SavvyAuthors.com

August 2010 Events
2	A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Susan Sipal. Though many an envious writer would like to think JK Rowling’s secret to success is just a bunch of magical mayhem, we Muggle writers can learn from the skills which have made her Harry Potter series more than beloved, but truly an absolute obsession among millions. Using Ms Rowling’s phenomenally popular series as a base, we will delve below the surface of her prose to determine what made her ...
	Duration: 34 days	Craft	$15 /$25

2	Life in a Medieval Castle		(Workshop)
	Instructor Sheila Currie. To this day castles loom large over the European landscape; they represent the best of medieval technology. Castles were royal or noble residences, centres of administration and justice, as well as garrisoned fortresses. William the Conqueror won the battle of Hastings, but without the simple castle known as motte-and-bailey, he would not have conquered England and Wales. Stone quickly replac...
	Duration: 40 days		$15 /$25

16	Basic HTML		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kathy Schindler. During this workshop, Kathy defines the elements needed to help writers learn enough Basic HTML to build their very first web page. Building a web site is as much creative as it is technical. Whether you want to create your own web site or just maintain it each month, you will need to know the Basic HTML language. Basic HTML includes: Elements, links, backgrounds, lists, fonts and tables. ...
	Duration: 20 days	Technology	$15 /$20

23	Cracking the Romance Code		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kimberly Llewellyn. When it comes to writing the romance novel, everyone wants to know the secret handshake—there isn’t one! But by understanding the romance novel's embedded core romance elements, you can unlock the code to writing a compelling story of your own. Book Sense Notable Pick recipient, author, Kimberly Llewellyn, shares how to decode the secrets to writing the quintessential romance novel and create a ca...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

30	Tickets to Ride: Basic Historical Research		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. If you’ve been considering writing an historical novel but are worried that the research may kill you, fear not. We’re here to give you the itinerary to get you started on your trip back in time. In this mini workshop we’ll talk about choosing a time period and what you’ll need to know before you begin writing and what you’ll need to know somewhere during the writing of your novel. We’ll ...
	Duration: 6 days	Genre	$10 /$15

30	Finding Your Voice		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. “Books want to be born: I never make them. They come to me and insist on being written, and on being such and such.” Samuel Butler Finding your voice is perhaps one of the most difficult things a writer must do. It’s not as if you’ve lost it and it’s hiding under the bed, waiting to be rediscovered. And you can’t copy someone else’s. Your voice is the single most important element in your...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

30	Proposal- No Ring Attached		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Paty Jager. Learn how to put together a submission for an agent or editor. Query letter, synopsis, and first chapters. Query letters are your sales pitch. Use your back cover blurb and shrink it to an elevator pitch to grab an agent of editor's attention. Learn how to boil your synopsis down to a two or three page synopsis. Use editing tips to make your first three chapters shine.
	Duration: 20 days	Query/Pitch	$15 /$20

September 2010 Events
2	Novel Perspectives		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sally Walker. Examine your storytelling process from start to finish. Whether you are a total newbie or an author of 30 novels, you can find tricks and processes that will challenge and freshen your productivity. No one wants to be a forgettable copycat. A change of approach to every aspect of your fiction writing may just be the spark you need at this moment in time. Take the journey will Sally Walker in e...
	Duration: 32 days		$15 /$25

5	Creating Your Own Book Trailer FULL		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kris Tualla. Book Trailers are 60-to-90-second presentations that describe your book in the same way a movie trailer describes a movie. They are teasers, meant to make people want to read your books. Book trailer companies charge fees beginning around $300 for their services. In this class you'll learn how to make your own trailers for less than $20 in purchased professional photos plus approximately $49 fo...
	Duration: 10 days	Promo, Technology	$15 /$25

5	From The First Step to Complete Novel in a Year 11 SPOTS LEFT		(Savvy U)
	There’s a story in you just waiting to get out, to find its way to the computer screen, to becoming a stack of paper, and on to appearing in book form. There’s just one problem: You aren’t sure how to get from having the idea to finishing the first draft, much less getting your manuscript into shape for submission. Never fear! We’re here to help with an integrated progra...
	Duration: 356 days	Craft, Editing	$50 /$50

5	Lori Wilde's Book-in-a-Year Mentoring Course for Authors of Commercial Fiction 6 SPOTS LEFT		(Savvy U)
	Spend 12 months with USA Today bestselling author Lori Wilde and complete a manuscript to submit for publication! Have you taken numerous writing courses but are still having problems finishing the projects you’ve started? Have you completed a manuscript but felt frustrated because you didn’t know how to revise it? Or do you endlessly rewrite the first few chapters of your book without e...
	Duration: 357 days	Craft, Editing	$150 /$150

5	NEW! 6-month Fast Track Mentoring Course with Lori Wilde 1 SPOTS LEFT		(Savvy U)
	Spend this fall and winter with USA Today bestselling author Lori Wilde and complete a manuscript to submit for publication! Have you taken numerous writing courses but are still having problems finishing the projects you’ve started? Have you completed a manuscript but felt frustrated because you didn’t know how to revise it? Or do you endlessly rewrite the first few chapters of your book witho...
	Duration: 181 days	Craft, Editing, Query/Pitch	$150 /$150

6	The Holiday		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jeanne Adams. For Savvy Author's first Deconstruction class of the year, we're going to be looking at The Holiday, a new "classic" in a long line of fabulous flicks about romance, loneliness, humor, the holiday season, and the miracle of finding love - of all kinds. We'll talk about the four romantic plots and how they intertwine, we'll talk about character arcs, character growth, and the power of the subplot ...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

6	Theme and Story Question		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Virna DePaul. Theme is the underlying message or meaning of your story. Story question is the driving force that unveils the message to your reader. Both act not only as a jumping off point for your story but as a tether and sometimes a lifeline. They provide the answer for “why” things happen in the story, but sometimes they can also provide the “how.” In other words, knowing your theme and story question ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

6	The Reading Brain: How Details (Showing and Telling) Change How We Read		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lisa Dale. You’ve heard the “show don’t tell” rule a hundred times, and you know that you should do it. But “telling” is our fundamental way of communicating in our everyday lives, so as a writer, it’s extremely difficult to shake off our inherent, natural instincts to “tell” a story. By demonstrating how the human brain processes ideas through reading and other real life situations, Lisa shows how “show, d...
	Duration: 14 days	Craft	$10 /$20

6	Plotting Strategy – Put your Characters in the Driver’s Seat		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sharon Mignerey. Characters, not plot, drive a story forward. If you’ve ever received a rejection to the effect of “this story seems contrived” or “your characters don’t seem real” this workshop is just for you. This workshop includes the following modules, each with exercises applicable to your current work. 1. Finding the relationship among events, plot, and characters. 2. Getting to know your...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

6	The Power of Words or Your Thesaurus Doesn’t Know Everything		(Workshop)
	Instructor: The Grammar Divas. Did you know that the word assassin comes from the Crusades? Members of a certain secret Muslim sect engaged people to terrorize their Christian enemies by performing murders as a religious duty. The acts were often carried out under the influence of hashish, and so the killers became known as hashshashin, meaning eaters or smokers of hashish. Hashshashin evolved into the word assassin. Mark T...
	Duration: 13 days	Editing	$10 /$15

