02/20/2024
This is a SUPER long post, so the TL:DR short summary is, there's A LOT of stuff you get with the Women in Publishing Summit, before, during and after the actual summit.
There are even sessions below that you can get access to even if you are NOT a summit ticket holder.
Bottom line: If you're interested in going here's a link to check it out. https://bookdesignertamian--writepublishsell.thrivecart.com/2024-wip-conference/
For some weird reason the links to the "freebie open to the public" sessions below are not active links. Reach out to me if you would like to attend and I'll get you a link.
>>15 days to go! WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!
There's a LOT of info in this email, so please read carefully! (This might be the longest email I've ever sent! :-) )
Key highlights:
Next bonus session - Thursday
Networking session TOMORROW!
Cover critique opportunity
Downloadable schedule!
Tips for success!
Upcoming events - some require registration - plus a couple of new events
How to access replays
Our next bonus session for attendees is Thursday!
Thursday, Feb 22, 2024 @ 1 PM ET
Linda Ruggeri, Brittany Dowdle, Vanessa Tharp, and Cay Templeton
How to Network in Conference Events. We've got a great panel of networking experts to give their best tips and advice on how to make the most of Networking Opportunities in a Virtual Conference!
Attendee's only
If you're not able to attend live the recording will be added to the Bonus Session Folder, which you can find linked at the bottom of the email!
Networking Session - Tomorrow!
All attendees are invited to join us in another preconference network event! Come ready to mingle, meet new friends, and learn from each other!
1pm ET / Tuesday Feb. 20th.
Cover Critique Opportunity!
We have a special offer just for you during the conference!
Do you want your cover critiqued?
Tamian Wood and Cathy Helms will be providing a session on cover design in the conference. They'll be critiquing covers, to demonstrate the difference having a professional can make, and what elements are important.
As part of this session, they are offering to critique covers from our attendees! If you'd like to see feedback of your cover - and some tips for improvement which can help marketability, you can submit your cover here:
Please note - they will get through as many as they can... but have offered to provide a critique for up to 25 people.
^This one is SOLD OUT! ^
Download a printable version of the schedule!
Thanks to the hard work of Suzi Clark at Creative Blueprint Design, we have a wonderful, downloadable schedule, to help you stay organized!
Download here.
You'll be receiving the full conference workbook soon, but this may help you in the meantime!
Tips for Success in a Virtual Conference!
Cay recently posted some tips in the Facebook Group, and many of our attendees are piping in. Here are MY tips for you (some are the same!) after nine years of running virtual events!
1. Block your calendar!
This is a very robust four days, and you're not going to want to miss the action! We are going from 9am - 7pm ET almost every day. If you have appointments, meetings, etc, try to reschedule everything you can.
2. Get plenty of rest.
Reread #1! :-) It's a very full lineup, and you're going to be exhausted! Be sure to plan for lots of rest. Make sure you have NOTHING on your calendar for Sunday March 10th, and if possible Monday, March 11th.
3. Plan your food ahead!
Especially if you have others depending on you, but also, so you eat! Even though we have scheduled lunch breaks, we run the Coffee chats in those times, and some people find it hard to break away. I have three kids who will want to eat that week, so I'm making sure I have a lineup of easy meals.
My crockpot is my lifesaver during the conference. Some of my Go-To meals: Salsa chicken, pulled pork (easy to throw in the the crock pot!) and other premade meals - like Lasagna, Pizza, etc. You might plan to budget for ordering in one of the nights, or make a big batch of something in the crock pot and repurpose.
4. WATER!
Drink lots of water!
5. Prioritize your conference schedule!
Be prepared! Download the schedule, and make a plan for the attendees you most want to participate in live. How to prioritize? Look through the sessions that you need MOST NOW or in the upcoming months, and plan to be in those so you can ask questions of the presenter. Remember, everything is recorded, so you can come back to any of the other sessions at any time. There may be sessions that look interesting, but if you're still writing your book, you probably don't need to prioritize a session on a launch topic that requires you to be published.
