A Business of Writing Workshop
For many writers working on a book project, questions about what it takes to bring that book into the world inevitably arise. Among them are: Do I need a literary agent? If so, how do I get one? Agent representation can offer writers an ally in the tricky process of navigating the publishing landscape and can assist in landing lucrative book deals with larger publishing houses. Many writers have also found success pitching on their own to small presses and independent publishers or self-publishing either alone or with hybrid presses. In this workshop, attendees will look at the pros and cons of seeking agent representation for their projects.
Participants will explore answers to the following questions: What is a literary agent and what do agents do? What are some strategies for researching agents? How does one query an agent? What types of projects are best suited to agent representation? What are alternative approaches to publishing that don't involve literary agents? As a writer who has sold one book with the help of a literary agent and one without, Melanie can offer perspectives from both sides of the conversation.
$70 Members/$100 Nonmembers
Melanie Brooks is the author of Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017). She teaches professional writing at Northeastern University and narrative medicine in the MFA program at Bay Path University in Massachusetts and creative writing at Nashua Community College in New Hampshire. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in Psychology Today, the HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, the Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. Her forthcoming memoir, A Hard Silence (September 2023), explores the lasting impact of living with the 10-year secret of her father’s HIV before his death in 1995. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from college), and two labs.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-200-7180 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one partial scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Email programs@mainewriters.org to see if the scholarship is still available. Application Due by November 1 at 9:00 a.m.
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