Frequently Asked QuestionsPlease choose from the following categories. If you have a question not covered here, please contact us and we will respond to the question and add it to the list. Carrie McCray Literary Contest Critiques and Faculty Appointments |
When you pick your top three choices for critique, you will select from a list of all faculty members who are doing critiques. Most are, including all but 2 agents, and all of the editors. If you register the early you should not have a problem snagging one of your choices.
Besides the one-on-one, we are offering 12 different sessions throughout the conference called "Slush Fests." Technically, these are not pitch sessions, but participants will take either their query letter and the first page of their manuscript, or the first two pages of their manuscript, and the work will be critiqued live (but anonymously) by agents and editors. Since they are in the business of acquiring manuscripts, if they see something they like, (one would surmise) they're going to ask who it belongs to, and possibly for more of the manuscript.
The other opportunity we'll offer is in the built-in faculty interaction. All faculty members will be hosting tables at dinner on Friday and Saturday, and at lunch on Sunday. They'll also be available for informal interaction between and after sessions. If you strike up a conversation with one, you may just hear the magic question, "What is your novel/project about?"
We asked our faculty to submit abbreviated bios because we're going to have to fit them on brochures. However, when asked to check from a list of areas of interest for purposes of determining which categories they would critique, two editors, Jim Gilbert from River City and David Long from Bethany House expressed an interest in historical novels. In addition, two agents likewise expressed an interest in the category: Mary Beth Chappell and Beth Jusino.
We are fully staffed at this point, and will not likely be adding additional editors or agents. Hopefully one of the above will be of interest to you.
There will be an SCWW members' table in the book signing area. Because space is limited, anyone who wants to participate must sign up in advance by emailing (click here for email) as soon as possible. Space will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Those who participate will have an assigned spot with a name sign that we'll provide (just like the faculty) and space for a small stack of books (with more room under the table for storage). Set up should be minimal, and can begin at 4:00 for the 4:30 event. Anyone registered for the conference is eligible to participate as long as she/he signs up in advance.
Yes, you will be able to purchase faculty books as well as faculty recommended books on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
There will be a faculty book signing on Saturday from 4:30 - 5:30 pm. Poets on faculty will also perform readings during this time.
Yes. You must be registered for the conference and your fees must be paid before sending your entry.
October 26th – 28th, 2007. Anyone attending the Friday morning Intensive Workshops will want to arrive on Thursday, October 25th.
No, but it is generally the third or fourth weekend in October.
Immediately following the conference, we start planning for the next year.
This is part of the registration process. If you register online, you will be prompted to select the type of critique or appointment and indicate your first, second and third choice of faculty member. If you mail in your registration, you will fill in your preferences on the registration form.
Yes. With each standard and extended length critique comes a 20-minute appointment.
It’s your 20 minutes—you can use it any way you like. However, this is probably not the most efficient use of your time or theirs. If you want a critique, sign up for a critique and submit your material ahead of time. This way, the faculty member critiquing your work will have more time to give it consideration. The appointments are designed with attendees in mind who are not at a place in the writing process where they are ready for a critique, or who would rather ask questions regarding issues they are struggling with.
You can use your 20 minutes to do this. However, the agent or editor will have a lot more time to consider if your work is right for them if you send in sample pages for critique.
No, one critique with appointment or appointment only is included in your registration fee. If additional appointments are available on the faculty schedules, you can sign up for them on a first-come-first-served basis after the General Session on Friday evening. The is no charge for these additional appointments.
That depends upon your goal. First of all, relax. All of our faculty members are nice people. They will not bite you. Agents and editors come to conferences because they want to help authors and they are looking for new talent. Authors, poets, and others come to share their expertise.
If you have signed up for a critique, above all, listen to what the faculty member has to say. Take notes. Don’t argue or defend. Be professional. Ask questions based upon the feedback you’re given. Remember, if you’re being critiqued by an agent or editor, even if they liked your work, if you don’t come across as professional, they may not ask to see more of it. You are selling yourself as well as your work.
