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With just over a month left before writers from across Texoma gather for the first-ever Herald Democrat Writers Conference at Austin College, the program of presenters is set and registrations are starting to pile up.

We have been excited about the feedback we initially heard from some of the local libraries about young people wanting to attend the conference, said Herald Democrat City Editor Jerrie Whiteley. She added that the Herald is also excited about the response from locals who have participated in the Telling Our Stories workshops presented by Dr. Jerry Lincecum of Austin College.

The TOS group, and everyone who attends the conference, is in for a real treat. We have lined up a great roster of local writers who can help people navigate everything from the very beginning stages of a writing project all of the way through making decisions about how to go about getting something published, said Whiteley.

That roster includes New York Times Bestselling author Deborah Crombie, an Austin College graduate, who lives in Dallas. Crombie will make time for the Herald Democrat conference as she promotes her newest book, To Dwell in Darkness, the 16th in her series of mysteries set in modern-day London England.

We are very grateful to Ms. Crombie for fitting this conference into her busy schedule and know her fans are looking forward to being able to hear her speak. We have, in fact, had some people sign up for the conference just to hear her, Whiteley said.

Though Crombies keynote is sure to be entertaining and enlightening to both novice and experienced writers, she is not the only accomplished writer set to impart knowledge to would be wordsmiths. The program includes a wide range of writers who are all excited to talk to those interested in the craft of writing.

Herald Democrat columnist Amy Shojai will discuss the process of reinvention that every writer must embrace in the world of modern publishing.

Today authors must be masochists in order to endure both the real and imagined slings and arrows of writer-hissy-fit bullying, Shojai said in the description of her presentation. She will show writers,how to put on (their) big-boy (or girl)-panties, suck it up, and succeed whether its (their) first book, first blog or article or 50th. Writers will get easy to use tips on how to brand themselves; the benefits of collaboration; ways to build tribes and why writers should; how to leverage nonfiction to transition to fiction; ways to create diverse revenue streams; and how to use multiple platforms (e-books, POD, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, audiobooks, Facebook and more) to build an audience and career. And, since this presentation is coming from a renown animal expert, attendees can expect to see all of those things mixed in with some really cute puppy and kitten pictures.

Durant writer Marion Moore Hill will delve deeper into the process of creating characters to help fiction jump off the page and grab the readers attention.

A likable protagonist, a detestable villain, a mischievous sidekick any lively, intriguing character can help make the difference between a ho-hum book and one that readers not only cant put down but will remember afterwards, Hill said in the description for her presentation. Hill will help writers answer the plethora of questions one must tackle to write characters that keep readers the turning the pages book after book.

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Herald Democrat Writers Conference at Austin College right around the corner