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INTERVIEW OBSERVATIONS BY AGENTS "Any first time author can be made to look "fabulous" -- it's all about how an agent, author and publisher present the author. Every author has a background and a story, which can be told to the book- sellers and public in a boring way or a way that is spectacular."   Barbara Zitwer "If an author is a terrific writer and has a voice or perspective or style that's not been seen before, there is a far greater chance it will have a place in the literary market. Though it's true that it can be tough to get a first book published, agents and editors are always looking for the next voice or story. That's why we go to writer's conferences."   Elise Capron

More helpful notes from the Writer's Edge Blog hosted by Michael Neff of Algonkian Writer Conferences and writer Tony Policastro, also including legendary agent Richard Curtis, publicist Paula Marguiles, and writer-teacher Christine Stewart: More Stigma to Self Publishing? by guest writer Debbi Mack; Top Ten Things Editors and Agents Hate by Tony P.; and an important piece entitled New Writers Must Be Careful Not to Emulate Bad Writing By Poor Authors ... In Seven Reasons Passionate Writers Fail to Publish, the Algonkian MN talks about writers who snatch defeat from the jaws of victory ... ... and in Got a Novel That Needs a Fix? Whose Advice Should You Trust? he further observes that bad advice can doom a novel ...

Point Loma Writers Conference 2/25 - 3/01/09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $965 "From the Heart, but Smart - Premise, Platform, Market and Execution" - Agent Pitch Sessions With Elise Capron, Scott Hoffman, Michael Neff, Kate Gale, and Sally van Haitsma. Craft workshops, short fiction workshop, novel into film.

NYC Pitch and Shop Conference Mar. 26-29, 09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $595 Writers workshop their novel before pitching it to major publishers such as Scribners, Penguin, Random House, Holt, St. Martins, and more. See NYC Pitch and Shop NEWS for latest. Book publicity pros and top workshop leaders from Algonkian and NYWW.

	Algonkian Park Workshops April 1-5, 09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $865 Beside the waters of the Potomac, writers go to the fireplace with lots of coffee and hunker down for five days of intensive novel and fiction crafting with Michael Neff, Robert Bausch, and Paige Wheeler.

Fisherman's Wharf Writers Conference May 6-10, 09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $695 "From the Heart, but Smart - Premise, Platform, Market and Execution" beside the San Francisco Bay ... Agent sessions With Elise Capron, Michael Larsen, Elizabeth Pomada, and Scott Hoffman; structure and narrative workshops with Michael Neff; Short Fiction Workshop, Novel Into Film. Book Publicity Pros David Cole and Isabella Michon.

	Algonkian Park Workshops June 3-7, 09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $865 Beside the waters of the Potomac, writers go to the fireplace with lots of coffee and hunker down for five days of intensive novel and fiction crafting with Michael Neff, Robert Bausch, and Paige Wheeler.

NYC Pitch and Shop Conference DATES IN JUNE TO BE ANNOUNCED. Tuition $595 Writers workshop their novel before pitching it to major publishers such as Scribners, Penguin, Random House, Holt, St. Martins, and more. See NYC Pitch and Shop NEWS for latest. Book publicity pros and top workshop leaders from Algonkian and NYWW.

Fisherman's Wharf Writers Conference July 8-12, 09. OPEN TO APPLICATIONS. Tuition $695 "From the Heart, but Smart - Premise, Platform, Market and Execution" beside the San Francisco Bay ... Agent sessions With Elise Capron, Michael Larsen, Elizabeth Pomada, and Scott Hoffman; structure and narrative workshops with Michael Neff; Short Fiction Workshop, Novel Into Film. Book Publicity Pros David Cole and Isabella Michon.

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