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Il Chiostro
241 W. 97th St., 13N
NY, NY 10025
800-990-3506
fax: 858-712-3329

La Jolla Writers Conference in Tuscany
with Antoinette Kuritz, Taryn Fagerness and Wendy Corsi-Staub
June 28-July 5, 2008
Price: $2,695
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San Fedele nestled in the Chianti hills

Your home in Tuscany is San Fedele, a medieval monastery artfully renovated into deluxe accommodations, preserving the spirit and architectural detail of the historic structure.

Program Description:

If you are an aspiring writer seeking to create a successful writing career, this intensive, week-long conference is for you! Geared to writers of all levels of experience, this conference will provide exciting, interactive workshops and lectures by an outstanding, freely-accessible faculty. An even more intimate version of the renowned La Jolla Writers Conference, not only will this special week move your writing to the next level, but it will also provide an understanding of the publishing industry necessary to creating a successful writing career. Limited to 22 attendees.
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Vineyards in the mist, photo by Michael Ferris

The Workshops and Sessions:

This writers' conference will be facilitated by 3 professionals representing 3 different aspects of the writing and publishing industry:

a successful author - Wendy Corsi-Staub - NY Times Bestselling Author
Romance, Suspense-Thriller, and Young Adult Novels
an agent from a top literary agency - Taryn Fagerness, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
a publishing marketing specialist - Antoinette Kuritz - Literary Publicist, Host of Writer's Roundtable Radio Show, Author, and Founder of the La Jolla Writers Conference

Every day each panelist will give a series of presentations on a selected topic in their field of expertise. In order to maximize interaction with the panelists, the participants will be divided into 3 smaller groups who will have an opportunity to attend each lecture each day.

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Specific Classes and Topics:

Classes by Taryn Fagerness: Each of these classes will be taught twice. Each is 2.5 hours in length. And the group will be divided in two so that approximately 11 students are in each session.

From choosing the right agent for your book to how to approach that agent; from writing query letters that grab an author to what to expect from the agent / author relationship; from getting in the door of an agent's office to the practical aspects of the editing and sales process to selling the book - to American publishers, to foreign publishers, and possibly to screen, Taryn will cover it all.

Finding an Agent 101
In this comprehensive course, I will teach the basics of finding the right agent for students' work. Everything from: where to look for agents, setting realistic publishing goals, preparing to submit, all the dos and don'ts of submitting, how to get noticed, understanding the marketability of one's work, and writing the dreaded pitch letter (it's not so bad, I promise!).

The Agent/Author Relationship
The agents in my office joke that we play many roles to our authors: agents, confidants, therapists, editors, business managers, wives and moms. The agent/author relationship is an incredibly unique one; it is a marriage of sorts and one that requires work by both parties to succeed. In this course I will talk about making that relationship work. What an agent does for you, and what you can do for your agent. I will choose one of the students' books to follow through the full publishing process (including foreign and film rights) and describe the agent's role along the way.

The "Down and Dirty" Agent Workshop
As an agent at the Dijkstra Agency, I have had the esteemed pleasure to help edit some of our bestselling authors both before their books are sold to publishers and after they deliver their manuscripts. I've helped edit the work of Anchee Min, Lisa See, Bernd Heinrich, Chitra Divakaruni, and many many more. On the other hand, I've also helped many first time authors in all genres-- non-fiction and fiction-- polish their work to find a publisher. In this workshop course students will read from their work and I will help guide the project, hopefully, in a sellable direction. My hope is that this will be a full class participation, "hands on" writing workshop, during which we can really get "down and dirty" and talk about what works and what doesn't with each student's project, while I bring an agent perspective to the discussion.

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Classes by Wendy Corsi-Staub: Each class will be taught once.

Workshops (2 hours):

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night...
...or was it a dew-splashed morning beneath the Tuscan sun? An atmospheric setting is one of the most important elements in good fiction. Through hands-on experimentation, we'll learn to create vivid scenes to engage the reader.

