Announcing an early bird special! See below for details.
MG/YA Writing Retreat
September 24–26, 2010
Fire Petal Books is proud to sponsor a retreat for middle grade and young adult writers, which will take place the last weekend in September. In addition to great classes, literary agent Lauren MacLeod with the Strothman Agency will be attending the retreat, sharing her publishing expertise with attendees.
Writers who will benefit most from the retreat are those who have completed at least one novel and have spent time revising and editing their manuscript. The classes will be aimed at intermediate to advanced writers. If you worry about being qualified, remember that completing a full-length novel takes you from being a novice writer to one with months or years of experience under his belt.
Lauren, along with Fire Petal Books owner Michelle Witte, will instruct writers on how they can take their writing to the next level. Topics include creating effortless characters, setting as a character, beginnings and endings, and more. A full list of classes will come soon.
For $425, participants will receive:
*Two nights lodging at a cabin near Bear Lake, right along the Utah/Idaho border, close to Wyoming
*Meals
*Classes and discussions
*10-page critique from Lauren
*15-minute one-on-one meeting with Lauren
Transportation to and from the retreat is not included, though car pools can easily be arranged.
Early bird pricing:
Register by 8/30/10 and pay only $375 ($175 due upon registration) $50 savings
After that, pay $425 (total due at time of registration)
Space is limited to 20 participants, so first come is definitely first served. To reserve your place at the retreat, submit a deposit (or the entire fee, if you prefer) via PayPal below. Final payment on the retreat is due September 15, 2010. At that time, the first 10 pages of a manuscript and a short (less than 1 page) synopsis including word count and genre are due and should be emailed to Fire Petal Books.
Questions can be emailed to info@firepetalbooks.com. Or call Fire Petal Books at 801.992.3776 for more information.
Lauren E. MacLeod joined the Strothman Agency after graduating cum laude from Emerson College with a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. Lauren’s primary interests are middle grade novels, young adult fiction and nonfiction, as well as highly polished literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. Lauren also works closely with the agency and its clients to create effective digital platforms and capitalize on the many opportunities presented by social networking. Recent sales include: Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings by Hélène Boudreau (Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky), and The Newsoul Trilogy by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins/ Katherine Tegen Books).
Basic Itinerary
(May be subject to change as the retreat draws closer. Participants will be notified of any changes in advance.)
Friday, Sept. 24
Check in by 8 pm. Participants should provide their own dinner before arriving.
8 pm Welcome and writing activity
Saturday, Sept. 25
8–9 am — Breakfast
9 am–12 pm — Classes
12:00–1 pm — Lunch
1–2:30 pm — Class outdoors (depending on weather)
2:45–6 pm— Classes
6:30–7:30 pm — Dinner
7:30–9 pm — Storytelling around the campfire
Sunday, Sept. 26
8–9 am — Breakfast
9–11 am — Last class
11 am — Pack up and head home