Sneak Peek: Tessa Emily Hall’s Presentations for W2I 2018

Headshot of Tessa Emily HallWorkshop: “Common Mistakes Newbie Writers Make in Their Manuscripts”

You’ve spent years working on your fiction manuscript. Finally, you reach “The End” and send it off to agents. When that first response arrives in your inbox, you anticipate seeing the message “This is the submission I’ve been waiting for!” pop onto your screen.

But when that doesn’t happen, your hopes fall. Rejected? How did the agents not see your obvious potential?

Unfortunately, this is the process some newbie writers walk through. They finish writing their fiction books and immediately send them off—only to be met with endless rejections.

What if I told you that you can catch the attention of an agent and receive the responses you hope for?

When agents review submissions, they can immediately identify amateur writers. Common newbie writers’ mistakes are often sprinkled throughout those writers’ chapters, making it easy for an agent to reject their books.

If you want to stand out, come to my workshop “Common Mistakes Newbie Writers Make in Their Manuscripts” and learn how to avoid these newbie mistakes. Then, when an agent receives your submission, it’ll be easier for him or her to send you that highly anticipated message—”This is the submission I’ve been waiting for!

Workshop: “The Balancing Act: Write Powerful Christian Fiction without Preaching”

When I was a teen, the content that was presented in secular YA fiction left a bad taste in my mouth. I searched for cleaner books in the Christian market, and I did find books that fit this bill—yet some of these books were a little too squeaky-clean.

Where do we, as writers who hope to present the truth in our books, draw the line? How can we write stories that are authentic yet inspirational and clean—without the extra cheese?

Come to my workshop “The Balancing Act: Write Powerful Christian Fiction without Preaching,” and we’ll discuss how you can achieve this balance in your fiction.

Workshop: “Create and Maintain a Blog to Build a Readership”

Aspiring authors are advised to begin a blog even before their books are published. But if you’ve never owned a blog, where do you begin? And how is it possible to write a blog that appeals to your target audience and solidifies your brand—while increasing chances of publication?

In my workshop “Create and Maintain a Blog to Build a Readership,” I’ll walk you through the process of creating a blog from scratch. You’ll learn how to maintain a blog while expanding your reach—and still have time to write.

Teen Keynote: “You’re Never Too Young to Begin Your Writing Journey”

The first writing conference I attended at sixteen years old resulted in a publishing contract. Yet when I was a teen, I discovered that there were some adults who discouraged teens from pursuing publication.

In my keynote address “You’re Never Too Young to Begin Your Writing Journey,” I’ll give you a brief overview of my writing journey and discuss the pros and cons of pursuing writing at an early age. Then, you can make an informed decision about whether writing is a career you might like to pursue.

Yes—even while you’re still a teen.

Teen Keynote: “Worshipping Our Creator through Our Creations”

Think back to when you first fell in love with writing. Was this love birthed from a love of reading? Or did you begin writing as a way to expand your imagination?

Although we come to love the writing craft through various ways, we each have an underlying reason for being drawn to write. And that’s because of our creativity inheritance: the one that was instilled into us when we were born.

In my keynote address “Worshipping Our Creator through Our Creations,” you’ll be inspired as you hear how you can unlock this creativity within you. Learn how you can write powerful fiction and make your writing sessions more productive—not by writing faster but by writing in a way that draws you (and the receivers of your creations) closer to our Creator.

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Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an associate agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA acquisitions editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and founder/editor of PursueMagazine.net. Tessa’s first teen devotional, Coffee Shop Devos, will release with Bethany House in September 2018.

She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: TessaEmilyHall.com.


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