The 2024 Annual Conference
April 25-27, 2024
Wyndham Omaha/West Dodge, 655 N 108th Ave, Omaha Nebraska
*** Registration Will Open in December ***
Keynote Speaker: Becca Syme
Becca Syme holds a master’s degree in transformational leadership and has been a success coach (primarily utilizing the Gallup Strengthsfinder®) for over fifteen years. She’s coached over 5,000 individual authors and creatives through her Write Better-Faster and Strengths for Writers classes & coaching cohorts: six- and seven-figure authors, major award winners, midlisters, and new authors alike. Becca is the host of QuitCast for Writers and a mystery author. Connect with Becca at betterfasteracademy.com.
Emcee: Dennis Gaunt
Dennis Gaunt has always enjoyed making people laugh. He has previously emceed at the Storymakers and ANWA writing conferences. He is a frequent teacher at those and other writing conferences around the country. In addition, he is a published author with both Deseret Book and Covenant Communications, as well as being a teacher and motivational speaker for youth and young adults. When he's not writing, he enjoys photography, playing the guitar, going to Disneyland, and Godzilla movies. He also hates onions.
Literary Agents
The literary agents will be taking virtual pitches on Thursday, April 25th from 8:30-10:30AM.
Tess Callero with Europa Content Agency
Bio:
Tess graduated from Indiana University with a dual degree in Marketing and English. She moved to New York to combine her love of both fields and become a literary agent. After spending four years at Curtis Brown, she moved to Europa Content in March 2019. Tess represents clients across genres and categories, from young adult and adult fiction to select nonfiction projects. She is a member of the AALA and is the Chair of the Media and Digital Innovations Committee.
What she's looking for:
On the adult side, Tess loves smart, twisty psychological suspense in the vein of Lucy Foley or Ashley Audrain. She’s also looking for fun and engaging contemporary rom-com with elevated themes woven throughout – think Emily Henry, Talia Hibbert, Elena Armas, or Ali Hazelwood. She’d especially love a story that takes a young female narrator in a familiar setting and tells readers something new about the experience, like SUCH A FUN AGE or THE CLOISTERS. Please do not query her with sci-fi/fantasy, horror, or historical fiction.
In the children’s space, she’s exclusively looking for YA thriller/suspense. She especially loves a unique setting (boarding schools, small towns, international adventures). Please do not query me with picture books or middle grade.
Nonfiction: cookbooks, food narrative, pop culture, science, investigative journalism, business, social justice and anti-racism, humor.
Callie Deitrick with Wendy Sherman Agency
Bio:
Callie Deitrick is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. In fiction, she represents Caitlin Barasch, author of A Novel Obsession (Dutton, March 15th, 2022) and Emma Fedor, author of At Sea (Gallery, March 7th, 2023). She graduated from Hamilton College in 2016 with a major in creative writing and a minor in art. She then completed the Columbia Publishing Course in 2017. Professionally, she has worked as a publicity and editorial intern at Europa Editions, as an editorial intern at Henry Holt (where she illustrated the cover of Number One Chinese Restaurant), and as a bookseller at Little Joe’s. She has been an agent at WSA and has been assisting Wendy Sherman since the fall of 2018.
What she’s looking for:
Callie is looking for contemporary literary/upmarket novels with a fresh hook and a strong character-driven plot. She enjoys books that are both smart and entertaining with writing that has moments of humor and elements of suspense. She is drawn to books with flawed Millennial characters, diverse voices, and sympathetic protagonists. She has a soft spot for light speculative fiction with a simple conceit that otherwise feels like it could be set in reality. Narratives that subvert genre norms and the expectations of readers excite her, and she loves stories about complicated female friendships. Her personal interests—outside of reading—include art, traveling, cooking, soccer, and dogs.
*** Registration will open in December ***
Conference Schedule
Thursday
8:00 am – Registration
8:30 am – Opening Remarks
9:00 am – Writing Sprints - Bring your laptop or other writing device and get ready to get words on the page. We'll do 20-minute sprints with breaks in between where you can socialize.
12:00 pm – Lunch (included)
1:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Creating and Maintaining a Successful Writing Group by Mari Beck and Jim Arrowood
Dodge 1: The Art of Interviewing by Hugh Reilly
Executive Room: Write Now, Research Later: Going Down the Research Rabbit Hole by Barbara Salvatore
2:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Market Better—Faster by Becca Syme
Dodge 1: Crime Scenes for Fiction Authors by Melissa Kriekmemeier (2-Hour Intensive)
Executive Room: Submittable: Surviving the Lit Mag Rabbit Hole by Tacheny Perry
3:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Turning Your Personal Experience into a Memoir by Jennifer D. James
Dodge 1: Crime Scenes for Fiction Authors by Melissa Kriekmemeier (2-Hour Intensive)
Executive Room: How I Connected with 256 Nebraska Libraries by Bonnie Lacy
4:30 pm – Closing Remarks
7:00 pm – Music Bingo Night! Come win prizes and have fun!