Are We There Yet?
Nobody likes a long, boring journey in real life, and it's not much more fun on paper. Spend too much time getting your story on the road, and your reader will bail long before the scenery gives way to action-packed adventure. Find out how to create page-turning fiction from the very first line.

Hey, Wait - That's Not How It Happened!
Have you ever been taken aback to hear someone describe-in a drastically different light--an event you also witnessed? In a novel, narrative viewpoint is the filter through which your reader is introduced to your fictional world. How do you know which character to choose to tell your story-or whether and when to restrict yourself to only one?

Blind Leading the Blind
New writers often limit their narrative to visual description. There are four (or-cue Twilight Zone music--perhaps five?!) other senses you should be using to enrich your fictional world. We'll explore them through a serious of eye-opening-er, eye-closing-exercises.

You Say "Tomato", I Say "Tomahto"
One of the most crucial ingredients in fiction is compelling dialogue-and every word of it must count. Let's have fun creating scintillating conversation that captures character and propels plot.

Lectures (1 hour):

"But I've Never Been to Omaha"
Me, neither. Nor have I ever killed anyone. (Yet.) But I've written about both, and a lot of other things I've never had the pleasure (or displeasure) of experiencing in real life. Here, I'll share my personal research techniques for creating realistic fiction.

Outline, Schmoutline
Have you ever taken a wrong turn and wound up discovering a terrific café or picturesque view you never would have seen on your designated route? Same here-behind the wheel and at the keyboard. I'll help you decide when to stick to a road map, and when it's okay to take a detour.

"The Man in the Gaberdine Suit is a Spy"
Like Paul Simon (and probably Garfunkel too), I've sat on a bus and wondered about the stranger across the aisle. In this Brainstorming 101 class, we'll explore how writers use the "What If" scenario to generate plot.

I'm Madder than a Wet Hen...
...when authors rely on hackneyed cliches, metaphors, and catch phrases. Too often when writing narrative, we rely on phrasing that's staler than day-old bread. Let's toss out tired language with the baby and the bathwater, opting instead for prose that's fresher than...what else? Tuscan bruschetta!

Diary of a Bionic Author
Or, how I've published 70 books in 15 years and lived to tell about it-and how you, too, can become a prolific writer. _____________________________________________________________________

Classes by Antoinette Kuritz: Each class will be taught once.

So long as a writer writes just for his or her family and friends, he or she is just a writer. The minute the writer wants someone to pay to read what he or she has written, he is in business. And in order to be successful in the publishing industry, a writer needs a real understanding of how it works. These classes will discuss the business of publishing, the productive use of PR, and where PR and Marketing intersect - even before your book finds an agent.

Lectures (1 hour)

Traditional vs. Small Press Publishing - Which is for You!
In 2007 approximately 300,000 new books were published, and only a small number of them were published traditionally. What are the publishing options open to you? How do you decide which is right? And how do they really work. This class will open your eyes to the myriad publishing opportunities and how they work.

How to Achieve PR that Gets Results: Let's Kick it Up a Notch
When does PR start?

Who is in your target market and how can you best communicate with them?
What does it take to get on TV, radio, and into magazines and newspapers, and what audiences should you hit first?
What kinds of shows should you pitch, what kinds of newspapers?
And how do you garner the interest of the producers, reviewers, and interviewers who can give you that valuable exposure?

Truly effective PR creates public interest in your book and takes timing, originality, and know-how. It means honing your pitches and knowing when and how to use them. It means positioning yourself as an expert, and authority, as someone of interest.

Learn the 10 steps to defining your own truly effective PR campaign including timing, originality, choreography, and know-how. It starts much earlier than you might think. What does it take to get attention from TV, radio, and print media? What is a hook, what is a sound bite, and how should you use each? What is the purpose of a media kit, and what should it include? How do you create the demand that gets your book off bookstore shelves? How do you expand audience reach? Can you really do it yourself?

