Small Group Instruction & Agent Pitch Meetings

In addition to the general conference offerings, you'll have the unique opportunity to hone your skills with one of our esteemed faculty members during Small Group Instruction, and get professional feedback on your work during Agent Pitch Meetings.

Small Group Instruction will meet Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 pm – 2 pm. The classes are limited to 5-8 students and are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because Small Group Instruction takes place over the scheduled conference lunch break, lunches will be provided to Small Group Instruction participants only.

Courses will be designed around manuscript critique, but some instructors may opt to include prompts, assignments, readings, and other activities at their discretion.

Students may register for ONE COURSE ONLY. Small Group Instruction registration deadline is January 9, 2009.

You will be required to submit a manuscript to the Piper Center for Creative Writing by January 9, 2009. Please click here for information regarding manuscript submission.

You will be required to download and print your workshop members' manuscripts from the Piper Center website after January 16, 2009. Please make notes and suggestions on these copies and bring them with you to the conference.

Workshop environments can be intense.  Please come prepared to have your work discussed openly and honestly, which will include suggestions for revision and improvement.

Students may be dismissed from workshops at the instructor’s discretion.  Dismissed students will receive full tuition refunds.

EXPECTATIONS FOR WORKSHOP STUDENTS

All students will read their workshop peers’ work prior to the conference.

Students will maintain a respectful, collaborative environment that supports diversity and encourages other writers.

Please indicate your top three choices of instructor when registering. Classes may be created or closed based on demand.

Level 1 is appropriate for students with little or no writing workshop experience, or writers who are new to their genre.

Level 2 is appropriate for experienced writers or writers who have participated in four or more writing workshops.

Level 3 is appropriate for writers who have several years' experience or an MFA degree.

Click here to register for Small Group Instruction.

Click here to meet the Small Group Instruction faculty (with genres and levels of teaching).

Agent Pitch Meetings

Conference participants will once again have the opportunity to schedule a private meeting with a literary agent. Please note, this benefit is NOT part of your Small Group Instruction fee.

Agent Pitch Meetings are open to all conference participants. You DO NOT have to sign up for Small Group Instruction in order to take advantage of this opportunity.

Click here to register for an Agent Pitch Meeting. A Piper Center for Creative Writing staff member will contact you prior to the conference to schedule a time for your private meeting with either Michael Bourret or Richard Abate.

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Small Group Instruction Manuscript Submission Guidelines

You are required to submit a manuscript of creative work to Tom McDermott at tom.mcdermott@asu.edu by JANUARY 9, 2009.

Your work must be saved in either Word format (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). We prefer your work be typed in 12-point Times New Roman with 1 inch margins around the page. Prose should be double-spaced, poetry single-spaced, and scripts formatted per their usual conventions. Specific guidelines are:

• FICTION up to 15 pages but not more than one story or excerpt
• NONFICTION up to 15 pages but not more than one essay, story, or excerpt
• GENRE FICTION up to 15 pages but not more than one story or excerpt
• PLAY/SCREENWRITING up to 30 pages but not more than one play, script, or excerpt
• POETRY up to 8 pages.

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Review the Work of Your Workshop Peers

A special, private workshop webpage will be created where you can download the manuscripts of your fellow workshop participants prior to the conference. The link to this page will be emailed to registered participants approximately a week after the manuscript submission deadline. Please contact the Piper Center for Creative Writing if you have not received the download link by January 23. You are expected to download, print, read, and make comments on the work in preparation for lively discussing during your Small Group Instruction workshop. Bring your copies to the conference as new copies will not be provided for you.

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