Friday
8:00 am – Registration
8:30 am – Opening Comments
9:00 am Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Adapting Your Novel into a Screenplay by Christine Conradt
Dodge 1: Feed Yourself First: How to Make Money as a Content Marketer by Brittany Wren
Executive Room: Picture Book Basics by Heather Dawn Torres
Conference Room: Learn to Narrate: A Hands-on Workshop by Cindy Gunderson (2-Hour Intensive)
10:00 am Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Unstuck Yourself by Becca Syme
Dodge 1: Cultivating an ARC/Street Team by L.A. McBride
Executive Room: How to Write Poetic Prose that Isn’t Purple by Charlene Pierce
Conference Room: Learn to Narrate: A Hands-on Workshop by Cindy Gunderson (2-Hour Intensive)
11:00 am Classes:
Dodge 2-3: What Do Copyeditors Do Anyway? By Julie Haase
Dodge 1: “No, I Am Your Father!” How to Craft a Crafty Villain by KaTrina Jackson
Executive Room: Help! My Book Isn’t Selling by Victorine Lieske
12:00 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Bookkeeping for Authors by Brandy Prettyman (2-Hour Intensive)
Dodge 1: Giving Birth to New Monsters by ShennonDoah
Executive Room: Creating a Year’s Worth of Newsletter Content with Ease and without Overwhelm by Christine Sterling and Amber Marie
2:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Bookkeeping for Authors by Brandy Prettyman (2-Hour Intensive)
Dodge 1: Questioning the Author “Rules” by Michelle Pennington
Executive Room: Writing Plausible Computer Hacks by Don Carey
3:30 pm Classes:
Dodge 2-3: A Genuine Look at Impostor Syndrome by Dennis Guant
Dodge 1: Leveling Up Through Collaboration by Tara Grace Ericson
Executive Room: You Wrote the Book, Now Brand the Biz by Katie Garland
4:30 pm – Closing Remarks
7:00 pm – Boot Camp - Sign up for our free Boot Camp and we'll divide into small critique groups. Read the first chapter of your work in progress and get feedback from your group!
Saturday
8:00 am – Registration
8:30 am – Opening Comments
9:00 am Keynote with Becca Syme
10:30 am Classes:
Dodge 2-3: All About Dialogue by Tosca Lee
Dodge 1: Pitch Workshop by Jaye Viner (2-Hour Intensive)
Executive Room: Websites for Authors: How to Get the Most Out of Your Digital Space by Virginie Carmichael
11:30 am Classes:
Dodge 2-3: Reading Like a Writer by Margaret Lukas
Dodge 1: Pitch Workshop by Jaye Viner (2-Hour Intensive)
Executive Room: Inspiration in the Mundane by Brandy Prettyman
12:30 pm – Lunch Break and Business Meeting
2:00 pm Classes
Dodge 2-3: Voice: Metallica, Muppets, and Me by Dennis Guant
Dodge 1: Writing the Hallmark Style Rom Com by Christine Conradt
Executive Room: Writing with ADHD by Michelle Pennington
3:00 pm Classes
Dodge 2-3: Writing Unforgettable Characters by Tosca Lee
Dodge 1: How to Use Kindle Vella for Writing Productivity and Bonuses by Mari Beck
Executive Room: DIY Like a Pro: Graphics Edition by Katie Garland
4:00 pm Classes
Dodge 2-3: A Practical Guide to Deep POV by Julie Haase
Dodge 1: Indie Publishing on a Low Budget by Victorine Lieske
Executive Room: Academic Writing for Publishing by Catherine Baker Nicholson
5:00 pm – Raffle Drawing and Closing Remarks
*** Registration will open in December ***
Early Bird NWG Member Registration Prices:
Saturday Only: $129
Friday and Saturday: $179
Best Price: All Three Days: $219
Early Bird Non-Member Prices:
All Three Days: $279
Early bird prices end on March 15th.
Anyone is welcome to join the NWG to get the member price of the conference. Click Here to Join.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations on or before March 15th - $25 Cancellation Fee. Cancellations after March 15th - No Refunds Given
Looking for other writing conferences to attend? Here's a great article from Kindlepreneur on the best writing conferences. We are proud to have made the list!
