The Muse 2013 | Sessions

Thomas Mann said, "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." This class explores common pitfalls of fiction writing and editing, with particular attention to how to move past story blocks. Though this is primarily a discussion class, the instructor will also lead students in a few exercises meant to break through the blocks.

Narrative distance is one of the most complex elements of fiction. If you manipulate it effectively, you can turn a good story, scene or chapter into a great one. In this class, we will start by defining narrative distance, how it's related to point of view, and the various ways it can be used in fiction. We will then look at some classic and contemporary examples and discuss the role diction, tone and detail (among other things) play in their execution; brainstorm some rules of when to pull back and when to get close; and, if time, apply what we've just discussed to our work. Just in case, then, bring one page of your fiction written in third-person, though this is not required to participate in the class.

Are you attempting a non-fiction story or book about a challenging topic, maybe something that hasn’t yet been written (enough) about? Every writer who attempts such a piece will face many obstacles, including a tough interview subject, someone who doesn’t want to talk, or is non-cooperative or even hostile. These challenges stretch our reporting, research and information-gathering techniques. Using a recently completed biography as a case study, we will explore ways to go deep and wide in reporting such stories. You will come away with some good advice about how to get deeper into the story you want to tell.

Nearly every great essay begins with an obsession. In this session, we'll discuss how to explore our obsessions on the page, without falling prey to self-absorption or sentiment. We'll start by looking at the work of Joan Didion, Nick Hornby, and others, and proceed to a broader discussion of passionate attachment.

The tools of social media and today's web are amazing, but how can you get started using them to help you sell your work? We'll start with the very basics of establishing an online footprint and discuss best practices and practical tactics that any author can use. This will be a very interactive session.

In this session, seasoned literary agents Sorche Fairbank and Katharine Sands discuss general protocol for the professional writer, including the best ways to pitch your projects and talk to agents during opportune moments. You will also learn what NOT to do under any circumstance, and how best to follow up with contacts you make at literary conferences, cocktail parties, or other events where authors and industry professionals gather. We’ll leave at least half the session to practice one and two sentence pitches, and answer general questions.

If you want to write nonfiction -- memoir, literary nonfiction, creative nonfiction, journalism -- what is the best way to break in? How do you pitch ideas to editors and agents? What is a book proposal? What is the difference between a promising but vague topic and true story with a hook? How can you build a platform in a unique area of expertise to gain an audience and legitimacy and make yourself attractive to agents and editors? What is a scene, a character, a compelling lede, a coherent theme? In this session based on the success of Grub's Nonfiction Career Lab Program and led by one of its instructors, we'll look at nitty-gritty advice as well as general strategies to map out a career as a nonfiction writer. We'll discuss how to see beyond the one memoir or book idea and how to you turn yourself into a lean, mean, versatile, nonfiction writing machine, capable of churning out essays, op-eds, feature stories, blogs, book proposals and marketable book ideas, all skills that will serve you well in charting a nonfiction writing career.

Too much plot? None at all? Writers are sometimes confused and daunted by plot and its relationship to character and meaning, but understanding it can help you to invent, strengthen, and revise your story. We will cover the basics of plot, including premise, complication, characters’ roles, significant action, movement, change, coincidence, recognition, reversal, and resolution. Applies to short story, novel, drama, and any nonfiction form that tells a story.

Adrienne Rich notes that, for a writer to transform experience “a certain freedom of the mind is needed – freedom to press on, to enter the currents of your thought like a glider pilot, knowing that your motion can be sustained, the buoyancy of your attention will not be suddenly snatched away.” Such freedom is impossible to achieve without time: time for thoughts to develop, for the imagination to run, for ambitions to be realized. The presenter will give a brief talk about the ways in which various writers and artists have faced the demands of time in their lives, and what gaining enough time has meant to their creative life. The talk will be followed by a discussion about the challenges, rewards, and sacrifices involved in finding enough time to fully develop artistic work.

If you thought Amazon.com was just for buying books and other items, or that their new publishing ventures were open only to established writers with a large following, you will be happily surprised to hear of the many ways new and emerging writers can leverage all that Amazon has to offer. Join us for an overview of the innovative resources and programs available on Amazon.com to help authors publish their works and reach their audience, including Kindle Direct Publishing, print on-demand, Amazon Publishing and Author Central.

This version of “Literary Idol” features established authors Anita Shreve, Elinor Lipman, Mameve Medwed, Steve McCauley, and Nina Louise Morrison as judges and a trained actor as the manuscript reader. Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to have your work read aloud!

In this freewheeling session, the actor will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished manuscript for the audience and a panel of four “judges.” The judges are authors with years of experience working with agents, editors, and hearing from trusted readers. When one of the authors hears a line that would give them pause and wonder about the strength of the writing, they will raise her hand. The actor will keep reading until a second judge raises their hand. The judges will then discuss WHY the lines gave them pause, and offer concrete (if subjective) suggestions to the (anonymous) author. If no author raises his/her hand, the judges will discuss what made the excerpt work so well. All excerpts will be evaluated *anonymously.*

Please bring THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript (fiction or non-fiction only, please) double-spaced, to the session, TITLED, with its genre marked clearly at the top. You will leave it in a box at the front of the room, and the manuscript will be chosen randomly by the actor. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can’t guarantee that yours will be read aloud).

We hope and expect this to be a fun event that is respectful of your work as a beginning writer, and illuminates the process a seasoned writer and reader goes through when she gets a new piece of fiction or non-fiction from a student or friend. The point is not to get through as many writers as we can, but to thoughtfully evaluate the work at hand and offer feedback from which the new writer can learn. Please be aware that some lines may cause laughter or scorn; in other words, this session is not for the thin-skinned!

In this session, seasoned literary agents Sorche Fairbank and Katharine Sands discuss general protocol for the professional writer, including the best ways to pitch your projects and talk to agents during opportune moments. You will also learn what NOT to do under any circumstance, and how best to follow up with contacts you make at literary conferences, cocktail parties, or other events where authors and industry professionals gather. We’ll leave at least half the session to practice one and two sentence pitches, and answer general questions.

Based on the popular Flip the Script series at Writer Unboxed, this session helps you put new energy into your work by turning old-hat writing advice on its head. "Tell, don't show." "Write what you don't know." We'll look at the reasons behind the rules and re-interpret them, exploring the opposites of oft-repeated "rules" and looking to our own instincts to adapt them for use in our writing.

