***Please Note***
We received information that this event has been cancelled. Please contact the event coordinators with any questions. It is our understanding that all those who registered will receive a refund.
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We received this information and wanted to make sure everyone knows the early bird rate is still good through March 21. Our very own C.R. Myers will be one of the speakers!
The book publishing world is changing. Authors no longer have to rely only on “The Big 5” publishers in New York to publish a book as the market is swaying more toward authors and readers.
In response to the changes, the East Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America is hosting the Indie Road Conference & Book Signing event April 25-26 at the Courtyard Marriott, 7424 S. Broadway Ave. in Tyler, Texas. (Tyler is located 100 miles from Dallas, 100 miles from Shreveport and 200 miles from Houston – making it a great central location for Texas and Louisiana authors and writers.)
“Right now is a great time to be an author. The market is changing, shifting power back to the writer and the reader. Now writers have the capability to produce a quality book from concept to distribution and not shave off massive profits along the way,” Indie Road Conference Coordinator and author JoAnna Grace said. “Readers can find amazing books that might have rejected by the ‘gatekeepers’ of the past, and connect with the authors like never before. It’s very exciting!”
The writing conference and book signing is open to all genres and will include workshops for writers wanting to learn how to self-publish their books — as well as help those who have already published their books learn advance marketing techniques and other skills.
Early bird registration is $110 through March 21. The price goes up March 22, so lock in your rate now. For information or to register, visitwww.indieroadconference.com
Registration includes a catered evening of networking on Friday (April 26) night, the workshops and materials for Saturday (April 26) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., complimentary snack bar to keep you fueled throughout the day, and booth space in the public book signing from 4 to 6 p.m. that evening.
“Our mission is to bring indie and self-published authors together with cover artists, editors, marketers and any other professionals that support these authors. When we work together, everyone benefits. It’s a great time to be an author and we are here to celebrate our success, learn how to improve, and build one another up,” Grace said. “This conference will give any author at any stage of their journey the tools they need to blaze their own trail.”
Vendor tables also are open to artists, small presses, distributors, printers, editors, “swag” creators — anyone who can be of service to authors. In addition, The Texas Association of Authors (TxAuthors.com) will have their mobile book store set up for the entire conference offering books from more than 60 Texas authors.
The conference is set up where attendees can stay at the hotel Friday night through Saturday evening – starting with the Friday night get-together. During the lunch break Saturday, a handful of restaurants are available within walking distance in addition to the hotel restaurant. This makes it great for out-of-towners who want to not have to travel for food, etc.
Here are bios and information on speakers who will lead workshops during the event:
SPEAKER: Clover Autrey
“Self-Publishing 101”
Taking the plunge into the world of self-publishing? This workshop is geared for the writers who are self-publishing for the first time. It is basic, basic, basic, covering the step-by-step process of entering your first book into the Kindle Direct Publishing program, Nook Press, and Smashwords as well as other platforms. It also covers what you’ll need in preparation beforehand, as in a good eye-catching cover embedded with metadata, your bio, book description, back matter such as “calls to action” and strong anchor links, and most importantly how a writer can figure out the best keywords to optimize the dreaded online search algorithms.
Clover has had a love of stories and romance reading for as long as she can remember, especially inventing her own. She writes the kind of stories she loves to read, high fantasy and time travels with Scottish Highlanders or magical mermen and shapeshifters with powerful elements of romance, where a hero and heroine must each make sacrifices to gain something even stronger.
When she dove into the waters of indie publishing she went head first into the deep end, researching every little aspect from figuring out the best key words to optimizing websites and blogs. As writers, we already know the power of words so let’s put the right words to good use for us.
Find our more at:www.cloverautrey.org
SPEAKER: Jana DeLeon
“The Business of Indie Publishing”
You may feel like you’re done when you press the Publish button for your novel, but the truth is, the hard work is just beginning. You’re not just an author. You’re the CEO of your own business, and it’s usually running with one employee–you. When your product is in the store, it’s time to shift your focus to things like marketing, which means understanding and playing to your advantage, retail algorithms and social media, which allows you to build a loyal fan base, and who can forget the dreaded accounting and tax responsibility.
Are you overwhelmed yet? Don’t be.
With some careful planning, you can put together a business model that allows you to run your business without losing focus on your writing. Learn the most important things to focus on, how to prioritize them to your best advantage, and when to ask for help and how to find it. Learn how to boost sales without spending a fortune and the best plan for long-term revenue. Learn how to keep good accounting records and avoid problems with the IRS. And most importantly, learn where to find the support you need to be the most successful indie author you can be.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won’t find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just of the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get to by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.