If you intend to pitch an idea and did not send in sample pages, this is your opportunity to sell your work (and yourself). Please only pitch a novel if it is complete. You will need a log line—think ten seconds of radio airtime to sell your book to readers. Boil the essence of your book down to as few words as possible and make it compelling. This is possibly the hardest thing you will ever do as a writer.
Most editors and agents don't want to see your material unless they ask for it, and usually this will entail you sending it to them after you return home from the conference marked with “Requested Materials,” or something similar. They will give you specific directions if they are interested in seeing your work. It doesn't hurt to have a sample (perhaps your first 50 pages double-spaced) on hand just in case, but this is rare. (These folks are flying home, and probably don’t want to lug extra weight through the airport.)
If you have signed up for an appointment to pick a professional’s brain about some writing or publishing issue that you are struggling with, plan what questions you want to ask before you get there. Be specific. Listen carefully. Take notes.
All one-on-one appointments (both critique and non-critique) take place during breakout session time slots. There are a limited number of appointments available, and they fill up very quickly. As faculty assignments are made on a first-come-first-served basis, we strongly recommend that you register early and list more than one choice.
When you check in at the conference. Additional appointments may be made Friday evening after the General Session, subject to availability.
Absolutely. Just please come and go as quietly as possible, and sit close to the back.
When do I send my pages for critique?
Any time after you have registered, as long as it is postmarked on or before September 1, 2007. The earlier you send it in, the more time you give the faculty member to consider your manuscript. However, you don’t want to send it in before it’s ready. It does not have to accompany your registration if you register by mail.
While you can certainly carry them with you, please turn them off before entering any General Session or workshop.
Yes, but please be considerate and move as quietly as possible to a seat near the back of the room.
Absolutely. Please exit the room as discreetly as possible, and move as quietly as possible to a seat nearest the back in the workshop you relocate to.
During an appointment, critique, or any time you hear one of them say the words, “What is your novel (or project, etc.) about?”
Unless you hear the magic words (see above) do not pitch your book at lunch or dinner. Use this time to develop a rapport, and to begin feeling comfortable conversing with the faculty.
Don’t ask any member of the faculty for their phone number so you can discuss your project in more depth. If, by some fluke, you are offered this information, by all means take it, but don’t flaunt it to your friends until after you get home.
Don’t pitch to an agent or editor during a panel discussion or Q&A session.
Don’t approach a faculty member with a question just before a workshop is scheduled to begin.
Ours is a casual conference. Please dress comfortably. No need to bring the cocktail dress or the black tie. Seriously, our staff will likely be in jeans or khakis and golf or T-shirts. You may want to bring a jacket or sweater in case the meeting rooms are chilly.
It’s a good idea to check the forecast before leaving home, but, usually, late October weather in Myrtle Beach is quite pleasant. Temperatures range in the low - mid seventies, with ocean temperatures in the mid-sixties to low seventies. Humidity is generally high, which makes the temperature feel warmer than it actually is. Last year, the weather was comfortable enough for many to slip in some beach time!
Yes. Items for sale this year will be T-shirts, mugs, cover art posters from The Petigru Review, and additional copies of The Petigru Review.
Absolutely! That is the best thing about our conference. We have built in as many opportunities for attendees to mingle with faculty as we could think of. At dinner on Friday and Saturday and lunch on Sunday, the faculty will be hosting tables. They will also be available in the common areas of the conference facilities in between sessions for informal interaction.
Writers under age 18 are welcome, but, for liability reasons, must be accompanied by a parent. Few, if any, workshops contain adult content, and if your young writer has parental approval to attend, that’s fine with us. Parents accompanying minors may either purchase a guest meal plan or register for the conference to attend breakout sessions. Neither South Carolina Writers Workshop, nor The Hilton, assume any responsibility for minors. That said, we're here for writers, and want to encourage talent at all ages.
Absolutely! The Spouse/Guest Registration is $120, and includes the welcome reception/dinner on Friday; breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks on Saturday; and breakfast, break and lunch on Sunday, but no conference breakout sessions or workshops. Spouses/Guests are welcome to accompany attendees to all meals, General Sessions, and Night Owl Gatherings.