6	Historical Angles: Writing Historical Fiction		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. History, they say, is written by the winners. So how do YOU become a winner when it comes to writing historical fiction? In many ways, actually. There are subdivisions in the field that run the gambit from true-to-life depictions to twisted, altered versions of events and outcomes. This workshop looks at every angle from which a historical novel can be written and branches into the researc...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$20

6	Writing Erotic Love Scenes 3 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tambra Kendall. Let erotic romance author, Tambra Kendall help you write love scenes that sizzle. Tambra will share her techniques for making the reader run for a glass of water to cool down. If you'd like to spice up your love scenes, then this is the course for you. In addition, she'll critique an 8 paragraph scene. Note: Due to limited enrollment payment is due at time of registration. Unpaid registrati...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft, Genre	$10 /$15

6	From Fanfiction to Fantastic Fiction		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Anna Bowling. Learn to use fan fiction techniques to create original stories and characters without having to look over your shoulder for copyright lawyers. Let favorite movies, television or music inspire your own creativity, put your own spin on archetypes and themes we all know and love and avoid the dreaded Mary Sue along the way. The name of the game is inspiration, not imitation. Topics covere...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

7	The Four Point Critique: Making your critiques positive, constructive, specific and honest. FULL		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Teresa Bodwell. The Four Point Critique: Making your critiques positive, constructive, specific and honest. The workshops will help you refine your critiquing skills through lecture, discussion and hands on critiquing. Topics include: Tips for great feedback; understanding variables of voice, tone and style; learning to look beyond the trees to the forest; and tips for critting specific scenes, such as the ope...
	Duration: 19 days	Editing	$25

13	Harness Creativity with a Vision Board		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Vision Board. Dream Board. Treasure Map. Creativity Collage. Whatever you call it, the experience of creating a Vision Board helps you harness your creativity, focus on your goals, and surrounds you with images of what you want, what you want to become, what you want to achieve, what you believe, and what you want to become. It’s your visual reminder which keeps your motivations front and cen...
	Duration: 13 days	Writing Life	$10 /$20

13	Thinking Like an Editor		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tina Gerow. Everyone has heard how hard it is to not only get our work seen by an editor, but have them fall in love with it enough to offer a contract. But what if you knew some behind the scenes tips & tricks? It’s time to start thinking like an editor… This workshop covers everything from submissions, queries, do’s & don’ts, tips & tricks as well as some advice taken straight from industry professionals.
	Duration: 13 days	Editing	$10 /$20

13	Surveillance 101		(Workshop)
	Instructors: Colleen Collins and Shaun Kaufman. An overview of surveillances, from stationary to mobile to electronic, plus pointers on the legalities of surveillance. One week, 2 classes, questions answered by email in-between Class 1 Introduction All PIs Do Surveillances, Right? A Few Words on the Legalities of Surveillances When On Surveillance, Blend In A Professional Surveillance Vehicle Pre-Surveillance Types of Surveillance ...
	Duration: 6 days	Genre	$10 /$15

13	Mystic & Rider by Sharon Shinn		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Devon Ellington. Sharon Shinn’s fantasy romance MYSTIC AND RIDER is the first book in her outstanding Twelve Houses series. Powerful mystic Senneth is sent by the King to travel the land, taking its emotional pulse. She’s protected by two of the King’s Riders: the practical and tough Tayse, and the scrappy, cynical Justin. Both men distrust mystics, but, as Riders, have absolute loyalty to the King. Senneth i...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

20	League of Extraordinary Gentlemen		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Devon Ellington. This workshop deconstructs the 2003 steampunk film THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, which took its inspiration from the comic book series by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. Featuring familiar characters from fiction, the film sends them on a wild new adventure ranging from Africa to Venice, in an attempt to save the world. The film was supposed to start a franchise, but, due to its poor sh...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

20	Stripping Down Hero and Heroine Archetypes - Combined Class		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Tonya Kappes and Lee Lopez. Heroes and Heroines Archetypes - take both and save! Hero and heroine Archetypes are part of our collective subconscious. We all understand the core of a character when we see it, which means we understand why he does what he does, says what he says, and thinks what he thinks. This dual course will examine the 8 hero and 8 heroine archetypes by looking at real life, historical, entertainm...
	Duration: 48 days	Craft, Genre	$25 /$40

20	Going Deep: Creating an Unbreakable Connection Between Your Characters and Your Readers		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Toni Andrews. Have you ever gotten so caught up in a book that you stayed up all night to finish it? Did you ever fail to hear the phone ringing because you were so absorbed in your reading? Chances are, it was because you had made a connection with the characters, and you couldn’t stop turning the pages until you found out what happened to them. We all want to write stories that pull readers in, bond them ...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

20	Got High Concept?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lori Wilde. What you'll get: * 1) Three step-by-step methods for creating a high concept. * 2) First aid for low concept books. * 3) Advice from top industry insiders. * 4) Hints, tips and secrets for putting emotion in your pitch. * 5) Helpful lists and suggestions for jogging your imagination. * 6) How to think like a high concept writer. * 7) Creativity exercises to ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

20	Stripping Down the Hero Archetypes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Lee Lopez and Tonya Kappes. This course will take participants through the characteristics of the 8 hero archetypes, the heroine archetypes, and villain types. The core or base archetype of your character acts as a compass for your hero or heroine. Everyone embodies more than one archetype, however one stands out as the primary. Each archetypal character centers upon specific traits. Participants will come away w...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

20	Let Your Characters Do Your Plotting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jaye Roycraft. If you’re an intuitive writer, can think outside the box, and are willing to allow your characters to evolve in ways you never expected, your characters can actually do your plotting for you! Lessons will be as follows: I. Introduction (Day 1) A. The importance of characterization B. Are you an intuitive writer? C. Allow for the unexpected D. Wh...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$10 /$15

27	ReVISIONING—Not Your Grandma's Revising		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Barbara Plum. ReVISIONING can make your first crappy draft stronger. Hone your writing skills. Help you re-dream the dream you had in that first draft. Raise the readiness factor for submission. Analyzing the big picture should ensure that the story works before investing time in polishing details and prose. Exercises and questions provided by instructor facilitate analysis of the Beginning, Middle, and ...
	Duration: 5 days	Editing	$10 /$15

27	Ain’t Got No Rhythm: Troubleshooting Off-Beat Sentences		(Workshop)
	Instructor: The Grammar Divas. Sentence rhythm is a powerful element in writing, helping generate sound images, sight, and feelings for the reader. Establishing and maintaining an effective beat in your writing can be the difference between an okay manuscript and one that sings. This course offers a unique approach to troubleshooting and correcting sentences that are a few beats off. We explain why rhythmic prose increases the ...
	Duration: 13 days	Editing	$10 /$15

27	Tantric Publicity for Authors		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Mangus. Is there anything sexier than the media? Glitz and glamour, fantastic events that blow the mind and make Average Joe a household name? This Workshop is designed to teach the practical sides of publicity, familiarize the author with the rules of the game as well as a few the tricks for getting major results for on a shoe string. Tantric Publicity for Authors is a workshop specifically developed fo...
	Duration: 4 days	Promo	$10 /$15

27	Smooth Talking Stranger		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Lori Wilde. Have you ever wondered exactly how best-selling authors put together the engaging books they create? Are you a wordsmith who delights in understanding how the craft of writing really works from the inside out? Or are you a seat-of-the-pants author who would rather learn from great writers rather than glom “how-to-books” on writing? Then join Lori Wilde as she deconstructs New York Times be...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

October 2010 Events
3	Prologue Structure for both Character-driven and Plot-driven stories		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley. Prologue Structure is a tightly focused, highly interactive four day workshop that uses the participant’s own work in progress to create a workable, fully integrated prologue Day One: Do you really need a prologue? The pros and cons of using a prologue. What are you trying to show? Character-driven vs. plot-driven, two styles. Stylized, dramatic, emotional—finding your voice and hook. ...
	Duration: 3 days	Craft	$10 /$15

4	What'd He Say? Cant and Historical Slang for Authors		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. In an age where much of daily conversation is couched in slang and sound bites and advertising slogans, it may appear odd that in the past these would have been considered vulgar language and much frowned upon. But there is nothing that gives the flavor of an era better than a few dropped bits of cant or period slang in a historical novel. However, doing the same with words we now consider arc...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft, Genre	$10 /$15

4	Writing Serial Novels: What it Takes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: P June Diehl. Writing Serial Novels explores the nature of what it takes in terms of plot and characters to make a story idea a series instead of a single title. We will delve into the characteristics of a serial novel, including the advantages and disadvantages of writing a series. Examples from published works will be used along with ways the participants can expand a story idea into a series of novels. ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

4	Master the Three Act Structure		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Stephen Rogers. During the length of this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of three-act structure and how to use this structure to write better books. Lesson 1 - Introduction to the three-act structure Lesson 2 - The inciting incident Lesson 3 - Act I and the Act I climax Lesson 4 - Act II and the Act II climax Lesson 5 - Act II and the midpoint Lesson 6 - Act III and the Act III climax Lesson 7 - T...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	Is There A Set Designer in the House? Using Description to Enhance Your Storyline		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. In the movie world there are folks whose whole job revolves around finding locations in which to film. They look for elements that will add to the script, and so do the wardrobe people, the professionals who choose the actors, the composer who writes the theme song and/or scores the soundtrack, the stunt coordinator who teaches the star to fake the slug in the jaw…. Well, it goes on and on. Bu...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	Magic, Monsters and Amour: Creating a Believable Paranormal, Fantasy, or SF World		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Marilynn Byerly. Are vampires, fairies, and space aliens real? If you create the right background for your paranormal romance, they will be to a reader. Marilynn Byerly will show you how to create a fantasy or paranormal background from scratch and how to make it utterly believable. What qualifies Marilynn to teach this course? Romance Reviews Today has said of her, "Building a world that combines both int...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

4	The Art of Rewriting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Martha Engber. As Dorothy Parker once said, "I can't write five words but that I change seven." While writing anything can be an arduous task, rewriting can be ten times as difficult and as bewildering. Yet rewriting also allows you the fantastic opportunity to not only improve the story you're currently working on, but your future writing, as well. In this class we'll discuss how to structure and employ various...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Editing	$20 /$30

4	Handling Backstory the Right Way		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat OShea. You only have a paragraph or two to capture an editor’s or reader’s interest. If you don’t draw readers in quickly, it’s hard to make a sale. Get your story off to a more exciting start by eliminating backstory. Discover how to identify backstory, when to cut it, where and how to use it effectively.
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	Sleepy Hollow - The Movie		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jeanne Adams.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

4	Alphas: Leaders of the Pack		(Workshop)
	Robin Matheson. You don’t like me, Bond. You don’t like my methods. You think I’m an accountant, a bean counter who’s more interested in my numbers than your instincts. … Good, because I think you're a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. … Judy Dench as M to Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Goldeneye Someone has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, fly boy. Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia to Harrison For...
	Duration: 25 days	Craft	$15 /$25

11	Stripping Down the Heroine Archetypes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Tonya Kappes and Lee Lopez. Just like Hero Archetypes, the Heroine Archetypes are part of our collective subconscious. We all understand the core of a character when we see it, which means we understand why she does what she does, says what she says, and thinks what she thinks. This 4 week course will examine the 8 heroine archetypes by looking at real life, historical, entertainment, and pop culture examples. Partici...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

11	The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Luisa Bacio. Best-selling author Stephenie Meyer flirts with dramatic tragedy in her novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. Most modern books contain a feel-good ending: one with a happily ever after. Historically, this scenario isn’t true. Most readers knew the “end” of Bree Tanner’s story from Eclipse, the third installment of the Twilight series. Even the title itself hints at Tanner’s fate: her seco...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

11	Cowboys on Steel Horses--Writing the Biker		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Todd Stone. No matter if you’re writing mystery, romance, fantasy or horror and no matter if your hero is a modern knight who values his freedom, rebel with or without a cause, or a bad boy with too many tattoos and a bad attitude, your character (and it can be a she and your heroine!) will better capture the reader's interest and heart when you better understand the different parts of the motorcycling wor...
	Duration: 42 days	Genre	$15 /$25

15	Create Your Own Book Trailer 12 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kris Tualla. Book Trailers are 60-to-90-second presentations that describe your book in the same way a movie trailer describes a movie. They are teasers, meant to make people want to read your books. Book trailer companies charge fees beginning around $300 for their services. In this class you'll learn how to make your own trailers for less than $20 in purchased professional photos plus approximately $49 fo...
	Duration: 13 days	Promo, Technology	$15 /$25

18	Research and Working with Experts		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kathy Frost. Have you ever needed a fact in the middle of writing your novel and didn’t know how to find it, or who to ask? “Research and Working with Experts” is designed to help you improve your research skills, identify the right experts when you need specific information, and how to contact, interview, and thank those experts. The course will include exercises at each step of the process, from etiquette ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

18	The Wizard of Oz - Dorothy's Character Arc		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	instructor: Sue Viders. What makes some tales classics? Unforgettable stories that live in our minds and hearts forever. Of course there is a great plot but more than that... it is a character with a problem. So...I’m going to take L. Frank Baum’s story, The Wizard of Oz and deconstruct it in three sections... that is.... I’m going to tear it apart so that you can see how he did what he did and why. And sin...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

18	Writing the Paranormal		(Workshop)
	Instructors: Susan and Harry Squires. In this four-week workshop we’ll cover all the essential elements of producing a professional, salable paranormal novel. You’ll receive individual feedback on class assignments. When we conclude you’ll have the tools to do produce a book an agent or editor can’t refuse. Topics include: How to use paranormal elements effectively How to make your characters complex and fascina...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

