Conference dates: Friday, June 5, & Saturday, June 6
PRESENTERS INCLUDE:
Olivia Cole • Jay McCoy • Claudia Love Mair • Samar Jade • Sarah Combs • Katerina Stoykova • and more, below
WITH PANELS PRESENTED BY:
Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative • Blah, Blah, Blah Writing Group • Bluegrass Writers Coalition
WITH INFORMATION AND EVENTS:
Accents Publishing • Lexington Writers Room • Heritage Link Press
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
10:00 am • Breakfast & Registration
11:00 am • Welcome by Jennifer Mattox, Executive Director
11:15–12:45 pm • Keynote: WILLIE EDWARD TAYLOR CARVER, JR.
12:45–2:00 pm • Lunch (on your own) & Literary Walk with Tom Eblen
2:00–3:15 pm • Breakout Session 1 •
Olivia Cole: Sources of Tension in Fiction
This session will discuss the process of locating tension in effective stories, with considerations of plot, narrative, structure, and more. Join us to learn how to use and heighten the tension in your work.
Jay McCoy: Enough is Enough! A Cross-Genre Consideration about Chapbooks and Full-Length Publications
Are you worrying that you don’t have enough poems to make a collection? Do you hesitate to consider gathering a few short stories or essays into a chapbook? In this session, we will consider the historical significance of the chapbook as a viable publication route across genres. We will discuss the considerations around determining the length of your publication. We will look at the current market, developing trends, and questions to ask yourself around the “how much is enough” publishing conversation.
Liz Carey: From “Rejected” to “Contracted”: The No-Nonsense Guide to Non-Fiction Book Proposals
You’ve got an idea for a non-fiction book and the chops to write it, but in the traditional publishing world, a great idea isn’t enough—you need a business case. Join Liz Carey, an investigative journalist and author with 30 years of experience in the trenches, for a filter-less look at the one document that stands between your manuscript and a major contract: your book proposal. This isn’t about “finding your muse” or selling your skill at “world-building.” It’s about helping you think like an acquisition editor and putting together a winning pitch for a non-fiction book–from concept to comp titles to contract.
3:30–5:00 pm • First Page Critique, Session 1
Panelists: Katerina Stoykova, Sylvia Ahrens, Alice Speilburg
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
9:00 am • Breakfast
9:45 am • Welcome
10:00–11:15 am • Breakout Sessions 2 •
KBWC PANEL–Black Writers Matter: Telling Our Stories, Our Truths, Our Way
Featured Panelists: Nita Clarke, Samar Jade, Claudia Love Mair, and Deidra White
We are living in a time where the powers that be are making a strategic effort to erase all things Black and Black-related systematically. As Black writers, we have a responsibility now more than ever to use our power to ensure that our history is preserved, our voices are heard, and our words are written not only for future generations but for those of us here now. As a Black writer, you matter. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on how we, as Black writers, control the narrative of our stories, our way.
Ginny Logan: Dive Deep – Exploring the Depths of POV
Enhance your story and guide your readers to new depths of characterization through the effective use of Point of View. Through the liberal use of examples, this workshop presents techniques for the effective use of narrative voice, avoiding common mistakes, and getting the most out of Deep POV techniques.
Tamara Vincent: On Submission: Getting an Agent and the Journey
Writing as Ainsley Emery, Tamara Vincent will take you through the process of finding an agent, hiring an agent, and what comes next. She’ll take you through the agent search, preparing your work for a strong chance at representation, and how to assess a good match. She’ll also discuss how the submission process works and share what she’s learned on the journey.
11:30–12:45 pm • Breakout Sessions 3 •
Samar Jade: Letting Your Words Sing: A Workshop on Voice and Projection
Does reading your writing in public make you nervous? Does hearing your recorded voice give you the ick? Samar Jade, creative writer and Ensoulment Doula, leads this workshop designed to give you solid tips on authentic expression and projection. In their previous life as an opera singer, Samar Jade has decades of experience performing and teaching the art of expression. Please be sure to bring a few sentences of your own writing (to practice) and a bit of courage.
Leatha Kendrick: Chasing Down the Facts— Strategies for Writing Vivid Essays and Textured Memoir
Richly researched essays and memoirs make for compelling reading. Every person, place, and thing in your creative nonfiction carries its hidden history. We might think we know the facts, but delving into the stories behind those “facts” unlocks mysteries, revealing connections that make for multi-dimensional characters and settings. In this session, we will examine passages from memoirs and essays, with attention to how the writers used research to make their pieces come alive. We will share tips and strategies for immersing yourself in the kind of research that can lead to breakthrough writing.
Diedra White: Poetry–The Original Language
Poetry: The Original Language session explores the intersection of creative expression and the responsibility of writing, guiding participants to use poetry for advocacy, personal identity, and record keeping. The workshop combines fundamental poetic techniques used by exceptional poets past and present, with interactive prompts, helping writers craft original pieces centered on writing with purpose.
12:45–2:00 pm • Lunch (boxed lunch add-on)
Lunch with Accents: Accents Publishing Authors Read From Recent Books
Grab a boxed lunch and enjoy a poetry and fiction reading. Wendy Jett, Joe Survant, Kathleen Gregg, Willie Davis, and Melissa Helton – authors of recent Accents Publishing books – will give a special reading for the BIP attendees.
2:00–3:30 pm • First Page Critique, Session 2
Panelists: Ariele Fredman, Rayhané Sanders
3:45–5:00 pm • Breakout Session 4 •
Katerina Stoykova: What Makes an Author Attractive to a Publisher
Finding the right publisher for your manuscript can be challenging, even when the writing itself is strong. This session explores the often‑overlooked factors that influence publishers’ decisions and shape an author’s chances of success. Beyond the quality of the work, what helps a manuscript stand out—and what can quietly work against it?
Author, publisher, and editor Katerina Stoykova draws on her experience on both sides of the desk to examine what publishers look for in authors, common pitfalls to avoid, and how writers can present themselves professionally and strategically. Participants will gain practical insights into the publishing process and leave with a clearer understanding of how to position their work for consideration.
Claudia Love Mair: Writing for Social Action
Writing as Social Action will explore how to engage self, community, and the larger world to effect personal change and social challenges through writing. This generative workshop is appropriate for works across genres. Prepare to be challenged, brave, and inspired as you write. Examples of social action writings will be provided.
Nita Clarke: The Books-in-Progress Journey
The Books in Progress Journey will detail the author’s process from creation through the search for a publisher, publication, and more, step-by-step. Looking for an agent? Those who attend this workshop will be introduced to Nita’s story, her successful agent, how to contact him, what to expect from him, and when to say no.
5:10-5:30 pm • Closing Session
*AGENT SPOTS ARE LIMITED. Please register for one spot per conference registration.
