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SpeakingI offer workshops on book proposals and book collaborations, and speak on a variety of writing-related topics.
Upcoming events
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"What a wonderful teleseminar! I found your advice practical, clearly stated, and most of all, savvy. I'm taking your words to heart. Since listening, I have obtained a domain name and will work at setting up a website for my just-completed unpublished novel, Flowers of the Sea." Boatbuilder, poet, artist Professor Emeritus of Maritime Studies and American Literature University of Rhode Island |
Book Proposal Workshop
Writers Conference of the
American Society of Journalists and Authors
New York, NY, Sunday April 17, 2005: I led a three-hour workshop on book proposals at the annual Writers Conference of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). Speakers included:
- Michael Carlisle, literary agent, InkWell Management
- Margot Schupf, executive editor, Lifestyle Books, Rodale
- Annie Jennings, publicist, Annie Jennings PR
Click here for details.
Meet the Agents Workshop
NWU-Boston
Brookline, MA, Sunday March 6, 2005: 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Finding a literary agent can be even tougher than finding a publisher. I led a workshop featuring six outstanding agents - all open to new clients!
- Sorche Elizabeth Fairbank, Fairbank Literary Representation
- Jennifer Gates, Zachary Shuster Harmsworth
- Jill Kneerim, Kneerim & Williams at Fish & Richardson
- Albert LaFarge, Albert LaFarge Literary Agency (New England affiliate of the David Black Agency)
- Colleen Mohyde, Doe Coover Agency
- Dan O'Connell, The Wendy Strothman Agency
Part 1 of the workshop was a panel discussion. The agents explaind how they work and what they're looking for; they answered questions. Part 2 offered participants the rare opportunity to meet one-on-one with an agent. Before and after appointments, they listened to veteran writers talk frankly about their experiences with literary agents - how they connected and what happened next; the agents they loved and the ones they left. Click here for more information about the event.
Share a Byline and Double Your Chance of Success
Teleseminar for Annie Jennings PR
Free. Via telephone, Wednesday February 16, 2005, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST (begins 10:00 AM PST; 11:00 AM MST; 12 Noon CST)
Thinking of writing a book, but missing a key element? Maybe your writing is tops but you lack expert credentials. Or perhaps you're a respected authority who doesn't have the time or word skills to craft a commercial book. Collaboration is the solution. In this teleseminar, I explained the secrets of putting together a winning team, including: ingenious ways to find a collaborator; how co-authors split dollars and credit; collaboration agreements - and more.
The Secrets of Freelance Success
Teleseminar for Annie Jennings PR
Free. Via telephone, Tuesday February 8, 2005, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST (begins 10:00 AM PST; 11:00 AM MST; 12 Noon CST)
Freelance success depends on more than your writing talent. I spoke about what it takes to move to the next level, including: how to create a career
plan; negotiation tips and secrets you should know before you sign your next contract; coping strategies for handling rejection;
networking do's; creative ways to promote yourself and lots more.
How to Write a Book Proposal
Teleseminar for Annie Jennings PR
Via telephone, Wednesday January 19, 2005: Every book proposal must address five essential questions. I explained what they are and described the right answers - as well as the surprising wrong answers.
Thank you for the fabulous job you did on our teleseminar. My audience enjoyed the top quality, next level information you presented on "How To Write A Non-Fiction Book Proposal." Your presentation style is direct and fact-filled and my audience had an excellent experience. I look forward to our next teleseminar! Annie Jennings PR America's PR Firm |
2004 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism
Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 3-5, 2004: I was among the speakers at this year's Nieman Conference, participating in a cafe session about book doctoring with Christina Thompson, editor of Harvard Review and also moderating the conference's featured new First Pages event: the first pages of about a dozen manuscripts were read aloud to a panel of experts who offered quick (and sometimes devastating) impressions. Click here for information on the conference, including a link to order tapes.
"Last night at 9 p.m., very tired, I went to the cafe session with Sarah Wernick. Even though I'd been up since 4 a.m., she was such a lively speaker I forgot my fatigue." Freelance Writer (From a writeup of the 2003 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism on The Narrative Journal) |
Strange Bedfellows:
The Rewards and Pitfalls of Collaboration
Authors Guild
New York, NY, November 11, 2004: I participated in a panel on collaborations for the Authors Guild at 6:30 PM at Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue (between 37th and 38th Streets).
The event was moderated by Authors Guild President Nick Taylor. He is author of a dozen books, including several collaborations, and is currently working solo on a history of the WPA. Other panelists included:
- Lawrence Malkin, author of The National Debt, who has collaborated on books with Paul Volcker, Anatoly Dobrynin, and a number of other notable public figures. He is writing a book on history's greatest counterfeit.
- Laura Morton, author of seven New York Times bestsellers, who has collaborated on a number of celebrity autobiographies, including those of Joan Lunden, Kathy Ireland, and Melissa Etheridge.
- Peter Petre, senior editor-at-large at Fortune and treasurer of the Authors Guild. He has co-authored books with former IBM chairman Thomas J. Watson, Jr. and General H. Norman Schwarzkopf.
Book Proposal Workshop
Women's National Book Association (WNBA), Boston Chapter
Brookline, MA, Sunday November 7, 2004: I led a full-day book proposal workshop, for veteran non-fiction writers as well as first-timers. Guest speakers included:
- Laura van Dam, independent book editor and former editor at Houghton-Mifflin
- Kit Ward, agent, Christina Ward Literary Agency
- Fern Reiss, CEO of PublishingGame.com
- Gina Ogden, PhD, author of Women Who Love Sex and other books
For detailed information about the event, see the WNBA-Boston website.
