Though fun and important, there is more to putting on a successful conference than great swag and awards. In my last post, IT TAKES A VILLAGE – THANK YOU, CWA CONFERENCE SPONSORS! I listed the numerous companies who backed our venture with merchandise, donations, and awards. Continuing with my huge thanks to all who made the 25^th Anniversary Cat Writers’ Association Conference possible, I’d like to  move now to the presenters. One of CWA’s aims is education, and these workshops, seminars, panels were amazing. I have so much to learn from these people!

Here is a list of all speakers, along with the titles of their presentations. It’s a varied group of experts in all fields, which made every single one a must-see.

Creative Cause Marketing for Rescues & More: How to Reach, Retain and Respect Your Audience – Julia Grosz; Anita Aurit; Beth Stultz-Hairston

~As a cat shelter volunteer, I know how important it is to compassionately”market” adoptable cats, as well as the shelter itself. These ladies had good tips for writing pet descriptions that get noticed, keeping yourself and others from “compassion fatigue,”  using content warnings for difficult subjects in your articles, and  much more.

 

How to Write Short Pieces for Publication – Lonnie Hull DuPont

~”Word count matters!” -Lonnie Hull DuPont

 

The Myth Of Busyness: How To Claim Time For Your Business – Robbi Hess

~One of Robbi’s suggestions was not to check email first thing in the morning. Email is a time-suck and I instigated this habit long ago. Since morning is my most creative time of the day, I work on writing first and everything else comes later.

 

Editing and Graphics with PicMonkey and Canva – Paula Gregg

The Science of Cats: Feline Nutrition & Hydration – Panel discussion by Dr. Kurt Venator and Dr. Janet Jackson of Purina

~This presentation by the two doctors was enlightening. I plan to do a more in-depth post with them in a month or so.

 

Cross-Marketing & Self-Editing to Broaden Markets and Multiply Sales – Robyn Conley

Practical Guide to Social Media for Selling Books – Lisa Miller

~Ask yourself, Why do people come to my site? I figure it’s for the cat pictures. What do you think?

 

Improving the Well-Being of Cats in the Home, Shelters, and Post-Adoption: Keynote Speaker: Dr. Debra Horwitz, DVM

~Dr. Debra Horwitz, DVM is a Partner with Purina and a Veterinary Behavior Consultant. I learned a lot about stressors and response, but my favorite tidbit was that only house cats and lions demonstrate the tail-up stance of happiness.

“When your cat holds her tail high in the air as she moves about her territory, she’s expressing confidence and contentment. A tail that sticks straight up signals happiness and a willingness to be friendly. And watch the tip of an erect tail. A little twitch can mean a particularly happy moment.”

 

How to be Successful at Self-Publishing and Own Your Career! – Kevin Tumlinson

Kevin works with Draft2Digital,  a  digital publishing aggregator offering conversion and distribution services for authors. This seems to be a great platform for independent authors like myself. Here is my D2D Author page.

 

What’s Your Story Now? Own It! Writers and Bloggers Need Their Own Story To Help Communicate & Connect With Today’s Feline Lovers in Social & Traditional Media – Lea-Ann Germinder

You’re On the Air – With Arden Moore – Arden Moore

Feline Health Q&A with Dr. Kasten – Dr. Jennifer Kasten, Tomlyn

~It seems so obvious, but here’s something to think about: Stress  = grooming = hairballs = stress. Hairballs are not a natural kitty function. It’s important to find out what’s causing your cat to throw up hairballs and treat it accordingly.

 

Bundling for Success – Bonnie Koenig

Bonnie contacted me a few years ago about a bundle she was putting together called Fantastic Feline Heroes.

Stand Out from the Crowd: Picture Perfect Photos for Print, Social Media, and Publishing – Larry Johnson (Larry also donated his photography skills and took pictures for the conference.)

~Larry is amazing. He photographs all the beautiful cat show cats, yet he gave us simple, easy to use tips for improving our own cat photographs.

 

Communicating, Capitalizing, and Connecting in a Fictional World – Mollie Hunt; Debbie De Louise; Patricia Fry; Sandy Murphy

Understanding and Using Instagram to Build Your Personal Brand and Audience – Janiss Garza; Jessica Spawn

~Still working on this one, guys!

 

Hypnotic Marketing: How to Create Descriptions and Sales Offers That Mesmerize Readers and Sell More Books, Products, and Services – Bob Baker

~An amazing presentation, with many specific pointers on how to sell books, and yes, even the most introverted of authors wants to sell books!

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I encourage everyone to look up these talented people for more information on their chosen topics. Most can be found online. If you have any trouble, let me know.