Melanie Bishop

Monthly Archives: July 2018


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James River Writers Conference

James River Writers

Writing Across Genres and Mediums
Speakers: Melanie Bishop, Clay McLeod Chapman, Sona Charaipotra, Pamela Samuels Young
Moderator: Douglas Jones
Room: E10A-B
Track: Methods of Storytelling
From short stories to screenwriting, this panel offers a primer on the techniques, tools, and discipline needed to be successful with different forms of writing, in case you don’t want to write just one.

 

Stop Shortchanging Short Stories
Speakers: Melanie Bishop, Lina Maria Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas, Virginia Pye
Moderator: Kristin Swenson
Room: TBA
Track: Methods of Storytelling
Have you heard of the New Yorker story “Cat People” and the seven figure deal the author landed? This panel explores why short stories matter, what writing them can do for emerging and established writers, and where to send them.

 

First Pages

Speakers: Melanie Bishop, Moe Ferrara, Dara Kaye, Latoya Smith
Moderator: Bill Blume
Readers: TBA
Room: E10A-B
Three agents and one editor across a broad spectrum of publishing listen to and critique first pages, read on the spot so the audience can hear their initial reactions. First pages should grab and not let go. Listen to the insights and gentle criticism from the experts. Will someone be “discovered” this year?

 

Coping with Deadline Hell

Speakers: Melanie Bishop, Tyree Daye, Virginia Pye
Moderator: Michael Paul Williams
Room: TBA
Track: 21st Century Self-care
Looming deadlines can make your anxiety feel like it is on steroids. Mistakes easily occur when time is running out. Learn techniques, tips, and the essential checklists to review before hitting send.

 

 

 


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Going to Richmond in October.

 

Watershed events in writing, reading, and community

2018 MASTER CLASSES

 

The Writing Retreat: What, Where, Why and How? with Melanie Bishop

Melanie Bishop photo
Melanie Bishop

From the most prestigious and competitive artists’ colonies—like Yaddo, MacDowell, and Djerassi—to the A-I-R program in the national parks, from mentored retreats to the “design your own” model, writers increasingly depend upon retreats to sustain their writing practice. Some find they have better access to the muse while on retreats. Being stimulated by a new locale and landscape recharges the senses, restores inspiration, and often generates new material. What exactly should we expect from a retreat? What are the advantages of group vs. solo retreats? Where have writers historically found inspiration, sustenance and momentum, away from the distractions of their daily lives? Why do we need to go away? (Isn’t writing from home good enough?) How should I design a retreat if I have a day, a week, a month? Some residencies award retreats; others ask writers to pay; how do I write a competitive application for a place like Djerassi? What are the best ways to strategize for productivity, while also maximizing rejuvenation and renewal? The first half of this class will instruct about retreat options and resources; the second half will replicate aspects of a retreat in progress.