18	From Idea to Completion		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Genie Davis. FROM IDEA TO COMPLETION - Coming up with a viable and sustainable idea for a book can be a project in itself. And then presenting/pitching/selling the proposal to your editor or agent or someone you want to be your editor or agent - that’s another project. Last, but certainly not least you need to write the book. And feel just as excited about it as when you first came up with the idea. ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Writing Life	$15 /$25

18	Scene of the Crime: Who Killed This Sentence?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: The Grammar Divas. “Great story, but I had a hard time reading it.” “Incredible concept, but your writing didn’t jump off the page.” “A compelling plot, but the style throughout was flat.” But… but… but… Tired of hearing this about your manuscript? Maybe you’re guilty of crimes against sentences. The Grammar Divas reveal how to use grammatical forensics to work the scene of a sentence crime. Find out why victims of ...
	Duration: 13 days	Editing	$10 /$15

25	Taken		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

25	Geisha Marketing for Authors		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Magnus. The definition of Marketing is: The process by which one creates customer interest in products or services. The definition of Geisha is: An entertainer whose skills include performing various arts such as classical music and dance. The Geisha Marketing for Authors workshop is specifically designed and presented to show the true art of marketing, to imbue the power of passion, skill, crea...
	Duration: 6 days	Promo	$10 /$15

November 2010 Events
1	Brainstorming Characters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Creating compelling characters is one of the most important, and often most challenging, parts of writing a novel. What makes your hero/heroine different than all the other fictional characters out there? What makes him/her tick? What makes him/her stand out from the pack? This 1 week course will take you through the process of brainstorming compelling characters, from quirks to the essentia...
	Duration: 5 days	Craft	$10 /$15

1	Breaking Things Down Into Threes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. You’re a Pantser and you like things that way. And yet, it sure would be handy to have some sort of plan in mind so that you can write faster and more efficiently, right? The trouble is, all the books and articles that tell you how to do that are written by Plotters – the sort of people who like to work out all the details in advance rather than let them flow. And you’re definitely a go with the f...
	Duration: 20 days		$10 /$20

1	Discovering Your Writing Process		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. Do you outline or not? Use a summary? Scene outline? Do you freewrite your draft and research as you go or research upfront or during the revision process? How do you plan your revision? How do you save story ideas? What works for you when you’re writing your draft? We’ll explore possibilities and you can pick and choose what works for your writing process. Origins laqu...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Writing Life	$10 /$20

1	Edit As You Go: How and Why to Edit as You Write Your First Draft		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Blake. Award-winning author Deborah Blake shares the why’s and how’s of editing during a first draft. In this mini-workshop, she covers the following: A brief overview of the advantages of editing during the drafting process A few simple techniques and things to look for during “As You Go” edits She will also use examples of workshop participants’ writing to demonstrate editing techniques.
	Duration: 5 days	Editing	$10 /$15

1	The Original Idea—The Heart of Your Story and Conflict: The Fuel of Your Story		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Bob Mayer. Can you say what your book is about in 25 words of less? This is essential to both writing a tight book and then selling it. We’ll discuss ways to find and state your original idea so that you stay on course while writing the book and with which you can excite those you tell it to when trying to sell it. Conflict drives your story. Not only must conflict escalate throughout the entire novel, e...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	$15 /$25

1	Scene and Structure		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Pam McCutcheon. Writing an entire novel can be intimidating. But if you remember that a book is a series of connected scenes, writing one scene at a time is much less daunting. Once you master scene structure, you have mastered one of the basics of storytelling. To help with this, Pam McCutcheon explains what scene and sequel are and how to structure them with maximum effect, then uses examples from published...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

1	Promotion and Marketing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Are you scratching your head, wondering just what can possibly come post call? After all, you’ve written the book. You’ve landed the agent, and the agent sold your manuscript. Now you have the editor and they’ll champion your book in their publishing house until the release date. And after that? Well, your book will be a juggernaut and it’ll land on the NY Times Best Seller list, the USA Toda...
	Duration: 27 days	Promo	$15 /$25

1	How to Hook Your Reader		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jaye Roycraft. Do you want to get published? You need a great hook! What’s a hook? It’s what happens during the first few pages that grabs your readers and compels them to read on. Lessons will be as follows: I. Introduction (Day 1) A. What’s a hook and why do I need one? B. Do’s for Writing Hooks 1. Do start your story at the correct moment in time 2. Do t...
	Duration: 3 days	Craft	$10 /$15

7	Principles of Good Website Design for Writers		(Workshop)
	Catherine Chant. At the end of this workshop you will have a better understanding of what goes into making your author website more appealing and inviting to a visitor and thus more effective for promoting you and your work. This two-week workshop will cover the golden ratio of layout design, using web fonts and web-safe colors, using white space, user interface considerations and website organization, web grap...
	Duration: 13 days	Promo, Industry, Technology	$10 /$20

8	Using Grammar to Develop and/or Strengthen Your Distinctive Writing Style		(Workshop)
	Instructor: The Grammar Divas. Attention-getting, unforgettable writing is a delicate balance between what a writer says and how a writer says it. This course offers practical advice on how to use grammatical elements of imagery and phrasing as well as sentence structure, function, variety, and flow to add freshness, clarity, texture, and force to your writing. The Grammar Divas offer advice on ways to vary rhythm and sentence ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$15

8	Twisting History: Writing the Alternative Historical Novel		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Whether your goal is to write in the Fantasy genre or spin a Steampunk tale, if you are setting your tale in Earth’s historical past chances are you’ll be warping it to your own needs. In other words, you’ll be writing an alternative historical novel. These are storylines where William the Conqueror dies at Hastings rather than Harold, so the Saxon line continues and the Normans lose big; wher...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft, Genre	$10 /$15

8	Storm Front		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Marilyn Byerly. Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" series is one of the best-written and most successful urban fantasy series today. Marilynn Byerly will analyze Storm Front, the first novel, as an urban fantasy, as a genre-blending mix of fantasy and detective noir, and as a great model for worldbuilding for a series. She will also show how the hero, Harry Dresden, is a perfect mixture of other worldly powers and h...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

12	Create Your Own Book Trailer 15 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kris Tualla. Book Trailers are 60-to-90-second presentations that describe your book in the same way a movie trailer describes a movie. They are teasers, meant to make people want to read your books. Book trailer companies charge fees beginning around $300 for their services. In this class you'll learn how to make your own trailers for less than $20 in purchased professional photos plus approximately $49 fo...
	Duration: 12 days	Promo, Technology	$15 /$25

15	Roman Empire Promotion for Authors		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Magnus. This third in the series of workshops is easily the most powerful, hard core and down to the nitty gritty workshop of them all. Roman Empire Promotions for Authors builds upon everything taught in the publicity and marketing workshops, and follows up with military-like strategy designed to simplify the implementation of strong, effective book events and promotions. If an author is now to do jobs ...
	Duration: 6 days	Promo	$10 /$15