Prioritize the special sessions - Coffee Chats, Q&As with Sponsors, Publisher Speed Dating - anything you'll gain the most from actually being able to engage.
6. Step away if you need to!
It's okay if you get overwhelmed and need to take a break. Again, all sessions are recorded.
7. Get a notebook and fun pens - be ready to take notes!
You don't have to write down every word, as you can watch and rewatch the sessions, but you might want to take some notes! This year, we hope to provide the workbook via Amazon, so if you don't want to print out the whole workbook, you can order your conference book. More on that to follow. OR, just get a great notebook, some sticky notes, and colored pens.
Be sure to jot down things you'll want to return to later when the time is right.
8. Look over all the sponsors and publishers ahead of time.
You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and meet directly with sponsors and publishers, so do a little research ahead of time so you know who you want to talk to "in person."
9. Plan a day to review after the conference.
We get all fired up and then set things aside. Plan a day a week or two after the conference to go through your notes and make your action plan for what you want to review, people to contact, and follow up action steps.
10. Attend the Orientation Session before the event!
We'll host two live Orientation meetings - Friday March 1st at 3pm ET and Monday March 4th at 3pm ET. I will go over the dashboard, walk through how the conference works, and answer all questions. This session has been great at relieving the preconference anxiety and sets us all up for a better kickoff on Day 1.
11. Get out your timezone converter!
All sessions are in ET/NY time. We try to make sure this is very clear. We will have an embeddable calendar on the website, that should convert to your timezone. We also provide a time zone converter. But if you aren't in ET/NY - make sure you know what time the sessions are for YOU! Here's one we use on the dashboard. Time Zone Converter.
12. Make childcare and family arrangements.
Make sure your family knows when you'll be unavailable, and if possible, arrange for rides home or other activities. In fact, I need to make sure I get someone to bring my daughter home from soccer practice those days!
13. Most importantly - HAVE FUN!
This is a wonderful event. We have a blast together, and put all stress aside by remembering - we've still got monthly workshops and networking post event, you have access to all the recordings, etc. Your well being is the most important aspect, so do what you need to do and have fun with us when you can! Don't forget to join the Facebook group so you can be part of the fun outside of the sessions!
Upcoming Bonus Workshops (Mark your calendars!):
You'll receive the zoom access info for all of these before the events - unless they are marked that you must register. In which case, please register! It's a lot, we know! So please only attend what you need the most right now, and you can catch replays later!
Feb 21, 2024 @ 1pm ET - NEW to the Lineup!
Your Publishing Plan - the 6 Stages of Production & Launch
Alexa Bigwarfe
This is a free event and open to the public, but you must register!
Register here!
Feb 22, 2024 @ 1 PM ET
Linda Ruggeri, Brittany Dowdle, Vanessa Tharp, and Cay Templeton
How to Network in Conference Events
Feb 27, 2024 @ 1pm ET
AI vs. Human Editing in Today’s Writing World with JoEllen Nordstrom
Free to the public: Register here!
Feb 28, 2024 @ 2pm ET
An Open Conversation: What it Takes to Succeed in the 2024 Publishing Arena
Featuring Alexa Bigwarfe, Angela Engel, and Michelle Halket
Free to the public: Register here!
March 1 @ 3pm ET and March 4 ET
Attendee Orientation!
March 4, 2024
Opening Keynote Session!
Join us as Stacy O'Byrne provides an inspirational message designed to get you in action!
Free to the public: Register here!
March 6-9, 2024
Women in Publishing Summit!
April 18, 2024 @ 1pm ET
Hidden Traps of an Online Platform
Judy L Mohr
May 7, 2024 ET
Content Production Made Easy for Authors
Sara Wigal
Join us for the 2024 Women in Publishing Summit, an event for women authors, publishers, and publishing industry professionals.
