
Some quotes from the conference (paraphrased from my notes):
Think about how each character in your story or novel sees and experiences things - they will all see the same thing differently - Laila Halaby
A lot of query letters don't effectively convey conflict, plot and characters - if you can't get this down in a query, it often means your book isn't ready - Stephen Barbara, Donald Maass Agency
What will define the next ten years of publishing? Distribution. A number of large book distributors have already gone out of business, making it hard for the small presses - Kate Gale, Red Hen Press
Agents like writers who are well-informed about the publishing business - you can learn by reading industry magazines, websites and blogs - Emmanuelle Alspaugh, agent with Wendy Sherman Assoc.
All of the primary characters in your novel should change in some way during the story, not just your main character - Masha Hamilton
Have an ugly baby - Alan Woodman
(What Alan really meant was write an ugly first draft - once it's out there on the page, it can grown and mature and become more beautiful with rewriting. Get it out there as ugly, then you can improve on it.)
Well, I'm glad you clarified that last point! lol.
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