Family history can be a great source of material for a novel, but a loyalty to the truth can get in the way of your ability to tell a good story. In this discussion-style class, we'll look at how writers have tweaked, revised, and transformed the facts to create novels that ring true. We'll consider examples from Dickens' David Copperfield, Margot Livesey's The Flight of Gemma Hardy, and Nora Ephron's Heartburn. You'll come away with a sense of how to edit and revise reality to shape your best story.

Successful nonfiction books usually--if not always--go through numerous stages of conception and reconception, and in their published form they can be radically different from where they started. Finding the concept that will distinguish and propel a nonfiction project--whether a memoir, instruction manual, travelogue, social critique, cookbook, humor book, or anything else--is often the most difficult and frustrating problem for the nonfiction writer, especially those who are just starting out. In this workshop, a five-time bestselling author and editor introduces a series of exercises that will help writers discover, broaden, narrow, heighten, redefine, or relocate the core concept of their nonfiction projects. Whether you are starting a new project or are feeling stuck in a longer-term effort, this workshop is guaranteed to lend a fresh perspective. If possible, bring to the session a title/subtitle and one-sentence synopsis of your nonfiction project(s) in progress.

Your writing is terrific - but what about your "platform"? Increasingly, publishers are demanding that authors demonstrate serious marketing muscle - often before they'll even consider working with you. This session, led by Dorie Clark - blogger for Forbes and the Harvard Business Review, and author of Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future - will provide concrete strategies for how to quickly (and inexpensively) develop and maintain a robust online presence. We'll talk about which social networks are worth your time, how to develop content your readers will love, how to build a following, time management secrets, and more.

Is it possible to succeed at truth in literature? How do we wrestle with the “dream” William Faulkner referred to as the “beautiful gesture inside the dilemma of the human heart"? This seminar, open to both fiction and nonfiction writers, will look closely at what it may look like when a writer gets close to that complex truth, how intention can help and why we might aspire to fail in pursuit of it. We’ll focus on a few excerpts from Dorothy Allison, James Baldwin and Bruce Weigl. With some guided exercises and discussion, you’ll have the courage and skills to leap into the messy truth that can reveal something beautiful.

Part II of this event will be a continuation of the session before it, but, if time, will also include a Q&A on any aspect of writing and the writing life with the panel of esteemed authors.

This version of “Literary Idol” features established authors Anita Shreve, Elinor Lipman, Mameve Medwed, Steve McCauley, and Nina Louise Morrison as judges and a trained actor as the manuscript reader. Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to have your work read aloud!

In this freewheeling session, the actor will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished manuscript for the audience and a panel of four “judges.” The judges are authors with years of experience working with agents, editors, and hearing from trusted readers. When one of the authors hears a line that would give her pause and wonder about the strength of the writing, she will raise her hand. The actor will keep reading until a second judge raises his hand. The judges will then discuss WHY the lines gave them pause, and offer concrete (if subjective) suggestions to the (anonymous) author. If no author raises his/her hand, the judges will discuss what made the excerpt work so well. All excerpts will be evaluated *anonymously.*

Please bring THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript (fiction or non-fiction only, please) double-spaced, to the session, TITLED, with its genre marked clearly at the top. You will leave it in a box at the front of the room, and the manuscript will be chosen randomly by the actor. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can’t guarantee that yours will be read aloud).

We hope and expect this to be a fun event that is respectful of your work as a beginning writer, and illuminates the process a seasoned writer and reader goes through when she gets a new piece of fiction or non-fiction from a student or friend. The point is not to get through as many writers as we can, but to thoughtfully evaluate the work at hand and offer feedback from which the new writer can learn. Please be aware that some lines may cause laughter or scorn; in other words, this session is not for the thin-skinned!

You’ve devoted years writing and editing your book. Why would you want to shortchange it with a query letter dashed off in an hour? This session will focus on letters that grab the attention of agents, with examples of what works and what doesn’t — including the thorny issues of expressing confidence without cockiness, comparing your novel to bestsellers, using cute visual tricks (don’t, please, ever), and writing a bio that plays up your (relevant) strengths. Lively interactive session with plenty of time for specific questions.

Join us in the Statler Room for food, drinks and conversation followed by a reading from Ellen Cassedy, winner of Grub Street’s 2013 National Book Prize Winner in Non-Fiction for We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust. After the reading, Ellen, head juror Jane Brox, editor Paul Whitlatch and literary agent Miriam Altshuler will take questions and discuss the “muse and marketplace” sides of non-fiction and the writing life. We expect a substantive discussion that is also casual and fun.

Fiction writers are moved by five basic drives: the dramatic, the informative, the rhetorical, the lyric, and the narrative. This class will focus on the last two and explore how writers modulate the speed and timing of their fiction by incorporating lyrical passages into their narrative and keeping the two balanced and complementary. We will look at passages by García Márquez, Denis Johnson, Sapphire, and others. Handouts will be provided.

Every location is foreign until it's evoked on the page. In this discussion, we'll talk about ways to bring setting to life, using a short passage from Chekhov's great story "The Lady with the Pet Dog" as a starting point. We may also examine a couple of passages by other writers such as Eudora Welty and William Trevor.

Memoir, short or long, is the fruit of journal writing and blogs. The memoirist explores a life experience to make meaning out of it. Journals and blogs capture these experiences, deepen our awareness of them, and plant seeds for stories. To transform true life stories into memoir, the writer needs to consider narrative, voice, and also authenticity. In this workshop we will examine excerpts from contemporary writers including Paul Auster and Annie Dillard. And we will write a short piece that transitions from journal or blog to memoir.

The most memorable characters are driven by powerful forces of motivation, forces that won’t let the characters rest and that keep readers turning the pages. Jacqueline Sheehan is a bestselling author and a psychologist who applies basic psychology to all of her characters. In an atmosphere of exploration and support, we will discuss ways to create more compelling characters by understanding their fears, desires, and dreams. We will use a writing prompt to challenge our characters to reveal essential aspects of their personality.

In both fiction and nonfiction, the story is in the eye of the beholder. The tale of Little Red Riding Hood might be completely different if told by Grandmother--or the wolf! In this session, we'll explore the fundamentals of point of view. We'll discuss the benefits and limitations of different viewpoints and see how a story might change based on who's telling it. You'll leave with a better understanding of what point of view can do for your story--and of how to how to choose the most effective viewpoint for the story you want to tell.

Writing excellent dialogue is crucial when your audience is young readers, who are finely attuned to the way both adults and their peers converse with each other. In this hands-on, interactive workshop, you'll practice writing lively conversation and learn to avoid seven common dialogue busters.

