Bloomington Writers' Festival and Book Fair

It’s time for the 2012 Writers’ Festival & Book Fair held at the Bloomington Theatre and Art Center.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 24 and plan to submerge yourself in the world of books, authors, workshops. Plus, get your chance to hear from Minnesota native, TV, film and comedy legend, Pat Proft!

Every day 800 books are published in the United States, and if you love to read, write or talk about books, the Book Fair is a great place to get new information, meet local authors, find the next good read for your book club, or just browse. 

Several authors who have been featured on Reading Minnesota will join the dozens selling and signing books at the event. Many of the authors, including me, will present live readings of their current works throughout the day. Over 80 authors and resource agencies will be available.     

Keynote speaker, Pat Proft, began his lifelong career early—as a high school student in Columbia Heights, MN. Receiving recognition in radio and stand-up comedy, he branched into theatre, TV sitcoms, and eventually films.

Proft’s humorous talent can be witnessed in his screenwriting for The Smothers Brothers Show (1975), The Carol Burnett Show (1976), and television programs like Welcome Back Kotter and Police Squad. In the last thirty years, he has enjoyed great success by scripting comedy hits in feature films such as Police Academy, Bachelor Party, Real Genius, The Naked Gun, Hot Shots, Brain Donors, Wrongfully Accused, and several installments of the Scary Movie series.

Admission for keynote, workshops, and panels is $12 each and pre-registration is required. The Book Fair is free.  Hear Pat at 9:30 am, then starting at 11 am attend your choice of the workshops and panels led by local experts and leaders in various aspects of writing, publishing, promotion, social media, poetry, publicity, the future of publishing, etc. Lunch is also available for purchase.

For additional information and to register for the keynote presentation, workshops, panels or to order lunches, go to www.BloomingtonArtCenter.com or call 952-563-8575.

WRITERS' FESTIVAL AND BOOK FAIR

Bloomington Theatre and Art Center Presents
7th Annual Writers’ Festival and Book Fair

Saturday, February 27, 2010 – 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public!

The Author Book Fair (signing and selling) is from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

The regional event is packed with outstanding workshops on essential aspects of writing and publishing your book. This year the focus is non-fiction, starting with “This Writer’s Life” keynote by Cathy Wurzer, author of Tales of the Road-Highway 61, and host of TV’s “Almanac” and MPR’s “Morning Edition,”

Everyone is welcome! With 11 workshops and panels, there is something for everyone who loves to write, wants to learn more about writing a book or just loves to read.

Look at a sampling of presenters: Peg Meier, author of Bring Warm Clothes; Roshini Rajkumar, TV host and media training consultant; Debra Orenstein, intellectual property attorney; and Don Leeper, digital/electronic book expert.

Workshops include:
- Writing non-fiction (for children/youth, memoirs/history, general)
- Publishing options
- Most common mistakes authors make
- Legal issues every author should know
- How to prepare for an interview
- The future of electronic publishing (for Kindles and Sony Readers)
- How to use social media to promote your book online.

Workshops start at 11 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. The Book Fair, featuring authors in numerous genres, is free and open to the public from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Vendors and authors are available to talk with attendees. Authors also may read from their books for later cablecast on the City of Bloomington’s channel 14.

Pre-registration is required for the keynote, workshops and panels. Box lunches are $10. For details, to register or order lunches: www.BloomingtonArtCenter.com

The event is co-sponsored by Midwest Independent Publishing Association and Beaver’s Pond Press. The Literary Council hosts this event at Bloomington Art Center located in Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington.