Conferences in your Pajamas

In my travels over the interwebs, I came across The Manuscript Academy, a website partnered with Manuscript Wish List, that provides classes and conferences that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Even in your pajamas.

That’s right folks! Sip tea in your living room and enjoy access to the wisdom of agents, editors and fellow authors.

Lots of goodies on this website:

Podcasts

First, podcasts on the Manuscript Academy are FREE! I don’t know about you, but free always has a good ring to it. They run about 20 – 30 minutes long, and feature an agent or editor, and a specific topic.

Take a listen on Soundcloud, or Apple iTunes.

Podcasts include: Episode Twelve: Publishing and Publicity in Your Pajamas, Episode Six: How To Spend Ten Minutes With An Agent, and Episode Thirteen: Our First First Pages Episode.

I really enjoyed Episode 22 with agent John Cusick, Ten Queries. He goes through ten queries in his inbox, and talks us through them. It provides an insight into what an agent might be thinking as they read through. What is subjective? What is a difficult sell? What does he see a lot of? There is an excellent conversation at the end about how to use your time while connecting with an agent or editor. Very interesting stuff.

Right now there are just over twenty podcasts, and they add more all of the time.

Classes / Conferences

You can take classes through the website as well. They are $49 A La Carte if you would just like to participate in one class at a time, or $225 if you would like to have access to all 22 classes (an $853 savings!). Click here to see the full list of classes.

Titles include: Worldbuilding 101 — Roseanne Wells, Jennifer Di Chiara Literary Agency, School Visits: How to Meet Young Readers, Build an Audience, and Sell Books — Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, author, and OwnVoices–How to Write What You Know for a Commercial Audience – Quressa Robinson.

Meetings and Critiques

Can’t get enough access to real life agents, editors and authors? Schedule a one-on-one meeting or critique. Prices range from $39 to $480, depending on what you are looking for. P.S. You have to have registered for a class before you can sign up for a critique.

They have meetings / critiques over the phone, skype, even google hangout.

Choices include: Ten-minute meetings, query letter critiques, first 50 pages, and more.

Manuscript Wish List

Manuscript Wish List is their sister site. If the Academy isn’t your cup of tea, then be sure to check out #mswl on Twitter. Find out what agents and editors are looking for. You might just have something that is a match!

Have you listened to any of the Podcasts? Taken any classes? Let us know if you enjoyed them on the Writers’ Rumpus!