There’s the muse and the marketplace, and then there’s you. Sometimes writers forget that the latter is the key driver for having not merely a winning book but a sustained, successful career. You spend countless hours working on your books and thinking about marketing, and you should. But without also being crystal clear on your goals, and making an honest assessment of your skills and resources, your path forward can be driven by tactics and anxiety instead of a thoughtful, coherent and personal strategy. It is possible to map out a plan that that draws on your strengths, aligns with your values and priorities, and gives you energy and joy. With the guidance of a literary agent and an editor of a small press, this session will get you started.

Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to share your query letter.

Most agencies receive at least a hundred query letters each week, yet respond positively to a very select few. Do you know the secrets to writing a winning query? Do you want to know the most common reasons for rejection? In this session, agents Sorche Fairbank and Stephen Barr will give direct feedback on audience query letters and use them as examples to discuss both effective and ineffective strategies for getting an agent or editor interested in your work. The goal will be to make your query letters as powerful as possible. If you want your query letter considered, please bring a ONE-PAGE hard copy to the session. Query letters will be chosen at random by a volunteer and put on an overhead projector. After your query letter is read by the agents and the audience, the agents will discuss it, troubleshoot, and offer advice that is both specific to your project and general enough for the rest of the audience to benefit. Given the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee that your query letter will be read. The point is not to get through as many queries as possible, but to thoughtfully evaluate your ideas and offer concrete suggestions from which all will benefit.

This session begins with each of the four agents giving brief presentations on a specific publishing-related topic in which they have particular expertise: from writing a good book proposal (Anna Stein O’Sullivan) to the role of the agent in the editing process (Mitchell Waters) to how to snag the right agent for you (Alice Tasman). An audience-driven Q&A on the role of agents will follow.

Everyone tells you that you should be Tweeting, but either you don’t have a Twitter account or you have one but no clue how to use it. Maybe you’re on Facebook, or you have your own personal blog space reserved and ready to go, but it’s unclear how either can be used to your advantage, if at all. What on earth is Google+ and why should you care about it? Most newbies in your shoes don’t want to use these tools wrongly, so they don’t use them at all. In this session, Crystal King will give you a primer on the absolute basics of these social media tools and talk in general terms about how both aspiring and established authors can use them to build an audience.

A recalling of memory is already creating a narrative fiction. We own our memories, but we select, we misremember, and so the memory is never as accurate and as factual as we would like to think. What does matter and what is crucial to the writer is the emotional impact and contextual feel of that memory. In recreating, we strive to be as truthful to this emotional impact as an eye witness would be to factual representation. In this workshop we will work at mining our memories using all the senses in order to depict the emotional truth.

Some of the best memoirs offer an intimate perch from which to learn about a larger world. This workshop will explore how to balance the big and the small – the personal and the universal – to create memoirs that readers will care about. Memoir’s essential vibration – an individual life rubbing up against the sweep of history – is more than just a pleasure. It’s also a political and a moral matter. When family stories are told in a larger context, we learn a fundamental truth: that human history is made not only by generals and kings, but by each and every one of us. We’ll look at several examples to examine how memoir-writers work in two opposite directions – both coming closer and stepping back – and then combine the big and the small to create a compelling narrative. NOTE: This session is led by Grub Street's National Book Prize Winner in Non-Fiction, Ellen Cassedy.

Many writers call on their own childhoods when writing for kids, but a lot has changed in the kid world over the years. How do you know if your young characters are believable? How do you make sure that they don’t sound like adults masquerading as kids? In this workshop Karen Day will take you through exercises she uses to develop dynamic kid-oriented characters. This will include how to write two-part biographies, how to make sure that your characters don’t “know too much,” and how to create a sympathetic voice on the first page. This workshop will also look at other authors who have been successful with kid points of view. Participants will leave with new strategies that will help them not only deepen and refine their characters, but make sure they’re believable as kids.

Writers can no longer depend upon their publishers to find readers for them. They must locate their fans themselves. But you knew that already, right? Well, perhaps you didn't know that the answer isn't just the latest shiny social media tool with a name you don't understand, but good old fashioned manners, regular communication, and generosity. Updated for the 21st century, of course.

In this session we'll discuss how to begin creating a community of readers and fans for your manuscript before it is even published. We'll focus on basic tools, how to build relationships with existing and new readers, and how to effectively grow your little community while still being an author with literary integrity.

We'll use the case studies of Bookriot, a publication about reading and books with a particularly innovative approach to its community of authors and readers, and Practical Classics, the new book by Kevin Smokler which began its book promotion process as a simple email newsletter and grew a community of readers from there.

While you work hard in isolation on your stories and essays, innovative editors and fellow writers who care deeply about storytelling are leveraging the best of technology to create new publishing opportunities for talented aspiring and emerging authors. Grub Street has gathered five of these innovative editors and writers – the principals of some of the web’s most exciting and successful new ventures. They are introducing new shorter forms, reviving the serial novel, and enhancing the reader’s experience, and they want new and fresh voices. Come get the inside scoop on new, exciting and platform-building ways to get your fiction and non-fiction into the world.

Now more than ever you need to understand the inner workings of the marketplace before sending your hard-earned work of non-fiction to anyone (an agent, an editor, a publicist, a self-publisher). Do you know the difference between narrative non-fiction and memoir? Is your book an “idea book” and, if so, do you have enough of a platform? How do you establish a platform, anyway? What are readers looking for in your non-fiction book proposal, and how much of the book needs to be written before you’re ready to approach a publisher? How much should you be tweeting? These and other timely questions will be answered by a panel of editors and agents.

Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to have your work read aloud.

In this freewheeling session, a trained actor will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished short story or novel for the audience and a panel of four "judges." The judges are agents with years of experience reading unsolicited fiction submissions. When one of the agent judges hears a line that would make her stop reading, she will raise her hand. The actor will keep reading until a second judge raises her hand. The judges will then discuss WHY they would stop reading, and offer concrete (if subjective) suggestions to the anonymous author. If no agent raises his/her hand, the judges will discuss what made the excerpt work so well. All excerpts will be evaluated *anonymously*, though, at the end of the session, a winner will be chosen from the group of excerpts that did not elicit any raised hands, and that winner will receive a free Grub Street membership.

Please bring THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your novel or short story (fiction ONLY, please) double-spaced, to the session, TITLED, with its GENRE (literary, commercial, young adult, etc.) marked clearly at the top. You will leave it in a box at the front of the room, and the manuscript will be chosen randomly by the actor. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can not guarantee that yours will be read aloud).

