2022 Sessions
Saturday
8:45-9 am—Opening remarks—Kathleen Kaiser–WPN President, Kathleen Kaiser & Associates, and host of TalkingBookPublishing Podcast
9-10 am—Keynote Address–Are You Committed? (Guilty as Charged!)
Wendelin Van Draanen, bestselling author of books in several genres and winner of an Edgar Award
10-10:30 am—Conference Break and Book Expo Opens
10:30-11:30 am—Crafting a Successful Series by Creating Winning Characters—William Bernhardt, bestselling author of over 50 books and founder of the Red Sneaker Writing Center.
11:30-1 pm—Conference Break, Lunch, and Book Expo continues
1-2 pm—Small Publishers Panel – What are they looking for?
Publishers — Lisa Green, Editor, City Owl Press; Jay Hartman, Editor-in-Chief, Untreed Reads Publishing; Betty Lou Leaver, Managing Editor, MSI Press; and Ravven White, Publisher, Curious Corvid Publishing
Moderator, Kathleen Kaiser
2-2:30 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
2:30-3:30 pm—How They Did It — Successful 805-area-based authors
Kimberly Davis Basso, award-winning author of three memoirs; Mark Parson, award-winning author of YA books; Sheila Lowe, award-winning author of mystery and nonfiction; Ivor Davis, award-winning nonfiction author, and international journalist; and Connie Hood, award-winning nonfiction author
Moderator, Kathleen Kaiser
3:30-4 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
4-5:30—Mini-round tables with Speakers
Penny Sansevieri, Desiree Duffy, and Kathleen Kaiser for book marketing, Wendelin Van Draanen, Catherine Ann Jones, and Mark H Parsons on the craft of writing, Jay Hartman, Betty Lou Leaver, andLisa Green for questions about publishing, Adanna Moriarty and Jeniffer Thompson on websites and social media, Ivor Davis and Kimberly Davis Basso on self-publishing, Lynn Varon and Stephen K Peeples on editing. More to be added.
6 pm — Book Expo closes
Sunday
8:45 to 9 am—Opening remarks—Kathleen Kaiser – President, WPN and Kathleen Kaiser & Associates, and host of TalkingBookPublishing Podcast
9-10 am—Mastering Amazon Ads and using Amazon Ads to Create the Perfect Book Launch
Penny Sansevieri, CEO of Author Marketing Experts and bestselling author
10-10:15 am—Conference Break and Book Expo opens
10:15-11:15 am—Mystery Writers Summit
William Bernhardt, bestselling author of over 50 books, Jule Selbo, screenwriter turned award-winning novelist, Christina Hoag, a former journalist turned author of both nonfiction and mystery, Patricia Fry, author of over 100 books including 60 cozy mysteries, and TBD.
11:15-1:30 pm—Conference Break, Lunch, and Book Expo continues
1:30-2:30 pm—Weaving your heritage into story and characters
Lyn Liao Butler, author, S.R. Strickland, author, Angelina Leaños, poet
2:30-2:45 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
2:45-3:45 pm—What’s in Your Book Launch?
Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest, Books That Make You, and the Webby Award-winning agency for books and authors, Black Château, and A.G. Billig, published author, book coach, and member of the Black Château team.
3:45-4 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo Continues
Suzie Newell, author, speaker, and nurse anesthesiologist with a doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms
5—Concluding remarks by Kathleen Kaiser
5:30 pm — Conference and Book Expo closes
COVID Statement: The 805 Writers Conference will comply with all county and state requirements for attendees, speakers, and exhibitors to maintain a safe environment for everyone. We will follow the guidance or regulations in effect on November 1, 2022, or updated thereafter. Anyone not choosing to comply will be refused entrance and is not eligible for a refund. If a conference attendee, they will receive links to the recordings of each session.
Session Descriptions
Saturday
8:45 to 9 a.m.—Kathleen Kaiser, Opening remarks
9-10 am—Keynote Address–Are You Committed? (Guilty as Charged!)
Through her entertaining and educational talk on what it means to be a writer, Wendelin Van Draanen will give insights and practical tips on maintaining and increasing your commitment to the craft of writing, sharing her wisdom from over twenty years in the publishing trenches. She will discuss what it means (and takes) to be a successful writer, share craft strategies such as considering global structure, avoiding the sagging middle, and sticking the landing, and give you a realistic peek behind the curtain of traditional publishing.
10-10:30 am—Break and Book Expo opens
10:30-11:30 am—Crafting a Successful Series by Creating Winning Characters—William Bernhardt, bestselling author of over 50 books and founder of the Red Sneaker Writing Center
In this session, the author of more than fifty books and founder of the Red Sneaker Writers Center reveals the secrets he has learned over more than thirty years of writing and publishing. Today’s publishers, large and small, are buying series books in greater quantities than ever before. Why are series characters so popular now? How can you create a character whose popularity leads you to not simply publishing a single book but building a writing career?Recent history shows you are more likely to find an agent and publisher if you can offer them a potential series: multiple connected books that could generate sales over a long period. But that requires creating a protagonist and a world with enough interest and appeal to sustain many stories. In this session, Bernhardt will discuss:
- How to give your series character multiple layers of interest
- How to create a “reliable meddler”
- How to balance quirk with convention
- How to employ both character and characterization
- How to create the character in your heart and build appeal for your readers.
11:30-1 pm—Conference Break, Lunch, and Book Expo continues
1-2 pm—Small Publishers Panel – What are they looking for?
Lisa Green, Editor, City Owl Press; Jay Hartman, Editor-in-Chief, Untreed Reads Publishing; Betty Lou Leaver, Managing Editor, MSI Press; and Ravven White, Publisher, Curious Corvid Publishing
Moderator, Kathleen Kaiser
Are you frustrated by rejections or no response from literary agents? Many small to medium-size publishers accept direct submissions. Listen to what they are looking for and what they see coming over the next 12 to 18 months. And most important, what genres each publishes and how to get your manuscript in front of them. Panel participants are publishers, not hybrids whose publishing opportunities cost you money.