Absolutely! The Hilton is a part of Kingston Plantation, which offers a wide variety of accommodations for any size family, and the Myrtle Beach area offers countless attractions to entertain your family while you are at the conference.
Due to space limitations, and to limit distractions, only registered conference attendees and registered spouses or guests may attend the conference General Sessions, which is where conference meals are served. If you are traveling with other family members, there are several dining options on the resort, and countless in the Myrtle Beach area.
You should not stay in your room any longer than necessary. Get out there and network. Find your favorite authors and strike up a conversation. Reconnect with old friends. Make new ones. Find a critique partner in your genre.
These are something new we’re offering this year; another good opportunity to network. On Friday and Saturday evening, after the General Session ends at 9 p.m., one of the options you’ll have for the remainder of the evening is to meet with other authors in your category or genre.
Looking for a critique partner?
Want to discuss forensics, creating alternate universes, or building a platform with someone else that speaks the same language?
Check out Genre Connections. Locations will be listed in your conference notebooks, and there will be signs.
Possibly. These are informal sessions, and faculty members are welcome and encouraged to participate, but there is no guarantee.
Our host hotel this year is The Myrtle Beach Hilton Resort. www.kingstonplantation.com/accommodations/hilton-myrtle-beach-resort/
Yes. The SCWW discounted conference room rate is $97 per night (plus an 11% room tax).
The Hilton is a part of Kingston Plantation, a 145-acre resort offering a wide variety of accommodations. If you plan to bring your family, and would prefer a villa, condominium, or lodge, they have many to choose from. The $97 per night rate applies only to rooms in The Hilton. Rates on other types of lodging will vary based upon the type and size. For a map of the resort, visit www.kingstonplantation.com/directions/property-map.cfm. The Hilton is located at the northern-most edge of the property, oceanfront.
The nearest condominium tower, Royale Palms, is connected to The Hilton by a covered walkway and has everything from traditional guestrooms to three-bedroom condos. The nearest group of villas is Richmond Park, which offers one, two, and three-bedroom villas.
All conference activities will take place at the Hilton, most of them on the mezzanine level. If you want to be in the middle of things, and prefer the easiest access to workshops, group sessions, and mingling, you’ll want to stay at The Hilton. We anticipate that most attendees will stay at The Hilton to preserve that intimate atmosphere.
If you’d rather be a little away from all the activity, or need larger accommodations, you’ll want to consider a villa, condominium or lodge.
For more information on Kingston Plantation and the different types of accommodations available, please visit the website at www.kingstonplantation.com/ or call (800) 876-0010. You will reach a Kingston Plantation reservations specialist who can answer general questions about the lodging options at the resort, and can reserve a villa, condo or lodge, but will not be able to make a conference-discounted reservation at the Hilton.
To reserve a room at The Hilton, call (866) 454-8309. Be sure to mention that you are a part of the SCWW conference in order to get the discounted rate.
To go directly to our Hilton conference reservation page, where you can book your discounted Hilton room, visit http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/myrbhhh_sww/index.jhtml
SCWW has a block of rooms reserved for October 25-28, 2007. The special room rate will be available until September 25th or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first. We strongly recommend that you make your reservations early.
Yes, The Hilton will extend the conference rate for nights immediately prior to and/or following the conference subject to availability.
As much as many of us loved the charm of Ocean Creek Resort, we have simply out grown their conference space. In order to provide a faculty large enough—and a curriculum broad enough—to offer workshops that appeal to the majority of our membership (which has a wide variety of interests) we had no choice but to find a host hotel with larger conference facilities.
In addition, due to the layout of Ocean Creek, members with disabilities have reported difficulty navigating from their rooms to the different buildings where conference events were held.
My membership expires in August, but I plan to register in June. Do I need to renew my membership when I register?
Yes. If your membership expires prior to November 1, 2007, you’ll need to renew when you register to get the discounted member rate. However, you won’t lose those months. Your membership will be extended one year from its current expiration date.
How do we renew our family membership when my wife and I register for the conference?
Since you'll each need to go through the registration process separately, either online or by mail, this can be confusing. It has to be done separately because you'll each need to select your first, second and third choice faculty members for a critique, meals and workshops.
The registration form has changed this year. At the top, you'll check one of the following categories:
The online system and the folks at Planning the Globe (the organization managing our conference registration this year) have lists of members, volunteers and scholarship recipients for verification of each category.
The family member who registers first should check the "renewing member" box, then further down the form, check "family renewal." The discounted family renewal rate will be added into your total.
The other family member(s) should simply check the "dues current member" box at the top, and not include a renewal fee. We have all family memberships noted in our database, and will mark you both as paid.
In the event that one of you is a renewing member, but the other family member is joining the organization--you are in effect converting to a family membership as you renew--you'll need to renew as a family prior to registering for the conference if you plan to register online. The system will have no way to recognize a name not currently on the roster as a member. The family renewal can be done online*, and you should be able to both register for the conference the following day.
If you want to renew and register by mail, simply fill out both registration forms as outlined above (one of you checks "renewing member" and "family membership," the other checks "dues current member,") and mail them together.
*If you've never renewed online before, it's easy!
Go to www.myscww.org
Click on the "Join Us!" link on the left hand side of the page.
Scroll down until you see "Family Membership" (or individual, if applicable)
Click "Add to cart"
Click "Proceed to Checkout"
You'll be redirected to a PayPal web page, but you will have the option of paying with your personal PayPal account or with a credit or debit card.
Fill in your payment info and follow the directions.
Make sure to enter both/all family member names in the "Message to seller" field on the final check out screen.
As with any conference related issue, if you need assistance, please email conference@myscww.org.
Signup sheets will be at the door of each Open Mic session.
On Friday, the Poetry Society of South Carolina will host a poetry open mic, and there will be a separate session for prose. On Saturday night, poetry and prose will be combined.
According to last year’s survey, Open Mic is one of those things upon which our membership is almost evenly divided. Half the membership can’t wait for it, the other half leaves the room when the readings start.
Holding open mic in the ballroom immediately following the General Session isn’t fair to either group. Those that want to read and listen shouldn’t have to strain to hear and be heard while others exit the room. Also, it’s a bit disconcerting to have folks walk out when you’re reading. On the other hand, those that would rather spend the time socializing, meeting faculty, or otherwise shouldn’t be put in the position of having to choose between doing something they feel is rude—leaving—or staying for something they’re not interested in.
Advance registration for this year's conference is now closed.
We welcome walk-in registrants. If you have not registered, but would like to attend, you can register at our conference registration desk inside The Hilton lobby anytime after 4:00 pm on Thursday, October 25. Hotel reservations can still be made through The Hilton. (Please see Accommodations page)
June 1st, 2007.
Yes, we will confirm all registrations upon receipt.
Yes, at the Conference when you pick up your registration package.
No. You will need to make hotel reservations separately. This can be done from a link on our website, or by calling The Hilton at (866) 454-8309.
There are several reasons.
We have dramatically increased the size of the faculty. This was necessary to provide a curriculum that offers something of value to as many members as possible, while providing the expanded agents and editors lineup that many members wanted.
We have a new host hotel. We think you’ll find that the food and beverage at The Hilton is high quality—we did when we went to sample it. But it does incur a higher cost.
Critiques are included in the registration fee. In prior years, these were an extra charge—last year $40.
Refreshments will be offered at breaks.
If you purchase the Complete Conference Package, dinner on Friday and Saturday nights and lunch on Sunday are included. Previously, we have offered a reception on Friday night with light hors d'oeuvres (after which many went out to dinner, incurring an additional off-site meal cost). In prior years, the Saturday night dinner was an extra charge—last year $30. Sunday lunch was not offered last year. Thus, there are two dinners and a lunch included in the complete package that were not included in last year’s fee.
In keeping with our goal of offering maximum faculty interaction, we are offering attendees the option of paying one fee (Complete Conference Package) and not having to leave the conference site for meals. Faculty members will be hosting tables of attendees at dinner on Friday and Saturday, and at lunch on Sunday.
If you must cancel your registration for any reason, fees are fully refundable if canceled in writing, postmarked by October 1, 2007. Send cancellations to:
SCWW Conference
Katie Griggs
Planning the Globe
900 Johnnie Dodds Boulevard
Suite 201
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Advance registration for this year's conference is now closed.
We welcome walk-in registrants. If you have not registered, but would like to attend, you can register at our conference registration desk inside The Hilton lobby anytime after 4:00 pm on Thursday, October 25. Hotel reservations can still be made through The Hilton. (Please see Accommodations page)
Click here for printable registration form - ADOBE.pdf (3.2 Mb)
Click here for printable registration form - WORD.doc (0.80 kb)
Click here for full color brochure complete with faculty listing - ADOBE.pdf (1.8 Mb)
Click here for full color brochure complete with faculty listing - ADOBE.pdf (6.1 Mb)
Click here to have the full 18-page brochure snail mailed to you (opens email)
Click here for the 2007 SCWW Conference Poster! (0.98 kb)
There are several ways:
Consider sharing a hotel room. This will cut your costs considerably.
You can share rides with others from your area, or to and from the airport if you’re flying in.
Offer to be a volunteer.
Purchase the Conference Basic Package, which includes breakfast and breaks, but not the lunches and dinners. This you should consider as a last resort because you will miss not only the great speakers at the General Sessions, but the opportunity to interact with the faculty members, as they will be hosting tables.
You should NOT stay home because you think you can't afford this conference. The South Carolina Writers Workshop Conference is the place to be for writers seeking to hone her/his craft, connect with other writers, learn about the publishing world, and meet agents and editors. For the array of workshops offered and the potential connections, this conference is a bargain. It’s an investment in yourself.
Our conference is the most affordable of its size, curriculum offerings, and location. We are a non-profit organization, manned 100% by volunteers. Our goal is to provide the best conference for the money anywhere!
Come to the conference. It’s less expensive than purchasing a stack of craft and how-to-get-published books, then taking classes and paying for critiques—not to mention the value of the time you’ll save because your work will be ready for publication that much sooner. And just think about all that postage you’ll save on SASE’s when your work is accepted.
You must be an active (dues current) member of South Carolina Writers Workshop.
No. Scholarships cover the cost of the complete conference package registration (all conference meals included) and pre-conference workshops. Scholarship recipients are responsible for their own transportation, hotel accommodations, and out-of-pocket expenses.
The most exciting new thing we’re offering this year! Two of the classes offered in each time slot are “Slush Fest” sessions. These are interactive workshops, with two faculty members—usually an editor and an agent—who will comment on participant submissions.
For any prose session, bring your query letter and the first page of your manuscript or the first 2 pages of your manuscript on transparencies. For poetry sessions, bring a poem on a transparencies. As you go into the class, your transparencies will be collected at the door, and selections will be picked at random, put on the overhead projector and feedback will be given to the class. This will all be done anonymously. Do not put your name on your transparencies, and no one will know which one is yours except you. The idea is for faculty members to discuss what catches their attention—and what doesn’t—and why.
Most copy shops (Kinko’s, UPS Store, countless others) will make a transparency of 2 pages for a minimal charge. Should you need assistance, we will have transparencies at the conference, and the Hilton will make them for a small fee. You can also make them yourself in the Hilton business center.
You must bring your work to these sessions on transparencies for it to be critiqued. Please do not bring more than 2 pages total.
Here’s an awesome opportunity to get feedback on your work from the experts!
Please email Katie Griggs at Planning the Globe. Her email address is: kgriggs@planningtheglobe.com. Katie will insure that you get a safe meal.
Yes. Breakfasts are a deluxe continental buffet with few options with meat. Lunches and dinners have vegetarian selections. Please indicate your preference during registration.
Yes. There are elevators in the Hilton to take you back and forth between your room and the mezzanine level where the workshops are held. The Hilton, its guest rooms and common areas are in full compliance with the public accommodations requirements of the ADA.
Business cards are an easy way to exchange contact information with new friends, potential critique partners, etc. However, if an agent or editor asks to see your work, you will no doubt send contact information with the sample pages, making a business card redundant.