This is a fun event that aims to be respectful of your work and illuminate the process an agent goes through when she receives a new piece of fiction. The point is not to get through as many writers as possible, but to thoughtfully evaluate the work at hand and offer concrete suggestions from which all could benefit. Please be aware that some lines may cause laughter or scorn; in other words, this session is not for the thin-skinned!

Jane Austen's only surviving draft (two chapters of Persuasion) tells us: 1. She was a lousy writer in draft! It's true! And 2. She had to look hard at what she'd made to understand what exactly she had set in motion. We'll take a quick tour through Persuasion to see just how terribly wrong it would have gone if she hadn't had a chance to rework the ending before her death. Knowledge of Persuasion is not essential. In our own work, how can we correct for major errors? What steps can you take to listen fully to your own work in order to deeply understand what you yourself have set down on the page?

This session will consider the single scene as a building block to creating a story or a chapter of a novel. The presenter will distribute five or six short scenes at the beginning of the session, and will lead a discussion that considers each of them through the lens of their individual narrative integrity. The goal is to learn how to develop a scene most effectively so that it serves the entire story or novel chapter.

In the world of nonfiction — from websites to newspapers to magazines to books — original ideas are the coin of the realm. But where do great ideas come from (and is there really such a thing as an original idea)? Using examples from his work in newspapers, magazines, and books, Mitchell Zuckoff will examine the anatomy of nonfiction story ideas, from conception to completion.

We are accustomed to the traditional wave-like plot structure that begins in a place of relative calm and gradually increases the tension, trouble, and complication until the wave crests at the climax, often a high-drama event of some kind. But where exactly does one begin? How calm is too calm? Many of the common problems writers struggle with in a first draft, especially of a novel, can be traced to a single cause: not enough going on at the opening. In other words, insufficient complexity. We’ll consider the benefits of beginning a story after a climax-like event has taken place, as well as other strategies for building those necessary layers of complexity that allow a novel to take on its own life.

Popular YA fiction moves briskly and is action-packed. Readers increasingly expect exciting scenes and propulsive plots that are full of twists and turns. Analyzing high-octane scenes from several YA novels, we will discuss strategies for portraying action and energy on the page. We will study examples of graphic organizers, storyboards, and other writing aids that can help keep scenes varied and advance plot across chapters. We will also troubleshoot issues that can slow the pace in YA novels. Guided editing and writing exercises will give participants hands-on practice bringing a sluggish scene to life and drafting their own action-packed scene.

What constitutes a memorable character is a conscious interweaving of the characters’ thoughts, wants, goals, secrets, flaws and delusions. For a character to move us he must move the plot forward in a true way consistent with his DNA. We will discuss several facets of the “evolution of personality” that are present in the best screen and television examples. Since the pacing requirements of film are radically different from the opportunities in the novel, we will study how backstory leads into the interactions of the present via subtext and carefully unfolding moments in books, rather than through the use of flashbacks in film/TV.

The instructor will be giving handouts and referring to a number of films, TV shows and books. Familiarity with those stories and characters will be helpful but not necessary. If time, there will be Q&A and a writing exercise

It’s no longer news that small presses are publishing some of the best and most widely read fiction and non-fiction on the market. Their books are winning major prizes, finding wide audiences, and catching the attention of media like never before. As a result, some of the best writers are turning to small presses, and getting an editor of a small press to acquire your book has become much more competitive. On this panel, editors from three excellent small presses at various stages of development will discuss how their processes and business models differ from those of the Big 6, what kinds of novels and book-length non-fiction they are looking for, what authors should expect from their editors and marketing teams, and the role of the small press in the literary landscape as a whole.

Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to share your non-fiction book idea.

In this session, the moderator (an established writer) will offer a brief preamble of the art of the non-fiction idea. Then, you will get two minutes to share your own idea for a non-fiction book for the audience, the moderator, and a panel of experts. The experts are agents and/or editors with years of experience working with non-fiction writers to turn their book proposals into reality. After you read your idea (preferably from a prepared text), the agents and editors will ask you follow-up questions and troubleshoot your idea. You will discuss issues of platform, expertise, the viability of the idea itself, and other elements of the non-fiction market. Please note that presenters will be chosen at random from names submitted in a hat at the start of the session. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can not guarantee that your name will be called). This is a fun event that aims to be respectful of your idea and illuminate the process a writer goes through when she is developing an idea with an agent and/or editor. The point is not to get through as many writers as possible, but to thoughtfully evaluate your ideas and offer concrete suggestions from which all could benefit.

Though most people will be reading ideas for full-length books, you may also read an idea for a feature story or article to assess its viability with the panel of experts.

Now more than ever you need to understand the inner workings of the marketplace before sending your hard-earned work of fiction to anyone (an agent, an editor, a publicist, a self-publisher). Do you know the difference between literary and commercial fiction? Or what makes your novel “up-market?” Is your novel “quiet,” and is that a bad thing? What’s the market for historical fiction, “category fiction,” short story collections, or books by male novelists about the male experience? Should you even try to categorize your work for agents and editors? Do fiction writers need a platform and, if so, how do you establish one? How much should you be tweeting? These and other timely questions will be answered by a panel of editors and agents.

In this session, author Ann Leary will spend a few minutes talking about what makes a good beginning to a novel, using examples from other writers and her own work. The bulk of the session, though, will be devoted to the strengths and weaknesses of the first page of YOUR novel. Participants should come with the first page of their novel in progress (or short story) and be prepared to have it read aloud and discussed. **Note that, depending on class size, we may not get to everyone’s first page.** The goal is not necessarily to get your first page read, but to learn from the analysis of other first pages as well.

Thomas Mann said, "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." This class explores common pitfalls of fiction writing and editing, with particular attention to how to move past story blocks. Though this is primarily a discussion class, the instructor will also lead students in a few exercises meant to break through the blocks.

The landscape of literary magazines can be overwhelming. With over 600 journals on the market, how does a writer know where to submit work? Is it better to aim for prestigious journals and hope to catch the eye of literary agents? Or is it better to submit to journals with high acceptance rates? Should writers submit to dozens of journals at once or focus on a specific journal? What are the advantages of publishing online? Which editors give writers feedback on their work? What should go in the cover letter? We will answer these questions and more, giving you the information you need to start publishing in (and enjoying) literary magazines.

The internet makes it easy for us to find quick information without leaving our desks -- or getting out of our jammies. Sometimes a quick Google search gives us what we need, but what happens when you need more in-depth and credible information? In this hour of power you will learn several free websites and databases that will allow you to get the details you need to make your fiction come alive. Resources covered will include historical newspapers; online videos, recordings, and photos; and technical information. You will get tips on how to better search the web to find exactly what you are seeking. Come with questions; leave with answers.

