“On behalf of the Lake County Library System we thank you for your marvelous contribution to the 2010 Festival of Reading, “Adventures in Paradise”. Both your workshops, “Writing for Young Audiences” and “Great Beginnings: The Importance of the First Page” were first class. The attendance was good and the audience engaged. I was very impressed with the response you received from the fledgling writers who attended the program in City Hall.”

Judy Buckland, Program Coordinator
Lake County Festival of Reading

“Our Friends of the Plantation Library very much appreciated your very entertaining presentation at our recent Book Author Luncheon. Several of the members have contacted me again this week thanking me for finding you. You’ll be a ‘tough act to follow’ next year.”

Betty Cobb
Friends of the Plantation Library

Below are a few of the fast-paced and entertaining talks Vic has presented to organizations large and small. Whether it’s a Friends of the Library annual dinner, a writer’s conference or book festival, or the monthly meeting of your civic club or writer’s group, Vic can fashion a presentation specifically for your organization and occasion.

Topics

Windrusher’s Journey – A Flight of Fancy

Vic has made the transition from broadcaster to writer, finding his publishing journey both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. He shares some of the twists and turns he’s made along the road to publishing his third novel, Windrusher and the Trail of Fire, talking about the wacky world of publishing, book signings, and the important part dreams play in both his life and the life of his feline protagonist.

The Craft of Writing and All That Jazz
Before he turned to the written word, Vic was the producer of one of the nation’s most acclaimed jazz festivals. Although not a musician, Vic calls on his experience as a jazz producer and promoter to bring us lessons on how to be a successful writer. When you think about it, there are many similarities. Both writers and jazz musicians take years developing their craft, engaged in a lifelong educational process to become proficient at their art. Jazz utilizes an improvisational approach, and as writers, we can certainly relate to the lonely struggles to make our words sing.

Great Beginnings: That All-Important First Page
Let’s face it, we have short attention spans. If the author doesn’t catch and hold the reader’s attention with the first line, first paragraph and first page, they might look for another book. Vic leads us through a fast-paced, upbeat session looking at the keys to Great Beginnings, and tells us why it’s so important to grab the reader in the beginning. Bring copies of your own first page for feedback from the group.

Let’s Make A Scene
We’re accustomed to watching a story unfold on the big and small screens in real-time. The same life experiences are played out in today’s novels scene by scene. Learn to write compelling scenes and you’ll have a compelling book says Vic who will show you how as he explains the importance of scenes, and demonstrates how the use of three important elements will bring life to your scene and keep the reader turning pages. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to write your own scene using the principles you learned.

Put Your Writing Into High Gear with Strong Narrative Drive
Editors and agents reject many otherwise well-written novels because they lack something called narrative drive. What is it, and how do we incorporate it into our writing? Vic reveals some of the secrets other authors use to create a strong narrative drive that pulls the reader along, leaving them wondering what will happen next. Using examples from classic novels like To Kill a Mockingbird, Silence of the Lambs, Mystic River, and even the TV series, Lost, Vic’s tips will add high-octane fuel to your narrative engine.

Book Promotion 101
For every author there comes a moment of truth. After months of writing and rewriting, they’ve put the gestation period behind them and given birth to their new offspring. Then it hits them — they’re now expected to put aside their writer’s cap and put on their marketing and sales chapeau. As they quickly learn, the responsibility for selling books lies squarely on the author’s shoulders and many newly published writers are not prepared for the task. Join Vic, the father of three traditionally-published books, for a fast-paced journey as he guides us along the meandering marketing path, pointing out what obstacles to avoid and which roads lead to more consistent sales. Book Promotion 101 will appeal to both novice authors and grizzled veterans of the marketing process.

“Vic DiGenti’s program was one of the most interactive and informative we have had in our WAG series. Right out of the gate, he engaged our attention and sparked our mental processes by administering a short, thought-provoking quiz. From there, he continued to interact with us by eliciting, building on, and adding to our knowledge of writing. He exhibited the process by which an author strives to hook his reader’s interest from the beginning, utilizing examples of writings from our members. His brand of dynamic interaction made for an enjoyable and enlightening presentation, from which I gleaned great benefits. I would most certainly sign on for another round.”

Robin Ecker, Membership Coordinator, Writers Alliance of Gainesville