May Online Writing Workshop

The Power (and Pain) of Self-Promotion: How to advocate for your writing career, from drafting to querying to publishing and beyond.

May Online Workshop with Cierra McElroy
Sunday, May 26th @10am PST

This two-hour session with novelist and marketing strategist Ciera Horton McElroy will explore best practices for self-promotion and how to share your work in a way that feels authentic and honest. We’ll explore strategies for writers at all stages of their career: from drafting a manuscript and thinking about publishing paths to submitting query letters to preparing for book tours and publicity opportunities. We’ll unpack the fears that may hold us back from promoting our work—and how to navigate an ever-changing marketplace. Ciera will also share the exact query letter that resulted in offers of representation for her debut novel. You’ll leave with actionable steps and tools for building on your own writing career.

Ciera Horton McElroy is an author, business owner, and film communications consultant. As a marketing and messaging strategist, her film projects have grossed a collective $165 million at the box office. Ciera’s debut novel ATOMIC FAMILY (Blair) was released in 2023. Additional work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Writer’s Digest, AGNI, Bridge Eight, Iron Horse Literary Review, the Crab Orchard Review, and Saw Palm, among others. Ciera is passionate about making the publishing industry more transparent and sharing marketing strategies for authors.