This session will introduce the key concepts from the Book Architecture Method in an engaging format that will be the talk of the Muse! Stuart will alternate his lecture and Q & A with a series of short, professionally produced stop-action films which will provide not only entertainment value and examples of the Book Architecture Method in action. The session will assume nothing of an attendees’ previous knowledge of writing technique, nor how much of their manuscript is complete, nor what genre they aspire to work in. Through the Book Architecture Method’s concepts of scene, series and theme, accomplished and aspiring writers alike will discover new ways to approach the creation of a compelling narrative at the frequently overlooked macro level. Attendees will walk away with actionable tactics to intelligently and efficiently rework their existing material, as well as inspiration for reenergizing the writing process itself.

Are unicorns the new vampires? Can you find more teen readers by self-publishing rather than waiting for the gatekeepers to let you in? Are blog tours the new book tours? What about the promotion commotion—do authors really need piles of swag to promote their novels? Young adult publishing is rife with myths, but which hold true? From manuscript prep to post-launch publicity, two young adult authors will help bust or confirm the top myths of selling fiction in the flourishing and hyper-competitive YA marketplace.

This session is designed for writers with books either already published or to be published in the next year. Kristen McLean, founder and CEO of Bookigee, a Miami company that develops groundbreaking tools and innovative analytics for the new book publishing ecosystem, will introduce you to some exciting (and often free) tools writers can use in the process of marketing their books. Whether you are web-savvy or just now creating an online presence, and whether you are doing your own marketing or working with a publicist, at least one of the tools Kristen will share with you will have a direct impact on your marketing strategy.

How do you develop a voice and style on social media — one that piques folks’ interest before your book comes out, or keeps the interest alive between books? (Agents say the best thing you can do for your career is write more books. But so few of us can churn out books with the kind of speed to satisfy today’s short-memoried readers.) It’s not enough to just join the noise on Facebook, Twitter and blogs. What are you known for? Are you presenting a style that piques people’s interest in reading more of what you have to say? Are you funny? Informative? A lovable curmudgeon? Because if you get on folks’ radar, they’ll leave skidmarks to pick up what you write — even if it just means clicking through to your latest blog post. In this session we’ll discuss how to develop a public voice and make it heard—and memorable—above the din.

“An advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force,” claimed Dorothy Sayers, but maybe it’s not so simple. Four authors discuss aging and the writing life from the different perspectives of long careers or literary late blooming, from commercial success to modest obscurity. Note: this is a no-whining panel.

Patrick Brown, director of community at Goodreads, the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations, will provide a blueprint for authors to use the site to build a platform, promote their books, and talk with readers. Learning from case studies from authors like Lisa See, Nick Harkaway, Veronica Roth, and more, authors will learn the ins and outs of the massive book-centric social networking site.

Jacqueline and Marianne have been in two long-term writing groups since 2003. They have deveoped the formula for forming two different types of groups (one is generative and the other is a manuscript critique group), how to find each other and how to stay together, the benefits of being in a writing group and pitfalls to avoid.They will discuss how to build safe parameters into the group so that it won't crash and burn. They will provide handouts for guidelines and answer questions.

Fear Not the Digital Present

If you approach it right, the internet can hold you up creatively as much as it can distract you with dogs on skateboards. Though writers are generally assumed to be a shy lot, terrified about the mashing of our private writing-heads and public share-spaces, we don’t need to be exhibitionists or extroverts to enjoy all the opportunities that exist online. Moreover, using Twitter or blogging doesn’t have to be a stupid promotional tool: it can also be the art in itself and hold meaningful connection. Social media can even fundamentally inspire your off-line work…if you let it. In this talk, I will discuss the opportunities for creativity that exist online, ways to promote yourself and your across the digital landscape, and let you in on the veritable treasure trove of help that exists for writers and artists online. For those of you who just HATE the idea of having to go online for so many reasons: fear not. It's actually kind of...fun.

Coming into public consciousness in 2002 with punk-cabaret troupe The Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer has heaved her way to the top of the music industry. Four albums and five tours later, she and her independent attitude went solo, releasing Who Killed Amanda Palmer, produced by Ben Folds, in 2008. Two self-released EP’s followed, along with a musical theater-esque Evelyn Evelyn album and tour with Jason Webley. Palmer has made a name for herself in the last few years as the quintessential social media artist, engaging in daily interactions with her fans 365 days a year and making an art form out of Twitter. With over half a million Twitter followers and a deeply personal blog, she has one of the most responsive and supportive online fan bases on the internet. Palmer made global headlines this year with her wildly successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign, raising $1.2 million dollars for her new album, Theatre is Evil. Passion is what drives Amanda, and her success proves how determined she really is to make a difference not only in her own music, but in the way that music is created and consumed around the globe. Amanda Palmer has taken everything that was in her nimble-fingered grasp, from tweeted keytars to Melbourne coffees and the expansive grounds of the internet, and has woven them into a world first. This is the future of music, and Amanda Palmer is leading the way.

This event is made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Often when we think of writing a story we begin with characters or plot. The settings for our works can sometimes feel ancillary to what we are doing as writers. But the places in which we situate our characters can themselves become characters in our stories: for better or worse. In this class, we will think about how to develop and manage setting, and consider some literary examples--from Proust, Carver, Woolf, Roth, and others--in which the richness of place adds immeasurably to the story in question.

Internationally-acclaimed film actor and producer Alessandro Nivola (Junebug, Laurel Canyon, Bomb) will share his thoughts on what makes characters compelling enough for an actor/producer to fall in love with them and want to bring their lives to the screen. He will also talk about the books and films that inspire him, what he's looking for when he scouts novels, stories, and non-fiction to produce, and a little bit about the mysterious process that results in a film adaptation. This is an open discussion/Q&A with the audience.

The difference between writers and people who say they write generally is time spent in the chair. Waiting for the muse to strike is folly. The majority of published authors are disciplined about their writing, setting aside time, devoting themselves fully—essentially putting themselves in the right circumstance for inspiration to strike. And while talent is probably largely chance, good habits actually can be taught. This class will focus on exercises, strategies, tips and tricks to help reluctant writers start and continue a project, then go on to read critically, rethink, expand and revise.

What's your writing style and how do you improve it? What makes Michael Ondaatje or George Saunders or Barry Hannah a Stylist? Using examples from fiction and non-fiction, Matthew Salesses will show you how (and when and why) to add music to your sentences. You'll do this in part through micro-editing, choosing the right verbs, using common words in new ways, cutting out unnecessary words and phrases, adding precision and specificity, and looking at how word order can transform a sentence. We'll also borrow poetic techniques, paying attention to the rhythm and cadence of a sentence, to meter and stressed syllables, and to the persona, or attitude, of the narrator. You'll leave with a cheat sheet of handy techniques. Time permitting, we'll do a quick exercise to try out some of what we've learned.