Jana and her brothers spent thousands of hours combining the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these “studies,” but they kept markers and peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she’s still hopeful. She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with her husband Rene’ and the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
Find more at: https://janadeleon.com
CL Stegall (& others) with Dark Red Press
“Preparing Your Novel for the World”
CL will discuss-and provide information on properly preparing a manuscript for the world: whether that be via self-publishing or a micro press or submission to an agent or one of the Big 6 publishing houses. Topics include:
Your Close Up- Is it ready?
Eyes On Make the Difference- Editing.
Pretty Is as Pretty Does- Formatting
Sometimes No is Almost- Gaining a thick skin.
Which Way Did He Go? Where and how to submit
Red Carpet- How to make the most of your release.
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C.L. Stegall is the co-founder, Senior Editor and CEO of Dark Red Press, an independent press for authors of Dark Speculative Fiction. He is the author of the Progeny series of novels and shorts- the first of which, “The Weight Of Night”, was published in January 2011. He is also the author of the adult Urban Fantasy series, Valence of Infinity. The first novel in that series, “The Blood of Others”, now available online where ever fine books are sold. He spends his time writing, herding the cats of DRP, and making his wife, Mona, laugh. They live in Plano, TX with two dogs who think they run the joint.
Find more at: www.DarkRedPress.com
SPEAKER: C.R. Myers
“10k a Day- The Secret of Quality Speed Writing”
Is writing a struggle for you–every word like trudging through quicksand? Do you seem to labor over every word or sentence or paragraph?
It’s not you — you don’t have to be this kind of writer. You can change.
You can write with an ease and speed you never thought possible. Your word count will improve as well as the quality of your writing.
Why wait? According to Albert Einstein the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Be all that you can be, and become a more productive writer today.
10K a Day is a writing plan designed to increase the speed of your writing. With focus and practice your speed will continue to increase until you are writing faster and better than you ever thought possible.
C.R. Myers writes mystery and suspense– cozy to edgy. She enjoys having a well-developed plot with lots of surprises. Reviewers often point out that she reaches inside the mind of the killer, ferreting out their most basic needs and emotions. Of course, it’s the reader’s minds that really holds her interest.
She also writes non-fiction books on writing and marketing, and gives lectures and workshops, both as herself and as CEO of Lone Star Writing Workshops.
As a child she was an incessant reader. As a teacher and mother, she witnessed the joy of children experience reading stories for themselves, especially those incorporating rhythm and rhyme. This experience lead to publishing her own children’s books. In the process of creating a new title, she envisions the pleasure a child will receive when hearing or reading the story.
C.R. Myers, a native Texan, received her MA from the U.T.T. She designed and implemented her own creative writing course as well as writing college sketches. Today, Ms. Myers works full-time as a free-lance journalist and novelist.
Find out more at: www.crmyers.com
SPEAKER: Rene Groskrutz
“Blogging for Your Book Business”
Anyone can sit down and write ONE blog post, but can your write 20? 50? 100? Planning your blog and having a blog strategy is 75% of blogging success. We’ll discuss in varying degrees:
-The basic about owning your URL and why it’s important
-Planning categories, writing titles
-How to avoid “overdesigning” and staying within your brand
-How authors can get more traffic by optimizing with great SEO for their subject matter
-How to promote your blog content using social media
Even better, Renee will inspire and answer questions in a laid-back and casual way that will help even the newbie feel comfortable in the process of blogging.
Free booklets while supplies last, free PDF available at www.iTeachBlogging.com
Renee is a lover of all things blog and is on fire to teach small business owners the power of blogging for business, and empower them with the latest tools. She is the co-founder of four startups in the metroplex- a serial entrepreneur, if you will- that comes together to serve as The Small Business Experience. she is also the author of 15 Twitter Tips for Authors & Other Grownups, Tips on Blogging for Business and creator of the 90-Day Social Media Marketing Plan. She spends a lot of time working in her favorite monkey pajamas, loves red wine and everything related to new technology and SEO.
Find out more at: iteachblogging.com & DFWWebsiteDesigners.com
SPEAKER: Roger Leslie
“Clearing the Road to Publication: An Action Plan”
Some people only dream of writing. Others generate ideas or start manuscripts that never become completed, publishable drafts. For many aspiring or unpublished writers, the greatest roadblock appears after the initial inspiration. You can overcome such obstacles on your author’s journey and build momentum to complete works that are polished and ready for publication. A flexible plan of action can transform your ideas into marketable manuscripts. In this seminar, you will not only discover the plan, but tailor a personalized version of it to ignite your passion to write and build momentum that lasts until you complete the work that your imagination hungers to reveal. With only an idea and a plan, you can follow this indie road to a dream-fulfilled trip of a lifetime!
Dr. Roger Leslie is an award-winning author, editor, writing coach, publisher and international speaker who empowers people to live the life they dream. A prolific writer, Leslie has published books in multiple genres, including fiction, self-help, biography, educational texts, performance arts reference, and inspirational. His passion and energy as a speaker transform audiences and provide them with the tools they need to build the life they only imagined.