"I took Sarah's workshop twice. The first time I resisted the entire concept of a proposal. I simply wanted to write the book. A year later I took it again. The second time I grasped her central idea that a proposal is a tool for the writer to test all the aspects of the book project – ideas, marketing, the ideal reader, the competition. So 18 months later I have a very good proposal that is being circulated in New York as I write this. Stay tuned."
Portraits from the American Radical Tradition (University of California Press, 2002) and a forthcoming memoir of the 1960s, The Girl I Left Behind |
Book Proposal Workshop
Annual Writers Conference of the
American Society of Journalists and Authors
New York, NY, Sunday April 25, 2004: I led a three-hour workshop titled "How to Write and Irresistible Book Proposal" at the annual Writers Conference of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Panelists included:
- Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Love at Goon Park and professor of journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Brenda Copeland, editor, Atria Books
- Brian DeFiore, literary agent
- Jacqueline Deval, publisher, Hearst Books and author of Publicize Your Book!
Audio tapes or CDs of the workshop can be ordered via this link; scroll down to the Sunday workshops.
The Writer's Life:
Living and Working as a Writer in Boston
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
Cambridge, MA, Wednesday April 14, 2004: I participated in a panel about making a living as a writer. Moderator was Charles Coe; other speakers were Kelley Chunn and Erik Sherman.
"I've seen a lot of writers address a live audience, and Sarah stands out as among the best. She knows how to talk as well as she knows how to write: she's honest and funny, she's clear and well-organized, and she provides critical information in few but well-chosen words." Program Planner Cambridge Center for Adult Education |
Collaboration and Ghostwriting Workshop
Washington Independent Writers
Washington DC, January 20, 2004 : I was a panelist in a three-hour workshop on book collaborations and ghostwriting. The moderator was Pat McNees; other speakers were Dan Moldea, John Greenya, and Jeff Stein. Washington Independent Writers was established in 1975 by a group of Washington writers to promote the mutual interests of freelance writers.
On Book Collaborations (cafe session)
2003 Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism
Cambridge, Massachusetts, Friday December 5, 2003: I presented an evening session on book collaborations. For a writeup of the session, see The Narrative Journal.
Book Collaboration Panel
National Writers Union, Boston local
Boston, Massachusetts, October 26, 2003: I moderated a panel discussion on book collaborations, featuring:
- Anne Bernays: Author of eight novels and co-author of three works of non-fiction. A longtime writing instructor, she teaches at Harvard's Nieman Foundation.
- Archie Brodsky: Co-author of fifteen trade and professional books in psychology and health care. He serves as an NWU advisor on book collaboration agreements.
- Jill Kneerim: Literary agent, co-director of Kneerim & Williams at Fish & Richardson. She's also an author and former editor and publisher.
- Zick Rubin: Attorney, Law Office of Zick Rubin. In 2002 he was listed by Boston Magazine as one of Boston's five best intellectual property lawyers.
Topics covered:
- The pros and cons of collaborating
- How to find a co-author
- Collaboration agreements
- Making collaboration work
For more information about the event, click here.
Non-Writing Skills Essential to Freelance Success
Salem State College
Salem, Massachusetts, October 15, 2003: I spoke to the Introduction to Professional Writing class at Salem State College.
"Sarah's presentation was at the perfect pitch for undergraduates contemplating careers as writers – neither intimidating nor simplistic. They need to hear about the nuts and bolts of a writer's reality, and that was what she delivered, complete with anecdotes and insights gleaned from her own experience. Many of my students commented on the good humor and warmth she showed. We were all impressed by the materials she'd taken the time and trouble to prepare. While a lot of people could likely have spoken about how to pitch and query, we found her remarks about the emotional preparation a writer needs to be unique and important." Coordinator of Professional Writing Deptartment of English Salem State College |
The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing
Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism
New York, New York, Tuesday September 30, 2003: I participated in a panel discussion about freelance writing for faculty and students at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. For more information about the event, click here.
Expert/Writer Collaborations
Annual Writers Conference of the
American Society of Journalists and Authors
New York, New York, May 3, 2003: I moderated a panel discussion on book collaborations. Speakers included:
- Nancy Hancock, executive editor, McGraw-Hill
- Michael Cader, book packager and creator of Publishers Marketplace
- Kay Murray, general counsel to the Authors Guild
- Sondra Forsyth, author
Audio tapes or CDs of the discussion can be ordered via this link; scroll down to panel #10.
Book Proposal Workshop
for the National Writers Union Boston local
Boston, Massachusetts, March 23, 2003: I presented a full-day workshop on writing non-fiction book proposals. Speakers included:
- Laura van Dam, senior editor at Houghton Mifflin
- Esmond Harmsworth, agent with the Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Agency
- Christina Thompson, editor of Harvard Review
See the NWU-Boston website for a description.
"Sarah Wernick's workshop is tremendously valuable not only for all the information one can gather by attending but also for the contacts one can make while there. At the workshop I attended, I learned of a literary agent with whom I've since written and sold two books, one already published. That single contact dramatically improved my career." American Jezebel : The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans (HarperSanFrancisco, 2004) |
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