15	Creating Bad Guys and Girls		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Tonya Kappes and Lee Lopez. Villains, male or female, drive stories forward. They call to action our heroes and heroines. Whether the bad guy is the office boss, the girl trying to steal the boyfriend, or a supervillain, villains need dimension. They need goals, motivation, and conflict all of which drive their actions. In this workshop we’ll help you: 1. Give your villains personality. 2. Figure out the impor...
	Duration: 34 days	Craft	$15 /$25

15	Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

15	Celtic Knot Work: Weaving Together Characters And Plotting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tambra Kendall. Learn how characterization and plotting weave together to make your story come alive. Outline of lessons and discussion topics: Characterization 1. Character profile questions and interviewing your characters 2. Creating backstory and when to use it 3. Character is Action 4. **GMC: Goal, motivation and conflict. This will also be discussed with plot. 5. Writing strong characters and viewp...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	$10 /$20

15	The Art of Developing Great Conflict		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sharon Mignerey. Conflict ... the foundation of great fiction. Models abound: Goal, Motivation, & Conflict (Debra Dixon). Goal, Conflict, & Disaster (Dwight Swain). Three levels of Conflict (Robert McKee). Not to mention inner conflict and outer conflict and story conflict. We all know what it is. Still, the rejections come with notes to the effect of "the conflict between the characters just isn=t strong enough" ...
	Duration: 33 days	Craft	$15 /$25

29	Police Use of Force		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Rory Miller. Want to make your Law Enforcement character come alive, give her what she needs to know so that she thinks and acts like a real cop when things go bad? Rory Miller, author of "Meditations on Violence" will provide a class on Use of Force exactly as it is taught to Police Academy officers (with a few insights from the grizzled veteran point of view.) You will learn what constitutes a threat, ho...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$20

29	Writing the YA Paranormal		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. In this workshop we’ll cover: What is a YA paranormal? What is the same or different that adult paranormals? What subjects might you write about? How not to be preachy, but still open up discussion about your theme(s). How to pick ages for your young characters. Note: The class length includes a break for the holidays.
	Duration: 35 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

29	The Conflict of Character		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jamie Denton. In the Conflict of Character online workshop offered by bestselling author, Jamie Denton, students will come away with a better understanding of the importance of conflict and characterization in their novels. Jamie’s goal is to teach students the why’s and how’s of why conflict is necessary for strong characterization. By the end of the two week session, participants will have a firm grasp on how...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

29	The Business of Creative Writing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Alice Osborn. These days even if you're a great writer, no one will know unless you work the business of writing. Writing is a war of attrition, and the writers who keep working on their craft and think like an entrepreneur are the ones who will succeed. In this workshop experienced instructor and writer Alice Osborn will discuss networking, maintaining submission logs, tracking expenses and income, cash flow...
	Duration: 20 days	Publishing, Promo, Industry	$10 /$20

29	Using Grammar to Develop and/or Strengthen Your Distinctive Writing Tone and Voice		(Workshop)
	Instructor: The Grammar Divas. Attention-getting, unforgettable writing is a delicate balance between what a writer says and how a writer says it. This course offers practical advice on how to use the subtle elements of tone and voice to develop a unique presence on the page. The Grammar Divas explain the finer aspects of point of view, such as each type’s appropriateness, effectiveness, and weaknesses. We show you how to read ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$15

29	Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Devon Ellington. Juliet Blackwell’s lively, funny, engaging mystery SECONDHAND SPIRITS features Lily Ivory, a witch hoping to start over in San Francisco by opening a vintage clothing shop. She gets pulled into a client’s murder and the disappearance of children, and discovers that staying in the broom closet is next to impossible with so much at stake, especially with myth buster Max Carmichael and fellow witch ...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

December 2010 Events
6	Labrynth		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Carrie Lofty. Join romance author Carrie Lofty as she examines the 1986 classic, Labyrinth. Although populated with Muppets and some fantastically cheesy musical numbers, Labyrinth is a psychologically complex coming-of-age tale about negotiating the temptation of adult experiences. We'll examine pacing, sexual metaphor, the hero's journey, character psychology, and David Bowie's incredible hair.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

6	Polishing Your Sample Pages		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Fleur Bradley. You pitched at Nationals and now you've been asked to submit. When submitting to agents, you often get to include only five sample pages with your query. This workshop will teach you how to get those pages to shine, from character introduction, conflict, and voice to formatting--to ensure that agent will want to read more.
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Query/Pitch	$10 /$20

6	Manning the Submission's Box		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tina Gerow. You’ve slaved over your manuscript and it’s finally perfect! The next step? Submitting. But what really happens once your manuscript hits the editor’s submissions box? Find out what are the pet peeves, do’s & don’ts, tips & tricks and even the horror stories that will help your manuscript stand out...or not.
	Duration: 13 days	Publishing, Query/Pitch	$10 /$20

13	Sherlock Holmes - The Movie		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Children interested in learning how something works frequently take it apart to find the answer. That’s what we’ll be doing the week of December 13 through 19th, 2010 – taking the movie SHERLOCK HOLMES apart bit by bit to see why it works well as…. 1. an action-adventure story 2. a mystery 3. a homage to a classic character (or sets of classic characters) 4. a historical set in ...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

13	How To Create A Professional Self-Published Book		(Mini-Workshop)
	Instructor: Alice Osborn. These days it seems that everyone is self-publishing, but that doesn’t mean that their books will sell. Your success with self-publishing is determined by how much effort, planning and time you put into it. In this talk, published author and professional editor Alice Osborn will discuss layout, cover design, and editing, as well as marketing and publicity. She will also suggest how you can create...
	Duration: 2 days	Publishing, Technology	$5 /$7

January 2011 Events
3	Inside the Criminal Mind		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lucinda D. Schroeder. Inside the Criminal Mind gives writers the information they’ll need to characterize their deviate story people. This course covers criminal motivation, mind-set, self-talk and why deviants expect their crimes to go undetected. Deviant and unpredictable characters add depth and mystery to any storyline. These characters keep readers in a constant quandary as to what will happen next. ...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

3	Writing a Mystery		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez and Tonya Kappes. Plotting a mystery is different than plotting a romance or women’s fiction. A mystery is about the puzzle, and crafting a puzzle to stump an avid mystery reader is no easy task. This course uses the educational approach of backwards mapping to demonstrate how to plot a mystery, complete with red herrings. We’ll deconstruct a mystery novel to drive home the concepts. This is an interactive ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

3	The Dark Hero		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Tonya Kappes and Lee Lopez. Who can resist the dark hero? He is brooding, with a dark soul, is impossibly damaged, struggles, and often teeters on the edge of being a villain. How do we write this attractive character without making him insensitive and cold? It’s a tall order, but when done well, the dark hero is irrissistible. In this workshop we’ll look at: • Why the dark hero is so attractive. ...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

3	Yasmin Galenorn's Night Myst		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Theresa Meyers.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