At the end of the session, there will be time to speak with the publishers.
2-2:30 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
2:30-3:30 pm—How They Did It — Successful 805-area-based authors
Kimberly Davis Basso, award-winning author of three memoirs; Mark Parson, award-winning author of YA books; Sheila Lowe, award-winning author of mystery and nonfiction; Ivor Davis, award-winning nonfiction author and international journalist; and Connie Hood, award-winning nonfiction author
Moderator, Kathleen Kaiser
California’s Central Coast, the 805 region, is filled with successful authors of all genres of books. Almost every town has a writing group, some going back over 80 years. You’ve started your book, joined a writing group, or gone to the meetings to hear from other writers. Or you are in a critique group, refining your work and closing in on the finish of your manuscript.
What next? How do you get your book out there, and what tools do other area writers use to succeed? Hear five award-winners reveal how they developed their markets, where they go to promote their books, what they do online that works, and more.
3:30-4 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
4-5:30—Mini-round tables with Speakers
Penny Sansevieri, Desiree Duffy, and Kathleen Kaiser for book marketing, Wendelin Van Draanen, Catherine Ann Jones, and Mark H Parsons on the craft of writing, Jay Hartman, Betty Lou Leaver, and Lisa Green for questions about publishing, Adanna Moriarty and Jeniffer Thompson on websites and social media, Ivor Davis and Kimberly Davis Basso on self-publishing, Lynn Varon and Stephen K Peeples on editing. More to be added.
6 pm — Book Expo closes
Book Expo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday
8:45 to 9 am—Opening remarks
Kathleen Kaiser – President, WPN and Kathleen Kaiser & Associates, and host of TalkingBookPublishing Podcast
9-10 am—Mastering Amazon Ads and using Amazon Ads to Create the Perfect Book Launch
Penny Sansevieri, CEO of Author Marketing Experts and bestselling author
This class will focus on key elements authors need to know to maximize Amazon to fully support their current title and how to leverage backlist titles and plan better for future book launches. In addition, this class will cover how to:
- Refresh Your Approach to Amazon Ads: With the new ads dashboard, working within Amazon’s ad system has become more confusing and complex. We’ll look at some creative ways to drive more clicks and improve ranking.
- Optimize Keywords in Amazon Ads: How many do you need, and how can you find the right ones? Some new data suggests that the old ways of finding keywords are no longer working, so it’s time to catch up.
- Ad types: which ones should you run and for how long?
- Can Amazon ads help you with organic optimization? They can, and this class will break that down.
- Create Successful Book launches: A title can succeed when launched on Amazon the right way. This is more than just quickly getting reviews. It’s also about boosting early exposure. This plan will take you through the steps you need to succeed in today’s Amazon landscape.
10-10:15 am—Conference Break and Book Expo opens
10:15-11:15 am—Mystery Writers Summit
William Bernhardt, bestselling author of over 50 books, Jule Selbo, screenwriter turned award-winning novelist, Christina Hoag, a former journalist turned author of both nonfiction and mystery, and Patricia Fry, author of over 100 books, including 60 cozy mysteries.
Next to romance, mysteries are the largest-selling category of books, especially among men. So what does it take to create a great mystery, the details to create a quirky and often damaged hero for readers to grab onto and want more adventures from? The panelists are mystery writers but in different categories: suspense, thrillers, cozy, and private detective. Listen to how they developed their characters, their process for writing, and what readers liked that they hadn’t considered. It’s a lesson on what makes a great, well-written book.
11:15-1:30 pm—Conference Break, Lunch, and Book Expo continues
1:30-2:30 pm—Weaving your heritage into story and characters
Lyn Liao Butler, author, S.R. Strickland, author, Angelina Leaños, poet
Most of us grew up on stories from grandparents about the “old country.” That identity is often the bedrock of your life, experiences, and how you look at the world. But some people don’t know their heritage and the generations that produced them. It can be an excellent tool for creating characters and stories. Many people take DNA tests and learn about the deep past from their genes, sparking a renewed interest in their ancestors, homelands, folklore, and gods.
Our four speakers use their cultural and ethnic lineage in their books and will discuss their journey as they researched to write their books.
2:30-2:45 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo continues
2:45-3:45 pm—What’s in Your Book Launch?
Desireé Duffy, Founder of The BookFest, Books That Make You, and the Webby Award-winning agency for books and authors, Black Château, and A.G. Billig, published author, book coach, and member of the Black Château team.
Are your book launch plans in line with current trends? Have you planned far enough in advance? Because book launches today need to be more strategic than ever, join this session to make sure yours is on track. From strategizing a pre-launch calendar, coordinating a live, virtual or hybrid book signing, and adapting the strategies that are right for you, this presentation will help. Come with your questions and get ready to discuss: the importance of an author platform, book reviews, press releases and media interviews, online marketing, advertising, social media, and more.
3:45-4 pm—Conference Break and Book Expo Continues
4-5—Is Fear Blocking You?
Suzie Newell, author, speaker, and nurse anesthesiologist with a doctorate specializing in coping mechanisms
Your writing desk is perfectly arranged. The view out your window is fantastic. You have your cup of tea, a furball at your feet, and you sit down to write…but nothing happens. What is blocking you from writing? Is it truly a creative block or something else? Find out if your fears are standing in your way and discover how you can overcome them with Suzie Newell. She explains the neuroscience behind fear and delivers actionable steps toward boosting self-confidence and becoming the writer you were meant to be.
5—Concluding remarks by Kathleen Kaiser
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