Marketing on Steroids - Practical PR
Things You Need to Know and Wouldn't Think to Ask!
Practical PR is organized, timely, choreographed, and functional. It is not smoke and mirrors. But it does need to follow some simple rules and a well-planned media marketing plan to be most effective.

While there are unlimited activities you can do to promote a book and its author, this class will provide some fundamental concepts you need to grasp in order to best capitalize on each opportunity. Whether you publish traditionally or small press, this knowledge will be key to your success!

Workshops (2 hours):

Creating Hooks Beyond the Book: Becoming Media-Relevant
Media raises your profile and helps you sell yourself and your books. But to garner media, you need hooks. What is a hook? How does it differ from a sound bite? How many hooks should an author have? What kinds of hooks capture media attention? And how do you translate these hooks into a media appearance or interview that sells books? Whether you are publishing fiction or non-fiction, every book and every author has a hook. This interactive session will teach you how to go beyond your book for the best hooks. Bring your working ideas and your elevator speech, and learn how to mine your expertise and your topic for the hooks that will make you media-relevant and capture audience attention. This class will call on audience members for participation.

How Do You Make Yourself Media Relevant? Making the Media Work for You!
Media competition is fierce, and once you get media, making it translate into sales is an art. Learn how to get past the competition and onto producer rolodexes, and then how to translate those all-important interviews and appearances into sales. Getting the interview is only the first step. Translating it into interest in you and your book is the all-important step that will sell your book. Learn how to make yourself media-relevant and then how to make the media work for you! Bring your PR materials and your best pitch to this interactive session. This class will call on audience members for participation.
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Beyond the conference lectures, all faculty and staff will participate in all other activities throughout the week. We will all eat meals together and enjoy the various excursions to discover Tuscany together.

Why Attend a retreat on writing in Italy? The primary reason is to get yourself far away from all of the distractions of your daily life so you can concentrate your undivided attention on developing your life's craft. Leave your cell phone and fax machine behind. Escape from email and spend a week in an unfamiliar place. The language is different, the money and food are different, the pace of life is different. When you take yourself out of what is familiar, suddenly your mind opens up to the true potential before you.

The conference will also leave plenty of time for your own creative pursuits. One afternoon might be devoted to completing a short story you've been working on, another might be spent exploring the town of Radda nearby or learning about how Chianti wine is made.

About the Panel:

Antoinette Kuritz is a specialist in literary PR, Marketing, Self-Publishing, Media Relationss and Branding. She is the founder of the La Jolla Writers Conference. Click here to visit the La Jolla Writers Conference web site...

Taryn Fagerness is an agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, an agency known for guiding the careers of many best-selling authors including Amy Tan, Maxine Hong Kingston, Kate White, Irvin Yalom, Eric Foner, Peter Irons, Lisa See, Anchee Min, Diane Mott Davidson, Janell Cannon and many others. The Los Angeles Times dubbed the Dijkstra Agency "the most powerful literary agency on the West Coast" and, in its 20 plus years, the agency has developed a reputation for discovering new talent and representing quality work with great commercial potential. Taryn is also the subrights manager at the agency, selling foreign rights to more than 35 countries around the world, along with film, audio and merchandising rights. She is actively building her list and specializes in general fiction, science fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, 'quirky' nonfiction, and nonfiction with a science or environmental angle.

Wendy Corsi-Staub, author of Don't Scream and Lily Dale. The critically acclaimed award-winning author of over seventy books, Wendy Corsi Staub is a New York Times bestseller with the suspense novels she writes under her own name, and a USA Today bestseller with women's fiction she writes under her pseudonym Wendy Markham. Wendy’s latest adult thriller, Don't Scream, spent five weeks on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists! Publisher's Weekly says: "Staub keeps things taut and unpredictable, changing perspective often and offering up a whole school of red herrings; capped with a gratifying conclusion, Staub's latest is a(n)...effective thriller." Click here to visit Wendy's official web site...

