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Maggie Smith

Storyteller

Phone:

14146996360

Email:
Website/URL:

Full Bio...

The assignment in my first writing class was “What could you never write a book about?” Mothers and daughters, I jotted in my notebook. Which is ironic when I look back, since it seems I can’t stop writing about that, be it a young woman searching for a true mentor (Truth and Other Lies) or a woman mending a rift with her teenage daughter (Blindspot, my work in progress) or a step-mother rescuing her mid-twenties stepdaughter from a kidnapper (third book, no title yet).
I’ve had several careers – from journalist to psychologist to the founder of a national art company. Add to that several years as both a podcaster (Hear Us Roar, 170+ episodes) and the managing editor at an on-line literary publication (Write City Magazine). Here’s topics I can speak to:

The Craft of Writing:
• What Makes a Great Antagonist
• Naming Your Baby (Book Titles)
• What You Need in Your First Ten Pages
• What Makes a Good Short Story
• The Power of Two Words: What If …

Publicity/Marketing:
• How to Work with a Publicist
• How To Be a Great Podcast Guest
• How To Use Social Media To Sell Your Book
• You CAN Judge a Book by Its Cover

The Writing Life:
• The infamous work/life balance
• Grab Back Control – When Your Publisher Goes Bankrupt
• What I Learned Binge-Watching Reality TV
• How to Get the Most Out of a Writing Conference
• Changing Careers in Mid-Life

The Writing Community:
• Don’t Go It Alone – critique groups, write-ins, and mentors
• How To Ask For and Give Advice
• The Beauty of Zoom

Contact me today at the email address above and let’s discuss your speaker needs. I live in the Milwaukee/Chicago area but am comfortable speaking remotely as well.

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