agents have generously donated their time so that all proceeds from The Muse and the Marketplace can be used to help fund Grub Street, Boston's only non-profit independent writing center. To learn more about Grub Street's outreach efforts, please check out our Memoir Project for senior citizens and our teen program, YAWP .

book signings

Books by guest authors (including selected backlist) will be available for purchase at all times during the conference, courtesy of Porter Square Books. Authors will be available in their seminar rooms to sign books immediately following their seminars. A book-signing schedule will be printed in the conference program. Book plates will also be available for authors to inscribe if their books are not available.

registration and payment

You must register and pay online. Please read the full registration details and instructions. You must register online for the 2010 conference by noon on Tuesday, April 27th.

We accept either Visa or Mastercard. Online registration is processed securely using Paypal (a PayPal account is not required to register online). No deposit is required. Advance payment is due in full to reserve your space at the event. Reservations and payment must be made in advance.

We cannot refund money for any part of this event. However, if you are unable to attend, we will apply the amount of payment to a future Grub Street class or manuscript consultation. Note that we are not able to offer refunds or credits for the Manuscript Mart if you do not submit your manuscript by 5pm on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.

A portion of your registration fee is tax-deductible. To calculate the tax-deductible amount, subtract either $70 (for one-day participants) or $140 (for two-day participants) from your total registration fee.

what to bring

Be sure to bring a pen or pencil and a notebook or laptop. We will provide a folder as well as any handouts you might need.

If you are interested in giving a five-minute reading during one of the Hour of Power Open Mic sessions, please also bring a short excerpt of a story, novel or essay to share. If you plan to participate in one of our "Literary Idol" sessions, please bring a copy of the first page of your manuscript for each "Literary Idol" session you plan to attend. (For more details on the "Literary Idol" sessions, see the Event Workshops section.)

Please do not bring full manuscripts, completed novels or short story collections unless you have registered for the Manuscript Mart, in which case there are special instructions for you to follow regarding manuscript submission. Otherwise, you will have the opportunity to meet agents and editors informally, and we suggest you ask for their card if you are interested in submitting work for their consideration. He or she may be willing to read an excerpt if you mail it at a later time and remind them that you met them at the "Muse & the Marketplace." Agents and editors have been instructed NOT to accept full manuscripts on the spot at the conference.

attire

Dress comfortably, but please note that proper business or casual attire is requested by the Park Plaza Hotel. No ripped jeans or athletic wear, please!

child care

We regret that day care facilities are not available for this event. Please make alternate arrangements for infants and children.

where to stay

Grub Street has reserved a limited number of rooms at the Park Plaza Hotel at the discounted rate of $219/room plus tax, single or double occupancy. To book a room at this rate, follow this link or call the hotel directly and mention Grub Street when making your reservation. These rooms sell out very quickly.

Hotels in Boston are notoriously expensive and are often booked long in advance. For the cost-conscious traveler, we recommend a discount site like Priceline and Hotwire to find accommodations. Because the conference is centrally located, most hotels in the Back Bay, Theater District, or Copley Square district are convenient on foot or via the T.

For those looking to splurge, boutique hotel The Lenox and the brand-new Mandarin Oriental are a short walk from Park Plaza.

where to park

There are two decent options for parking garages near Park Plaza: the Boston Common Garage and the Motor Mart Garage. We do not recommend metered parking, as there are no spaces where you can park your car for more than a 2-hour stretch.

for more information

If you require more assistance or additional information, please call the Grub Street office at 617.695.0075 during business hours. If the line is busy, please leave a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.