John is available to for the following topics:
1. "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)."
Think you're too busy to write a novel? Veteran CNN editor John DeDakis traces the arc of his 40-year career -- from getting tear gassed covering an anti-Vietnam War riot on the University of Wisconsin campus in 1970 to his current job as a Senior Copy Editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" in Washington, D.C. and how it all led to a parallel career as a published novelist, manuscript editor, and speaker.
2. How to Write a Novel
A practical 15-point plan that takes you from the mere germ of an idea all the way through the creative process, with an eye on getting a finished book into the hands of potential fans. We'll discuss how to transform the nub of an idea into a book-length project, populated with interesting characters, a twisty-turny plot, snappy dialogue, and an interesting setting. We'll also look at strategies for finding an agent and marketing the finished product.
3. Buffing and Polishing
You've finally finished your manuscript and now you're ready to tell Oprah all about it. Not so fast. The best writing is REwriting. In this session, you'll learn practical ways to put your writing on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim and hot -- and all without even having to step onto a treadmill. A big chunk of this is a writing lab, so be sure to bring pen and paper.
4. Getting an Agent.....and Getting Noticed
Writing's the easy part. The hard part is stepping out of your solitary comfort zone and trying to convince someone else that they should read your book. In this session you'll learn how to attract an agent and how to market yourself using strategies that are tailored to your personality.
5. Slideshow – Hiking on the Inca Trail, Peru
A discussion and slideshow on John’s hiking of the Inca Trail in Peru. The most famous trek in South America. The basis for John’s second novel, “Bluff”.
For more information on booking John please Contact Us.