Friday, July 14, 2006

And there's more...

The workshops I attended at the conference were as usual both informative and entertaining. Kate Allan gave a wonderfully useful workshop on marketing and I already plan to photocopy her handout before I lose it. Just as soon as I can access the copier (Jess, I haven't forgotten I owe you some info) The Peoples Friend workshop was very informative and although I'm pubbed by them I'd never actually had a formal copy of their guidelines. As their lovely edtor was speaking it dawned on me that when she talked about authors pushing the envelope I had been one of those authors as anyone who reads Marrying Max will discover. Penny Jordan gave a very interesting talk about her work and I could happily have listened for longer. The M&B editors also gave an excellent workshop which helped clarify in my mind the things I'd be doing right and also where I needed to be better. Interestingly, their views coincide perfectly with those of my Moonlit Romance editor. The editor from Triskellion gave a fascinating talk on e publishing and I finally got to see and hold a proper e book reader as they aren't sold here and the company isn't permitted to export them, which is wierd. What else? Oh yes, Jessica Harts wickedly funny workshop and a lady from the US talking about her life as a reader for Warner studios. She was another speaker I could have listened to for a lot longer.
I wish I could have stayed for the Sunday afternoon but as it's Leicester next year I might manage it then.
P.S I've finshed the first chapter of Charlie Darling. Mmmm,

9 comments:

Jessica Raymond said...

It sounds so great -- looking forward to the notes! I definitely plan to make Leicester next year :)

Lis said...

Sounds like it was a very informative conference :D
And yay on finishing the first chapter of Charlie!

Anonymous said...

The M&B editors also gave an excellent workshop which helped clarify in my mind the things I'd be doing right and also where I needed to be better.

Could you elaborate a tiny bit on this? Just a hint :)

Christina Phillips said...

I've loved reading everyone's reports from the conference, except it's just made me wish even more that I'd been able to attend!

Anonymous said...

Any hints more hints on the pF workshop. I searched online for the guidelines but couldn't find any.
Joanne

Nell Dixon said...

Hi Joanne, welcome! Basically the guidelines for PF are no sex, no swearing, no violence, no negative portrayals of older people. Everything has to be squeaky clean and very lovely. No sex before marriage, people can be divorced but it has to be handled tactfully. I believe if you write to them they will send you the guidelines for the PFSC and for the magazines, as the serial guidelines are more complex.
When they bought Marrying Max, the editor told me it was more modern then their usual stories. My heroine says'sugar', has a toering and shock, horror shared a room with the hero before marriage albeit I had to specially write a cupboard to put him in.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Nell. LOL on the cupboard!
Joanne

Sara Hantz said...

I keep reading about the conference on various blogs. I'm very jealous!!!

If any of you are passing, you're more than welcome to attend the RWNZ conference :)

Lis said...

lol a cupboard to put him in? Makes me want to read MM even more! hehe