Yes. You may just decide on Friday night that you want to Google an agent to get more information once you’ve learned that she is doing your critique. (Although, hopefully you will do the research before you list your 3 choices, you may need to refresh and update your information.)
You may also have a last minute inspiration to revise that query letter you’re taking to a Slush Fest session. New transparencies can be made at The Hilton, but if you don’t have your laptop, you won’t have the document to revise.
There are probably 20 other scenarios that could make you wish you had your laptop. It’s best to bring it if you have one. If you don’t, make sure to prepare ahead of time.
Step outside for fresh air during breaks. Take advantage of the Saturday box lunches to catch a great ocean view and soak up the sea breeze. Drink plenty of fluids, and take a break for a walk on the beach when you need one. Wear the most comfortable shoes you own—tennis shoes are fine.
Stay at The Hilton if you possibly can. This gives you the opportunity to rest well before the conference starts, and pop back to your room if you’ve forgotten something—or to grab a nap. You won’t be nearly as rushed—and frazzled if you are on-site. There are so many opportunities for faculty interaction, and so much going on that you aren't going to want to miss a minute of it traveling from hotel to hotel.
A limited number of SCWW members can attend half of the conference sessions (beginning with the Friday Intensive Workshops) and work for half of the conference. All volunteers must arrive at The Hilton by Thursday at 7:00 pm to attend a pre-conference meeting. Volunteers will be assigned such tasks as picking up faculty at the airport and/or driving them back to the airport, assisting with workshop sessions, and manning the registration desk while the event planners take a break. This is not an exhaustive list. We’re looking for volunteers who are willing to do whatever is necessary to insure that the conference runs smoothly.
You will not have to pay a registration fee, and will be given, as compensation for working half the conference, the benefits of the Complete Conference Package (including all meals Friday – Sunday lunch and a critique/appointment) plus enrollment in either the morning or the afternoon Intensive Workshop on Friday.
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation, hotel accommodations, out-of-pocket expenses, and all meals on the Thursday before the conference.
All volunteer positions have been filled, but you may contact Sandra Johnson, volunteer coordinator, at sjohnson10079@sc.rr.com to be put on a waiting list or mail your waiting list request to:
SCWW Conference Volunteers
P.O. Box 7104
Columbia, SC 29202.
The beautiful views; the long days; too many great workshops at the same time; too many fantastic faculty members to meet; a presenter; the food; the hotel; the fact that there wasn’t a hurricane—I came to see a hurricane; all the smiling people...
Some problems we can resolve immediately. Please bring those to our attention at the conference registration desk in the hotel lobby, which will be manned from 8:00 a.m until 8:00 p.m. throughout the conference. An emergency number will be posted for contacting someone with the conference outside those hours, or, possibly, someone at The Hilton registration desk can help—they will always be there.
For other issues, please use your conference evaluation survey to let us know what worked and what needs work. We will be sending surveys via email to most attendees (USPS if you don’t have email) a week or so following the conference. Our goal is to make the SCWW conference a wonderful learning experience. We would really appreciate the benefit of your perspective.
Initial workshop preferences are indicated when you register. This gives us an idea of how many attendees are interested in each workshop so that we can match the room size to the session. However, you can change your mind before the conference and go to any workshop you like. Or, once the class starts, if it’s not what you expected, move on to your next choice. It would be helpful to have your first and second choices marked for each workshop so that you can quickly change if necessary.
Because, while we tried to include as wide a variety of subject matter as possible, we had to balance that with having depth in what we offered. We wanted most of our members to come to the conference and find at least one workshop in every time-slot that would be of value. Rather than having a conference with a little something for everyone, we wanted to have substantial offerings for the majority.
When we conducted our membership survey after last year’s conference, out of 190 responders, only 18 responded that they wrote screenplays, and 15 scripts. We chose to focus on tracts for novelists, short story writers, non-fiction writers (including articles, essays, memoirs and other non-fiction), young adult/children's writers, and poets because that was where the majority of the membership expressed interest. We sincerely hope that there are topics of value to our screenwriting and script writing members.
