PROGRAM OUTLINE
OPTIONAL workshops
Please note these workshops run concurrently and you will not be able to register for more than one. You can add a workshop onto your conference registration, or register for a Friday workshop only. Workshops include morning tea and lunch.
WORKSHOP FEE:
Members - $300 | Non-Members: $350
Writing from Start to End - Rachael Johns
How to turn the germ of an idea into a bestseller, stay connected to the story, write to a deadline, pitch to agents and publishers, and what to expect in the editorial and promotional process.
From one of Australia’s most beloved and successful storytellers comes a workshop that will help you level up both your writing skills and publication prospects.
This immersive full day workshop will be a deep dive into Rachael Johns’s incredible writing process, which she’s honed over two decades of penning powerful stories. You’ll learn how she gets ideas and expands them into compelling plots, maintains a busy writing schedule while running several other elements of her business, how the craft basics still apply, what she’s learned in her fourteen plus years as a published author. How to pivot your writing to meet the market, work with publishers to make the most of opportunities, and so many other gems that will help you build a strong writing skillset and career - including the state of the Australian publishing industry, and who’s looking for what!
This workshop is a must-attend for aspiring and emerging authors, looking to build and expand their opportunities.
Author Platform Intensive - Jane Freidman
Morning focus
author websites and newsletter mastery. We start by dissecting what today’s best-in-class author websites and email newsletters look like: clear and consistent branding that make you look like a bestseller, easily accessible and searchable, and strategic calls to action. Expect insights on copywriting, structure and navigation, and how to common pitfalls, distilled from Jane’s long-running curriculum on author websites and best practices of email marketing. Everyone will walk away with new tech tips and tricks for making website and newsletter work more fun and sustainable.
What you’ll learn
1. Better optimize your branding and messaging in an online environment, and use the language of readers to help your efforts.2. The importance of your bio in online environments and how to strengthen then it.3. Gain insight into the best practices of online writing, especially headline writing, and how to get attention for what you write and post online.4. Avoid common email marketing mistakes and how to better engage the subscribers you have, and get new subscribers outside of giveaways and promotions. Avoid what is perceived as "spammy" or annoying.To maximize relevance, attendees may submit their website, newsletter, or links to their broader online presence in advance (instructions will be sent after registration). Jane will use representative examples for live “hot-seat” critiques and facilitate guided peer feedback, ensuring authors leave with specific next steps and improvements.
Afternoon focus
Beyond retail sales. We’ll discuss revenue streams that go beyond book sales—advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing partnerships, crowdfunding, subscriptions, and patronage—along with the pros and cons of each model. As time allows, we’ll also cover negotiation tactics for rights, rates, and contracts so you can protect value when dealing with publishers, service providers, or brand partners.
What you’ll learn
1. How advertising and sponsorships are one of the most overlooked ways to earn extra money in the book publishing business. Plus, a look at affiliate marketing, the easy way to get started with advertising2. Best practices of crowdfunding: it’s becoming one of the most favored ways for indie authors to pre-sell, and useful for traditionally published authors as well3. Patronage versus subscription models: They’re the same but different. Which one is better suited to you?
rwaus conference secretariat
Tel: +61 2 4319 8519
Email: rwausconference@romanceaustralia.com
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