Stephen King isn’t alone in calling Breaking Bad “the best scripted show on TV.” Suspense novelists — in fact, all fiction writers — can learn plenty about crafting powerful stories from the best-written movies and TV shows. This seminar will examine scenes from one of TV’s finest shows in order to highlight the range of narrative techniques it can teach us—from characterization, unpredictability, and point-of-view to dialogue, detail, and concision.

Literary Change Agent and author advocate April Eberhardt is taking an innovative approach: she's encouraging and even assisting some authors to self-publish their work. When, why and how would a literary agent advise authors to publish their own books? In this session, you’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages of traditional vs. independent publishing (including the myths that persist about both routes); when, why and how to craft a publishing strategy for work that combines traditional and indie publishing; and the promotional and marketing activities all authors must be prepared to do whichever publishing path they pursue. Come learn about how the industry is changing, and how to devise a strategy that suits your goals, dreams and timetable. Bring your questions, and an open mind!

Now more than ever, authors are expected to be their own publicists and build their own audiences, both before and during the publication of their books. If they can’t, they often need to find someone who can help them with this process. This session is designed for the writer who is under contract for a book, or has published a few stories or even a full-length work or two – and, of course, the writer who plans to do so ASAP. Topics discussed include concrete strategies that authors can employ to get the word out about them and their work, the role of the publicist at small and large houses, book clubs and blogs, and how not to feel embarrassed or self-conscious or about the necessary self-promotion you’ll have to do to survive in the changing landscape of publishing.

If you've submitted your stories and essays to journals big and small, surely you've wondered what happens when editors get your manuscripts. What's the process for evaluating them? What do their various forms of rejection mean? In general, what are journals looking for these days, and what are some common mistakes that writers make when they submit? For this panel, we've gathered editors from three different but equally exciting and important publications: places that are publishing new and emerging authors whose work goes on to win major awards and end up in "Best Of" anthologies. Each of these journals take a very different approach, and has a different aesthetic, so we expect the conversation to be lively and comprehensive.

Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to share your non-fiction book idea.

In this session, the moderator (an established writer) will offer a brief preamble of the art of the non-fiction idea. Then, you will get two minutes to share your own idea for a non-fiction book for the audience, the moderator, and a panel of experts. The experts are agents and/or editors with years of experience working with non-fiction writers to turn their book proposals into reality. After you read your idea (preferably from a prepared text), the agents and editors will ask you follow-up questions and troubleshoot your idea. You will discuss issues of platform, expertise, the viability of the idea itself, and other elements of the non-fiction market. Please note that presenters will be chosen at random from names submitted in a hat at the start of the session. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can not guarantee that your name will be called). This is a fun event that aims to be respectful of your idea and illuminate the process a writer goes through when she is developing an idea with an agent and/or editor. The point is not to get through as many writers as possible, but to thoughtfully evaluate your ideas and offer concrete suggestions from which all could benefit.

Though most people will be reading ideas for full-length books, you may also read an idea for a feature story or article to assess its viability with the panel of experts.

Good narrative nonfiction combines the "science" of using strong primary and secondary sources with the "art" of telling a compelling, interesting story that your readers can't put down; the "art" of developing strong characters with the "science" of honestly depicting them as real people; the "art" of pacing and plot twists with the "science" of accuracy and adhering to the actual story. You can do both -- in fact, you must -- and when it works, it's great to behold. In this class, we'll discuss a few ideas on how to blend art and science to produce a successful narrative nonfiction book.

The first draft of your novel is a perfect masterpiece to you, your mom, and your best friend, but to outside readers, it needs help. Maybe you can even tell that it needs help, but you don't know exactly what's wrong or how to fix it. Or maybe an agent or editor points out what's wrong and you don't feel comfortable with her suggested fix. In this session we'll use a structure-based approach to analyze your novel as a whole, and then as a sum of smaller, dynamic components of your narrative arc. We'll discuss common problems and different ways to fix them. Though this class will use examples from novels, including the presenter’s novel, the content is also very useful to those writing memoir or other book-length narrative non-fiction.

This is a session for anyone working on historical fiction: short stories, narrative poems, or novels. How do we bring the past to life? How do we make historical time periods feel immediate and compelling? We will look at the work of writers who have found ways to do so, from Annie Proulx to Robert Penn Warren and discuss writing and research techniques, and practice with a short writing exercise.

Voice is a powerful tool in crafting narrative. It's also one that's slippery to talk about. What constitutes voice? How does it differ from point of view? How do you make voice distinctive, but not distracting? In this seminar, we'll use samples taken from both fiction and nonfiction to discuss these foundational considerations. As time allows, we'll use writing exercises (amenable to both prose genres) to experiment with how developing voice can help us take the stories we tell further.

Everyone knows rules are made to be broken. But if you don't know the rules of writing crime fiction, how can you break them? Join literary agent Ann Collette for "The Twelve Do's and Don't's of Mystery and Thriller Writing," an interactive class where an overview of the basic requirements for, and pitfalls of, writing the kind of crime novel agents and editors are -- and aren't -- looking for will be discussed. Handouts will be provided. This session is led by an agent who has edited and sold numerous mysteries and thrillers.

So you have a Twitter account and you’ve committed (you think) to making it work for you. But how effectively and efficiently are you really using it? Are you using the right tools to connect with your followers? Are you utilizing TweetDeck or HootSuite or any other scheduling software? Kristen McLean, an avid Twitter user and Founder/CEO of Bookigee, a Miami-based company that develops technology-based tools for the publishing industry, will guide you through some time-saving ways to approach Twitter. The goal of this very practical session is to get you to enjoy the site more and increase its impact while limiting its impact on your busy schedule.

Whether it’s in print or online, a good book review from a trusted source is essential in finding readers. Come meet powerhouse reviewers working in traditional press and as bloggers. They will pull back the curtain on their profession and discuss how they decide what to review, what kind of pitches catch their eye and what kind turn them off, what types of fiction and non-fiction they are looking for in today’s literary landscape, and more.