3	MATCHMAKING 101: A Yenta’s Guide to Creating, Sustaining and Overcoming Conflict in a Romance		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Judy Duarte. Judy Duarte, Rita finalist and award winning author, will share her method of creating a compelling hero and heroine who must overcome all odds to earn the right to fall in love and live happily ever after. Learn how to handpick the perfect couple and develop backstories that will provide a strong, believable conflict. By the end of the class, you can expect to have the beginning of a solid ...
	Duration: 14 days	Craft	$10 /$20

3	The Short Story - From Idea to Draft in 30 Days		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. This workshop will cover the following: the unique characteristics of the short story, craft elements, writing scenes, story beginnings, middle, and ending, writing the draft, making plans for your revision, markets for your short story, and how to submit. At the end of 30 days you will have a drafted story with feedback and a plan for making your revisions. (If time allows you can also present yo...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

3	Powerhouse Scenes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sherry Lewis. Today's market requires that writers keep scenes immediate so readers can be "in the moment" with the characters in your book, yet writing scenes that happen in the moment is often difficult to do. Too often, we end up with scenes in which there's a delay between the action and the page, or scenes in which the author resorts to telling to explain what just happened. In this workshop we'll talk...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

3	Loglines – Just the Facts, Ma’am		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Carroll. A good logline can make people sit up and take notice. Whether you write books or scripts the logline is an essential part of your marketing material. It can also help you stay on track. Just the facts, Ma’am is a two week workshop that covers what makes a good logline and how to use it to stay focused on the story. Topics covered: 1. Introduction 2. I already have an idea - turning your id...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft, Query/Pitch	$15 /$20

3	One Story, Many Voices 23 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Devon Ellington. Target Audience: Intermediate and above. Prerequisites: Foundation in grammar, spelling, structure, especially paragraph structure. Positive attitude. Willingness to take risks. “I don’t have time” and “I don’t work in this genre” not accepted. Required Text: STRUNK & WHITE’S ELEMENTS OF STYLE Course Description and Syllabus:T...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

3	Changing Genres: How to Decide What to Keep and What to Dump, What to Change, What to Enhance When Following Trends, Jumping into Different “Lines”		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. The publishing world is in constant transition with different aspects in novels changing, sometimes over a decade, sometimes – it seems – nearly overnight. Will you be ready? Or are you already thinking of jumping from your current “ship”, swinging with the finesse of Captain Jack Sparrow onto the publishing vessel riding the waves to starboard or port? There are a number of reasons why writer...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

3	Don't Be At A Loss For Words: Achieve Your Goals in Writing and Life		(Workshop)
	Tanya Hertel. The hardest part of finishing a manuscript often has more to do with a writer’s inner struggles than knowing how to write. If you’re one of the many writers who run into writing obstacles, pitfalls or procrastination, this course will teach you to recognize your personal and writing goals and remain motivated to write every day. It will help you to learn new ways of taking action to write ...
	Duration: 28 days	Industry	$15 /$25

3	Warrior Writer		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Bob Mayer. Still vowing to finish that novel one day? Still not published? Published, but not where you want to be in your career? Joined critique groups? Read stacks of books about writing? Paid big money to attend writing classes and conferences? Think you are doing everything right, but still something is missing? Maybe your writing isn’t what needs to change. Maybe it’s you. Warrior-Writer is a one-...
	Duration: 21 days	Craft, Publishing, Industry, Writing Life	$15 /$25

3	The First Chapter		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Marilynn Byerly. Drawing a reader into the first chapter of your novel is more than an exciting beginning, more than a “cute meet,” more than a sexy hero and a feisty heroine. Step by step, I?ll show you the craft needed to draw the reader into your novel and make her eager to keep reading. I'll also show you how to set up the goals for the main characters and for the novel. The course will include several cr...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$30 /$50

3	Richard the Lionheart & the Crusades		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sheila Currie. 'Richard I and the Crusades' is focussed on the High Middle Ages, in particular the fifty years before and after the Third Crusade. Pilgrimages, trade and the Crusades energised medieval society. In order to limit aristocratic violence, the Church encouraged change in the laws involving marriage and inheritance, and religious fervour imbued knighthood with a new code of behaviour. The 'cutting edg...
	Duration: 34 days	Genre	$15 /$25

10	Stargate - Once You Learn the Vowels		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jessie Verino. Well, Once You Learn The Vowels... (Beginning World Building) In this session, we'll deconstruct the movie "Stargate," analyzing methods such as social consciousness, to learn the vowels (the basics), of world building.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

17	Iron Man		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jeanne Adams.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

17	Riding the Lightening - Writing the M/M Relationship		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jamieson Wolf. * The Rules (according to me) for Writing Gay Romance * Talk about naughty bits like Ho Ho’s and Ding Dong’s * Some light discussion about the doughnut around the back * How Hungry Am I?…the variety of a Hot Dog VS a Whole Meal * A little titillating talk about twigs and berries, rumple foreskins (ahem) and Other Things You Can Do
	Duration: 6 days	Genre	$10 /$20

24	Mystic River by Dennis Lehane		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Bob Mayer. How does a novel really work? Using Mystic River by Dennis Lehane, we will pull apart the plot to uncover the elements of narrative structure. We will also examine character arcs from the prologue as children to the end of the story. One element we will focus on is the difference between fate and coincidence in story.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

24	3 Secrets to Creating Dynamic Dialogue		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Barbara Plum. We all talk. From a very early age. Every day. Many times a day. Maybe in our sleep. Ergo, we obviously write dynamic dialogue, right? Or maybe not . . . unless we use the three secrets to deepen dialogue. Body language, vocal cues and subtext are powerful techniques to amp up what characters speak or often don?t say out loud. Learn how these three secrets open up richer levels of dialogue such...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$10 /$15

24	THE WRITER'S MIND-BODY CONNECTION		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. Writing may seem like a cerebral activity, but your physical body is involved more than you think. The mind (not just the brain!) is in constant contact with the body, and the interaction between the two is a constant tug-of-war for balance and health, productivity, genius and happiness. Does your best writing come at 3 a.m.? Do you crave chocolate when you're on deadline? In this mind-blowing...
	Duration: 13 days		$10 /$20

24	Showing the Transformational Character Arc: a practical hands on guide to what, why and how		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley. Do your characters change over the course of your story? Do they have to? In this practical hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the transformational character arc--what it is, how to find it, and whether or not it's needed. Although Showing the Transformational Character Arc is designed for all skill levels, because of the hands-on nature of this workshop, participants are encouraged ...
	Duration: 7 days	Craft	$15 /$20

31	Blurb It		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Carroll. What’s your back cover blurb? Figuring that out before writing the book can be a huge help with writing the book. And for your query letter. Blurb It discusses what you should have in your blurb to make it stand out. 1. Introduction 2. Three Line Pitch 3. Expanding three lines 4. The blurb as a roadmap Feedback provided for student blurbs Origi...
	Duration: 7 days	Craft, Query/Pitch	$10 /$15

