Speaking/Teaching - The Writer's Ally™

APG Federal Women’s Program, March 3, 2010

On March 3, 2010, I had the privilege of participating as a speaker in the Federal Women’s Program special training day, “Writing Women Back Into History.” I got to teach a large lecture hall filled with federal employees how to “put their best word forward” and communicate more effectively in the workplace and in general. The description was:

Put Your Best Word Forward—At Work and Beyond: This workshop will introduce you to the most common grammar, spelling, and other problems that plague written works and offer simple ways to identify and resolve them. You will discuss ways to communicate more effectively in writing at work and in general. If time allows, you will practice these lessons with a fun exercise to help today’s women and men start writing their own histories.

In addition to having a great audience who asked interesting questions, I was honored with a letter of thanks on behalf of Major General Nick Justice and a garrison coin from Colonel Ortiz, the garrison commander for Aberdeen Proving Ground. Everyone, from the guards at the gate to the audience members to the other speakers to the ladies who served us lunch, was so friendly and welcoming. Thank you to Diane Siler, the Federal Women’s Program Manager at RDECOM, for inviting me.

Founder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.

Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, February 20, 2010

I was honored to participate in the 13th annual Bay to Ocean Writers Conference this year along with many other outstanding authors, publishing professionals, and instructors. Many thanks to the conference coordinators for making it an enjoyable and smooth day.

I gave my talk Polishing Your Work for Submission to a packed classroom.

Every writer knows—or soon learns—that it takes multiple revisions to create a piece ready for publication. But where do you start? This talk will introduce you to the most common problems that plague written works and offer simple ways to identify and resolve them in your own novel, short story, or memoir.

Thanks to all who attended! We had some great conversations, and I only wish we could have had more time. A couple of thoughts some participants shared with me afterward:

In one short hour, Ally gave me the skills to ramp up my entire editing process—wow! This was the boost I needed to really polish up my novel draft.—Bettyina Lanyi, Arlington, VA

Ally is a dynamic and entertaining speaker who brought her wealth of knowledge about the process of editing in a meaningful and useful way. I can’t wait to go home and reread my manuscript.—Shaun Bevins, Grasonville, MD

Thanks again to Wilson Wyatt, Jr. for inviting me to speak and for some interesting insight into the world of writing for corporations and marketing outfits. Learn more about the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference at www.baytoocean.com.

League of Utah Writers Roundup, September 18-19, 2009

This fall my travels took me to Utah, home of some of the most lovely mountainside vistas I’ve yet had the pleasure of viewing in person. My first trip to a writers conference out west was a grand success, with a full crowd in the large banquet room (I’m guessing about 100 people in the crowd based on the table sizes), warm and lively conversations over meals, and the chance to meet a whole new community of hard-working writers.

For the League of Utah Writers I gave my talk, Your Author Platform: Why Background Matters, and How to Get the Right One.

In today’s highly saturated book market, a strong publicity and marketing campaign requires that authors have a solid platform to get the kind of attention necessary for sales. But what is a platform, what is it used for, and how do you build one? How does it affect your book deal, or whether you get one at all? How does it help you sell more books? Discover how acquiring editors and agents think and get the edge you need to get your book published and sold.

We had an excellent time chatting about the publishing industry and what it takes to get a manuscript into saleable shape. Some of my audience members said:

Without question, Ally was one of the most popular attractions at the roundup.–Mike Eldredge, President, League of Utah Writers

Ally’s passion for what she does is incredibly motivating.–Adrienne Monson, American Fork, UT

Thanks to Mike Eldredge and the rest of the League for having me out to speak at their gathering. For more information about the League of Utah Writers, which has chapters all throughout the state, check out their website at www.luwriters.org

Maryland Writers’ Association Annual Conference–May 9, 2009

I’ve been an active member of the Maryland Writers’ Association for several years now, and so it’s with great pleasure that I was able to participate as a speaker at this year’s conference. The theme “Writing Your Success Story” was apt: writers from all over the MidAtlantic came to learn new skills and find inspiration to help them along the path to publication. I gave my popular presentation, Revisions: Polishing Your Work for Submission.

Gone are the days when writers could expect substantial editorial support from their agents and editors. Most publishing professionals want clean, print-ready manuscripts. Every writer knows—or soon learns—that it takes multiple revisions to create a piece ready for publication. But where do you start? This talk will introduce you to the most common problems that plague written works and offer simple ways to identify and resolve them in your own novel, short story, or memoir. You’ll receive tips on keeping readers’ attention, polishing your manuscript at the technical level, properly formatting your submission, and getting objective feedback before you start sending your work out.

Attendees said:

Ally is a seasoned pro who knows what it takes to get out of the slush pile. She’s full of great tips.—Eric D. Goodman, author of Tracks, Towson, MD

Ally is a fun speaker who knows her topic. Great presentation!—Angela Render, author of Marketing for Writers, Ellicott City, MD

I was in good company with editors and agents who traveled from New York City and Washington, DC to meet one-on-one with writers and with presenters who gave such interesting and useful talks as Angela Render’s “Introduction to Marketing Platforms,” Ann Crispin and Rich White’s “Writing Scams,” and Linda Shertzer’s “Creating Romantic Tension.” Participants also enjoyed a continental breakfast, hot lunch, and post-conference social.

Cheers to Conference Coordinators Diane Booth and Bryan England, who put on a fun, info-packed event. If you live in the MidAtlantic area I encourage you to consider joining the MWA, which offers many benefits to its members beyond the annual conference and writing contests. Learn more at www.marylandwriters.org.

Balticon 42–May 23-26, 2008

Every year, the Baltimore Science Fiction Society hosts the Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention known as Balticon. Having attended as a participant in the past, I knew the program was packed with panels on topics of interest writers as well as the broader audience of scifi and fantasy fans.

I’ve been a fan of science fiction and fantasy as a category of fiction—whether in books, movies, or TV shows—all my life, having grown up on Doctor Who, Star Wars, the Chronicles of Narnia and Chronicles of Prydain, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and writers like Piers Anthony, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Melanie Rawn, and more. So I was really excited to speak to other fans as a panelist this year.

I moderated or sat on panels discussing:

The Publishing Labyrinth
Getting Published
The Business of Writing
How to Work with an Editorial Assistant

In between I enjoyed watching everyone parading around in their awesome costumes. I think that’s my very favorite part about cons…people can be so creative in dressing up as their favorite TV, book, and film characters. One really wonderful addition to Balticon is the art room, where artists in various mediums bring their work in for sale. It’s so inspiring to see how wild and beautiful the human imagination can be, and knowing that many of these visions stem from a lifetime of reading just warms this publishing gal’s heart.

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