A Business of Writing Panel Discussion
Choosing which publishing format to pursue—traditional publisher, independent press, self-publishing company, or hybrid publisher—is among the most important decisions aspiring authors must make. What are the pros and cons of each model? How can writers determine which is the best fit for their book? What should they consider before submitting a manuscript without representation, or accepting a publisher’s offer?
In this panel, four authors will discuss these topics and more, based on their own experiences with each format, followed by a Q&A session.
+ PLEASE NOTE This talk will occur online via Zoom. Attendees do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before the presentation if they are first-time users. The presenter and MWPA staff will not have the capacity to help attendees with tech issues during the talk.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
John Bragg, renowned climber and mountaineer, has written articles for climbing publications including National Geographic, the American Alpine Journal, Climbing, Mountain, and Rock & Ice.
His first novel, The Broom of God, a mystery/thriller, takes place in remote Chilean Patagonia. where a few hardy settlers—campesinos, pobledores, gauchos—eke a living out of a harsh land. An American climber is found murdered. Danger lurks in the landscape, secrets are everywhere, and Chile’s dark political past infects the present. The book was selected as one of five “New Voices” at the 2016 Misty Valley Book Festival in Chester, Vermont, and was short listed for the Mountain Fiction Prize at the 2017 Banff Book and Film Festival.
His second novel, Exit 8, winner of the 2019 Booklife Prize by Piublisher’s Weekly, tells the story of Roland Tuttle, a Vermont bachelor farmer whose farm is threatened by the construction of Interstate 91. Through memory and everyday life, Exit 8 tells the history of the Tuttle family, and the story of a man confronted with the loss of the only world he knows and loves.
Bragg is a graduate of Harvard University. He is currently working on his third novel. He lives in Rockport, Maine.
Catherine Schmitt writes about science, nature, and the environment and is the author of Historic Acadia National Park (Lyons Press, 2016), The President's Salmon (Down East, 2015), and A Coastal Companion (Tilbury House, 2008). Essays and articles have appeared in Cold Mountain Review, 1966, Terrain, Collectively Quarterly, Island Journal, Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, and elsewhere. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine Stonecoast MFA Program and a master's in ecology and environmental science from the University of Maine. She is a science communication specialist with Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park. More information can be found at catherineschmitt.com.
Deborah K. Shepherd moved to Maine in 2005 after spending much of her life in the New York area. Before retiring from social work in 2014, she was the executive director of the domestic violence program in Kennebec and Somerset counties. After retiring, she studied French and tried downsizing. While cleaning out a closet, she exhumed a manuscript she’d written (on a word processor!) 30 years before. After numerous rewrites, that novel became So Happy Together, which will be published by She Writes Press in April, 2021. She also writes nonfiction: Her pandemic-inspired essay, “Snow Day, Maine, April 10, 2020,” was a recent winner of the Center for Interfaith Relations Sacred Essay contest, and she is currently working on a memoir. She is still trying to speak French. Shepherd can be reached at deborahshepherdwrites.com or on Facebook.
Shana Youngdahl is a poet, professor, and fiction writer. Her debut novel As Many Nows As I Can Get (Dial/Penguin Teen) was a Kirkus Best Book of 2019 and a New York Public Library top-ten book for teens. A second YA novel A Catalog of Burnt Objects is scheduled for 2023 (Dial/Penguin Teen). Shana is also the author of the poetry collection History, Advice and Other Half-Truths (SFASUPress) and three poetry chapbooks. Connect with her online at shanayoungdahl.com, twitter or instagram.
REGISTRATION
This talk is free for MWPA members and $5 for nonmembers. When you register below, you will receive an automatic email confirming your registration immediately, as well as an email with the link to join the talk on Thursday, November 19 or Friday, November 20. Registration will close the afternoon of Friday, November 20.
MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION