Articles - The Writer's Ally™

Maryland Writers’ Association Annual Conference–April 24, 2010

After several years enjoying all the Maryland Writers’ Association has to offer, I decided to give back in a more specific way in FY 2009-2010. I ran for and was elected to the Vice President’s seat on the Board under President Sonia Linebaugh. We were lucky to have Diane Booth volunteer again as Conference Coordinator, and she delivered yet another successful conference for MidAtlantic writers. I was honored to return for a repeat performance of my 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:

This was the best session of the conference! Ally was very engaging and informative.—Cathy Wiley, Severn, MD

The energy and expertise with which Ally presented both inspired and challenged me as an artist and student.—Jason Greenberg, Owings Mills, MD

I really enjoyed hearing keynote speaker Roxanna Robinson tell us about the writer’s life, it’s complexities and rewards, and what inspires her fiction. In addition to a day full of engaging sessions on timely topics, this year’s conference culminated with an awards banquet for winners of the MWA’s annual writing contests. Charles Jensen, Director of the Bethesda Writers’ Center, entertained diners with his talk, “Technology and Our Future: A Guide to What’s Next for Writers.”

Thank you to Conference Coordinator Diane Booth and her committee of volunteers for having me back. 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.

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.

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.

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

Balticon 43–May 22-25, 2009

Every Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of science fiction and fantasy fans descend on the Hunt Valley Marriott for Balticon, the annual Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. From Friday to Monday, they get to puruse the goods in the dealer’s room, pick up free books and ‘zines, and geek out with other fans of their favorite books, TV shows, and movies. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the event boasts a great writing track as well.

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. I haven’t met any of my favorite authors there yet, but I have met a lot of cool up-and-coming authors like Trisha Wooldridge and Kelly Harmon.

This year, my second at Balticon, I only did two panels:

Writers’ Tips and Tricks
Are the Editor and Copyeditor the Writer’s Enemies? How to Work Together Effectively

But the highlight of the weekend for me was giving a special two-hour presentation with my good friend and fellow writer, Angela Render, on Marketing Platforms for Writers.

Getting published is hard, especially for a first-time author. Publishers expect you to come with a platform. Speakers will explain what a platform is and how to start building it with an overview of appropriate tools.

Here’s what a couple of participants had to say:

Ally was well-organized, tangible, savvy, and most important, passionate about moving writers to believe in ourselves and to find the optimal ways to preach our gospels to the rafters. Tremendous!—Tad Daley, author of Apocalypse Never: Forging the Path to a Nuclear Weapon-Free World

Thanks again for your excellent presentation at Balticon. The information in your presentation was very valuable to a beginning author like myself, and I feel very fortunate to have attended it.—Constance Warner, Hunt Valley, MD

This talk was a great one-two punch: I began with my signature talk on author platforms, which explains what they are, how they’re used to sell books, and why you need one. I also offered some tips on how to get started. Angela finished up with a thorough introduction to building your platform on the Internet, which is the cheapest and easiest way to get started and a very effective venue for the long run.

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