Conference Schedule

The conference lasts two and a half days. It begins on Friday morning and ends on Sunday at noon. On Friday and Saturday, the conference begins at 9:00 A.M. and continues till 6 P.M. each day with an hour and 15 minutes for lunch. Both these days are filled with presentations, Q&A discussions, and group exercises designed to cover all vital points and issues related to the creation of a competitive novel manuscript.

In addition, we have scheduled two additional workshops, one on building needed credentials via publishing short fiction, and another designed to assist you perfect your pitch prior to Sunday. On Sunday morning, beginning at 10 A.M., participants are given the opportunity to pitch agents their prospective projects and ideas.

The material presented, discussed, and practiced (yes, you have some homework) during the first two days of the conference largely follows the study guide and reference manual participants will receive by email following registration for the event, known as the "Algonkian Competitive Fiction Guide."

Major topics as follows below (including social events).

What The Successful Author Must Possess
	Role Play Editor, Platform-Premise-Execution, "The Plan," Craft Basics, Purpose-Passion-Tenacity, Single Best Author Tool + A Great Pitch.

Market Reality and Pragmatic Thinking
	Author Needs vs. Market Demands, Nuances of Genre vs. "Literary", What the Commercial Caesar Demands, Insider Info, Fierce Competition and Agent Targeting, From the Heart But Smart, Pitching the Novel, Value of The Perfect Log Line.

Drama's Most Powerful Elements in The Novel
	Drama Theory, Statement of Conflict, Rising Action, Three Act Structure, Screenplay vs. Freytag, 15 Steps of Complication, Reader Reaction Flow, Dramatic Complication as Plot Core.

The Intellectual Trace of Theme
	Statement of Theme, Importance, Application and Representation, the Ripple Effect and Impact of Theme Throughout the Novel.

Know Your Story, Know Your Characters
	Animation Sketching, Cognition and Affect, Social Reaction Profile, Ticks and Tags, Epiphany and Emotional Evolution, The Power of Great Antagonists, Sympathetic Protagonist in First Ten Pages.

Publicity and Marketing Panel Isabella Michon and David Cole - 3:45 P.M. to 4: 45 P.M.

Credentials Via Short Fiction Publication Optional Workshop - 5:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.

Literary Happy Hour Mixer - 5:30 P.M. to 7 P.M.

Plot Devices and Other Needs
	Scene Construction, Verisimilitude, POV, Masking, Foreshadow, Timesim, Exposition, Surprise, Minor Complication, Suspense Techniques, Character Arcs, and more.

Story Enhancement Techniques
	Stages of Event, Narrative Energy, Seeding of Tension and Sub-events, Anecdotal Devices, Imagery, Flashbacks, and More.

Strong Narrative Through Synergy
	Prose Enhancement Guides, Compare and Contrast of Narrative Styles, The Art of Fiction, Subject Matter vs. Prose Style--Who Wins?

Dialogue: Never a Gratuitous Word
	Screen and Stage Dialogue vs. Novel, Major Functions, Show Don't Tell, Inclusion of Specific Elements, Types of Dialogue, Narrative Interjections, Character Roles in Scene, Common Mistakes, Role in Exposition.

Prose Enhancement and Publication
	Prose drills, Narrative Guide and Checklists, Structure Reference Guide, Perfect Synopsis and Query, Best People and Places to Query.

Turning Your Novel Into a Film Agent and Film Producer Ken Atchity - 3:00 P.M. to 3:45 P.M.

Pitch the Film Producer Ken Atchity Hears a Few Pitches - 4:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

One-on-One Novel Pitch Feedback * Optional Workshop - 5:15 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.

Literary Happy Hour Mixer - 5:30 P.M. to 7 P.M.

Agent Pitch Session
	Participants meet with agents and are allowed to pitch as many agents as they can in the two hours provided.