Description:
Published authors and published projects come in may forms. And there is a cyclical nature to everyone’s career: sometimes, it’s the season to focus on your original work and get that out into the world; other times, you may want to be writing and making money, but are open to executing other people’s visions. This is where ghostwriting, IP projects, and co-writing come in! In this session, we will talk about all the different opportunities available to writers. We will learn where the opportunities lie and how best to position yourself for success. We will also talk about the realities of taking on these sorts of projects (emotionally, psychologically, logistically); how they differ from working on your own original materials; and what to expect during the process. Participants will also learn about the deal points in these arrangements and the typical negotiations to expect.
Skill Level:
Intermediate to Advanced
This lab is best for:
Participants who have published books before and are looking to explore other revenue streams and expand their portfolios. Best for those who write picture books, middle grade, and YA (fiction and nonfiction are both fine). This lab is not suited for participants who only write board books, chapter books, or leveled readers.
Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation:
- Bring a writing resume that features all of your published works and include the following info for each work: pub date, publisher, format, genre (if MG or YA), accolades, sales figures. You can also, on the CV, put down relevant information that feels applicable to this topic, including but not limited to: time as a teacher, time as a bookseller, educational experience and degrees.
- Bring a list of categories, age levels, and genres you feel completely comfortable writing in.
- Also bring a list of “drawer” manuscripts AKA pieces of writing you have that go beyond the list of published works on your CV.
- Put together—and bring—a list of publishing contacts (agents, editors, other writers) and group them according to your level of familiarity (i.e. best buds—can drop a friendly email; distant connection—barely met once, but somehow have their contact info).
Schedule:
- Introduction, session overview, introductions from participants (10 minutes)
- Explanation of the different types of projects: ghostwriting, IP, co-writing/collaborations (15 minutes)
- Group sharing on what everyone wants to write (5 minutes)
- Personal journaling on your goals (5 minutes)
- Overview of the interview process and what to expect (10 minutes)
- Agented or not agented: how does it differ? (5 minutes)
- Crafting and perfecting your writing resume (20 minutes)
- Prepping your overall submission package (10 minutes)
- Prepping for The Call (10 minutes)
- Coffee/snack/stretch/bathroom break (10 minutes)
- Biggest mistakes and biggest draws (10 minutes)
- The finances of it all (5 minutes)
- Sharing, discussion, and Q&A (15 minutes)
- You’re in! What now? … Overview of the writing process and how it’s different from original work (15 minutes)
- Group sharing on fears and roadblocks (15 minutes)
- Final Q&A (10 minutes)
- Creating post-conference to-do lists, including blast emails (10 minutes)
Participants will:
- Identify the personal “why” of why they want to pursue these types of projects
- Gain a greater understanding of the overall ghostwriting process and where the challenges likely lie for them
- Hear about the financial and contractual ins-and-outs of these deals
- Learn what editors are looking for when seeking writers for these projects
- Perfect their writing resumes and learn how to put together a strong package for an editor’s review
- Hear tips for calls with editors and potential collaborators, and what both camps are listening for during these conversations
- Have an opportunity to ask vulnerable questions and share feelings about the roadblocks to this work
- Leave the session with a bulleted game plan for next steps on making these projects a reality for themselves