Congratulations! Your book-length work of fiction or non-fiction has found a publisher or is in its final stages of that process. Now you're spending countless hours worrying about how to find an audience for that hard-earned book, how to build your platform, how to create your online presence, and how to approach marketing in general; but without also being crystal clear on your goals, and making a thoughtful assessment of what you are best equipped to do and to handle in your limited time, too many of those hours will be wasted. In this session, the leaders of Grub Street's Launch Lab will guide you through the Logic Model: an approach to marketing your book that will help you organize your plans, force you to recognize your strengths/weaknesses a little better, carve out your options, and relieve some of the anxiety you've been feeling about what you can and can't do with your precious time.

Important: Please read this description carefully before signing up, and bring all necessary materials to the session if you wish to have your work read aloud.

In this freewheeling session, a trained actor will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished manuscript for the audience and a panel of three judges. The judges are agents with years of experience reading unsolicited submissions. When one of the agent judges hears a line that would make her stop reading, she will raise her hand. The actor will keep reading until a second judge raises his hand. The judges will then discuss WHY they would stop reading, and offer concrete (if subjective) suggestions to the anonymous author. If no agent raises his/her hand, the judges will discuss what made the excerpt work so well. All excerpts will be evaluated *anonymously,* though, at the end of the session, a winner will be chosen from the group of excerpts that did not elicit any raised hands, and that winner will receive a free Grub Street membership. Please bring THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript (fiction or non-fiction only, please) double-spaced, to the session, TITLED, with its GENRE marked clearly at the top. You will leave it in a box at the front of the room, and the manuscript will be chosen randomly by the actor. (Unfortunately, given the volume of submissions, we can not guarantee that yours will be read aloud).

This is a fun event that aims to be respectful of your work and illuminate the process an agent goes through when she receives a new piece of fiction or non-fiction. The point is not to get through as many writers as possible, but to thoughtfully evaluate the work at hand and offer concrete suggestions from which all could benefit. Please be aware that some lines may cause laughter or scorn; in other words, this session is not for the thin-skinned!

James Wood will address the audience over lunch in the Imperial Ballroom. He will speak on "Serious Noticing: Detail and the Surplus of Life." Open seating.

Some of the most striking and successful books of fiction in the recent years (A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Eagan, We the Animals by Justin Torres, This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz) have been bridging the gap between a novel and collection of short stories. A “novel in stories” is a term frequently used to describe these and other books, but what is a novel in stories? This craft class will explore the strategies used to build a novel out of stories. We will discuss such elements as character development, structure, and pacing. We will consider what we (as readers) expect from a novel, and how a novel-in-stories can meet these expectations.

This seminar will focus on the psychological/emotional aspects of the writing life, and especially on obstacles to writing success--however each writer defines that. We'll talk about writer's block, choosing readers at various stages, how to solicit and respond to criticism, how to manage time in a busy life, how to deal with obstacles like lack of confidence, too much self-criticism, too many ideas, not enough ideas, etc. etc. There will be a lot of give-and-take, a few memorable illustrations, and an informative but easygoing atmosphere.

In this session, veteran longform magazine writer Charles P. Pierce discusses his transition into internet journalism. We'll apply Tom Wolfe's "new journalism" precepts to the new media, and detail how storytelling and journalism will not just survive, but thrive in the Internet age.

Interviews are one of the backbones of non-fiction. Often long and intense, how does a writer manage to not be derailed by all that is learned in an interview? How do you interview around the important questions and organize your materials in a way that it contributes to the project you're working on? This workshop will look at strategies for conducting interviews, organizing the information for interviews and integrating that material into your writing.

If you’re in a writing workshop, chances are good that by the time you finish writing your novel, you’ll collect a notebook of criticism and compliments. How can you be wise with both? The best can save you from the worst of yourself. The worst may induce a fog of depression.

Some critique may be veiled insult. Sometimes praise is the easiest way for some to respond. Somewhere in the middle is where you find your answers. In this session, we’ll examine best practices for writer’s groups—giving and getting critique, leaderless groups vs. those led by a teacher, and how to get the most from each. The goal of the session is helping participants find writing partners who believe they are part of a mutual mission to raise everyone’s writing to the highest level.

Developing a protagonist that will take a reader through more than one book means thinking ahead. In this session you will learn to build a fresh character with flaws as well as strengths who will face personal as well as professional struggles. You will also learn what builds a memorable character, what skills he or she will need, and what kind of backgrounds may come in handy.

Filmmakers have long maintained it’s easier to make a movie from a short story than a novel because it can be scripted word for word or enlarged. With brevity, screenwriters and directors are afforded greater space to interpret established characters and themes in a way that allows for their own creative narrative vision. And so today, with emerging media formats and outlets, this DIY attitude looks to the short-short story not only for inspiration, but also with respect for and cultural inclusion of our many diverse voices. This mini film fest presentation will showcase three such brief films (“How to Start a House on Fire,” “A View: Office at Night,” and “Pistachio Pants”), all inspired by flash fiction stories. Each story author will introduce their projects, then discuss, among other issues, how imagistic language and the use of art adds to the form. Also covered will be strategies on creating your own video and/or audio on the cheap, where to post online, and market advice using new technology and social media. Come with questions, leave with pertinent information about this most innovative storytelling frontier.

Yaddo. MacDowell. Bread Loaf. The NEA. The Stegner. State Artist Grants. Such retreats and prizes seem like the Holy Grail to writers, and often do make life-changing differences in their careers. This forum will look at these residencies, fellowships and prizes and offer tips on how to apply, what judges are looking for, which writing sample(s) to select, the inside scoop on what really goes on at writers' colonies, and advice on how to make the best of the time and money you are granted.

Author Ian McEwen once said, "When women stop reading, the novel will be dead." Eighty percent of fiction purchasers are women. Is it all “women’s fiction”? What exactly is women’s fiction, and how is that different from other genres, like literary fiction and chick lit? We’ll look at changing trends in writing and promoting women’s fiction, get a sense of the market, and discuss how reviews—or lack thereof—affect its success.

If you blog, you are a columnist. Whether sharing memories, offering opinions, or sharing how-to advice, learn how to create a memorable column. Point of view, voice, structure, and universal resonance will be covered. To write compelling prose with a five-sensory zest in 750 words or less is an art. The skills required can improve all types of writing. Fuel a faithful readership by discovering the tips and techniques used by award-winning newspaper columnists.

For non-fiction writers, platform is key. Agents look for it. Publishers require it. But what is it? In a nutshell it’s proving yourself an expert in your field, and giving speeches is part of the process. This presentation will help you develop successful speeches, covering everything from creating learning objectives to researching subjects, from how to estimate the length of your speech by its word count to personalizing dry statistics. We’ll view different examples of effective uses of rhetorical techniques like anaphora and epistrophe. Bring your topic (or just an idea.) My goal is for each writer to leave with ideas for an effective opening, a compelling closing and a solid strategy for tackling the body of your speech. Soon you’ll go from giving successful speeches on your topic to giving successful readings of your non-fiction book!

