CHOOSING A GREAT TITLE BEFORE PUBLICATION Realistic and Logical Considerations Regarding Novel Titles - All Genres After a desultory lurch into relevancy on the part of the panel, one poor neophyte stood and asked the assembled if he should worry about his novel title before becoming published. Did it really matter? He'd received way too many opinions and desired a final tiebreaker. And the consensus answer? Don't worry about your title?
Not long ago, I attended a panel at a mega-large writer conference. It consisted of authors who had recently been published (small presses, mainstream imprints, e-presses). There were about 150 people in the room. After a desultory lurch into relevancy on the part of the panel, one poor neophyte stood and asked the assembled if he should worry about his novel title before becoming published. Did it really matter? He'd received way too many opinions and desired a final tiebreaker. And the consensus answer? No. You don't have to be concerned, and besides, the publisher will most likely change it anyway...
I sat there dumbfounded. So basically, these people told this guy that pitching his novel or nonfiction with a crappy, foolish, or hackneyed title was perfectly fine. Not to worry! Call it whatever you want. How about THE WHINE OF ROMAN DOGS ON CELTIC WINDS? Yeah, that's a good one!... Must I spend any more space telling you why this was not only not perfectly fine advice, but perfectly stupid and self-defeating?
A bad title is like a warning siren going out ahead of your pitch, whether it be an oral pitch or query letter. It makes a horrible whining sound of warning, and it seems to be saying to those who read or listen:
This is a terrible writer, stop listening, stop reading, run screaming!
The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop provides an ideal mix of experienced professionals dedicated to working one-on-one with aspiring authors to not only teach them the knowledge and skills they must have to be successful, but also provide them with valuable commentary on their completed novel or work-in-progress. All writers will work with a Pulitzer winner, a Hollywood Producer, a senior publishing house editor, as well as two literary agents and a seasoned writing workshop leader.
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest city in America. But what is the oldest city in America like? Imagine the French Quarter in New Orleans meets Santa Cruz, California, and as a bonus, a miles-long strip of white Cocoa Beach thrown in for good measure. The best of classic Florida and old-world Spain fuse to form a unique world that provides us with the ideal location for both a stimulating and productive writer event.
The St. Augustine Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the St. Augustine event, aspiring authors will: 1) work one-on-one with authors and savvy market professionals; 2) acquire the market skills and advanced story and narrative technique they must know to become published; 3) learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business; and 4) leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel... [continued]
ROLLING ADMISSIONS.
The Algonkian Novel Writing Courses were brainstormed by the faculty and director of Algonkian Writer Conferences, and later tested by NYC publishing professionals for practical and time-sensitive utilization by genre (YA, SF/F, mystery/thriller, WF, etc.) writers as well as upmarket literary writers who desire to become career authors. Therefore, if you wish to begin or restart your novel, rewrite it with guidance, or just reality-check the progress with our faculty professionals, you've come to the right place.
The goal is to get you as close to the brass ring as possible, to make your novel as commercially competitive as it needs to be on all levels while avoiding critical missteps, bad advice, and exorbitant prices for classes and mentorship. And it does not matter what stage your novel is currently in, or where you are in your writing life. The program steps and methodology, as well as the faculty, enable you to learn and grow as a writer together with your novel, and at your own pace. Once you accomplish the program, your work is thoroughly reviewed by our professionals and together you set publication goals, discuss agent representation options, and engage in manuscript and project edits as needed and appropriate ... [continued]
The Algonkian Writer Retreat and Novel Workshop now includes new pre-event craft studies as well as a pre-event phone consultation, a broader range of faculty, new and vital workshops, as well as extended personal time with business professionals. In keeping with the spirit of this place and the goals of this unique workshop retreat, you can be as goal-oriented or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, have your work read by our writer mentors, attend our workshops, pitch a literary agent or two, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow and discover your vision as a writer... [continued]
Below are
introductions to both our online and offline events, writer conferences and workshops, including the New York Pitch Conference. Links
to more info regarding the books displayed below and their relationship
to Algonkian can be found at Algonkian Commentary and on Algonkian AS News.
ALGONKIAN WRITER CONFERENCES WEBSITE
Algonkian Workshops, Conferences, and Retreats
Information and connections to Algonkian events throughout the year
including the New York Pitch, Algonkian and Monterey Novel Retreats, the
Write to Market Conference and The Santa Barbara A-M, plus writer
commentary, syllabus, articles, the new agent blog, and more. Notable
links include the Algonkian FAQ and the Event Comparison page ...
ALGONKIAN AUTHOR SALON.COM
Online Community For Writer Groups and Showcasing Work to Agents The
Algonkian Author Salon serves as an effective bridge between aspiring
authors and business professionals in commercial publishing. AAS editors
actively network with major New York publishers, as well as top
literary agents. Writers at the Algonkian Author Salon may join or form
effective writer critique groups ...
THE NEW YORK PITCH CONFERENCE
Algonkian Workshops, Writer Conferences, Retreats
The flag ship of the Algonkian writer events. If you can make it
here you'll make it national, and perhaps even land a few foreign rights sales.
Best acquisition editors and workshop leaders in NYC take you through
the paces of writing and pitching successful a commercial novel. Success rate speaks for itself. Notables include New York Pitch Conference News Page and Faculty page ...
ALGONKIAN NOVEL WRITING COURSES AND MS REVIEW
16 Course-Module Novel Incubator
Write or rewrite your novel as you progress through the online Algonkian
program a step at a time, the aim to make it as commercially
competitive as possible on all levels. Your work is reviewed by a
faculty professional who acts as your mentor, and together you set
publication goals and discuss representation options while engaging in
edits as needed ...
ALGONKIAN AUTHOR CONNECT AT AUTHORSALON.COM
Algonkian Online Forums and RSS Feed Board Home
of the Algonkian Novel Writing Program forums and 16 assignment modules
covering all aspects of market, structure, and craft; banners to Eudora
and Ray, All The Epiphany You Can Swallow, and more; AAS Commons and as
well as writer news feeds by Salon.Com, Women on Writing, Chuck
Sambuchino, Writer Unboxed, and Evil Editor ...
In keeping with the spirit of writers gone before on the California coast, you can be as goal-focused at the Monterey Writer Retreat, or as hesitant in approach as you wish. You can show us your manuscript, improve your skills, clear your head, have your work read by our onsite author-agent mentors, whatever helps you grow and find your vision as a writer ... [more]
At the Algonkian Writer Retreat you can be as goal-focused or hesitant in approach as you wish. You can go to a workshop or two, discuss your novel with us, have your synopsis and writing samples read by our onsite mentors, or just clear your head and find your path, whatever works for you, whatever helps you grow as an aspiring author... [more]
Realistic and Logical Considerations Regarding Novel Titles - All Genres 
Feb. 25 - 28, 2021.
Below are
introductions to both our online and offline events, writer conferences and workshops, including the 
[more]
At the Algonkian Writer Retreat
