Washington Writers Conference Schedule of Events 2015
Friday, April 24:
6:30-8:30 p.m. Opening Reception. Don’t miss this opportunity to chat with agents, panelists, and fellow conference-goers at the Pook’s Hill Marriott! (Cash bar.)
Saturday, April 25:
8-8:45 a.m. Registration
8-8:45 a.m. Poetry Panel: The Word & the Market. Led by Grace Cavalieri, with Karren Alenier and Laura Shovan.
8:50 a.m. Welcome. David Stewart, president, Washington Independent Review of Books.
Morning plenary sessions (all held in the Grand Ballroom):
9-9:45 a.m. How to Pitch Agents, a Conversation. Moderated by Deborah Grosvenor, and featuring Roger Williams and Helen Zimmermann.
10-10:45 a.m. What Do Publishers Want? Moderated by Salley Shannon, and featuring Niko Pfund, Jonathan Sisk, and Gregg Wilhelm.
11-11:45 a.m. So You Published a Book: What Now? Moderated by Carrie Callaghan, and featuring Marina Ein, Kirstin Downey, and Jim Rada.
Noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch (provided)
Lunchtime keynote speaker: John Feinstein - introduced by Gene Meyer.
Lifetime Achievement Award: presented during lunch to poet Grace Cavalieri.
1:45-2:30 p.m. Breakout Session I: Gender and Biography: Does It Matter? Moderated by Marc Pachter, and featuring Kitty Kelley, Linda Lear, and James McGrath Morris.
1:45-2:30 p.m. Breakout Session II: The YA Market: Reaching the Post-Millennials. Moderated by Emily Keyes, and featuring Meg Medina and Kristen Lippert-Martin.
2:45-3:30 p.m. Breakout Session I: You Bet Your Life: The Art of Memoir. Moderated by Michel Martin, and featuring Robert Timberg, Ruben Castanada, and Martha Ertman.
2:45-3:30 p.m. Breakout Session II: Novelisms: The Importance of Place. Moderated by Tim Wendel, and featuring David Rowell, Maud Casey, and Eugenia Kim.
3:45-4:30 p.m. Breakout Session I: From Magazines and Blogs to Books. Moderated by Holly Smith and featuring Caitlin Kelly, Monica Bhide, and Adele Levine.
3:45-4:30 p.m. Breakout Session II: ISO the Truth: Research Is a Slog, Not a Blog. Moderated by Chuck Babcock, and featuring Kaye Wise Whitehead, Michael Isikoff, and Tom Dunkel.
5:00 p.m. Conference concludes.
* Schedule is subject to change.