The event, which mainly focuses on mystery and romance genres, offered 25 different educational, information-packed sessions. A special feature of the conference was presentations by forensic experts, including Forensic Anthropologist Clyde Snow. Dr. Charles Connor, Coordinator of Distance Education at the University of Georgia and a founder and coordinator of the conference, said that 180 manuscripts were submitted by participants for evaluation by agents, editors and writers. Of those, Connor said an unofficial count indicates that at least three authors had their manuscripts picked up by editors or agents, and many others were asked to send additional samples or their entire manuscripts for evaluation. Writer's exercises are one effective way to deal with the inability to write, said Block.
Artists warm up by doing sketches.
Musicians do scales. Writer's should practice too, by writing freely for 10 minutes on any topic, just to get the writing muscle primed and working. Mysterious Press publishes about 36 books a year, said Freed. Each book needs a 16-month lead time from finished manuscript to publication. Authors, especially with their first books, must take publicity and promotion into their own hands, Freed emphasized.