31	Showing vs. Telling - How to Use Both		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. The difference between a story that shows verses a story that tells is a book people love to read verses a story people put down. Is your story engaging? Does it grab people’s attention? Does is suck readers into the story, refusing to let them go? If it does, you’ve created a visceral response in your reader. You’ve SHOWN your story. If not, your story is likely relying on telling ins...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

31	Sharing Your Knowledge: How to Put Together an Online Workshop and Find Hungry Students		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Ever hear writers talking about a workshop they’ve taken online and, after eavesdropping to find out what it dealt with, thought “Heck! I know a lot about that – and even more about other things!” Or did you sign up for a workshop and find that you’re publishing history and experience far outweighed the presenter’s, or that you disagreed with what they said and felt you needed to share the other s...
	Duration: 27 days	Industry	$15 /$25

31	Writing Basics: From A (Action Scenes) to Z (Zest)		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Maris Soule. Geared to both seasoned writers and beginners, Writing Basics from A to Z covers the main aspects of creating a sellable story. This will be a hands-on workshop where students are encouraged to ask questions, debate ideas, or make suggestions. Topics covered will include: Plotting and characterization; point-of-view, openings and hooks; narration and dialogue; voice and tone; and dealing with agen...
	Duration: 27 days		$15 /$25

31	Weapons, Violence and Wounds		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Rory Miller. Conflict is the essence of story-telling. Violence is the rawest and most visceral form of conflict. Rory Miller, former Corrections Officer, Tactical Team leader and Contractor/Adviser in Iraq will help you get the details right. The class will cover the context-- the who and why of violence-- as well as the nuts and bolts of chaos, damage and pain. You'll get a taste of violence from the tech...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

31	Running in the Dark: Organic Structure for Character-driven Stories		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley. “Character-driven” and “organic” are the new buzzwords, but do you really know what they mean and how they can help your writing? Build characters from the inside out, and write an emotional story that will land your book on the keeper shelf in this hands-on workshop that uses “your” story to get you unstuck and back into the flow. Running in the Dark is an integrated system loosely based on th...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$10 /$20

31	The Language of Liars		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lucinda Schroeder. Imagine if writers knew how the FBI deciphers deceptive body language and verbal responses to catch criminals. This is exactly what The Language of Liars accomplishes. The techniques explained in this class have been only known to law enforcement officers, but are now available to writers through The Language of Liars. In this class writers learn the many ways in which people lie and the dozens...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

31	Writing the Erotic Romance		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Louisa Bacio. : Week 1: It’s not all about Sex Characterization/Motivation Week 2: Pacing The Sex Scene(s) Week 3: Genre Setting and Genre Blurring Audience Same-Sex Relationships Week 4: Closing it out/The Ending Publication
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

February 2011 Events
7	Creating Fresh Content for Your Blog		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Alice Osborn. Do you get stuck trying to figure out what to say in your blog posts? Do you wonder how other bloggers always have something new to say? Blogs grow and attract readers because of their content and because they help readers solve problems. Join experienced blogger Alice Osborn as she shares tips and tricks on gathering ideas, creating the perfect headline, developing posting templates to make cont...
	Duration: 2 days	Promo	$5 /$7

7	P.S. I Love You		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Kerri Nelson. Join us as we take a look at the heart wrenching movie P.S. I Love You (based on the novel by Cecelia Ahern) and starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. I mean, do you even need an excuse to watch Gerard? This movie class adventure will take us on a journey as we learn how to deconstruct this unique plot by breaking down character traits, external versus internal goals and motivation, ch...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

7	Secrets of the Prolific: How to Overcome Procrastination, Perfectionism and Writer’s Block		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Hillary Rettig. Secrets of the Prolific: How to Overcome Procrastination, Perfectionism and Writer’s Block will forever change your relationship with your writing. People suffering from procrastination or a block often think they’re lazy, undisciplined, or otherwise lacking, but they really aren’t lacking at all: they are merely constrained from using their creativity and power. Liberate yourself from those const...
	Duration: 27 days	Writing Life	$25 /$30

7	Generating Story Ideas & Choosing the Best		(Workshop)
	Instructor: P June Diehl. During this workshop we will explore: Where do story ideas come from? How to generate new story ideas. What are some ways to save your story ideas? Once you have a list of ideas, how do you chose the best one?
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

14	What's in a Name? - Instant Character Development		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Theresa Meyers. Time to add tools to your writer's toolbox! Characterization drives great fiction. What about yours? Wish you knew how to get into your characters quickly to know who they are, what they want and how they are perceived by others so you could get moving in the story? Never fear! In this course you'll: * Discover resources that will give you a quick sketch of your entire character just fro...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

14	The Synopsis – A Necessary Evil		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Carroll. Unless you’re a NYT bestseller you need to write a synopsis to sell your book. Until you can sell on just a blurb you’ll need to get the whole story out in ten pages or less to go with those first three chapters. And I suggest writing the synopsis before writing the story. 1. Introduction 2. Working through the outline 3. What to put in, what to keep out 4. Don’t forget the ...
	Duration: 6 days	Query/Pitch	$10 /$15

14	Steig Larsson's The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Lisa Kastner.
	Duration: 1 day	Craft	$7 /$10

21	Iron Man 2		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Margaret McGaffey Fisk.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

28	Firearms for Writers		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lucinda D. Schroeder. After taking this class, writers will no longer write, “She grabbed her gun.” Instead, writers will be able to accurately describe the weapon a character is carrying and explain why a character chose it in the first place. Writers will also learn the basics of marksmanship, when to make their characters the MOST vulnerable during a firefight and the psychological trauma of shootings that can ...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

28	The Agent/Editor Hunt		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Carroll. Once the book is done you don’t want it to sit in a drawer. You want to send your baby out into the world. Should you search for an agent or an editor? Both? Which one first? 1. Introduction 2. Agent or Editor? 3. Doing your research 4. Unexpected opportunities
	Duration: 13 days	Editor/Agent	$10 /$20

28	Research for Historical Writers		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lee Lopez. This workshop will cover research on the internet, and other medias. There are a lot of places we can go to find what we need, such as, when stirrups were first put into use, to corsets. How to use the fine details to make something come alive on the page. Know your Research, Get it right. There are a lot of historical novels written today and in most cases they come close to the mark, but t...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

March 2011 Events
7	Growing Great Characters from the Ground Up		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Martha Engber. Anyone can create a character, but you don’t want to be anyone. You want to be a bestselling author famous for characters so real they’re part of your life and those of your readers. Through this workshop, you’ll learn the secret to combining everything that makes a person worth knowing and caring about — imperfections, desires, strengths, contradictions — while slaying the dragon of cliché and . ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$20 /$30

7	Guilt Free Promotion: Picking the Right PR Options for You		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Marcia James. Self-promotion. Say the word aloud in a room full of authors and watch a fingernails-on-the-blackboard shudder run through the crowd. Yet the pressure on authors to promote themselves and their books has never been greater. And the PR options—from social media sites and online reader loops to blogs and podcasts—are endless. How can authors choose which promotional opportunities to pursue that won...
	Duration: 13 days	Promo	$15 /$25

