Susie’s Spring 2024 Schedule
For Authors and Editors Who Want to Be Read – Who Want to Make an Impact – Who Want to Make a Livelihood
Thursdays through May 9th, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Susie Bright is offering a series of classes this spring in the acumen, ingenuity, comprehension of why books get picked, published, beloved, and why not?—legendary.
And more than that, how to repeat the trick.
If one has a chance to work with Susie Bright, do not hesitate!
— Jen Joseph, publisher, Manic D Press
Each class uses real-life examples from our students’ writing lives and current publishing news — Susie interviews the students & changes the names for confidentiality— so we can deal with exactly what is on the table.
To Register for Classes, scroll down and pay your deposit.
Susie Bright changed the landscape of American publishing.
— MaryAnne Mohanraj, The Stars Change
• Each master class session takes place in a ZOOM classroom, 2 hours in length
• Each class is limited to 10 students.
• For each class, Bright will invite students to share confidential preliminary materials before the workshop, so she can address— with anonymity— your specific questions, goals, hopes.
Susie Bright’s decades-long record and extensive portfolio provide a definitive answer to anyone who wonders if they should engage in business with her, if for no other reason than her perspectives and insight have withstood the test of time.
— Edward Morrisette
TUITION – Reserve Your Seat With a Deposit
Any (1) Class $175.00
Register above with a $35 deposit and let us know which class you’re signing up for.
Any (4) Classes (DUE BY APRIL 1): $650.00 (Saves $100)
Register above with a $130 depost and let us know which 4 classes you’re signing up for.
“Susie Bright got her publisher to produce the majority of my backlist. She’s full of straight-talk and kindness—a unique combination.
— Chris McKinney, editor, Honolulu Noir
MARCH 21, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 3
Writing the Perfect Pitch Letter – How to Make Sure Your Book Proposal is Read
Hands-on workshop to learn the basics of what belongs in a convincing pitch letter to a publisher or agent— and just as important, what to leave out.
Susie will send you a pitch template and five questions to answer before our Zoom meeting.
Do you have a book proposal that needs editing before you’re confident to send out? This is the class to bring it to.
This will require an hour or two of YOUR prep time, due 48 hours before the Zoom meet.
A goddamn brilliant Fuck-You-Pay-Me lesson on how to say Fuck-You-Pay-Me. A master class on how to pitch a master class.
—Gabriel Liston
NO CLASS MARCH 28 — SPRING BREAK
Susie is a ruby.
— Richard Von Busack, film critic
APRIL 4, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 4
What Every Author Needs to Know About Contracts—Whether You Have an Agent or Attorney, or NOT
Any author who doesn’t understand the basic tenets of their contract is in for rude awakening.
Mistakes will be made. Surprises will hurt. Frustrations will mount. You will not have the language to express the changes you need.
The basics are not hard. Not at all. You can learn the central issues in a day.
When an uninitiated author first receives a contract, the vernacular and staging of the agreement is likely to look like gobbledegook. You recognize a few words here and there, you note the dates and sums, but whole clauses are impenetrable.
- What parts really matter?
- Would the publisher change any of it, if you asked?
- Where is the wiggle room?
- What are the most significant issues an author is being asked to submit or sacrifice? Should one take an adversarial or diplomatic approach? What would that even look like?
- Doesn’t your agent do all this?
Most authors gratefully or indifferently push these questions aside, and depend on their agent, attorney, or elder mentor in their life to review. After all, isn’t that “their job,” their duty?
Well, yes. And no. You and your agent may not have developed a relationship yet to find out what your priorities are. The two of you need to speak the same language about the basics. Both your eyes need to be on it. It’s a collaboration. Don’t be infantilized. The best relationships between author and agent are when the author has a basic publishing education.
Let’s demystify it. We’re going to go through a typical contract together and hit all the high points.
Susie is a generous publishing savant! She has an extensive resume in publishing from author herself to editor and publisher. You’re guaranteed to learn so much from her!
— Angelica Lopez-Torres, University of Texas Press
APRIL 11, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 5
The Proving Ground: Testing Your Writing in Public with Blogs, Newsletters, and Short Works
How to test new material with real readers, find out what’s working, get leverage and credibility through small published pieces. Your first readers will determine a great deal. Your blog or newsletter, your short freelance pieces — let’s review how to make the most impact with each of them.
- Newsletters/Blogs
- Social Media
- Magazines and Journals
“Organized, definitive, well-versed, and comprehensive.”
— Joanie Shoemaker, Worley Shoemaker Mgmt
APRIL 18, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 6
Inside the Publisher’s Brain: How Publishers and Agents Decide on Your Manuscript
Why do publishers say “yes” or “no”?
There is an answer to this.
What are their rejection letters telling you, really?
Learn about the institutional memory of publishing and you’ll KNOW how they think.
We’ll examine the meaning of “comps” in publishing— comparative titles— and how authors can leverage them
We’ll use examples relating to each student’s past and future work.
Best editor I’ve ever had. Tells it like it is, asks all the right questions, has endless patience, and is both profoundly practical and profoundly kind. The rarest of gems.
— Simcha Fisher, author, journalist, The Catholic Press Association
No Class APRIL 25—Spring Break!
MAY 2, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 7
Ebooks and Kindle: Expand Your Audience & Avoid the Rut
- Marketing for Real; What Matters
- How to Stay Sane and Make Money
- Social Media – What Makes a difference any more?Touring or Not?Crossing GenresThe Mingling MediumEbook Marketing for the shy and misanthropic
- Writing First
Bright is uncanny at seeing what is best in your voice and coming up with ways to develop that voice and push it out to the widest possible audience. I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather work within publishing!
— Josh Kornbluth, playwright, author, Haiku Tunnel,“Red Diaper Baby, Ben Franklin Unplugged
MAY 9, 10 am – Noon Pacific
Master Class 8
Marketing Boot Camp: How to Be Famous Author Before You Die
- It’s your Title Launch! You need media savvy, stat.
- In fact, you needed it six months ago. Get the new year squared up!
- Press reviews, tips for introverts, cautions for extroverts, interviews, customer reviews, fans you love, fans you don’t, trolls . . . And everyone else you’re going to meet!
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“A bright guiding light in publishing, her participation is kind, constructive, and a kinetic part of the creative process.”
— Marc Huestis, filmmaker, producer, author, Sex Is . . .
Classes Meets Thursdays on Zoom for two hours:
10am PST / 12pm CST / 1pm EST
Zoom invites are emailed to all participants the Tuesday before class.
Susie Bright’s support as an editor and anthologist, her advice and encouragement, helped me develop as a novelist and story writer. Her work continues to be an inspiration to me.
— Corwin Ericson, author, Swell
“Face-to-face” book art by Nick Georgiou