Find out more at: www.rogerleslie.com
SPEAKER: Harry Hall
Turn your book signing into an event!
Except for the big-name authors, book signings are often conducted in sterile environments with a flat atmosphere. They become little more than opportunities for some low-key greetings and brief chats. Sure, a hand full of friends show up, they might stand in line, buy a book, congratulate you, pat you on the back, then leave. But book signings can be more than that. In this session, you will learn how you can generate excitement, create an aura of fun and party atmosphere at your next book signing. The key is leaning a few promotional skills, and adding some playful elements to your appearance, which can turn it into an event.
A popular speaker at writer’s conferences, Harry Hall’s work has appeared in “Runner-Triathlete News”, “Health and Fitness Sport”, and “The Dallas Morning News”. Along the way he interviewed: Chuck Norris, Robin Roberts, Nate Newman, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, Earl Campbell, and a baseball team owner known for greater accomplishments, George W. Bush.
Harry is a one-time radio talk show host and has taught public speaking for 15 years. His book, “Help! Everyone is Staring at Me”, gives readers the tools they need for overcoming the fear of public speaking. His next book, “Frenzy: When America Cheered the Pedestriennes”, focuses on the true story of the female endurance walkers whose exploits thrilled the nation from 1876-1881. It will debut in late spring 2014.
Harry is a member of the DFW Writer’s Workshop, World Champion’s Edge, Toastmasters International, and the Dallas Press Club. He is a charter inductee into the Mayborn Authors’ Guild and has been named the Texas Dietetic Association’s Media Personality of the Year.
Harry lives in Grand Prairie, TX with his wife of 26 years and their teenage son, Zane.
Find out more at: www.harryhallspeaks.com
SPEAKER: Mitch Haynes
Before and After- Preparing Before and Marketing After.
After attending writer’s conferences for many years, Mitch found a common problem with each one, i.e. the speakers talk about themselves and how they succeed in their endeavors. Hearing people talk about themselves got boring really fast. He has designed a system that is unique in its perspective: 1. Leave your ego at the door. 2. Don’t talk incessantly about yourself or your work. Turn it around and ask others about their work and themselves. Build a relationship. Network with each other and build a sales team. He’s designed an entire conference devoted to this ideology.
Mitch is a graduate of the University of North Texas, published author of “Hollywood Agent Provocateur” and President and Chief Organizer of The Lexi-Con Writers Conference taking place on July 11-13, 2014 in Denton, TX.
Find more at: www.Lexi-ConWritersConference.com
SPEAKER: Janet Mackey
“1,000 Words Can Bring a Picture to Life”
Imagine being able to paint a beautiful portrait, a detailed, breathtaking landscape, a gorgeous still-life. You can, with the words you write. Good description, detailed character development, believable dialogue, all begin with the same thing- detailed, specific writing with vivid adjectives and strong verbs. Instead of looking at a painting done with brushes and watercolors, you will be painting your own pictures with paper and pen (or keyboard, if you prefer!). This workshop will equip beginning writers with tools they need to write so vividly that their readers will be able to see the picture they’ve crafted come to life.
Janet Mackey is a wife, mother, teacher, and published author, a dream she saw fulfilled two years ago with the release of her first Christian fiction novel, Losing Mama. Her second novel, This Latter House, is due out this year. An English teacher for over 20 years, Janet loves helping her students learn how to express themselves on paper with confidence and the skills necessary to make them accomplished writers. She is also an avid reader, scrapbooker, quilter, and part-time book editor.
Find out more at: janetmackey.wordpress.com
SPEAKER: Olivia Hardin
Group Trip!
Most of the time writing is personal; the words flow directly from the heart. But the journey of a writer should never be taken alone. Writers need a slew of partners to get them from point A to point B. From critique partners to support groups, to editors and cover designers, find out about the different people who can help you travel the perilous road of publishing. Olivia started her writing journey in 2011 when she was invited to join a writers Facebook group. Through trial and error and shared experiences she learned some of the dos and don’ts of those first steps.
When Olivia began having movie-like dreams in her teens, she had no choice but to begin putting them to paper. Before long, the writing bug had her and she knew she wanted to be a published author. Several rejections plus a little bit of life later, and she was temporarily “cured” of the urge to write. That is until she met a group of talented and fabulous writers who gave her the direction and encouragement she needed to get lost in the words again. Olivia’s attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term road scholar and knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star State with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.
Find more at: www.olivia-hardin.com
HOTEL INFO:
Courtyard Marriott
7424 S. Broadway Ave.
Tyler, TX 75703
Those attending from out of town can call 903-509-4411 to make hotel reservations. Conference prices are available for Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26.