Registration - Lower Lobby

Individual Coaching Sessions with Antonia Allegra: Writing and Careers
(20 minutes; with advance reservations)
Antonia Allegra works with you in two ways during her one-on-one sessions. As a career coach, she listens to the professional’s creative and earning power needs and skills. Working with her as a writing coach can help you identify your writing style, discover the direction for a book and understand the whole publishing process. Please bring one or two examples of your writing and/or a list of career goals – or both.

Group Coaching Sessions with Don Fry: Writing
(1 hour/4 professionals; with advance reservations)
Don Fry’s 1-hour coaching sessions, conducted in groups of four, seek to help writers and editors to uncover problems in their working processes, and cure them. Each participant gets 15 minutes, and Don opens with two questions: "What do you do?" and "How can I help you?" He welcomes samples of writing ahead of time, but he does not critique texts. (Don Fry, donaldkfry@gmail.com, 35 University Circle, Charlottesville, VA 22903-1801)

Group Coaching sessions with Andrew Schloss: Entrepreneurial Direction
(1 hour/6 professionals; with advance reservations)
Making a living as a writer calls forth invention, craft and a commitment to building a business.  Andrew works with you and a small group of like-challenged writers to explore the business potential of your writing career with the goal of coming out with a succinct actionable mini business plan.  For this session you will need:

• a description of where you are in your writing business
• two ideas about where you want to go in your writing business
• the amount of money you need per year to live
• how much money you want to make per year

Small Group Open Discussion: Food Writing Career Successes and Challenges
Antonia Allegra, Elissa Altman, David Joachim, Kirsty Melville and others

Dinner in the Main Dining Room

Official Symposium Opening

Self-Introductions

What are the Big Food Stories this Year and Why?
Moderated by Elissa Altman with Holly Hughes, Dorothy Kalins and Andrew Schloss

Lunch

Screening of “The Restaurateur” directed by Roger Sherman

A Sense of Place and Palate
Moderated by Anne Willan with Christopher Hirscheimer, Kirsty Melville,  James Peterson and Molly Wizenberg

Cookbooks: Past, Present and Future
Moderated by Kirsty Melville with Carole Bidnick, Rux Martin, James Peterson, Rick Rodgers and Anne Willan

Group Photo

Dinner

Writing Secrets and Exercises with Don Fry, David Joachim and Rux Martin
For you die-hard writers: bring your pen or laptop!

Announcements

Writing Your Own Way in Your Own Voice with writing coach Don Fry
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned food writer, Don will stretch your writing abilities. Expect to have the opportunity to volunteer reading your writing...or not.

What do Editors Want?
Moderated by Holly Hughes with Laurie Buckle, Rux Martin and Joe Yonan

Lunch

10 Things Every Food Writer Should Know
With Dorothy Kalins

Open Readings

Workshop Sessions (choose one)

1. Contemporary Food Photography Concepts
   With Christopher Hirscheimer, James Peterson and Molly Wizenberg

2. How to Write a Dynamite Proposal
   With Carole Bidnick and Rick Rodgers

3. Ask (pitch) and You Shall Receive
   Who receives the most queries? Editors and agents, without question. Bring your book/magazine story queries to this workshop to learn why these editors would read beyond the first paragraph of your proposal and start negotiating for a deal. With Laurie Buckle, Rux Martin, Kirsty Melville and Joe Yonan.

4. The Nuts and Bolts of E-Books
   With Justin Renard

What is a Recipe NOW?
Moderated by David Joachim with Elissa Altman, Laurie Buckle, Christopher Hirscheimer, Rick Rodgers and Joe Yonan. Each noted recipe writer will discuss important elements and applications of today's recipes. Includes a recipe writing exercise.

Money, Part I: Inside the Food Writing Business
Moderated by Andrew Schloss with Elissa Altman, Laurie Buckle, Christopher Hirscheimer, Dorothy Kalins, and Justin Renard, visiting from Kindle/Amazon

Money, Part II: Table Discussions with all speakers and Justin Renard
Table 1: Books - How to Sell your Idea with or without an Agent
Table 2: Spinoffs based on your writing - apps, books, etc.
Table 3: Freelance
Table 4: Build your Platform as a Lynchpin for your Writing Career
Table 5: Newspapers and Magazines (print and electronic)
Table 6: Humor in Food Writing

Break

Open Readings

Kitchen Tour

Dinner

Hospitality

Announcements

What's Next for Food Writers, Editors, Agents, Photographers and Broadcast Communicators?
All Symposium speakers will share their thoughts and respond to yours in this amazing conference wrap-up.

Individual Exit Coaching Sessions with Antonia Allegra
(20 minutes; with advance reservations)