The submission period for proposals is now closed.
The conference will take place on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
Conference Program
The conference program will feature four 60-minute workshops on Saturday morning/afternoon. Each presenter will receive $200 and free admission to the conference. Presenters do not have to be members of Story Circle Network, but preference is given to current members.
If you have more than one good idea, offer more than one proposal. Multiples are encouraged.
Proposal Guidelines
We are seeking proposals with strong audience interaction/participation. Ideally, about one-fourth of the total program time should be interactive: open discussion, question and answer, or other audience participation. If you're offering a workshop, make sure you include at least one opportunity for participants to actually write and share their writing; if you're offering a lecture, ensure that it is interactive and engaging. Also, please tell us whether your proposal is primarily aimed at novice/beginner writers or advanced/experienced writers, or is general, for all levels.
A catchy, definitive presentation title is important. Create something short and sweet that will appeal to women writers and whet their appetite.
Your synopsis will be used to promote both your presentation and the conference. Our advance publicity (national e-mailings, our quarterly Journal, and possible print advertising) will feature you, your work, your website, and your blog. Use this opportunity to sell your workshop with descriptive, definitive words that go directly to the heart of the matter, explaining your goals and the benefits to participants.*
Some samples of well-written synopses:
- You will learn to convert your experience and expertise into articles for regional or special-interest magazines. This practical, hands-on, interactive workshop will help match your talents to appropriate magazines, learn how to query, conduct successful interviews, format your work to meet editors' expectations, follow submission guidelines, and become a "go-to" author that editors will seek for future work.
- This interactive workshop uses journaling exercises and worksheets to help you discover your present priorities, write goals, make a commitment, and take away an action plan that will keep you moving along on your next writing project. It will be as much fun as planning an itinerary for your next vacation!
- A memoir is like a building—it's built from pieces that fit together seamlessly to create a pleasing structure. In this workshop, you will discover how to manage the elements of scene, dialogue, description, and narration to build a memoir that reaches the reader emotionally.
Suggested Topics
The ideas sketched out below are just suggestions—be creative!
Members have expressed an interest in memoir, personal essay, fiction, and poetry—your presentation can focus on one genre or include more than one. Below are some areas to consider, but please don't be limited by these suggestions. We welcome your original ideas.
- Getting Personal: journaling; writing from the heart/reaching deep; developing an authentic voice; family history; etc.
- Craft Matters: improving writing skills; learning to edit/proofread; revising, fiction fundamentals (characters, plot, setting, structure); hooking the reader; etc.
- The Writing Life: managing time; creating a writing practice; working with a collaborator; critique group, beta readers; blogging; etc.
- The Business of Writing: publishing, marketing, freelance practices, becoming a writing coach, etc.
The submission period is now closed.
Questions? Email programs@storycircle.org
*Story Circle Network reserves the right to polish and/or make minor changes to presentation titles and synopses to improve marketability.
