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The Secrets Behind Writing and Selling Your First Book: One-Day Workshop

Course is closed.

DURATION/TIME
Sunday, May 7
2-8 pm

LEVEL
General

LOCATION
New York (Soho)

PRICE
$175 ($150 for )
more info

Course Details

Do you think you have a great book that would fit perfectly into the current publishing scene? Whether you're just starting to scrawl notes or have already written the entire manuscript, this one-day workshop will help your first project see print. It's taught by Susan Shapiro, author of Lighting Up: How I Stopped Smoking, Drinking and Everything Else I Loved in Life Except Sex, who has recently signed four book deals and a movie deal. She will share her secret weapons to help you get unblocked and find the help you need to finish, edit, and sell a brilliant first book project. Susan will offer her no-holds-barred critique, offer suggestions of what might sell faster and better, and answer all of your specific questions about how to break into the book world.

Participants can bring in the one page cover letter they'll send to agents, with the title, subtitle and description of their book and their background.

During the last hour of the exciting six-hour Sunday workshop, Beth Vesel of the Beth Vesel Literary Agency will join in the discussion and critique. Editor Shannon Jamieson Vazquez, from the Berkley Publishing Group will also join Sue and Beth as a guest speaker.

In this workshop you will learn:

  • How to pick a fabulous title (and possible subtitle)
  • How to figure out which genre best suits your idea (memoir? novel? self-help? humor?)
  • How to focus and begin on the most fascinating and dramatic part
  • How to describe your book in two sellable lines
  • How and when to contact agents

Instructor Bio

Susan Shapiro's Courses

Susan Shapiro
Susan Shapiro has written for the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, The Nation, Village Voice, Salon.com, People, Glamour, and Jane magazine. o.) She's co-editor of the anthology Food for the Soul, and author of the books Secrets of a Fix-Up Fanatic, Lighting Up, and Five Men Who Broke My Heart (recently optioned by Paramount Pictures). Her new book "Only As Good As Your Word: Writing Lessons From My Favorite Literary Gurus" will be published in September by Seal Press, a California publisher. She lives with her husband, a TV/film writer, in Greenwich Village. Susanshapiro.net is her website.


Testimonials


Sue is great. Any writer at any level will find a lot to learn from her. -- Sheila McClear, Gawker.com

"If it weren't for Sue's class I wouldn't have a book deal. Sue is not only extremely savvy, but extremely generous with her publishing network. That who you know thing really paid off for me. I met an editor who was a guest speaker in her Publish your Memoir class. He heard my first page, emailed me the next day, and long story short, I have a deal with Penguin." -- Louise Sloan, author of Knock Yourself Up, a girlfriends' guide to choosing single motherhood

"I was coming down the homestretch writing the proposal. Before panic set in, I signed up for Sue Shapiro's workshop. As soon as Sue started to talk, fear backed off. Sue is passionate, fiercely strategic, authoritative, and demanding. Hers was just the kind of high-energy-get-your-ass-in-gear pep talk I needed. Just weeks later, I've got a deal with Penguin to publish my first book!" -- Bruce Frankel, author of Better Late: Stories of Americans Who Succeed After Sixty

"Sue's critique of my work was a crucial step in improving it. My novel eventually sold to Spiegel & Grau, a fantastic imprint of Random House. I couldn't recommend studying with Sue more." -- Liza Monroy, mediabistro instructor and author of Mexican High

"Sue helps her students break into print by sharing her knowledge, expertise and connections without reservation. Within five weeks, one of my assignments for class became a published piece in the NY Press. Sue went beyond my expectations to help me get three other pieces published, including one in the New York Observer. What Sue offered that was just as important as her practical and constructive advice was the feeling that she really wants to see her students succeed and will help every step of the way." -- Paul Smalera

"Sue Shapiro's class gave me the kick I needed. I learned more from her in one day than I learned from most of my college professors over the course of a year. Six months later, I'm thrilled to say I sold my first book!" -- Kimberlee Auerbachauthor of The Devil, The Lovers, and Me: My Life in Tarot

"Based on Sue's insider tips for cover letters and queries, I pitched an editorial to Metro New York and the editor bought it within an hour! Sue is available to her students 24/7 and has great connections with major newspapers and magazines." -- Kerri Allen

"Sue's class was both fun and informative. I had already had some personal essays published years before, but had gotten out of the groove and needed guidance getting back into it. Sue gave insightful, encouraging feedback and had lots of great ideas about ways to rework essays and recast them for different publications. She's got lots of great tips to offer, plus she shares contacts, which is absolutely invaluable. I've placed all the essays I worked on in Sue's class." -- Sari Botton

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