Activities:

Our writing conference in Tuscany for the week will include some of these highlights:

Daily workshop lectures and sessions with the faculty
Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared at home, using only local and traditional products-wine included (independent lunch)
Optional visits to local hilltowns like Radda, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, etc.
Excursion to the Medieval city of Siena
Wine tour and tasting at a local vineyard
Optional morning hikes through the Chianti hills and fields surrounding the complex
Selected evening activities such as art history lecture, concerts, olive oil tasting, etc .

Accommodations:

San Fedele is an historic monastery dating back to the 13th century, painstakingly renovated in 2005-07. Every room is deluxe with modern amenities: heating/air conditioning, modern bathrooms,mini-fridge, internet access, TV, etc. This beautiful facility also has several efficient common spaces for classrooms and social gathering. For full details about San Fedele and photos of the restored rooms, please click on the Settings and Accommodations link.

Exploring the Area:

In addition to the activities of the conference, optional activities offered with this program will focus on the cultural, gastronomic, historical and artistic heritage of Tuscany. This area has been an inspiration to countless people for centuries. What Tuscany offers its visitors is truly astounding:

Art - San Fedele is located conveniently between the cities of Medieval Siena and Renaissance Florence packed with some of the most famous masterpieces in the world.
Wine -You are in the heart of the Chianti region, synonomous with the most famous wine that Italy produces. But the innovative Tuscan vintners are also producing Super Tuscans, red varietals that are quickly ascending the ranks of world-class wine.
History - this area was settled by the Etruscans centuries before the Romans were a civilized society. Their necropoli dot the fields throughout the area. Nearby towns like Radda, Vagliagli and Castellina date from the early Middle Ages. Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. San Fedele witnessed most of this from its panoramic perch atop the hillside.
Food - cucina povera is the typical Tuscan cuisine that has become popular around the world. The recipes are simple, emphasizing local and seasonal products: porcini mushrooms, salumi, legumes, vegetables, pasta, bread and game meats. Visiting the outdoor food markets, you will understand the wisdom of this very healthy cuisine.
Crafts - perhaps the harmony of the landscape has been the inspiration for many local craftsmen. Exquisite hand-painted ceramics are the prime example, closely followed by mosaics, leather, woodworking, and textiles.

About Your Il Chiostro Hosts: Linda and Michael, who will be hosting your San Fedele program, have been organizing workshops in Italy since 1995. Please read more about them by following the About Il Chiostro link. The owners of San Fedele, Nicolo and Renata, live on site. They will be available throughout the program to talk about the history of the monastery, the renovation and this area of Tuscany they call home.

Getting There: Florence will be our meeting point on the first day of the workshop. For suggestions about getting to Florence, accommodations or other logistics, please consult our Travel to Italy link. Renting a car from all the major rental agencies is possible if you prefer to be more independent during the week.

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Price and Registration: $2,695 p/p
Jr. Suite Supplement - $150 p/p
Suite Supplement - $300 p/p
Single Supplement - $500 (limited availability)

Includes:

7 nights in the restored monastery San Fedele
Daily workshop sessions with a completely accessible faculty
Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared by our chef, including wine (independent lunch)
Excursions to Siena and selected hilltowns
All local transportation
Pick up in Florence on first day of workshop
Optional activities and excursions

Does Not Include:

Airfare
Lunch
Workshop supplies
Independent meals and sight-seeing

To Register:

Download Registration Form by clicking button at left
Print, fill out and sign Registration Form
Mail or fax it to Il Chiostro with a non-refundable deposit of $500 (address and fax number are on the Registration Form)
You will receive a registration confirmation and subsequently, relevant information about your workshop, travel to Italy, arrivals, suggested supplies, etc.
Or call us at 800-990-3506 to register by phone