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The Secrets of First-Person Writing

Featuring Susan Shapiro and editors from the top markets for essays and memoirs

PRICE
$20 ($15 for )

SYNOPSIS
Telling first person stories is an American phenomenon expanding by the minute. With all the competition from well-known writers, Iraq war survivors, and celebrities, how does an unknown novice stand a chance? Our panel of expert writers, agents, and magazine and book editors reveals everything you always wanted to know about first person work but were afraid to ask. They cover the worst mistakes budding confessors make, the reason why mining your obsessions often leads to book deals, the best way to break into the crowded field, the inside scoop on how to write and sell a great memoir, and the tricks to disclosing racy secrets without getting disowned, divorced, arrested, sued, or humiliated on national television. Moderated by Susan Shapiro.

DURATION/TIME
10 videos
1 hour 41 minutes total running time

DATE OF PANEL
January 23, 2007

Shot and edited by Resolution Seven

Speakers

John Glassie
"Lives" editor,
The New York Times		 Gael Greene
author of the memoir
Insatiable		 Esther Haynes
deputy editor,
Jane		 Daniel Jones
 "Modern Love" editor,
The New York Times
 
Elizabeth Kaplan
 agent,
The Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency		 Bruce Tracy
exec. editor and editorial director,
Villard		 Susan Shapiro (moderator)
author,
Five Men Who Broke My Heart and Lighting Up		  

Table of Contents

Sections Length Size
PREVIEW
  Highlights from the Panel FREE!
Watch a free preview of the First-Person Writers panel discussion. 		1:39 3 MB
  To watch the videos below, please click here to purchase or login. Requires Flash 7 or higher.    

Crib Sheet (PDF)
Download this outline and use it to take notes. Includes resources and other information.		    
1. Introductions
mediabistro.com's Carmen Scheidel welcomes moderator Susan Shapiro. In signature form, Sue introduces the panelists while laying out juicy details and gossip. 		9:20 18 MB
2. Fact or fiction?
The panel tackles the repercussions of first-person writing (divorce, lawsuits, disownment) and discusses the touchy nuances of pseudonyms and potentially libelous writing in the post-James-Frey environment. 		10:39 19 MB
3. The Pitfalls of Truth-Telling
The panelists cover common mistakes in first-person essays, such as clichés, weak structure, and plain-old poor writing. 		10:12 19 MB
4. More Pitfalls
When John Glassie submitted to the "Lives" column in 1994, the editor told him, "Sorry, we have a moratorium on dead father stories." He and the other panelists delve into common errors they see in submissions.		 8:46 16 MB
5. Advice to Writers
Tips on how to improve your writing. Gael Greene: "I wouldn't tell people to write about sex. It's very hard to write about sex. I just can't help it because it's one of my interests … Choose the thing you are passionate about, and tell it-don't hold back." 		12:20 22 MB
6. How to Submit
Procedures for submitting to agents and publications can vary. Panelists present different views on cover letters, e-mail etiquette, and how to catch an editor or agent's eye.		 9:14 17 MB
7. Following Up, Pitching, and Proposals
While discussing how long a writer should wait to follow up on a submission, Elizabeth Kaplan tells the ugly, honest truth: if an editor or agent hasn't responded, they probably do not want it.		 9:38 18 MB
8. Audience Questions
Topics include what the panelists want from a pitch, how to target Jane magazine, multiple submissions, word count, and pay.		 9:13 17 MB
9. More Audience Questions
The questions initiate a discussion of publications that run first-person essays, editors' rejection rates, and the (often unusual) paths the panelists took to their current positions.		 11:09 20 MB
10. The Path of a Writer
The panelists continue to discuss their career paths and conclude the panel by answering the burning question of how writers can contact them.		 12:01 22 MB

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