So you've had a couple pieces published in newspapers, magazines or literary journals. You know how to write a cover letter (though we’ll go over some ways to sharpen them) and you're ready to take your submitting skills to the next level. That might mean the frequency with which you publish, or publishing in a way that gets you toward a specific goal, such as a book. Or maybe it means moving up to the next tier of publications (we'll question, of course, if these tiers really exist and the very different things various publications can do for your career.) Or your next level could simply mean publishing pieces that are more fun, weirder, or just longer—pieces that are less constrained by ‘what editors are looking for’ and more you. These days a writer can and must assess the pros and cons of different publications and consider how they line up with his or her goals for writing. We'll look at ways to be more strategic and successful so you're not just lobbing queries into the abyss. And we’ll move from small tips to overarching philosophies about freelancing, learning the important difference between simply publishing and publishing what you want.

The writer’s life has become a lot less lonely since the advent of online communities several years back, and as these have grown, many writers have found in them their path to improvement, publication and simply staying sane. Come hear how members of three important online communities -- the blogs Writer Unboxed (with almost 40,000 monthly visits) and Beyond the Margins (Founded by Grubbies) and the Facebook group Book Pregnant have helped authors grow as writers and polish their craft, find the advice they’ve needed along the way, meet their agents and learn the nuts and bolts of marketing -- all the while having fun, making friends and giving back in a writerly way.

Most writers view the inspiration that sparks a first draft as fun, and revision as a chore. Discover how to enjoy listening to what you have said, then find ways to improve it. Become your own best editor by developing a sense of what to save and what to cut. We’ll also discuss strategies for using comments from workshops and manuscript readers, even when some of those comments might contradict each other. Energize the creative challenge of finding the best in your work and building on it in successive drafts instead of losing heart that the first draft didn’t nail it.

Join us for the most raucous, rollicking, retributive, power-reclaiming game of Bingo ever devised. Writer Retribution Bingo works like any Bingo game you've ever attended, except that the calls consist of the bedeviling (and, often, callous and cruel) things people say to writers, including: "What do you write about?" "Where have you been published?" "When will that thing [meaning, your cherished work] be done?" "You should put a sparkly vampire in your book!" "Why don't you write MY story?" Etc. Each call will be fully group-mocked while we play, and the session will also include a discussion of coping with rejection, callousness, marginalization, and the other ills to which society subjects writers. Best of all, in Writer Retribution Bingo *everyone* gets a prize. Writer Retribution Bingo is one of the most popular parts of Hillary Rettig's popular “How to Write a Lot” class, and is perfect for those who want to leave the Muse all empowered and riled up and ready to write. This class is for both fiction and non-fiction writers. Limited to 25 students, so arrive early!

Your chance to show off your skills by reading five minutes of your work (usually about 600 words of prose) to your fellow participants and any guest authors, editors, or agents who drop by. At this event, a skilled reader will be on hand to talk about what makes a good reading – from how to pick the right excerpt to how to perform that excerpt like a professional.

The challenges of breaking into and succeeding with major publishing houses are well documented, as are the perks of self-publishing. But what's it like to publish your book with a small, independent publisher? Join us for an instructive, positive session that will provide a window to this world. Do you need an agent? Should you enter contests to get your book published? How can your manuscript -- and cover letter -- emerge from the slush pile? Which literary journals do these presses pay attention to? Our panel -- consisting of novelists, short story writers, and a non-fiction author -- will address these questions. In addition, we'll break down the possible shortcomings of working with a small press, and we'll reveal the unexpected benefits and rewards. We'll give you some practical tips about how to succeed in a publishing world where writers at both large presses and tiny presses are now expected to directly market their books like never before.

Experience Boston's vibrant art scene at the SoWa Art District's First Friday. Wander the galleries and open studios of over 60 artists and illustrators, with a meet-and-greet at the Samsøn Project, currently showing Shifting Horizons, a solo exhibition by Lisa Segal. Co-hosted by life-long Grubbie Katie Li and the Samsøn Project, this event is designed to connect, inspire, and explore the relationship between the literary and visual arts. Meet at the Plaza Hotel lobby at 6:45 to walk to the galleries.

Zumba is a dance party-like fitness class inspired by Latin music. The easy-to-follow choreography is a fun, one-hour workout for the entire body and requires no floor moves or equipment. Any sneaker or similar enclosed shoe is usually worn, and exercising attire for the class can be loose-fitting, casual clothing, or athletic wear. (If you want to be a total Zumbie, you can simply search "Zumba clothing" online for outfits in the brightest colors and funky styles, as well as actual Zumba shoes. But the latter is not necessary.) Led by Grubbie Laura Osborne.

Come to the hotel gym on the basement level at 5:15pm and let loose after a busy day. It'll be a blast!

Join Yao Li, co-owner of the Boston Kung Fu Tai Chi Institute, for a 45-minute kung fu and qi gong workout. These exercises, originally from China, can increase flexibility and strength while also reducing stress. With over thirty years of experience, Yao has trained hundreds of students of all ages and experience levels, including Gisele Bundchen, Robert Parish, and David Mamet. No experience necessary, although comfortable clothing and footwear is recommended. Meet in the Statler Room at 5:55pm.

Zumba is a dance party-like fitness class inspired by Latin music. The easy-to-follow choreography is a fun, one-hour workout for the entire body and requires no floor moves or equipment. Any sneaker or similar enclosed shoe is usually worn, and exercising attire for the class can be loose-fitting, casual clothing, or athletic wear. (If you want to be a total Zumbie, you can simply search "Zumba clothing" online for outfits in the brightest colors and funky styles, as well as actual Zumba shoes. But the latter is not necessary.) Led by Grubbie Laura Osborne.

Come to the hotel gym on the basement level at 5:15pm and let loose after a busy day. It'll be a blast!

Zumba is a dance party-like fitness class inspired by Latin music. The easy-to-follow choreography is a fun, one-hour workout for the entire body and requires no floor moves or equipment. Any sneaker or similar enclosed shoe is usually worn, and exercising attire for the class can be loose-fitting, casual clothing, or athletic wear. (If you want to be a total Zumbie, you can simply search "Zumba clothing" online for outfits in the brightest colors and funky styles, as well as actual Zumba shoes. But the latter is not necessary.) Led by Grubbie Laura Osborne.

Come to the hotel gym on the basement level at 5:15pm and let loose after a busy day. It'll be a blast!