7	Plot Fixer: Finding and Fixing the 15 Most Common Plot Problems 48 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. Do you create wonderful, three-dimensional characters who then stumble around blindly in your book, trying to find a story? Do your stories start with a bang, then gradually lose focus? Have you received rejections using phrases such as "convoluted," "confusing," "predictable" or "not compelling"? As a frequent critiquer, contest judge, and the recipient of many, many rejection and revision lett...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Editing	$15 /$25

7	Homicide Investigations		(Workshop)
	Instructor: John Foxjohn. In this interactive class, John Foxjohn takes the students through the ins and outs of a homicide investigation—dispelling myths brought on by TV and movies. The students will look at the pressures, emotions, and problems that homicide detectives encounter in the normal course of an investigation. Like all of John’s classes, he encourages class participation and questions. Duration: 13 days			Genre	$10 /$20

14	Choosing Your Niche in the Mystery World		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. You love mystery. I mean, really love mystery. But there are so many different types of mystery tales! How is a dyed-in-the-wool mystery buff to decide which style they should choose when it comes to writing a mystery? Come February 28, 2011, we’re here to help you sort out the possibilities. During the four weeks of this workshop, participants will evaluate what they like best in a mystery, t...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

21	The Query Letter		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Carroll. Now that the book is done, the logline and blurb are finished and you’ve decided where to submit you need the final tool. You need a query letter to grab an agent’s or editor’s attention. It’s a tough market these days so your query letter must dazzle. 1. Introduction 2. The parts of a query 3. Do’s and Don’ts 4. Samples and exercises Feedback provided for student query lette...
	Duration: 7 days	Query/Pitch	$10 /$15

21	The Fifth Element - A Perfect Replica Of The Old Opera House... But Who Cares?		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jessie Verino. A Perfect Replica Of The Old Opera House... But Who Cares? (Intermediate World Building) In this session, we'll deconstruct the movie "The Fifth Element," analyzing more complex, but subtle, methods in world building to create rich worlds with diverse characters and landscapes without creating a replica no one will care about.
	Duration: 5 days	Craft	$7 /$10

28	How to Try a Murder		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lucinda D. Schroeder. The cops know they have the right villain and justice will be served. But, not so fast! The American judicial system is full of more holes than cheesecloth, making it quite possible for the villain to go free. Learn about the caveats of arrests, search warrant affidavits, indictments, grand jury proceedings, evidence, trial preparation, jury selection and strategies used by both the defense and pr...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

April 2011 Events
3	Plotting: The Right Way, the Wrong Way & What Works for You		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tina Gerow. Everyone who has thought about writing a story has faced the age-old dilemma of finding a plotting method that works for them. But with all the choices out there and all the pressure to “conform” to one specific type or another, how can an author navigate all the confusion? Find out the different styles, advice from successful authors, as well as some tips & tricks to make it all easier, no matt...
	Duration: 14 days	Craft	$10 /$20

4	Brainstorming Using the Plotting Board		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Pam McCutcheon. In this workshop, Pam McCutcheon will show participants how to create and use the visual plotting board to brainstorm the characters and plots of your stories by yourself or with a group.
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	Story Structure		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Virna DePaul. In this workshop, learn a variety of ways to structure your story and the three things all of these methods have in common. With this knowledge, you can generate scenes and make writing your story more manageable. We will analyze how stories are told, including elements of character motivation, rising action, reversal, crisis, climax and resolution. Finally, we will explore the differences betw...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	The Truth Behind Writer’s Block		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. During this workshop, we’ll explore the meaning of writer’s block, how to recognize it, what’s behind not being able to write, exercises and techniques to move beyond it, and ways to avoid this in the future.
	Duration: 13 days	Writing Life	$10 /$20

4	Word Choice: The Flavor and Foibles of Words		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Linnea Sinclair. A rose by any other name would be completely different. And a bird in the hand would create totally dissimilar sensations to one twittering away in the bush. Or warbling in the foliage. Or chittering in the climbing hydrangea. Whether crafting a 125,000 word novel or a 1,250 word short story, good writers learn that every word has a unique image and impact. In this seminar, RITA award winni...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	$15 /$25

4	The Last of the Mohicans		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Carrie Lofty. Join romance author Carrie Lofty as she examines Last of the Mohicans, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe. Set during the French & Indian War, Last of the Mohicans has been remade repeatedly since the publication of James Fenimore Cooper's original novel. We'll look at how changes in this version put it squarely in the realm of adventure romance, as well as issues of sexual tension, sus...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

11	Writing in the Moment		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Marilynn Byerly. How to get your voice, viewpoint, and craft so perfect that you disappear and your story comes alive.
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

11	The “Next” Book		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing a series with continuing characters or stand alone titles, the one thing that a professional writer must always keep in mind is: What’s the NEXT book going to be about? Why? Well, it’s certainly going to be one of the things an editor will ask. In fact, the first thing my first editor asked me once I’d cried “YES!!!” upon being offered a contract was, “...
	Duration: 27 days	Publishing	$15 /$25

11	Shaping and Sculpting: the Art of the Edit		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jill Elizabeth Nelson. You’ve typed "The End" on that last page of manuscript, but now it’s time to go back and shape and sculpt the raw material. Award-winning author Jill Elizabeth Nelson offers techniques to streamline the process. Sure, edits do mean work, but why not take a targeted approach? The month-long course will explore topics such as "Getting Violent with Your Reader: Hook Them on the Way In—Punch Them on t...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft, Editing	$15 /$25

18	Enneagrams: What Are They and How Can I Use Them in my Writing?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Enneagrams are a fun and effective tool to use when crafting your characters. Character growth must happen, right? But how do we stay focused on who our characters are and stay true to their personalities with that growth? People develop their personality types early in life and those traits stay with them. What changes is the understanding we have of the personality we’ve had all along. Our ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

18	The Maltese Falcon		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley. The Maltese Falcon Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor A guy without a conscience! A dame without a heart! Rotten Tomatoes calls it “Suspenseful, labyrinthine, and brilliantly cast.” The Maltese Falcon is one of the most influential noirs ever, as well as a smart, carefully crafted story. In his biography, director John Houston says The Maltese Falcon was “about character, not plot,” and bril...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

28	Eight Steps to Murdering a Manuscript Without a Conviction		(Workshop)
	Instructor: John Foxjohn. In this interactive class, John Foxjohn takes a look at eight major areas that contribute to rejects. Some of these areas are pace and flow, action and reaction, scene and sequel, adverbs, weak verbs, unnecessary words, and more. Like all of John’s classes, he encourages class participation and questions.
	Duration: 17 days	Editing	$10 /$20

May 2011 Events
2	Setting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. When a reader picks up your book, she more than likely wants to be transported to a different place and time. Part of the joy of reading is to be swept away. Where are you taking your reader? In this workshop, learn the fundamentals of world-building--which you need even if your fictional world is very much like the town you live in. Then learn how to convey your setting in a way that feels re...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

2	Living the Life of a Writer - Is it all Really Glamour & Bon Bons?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: TIna Gerow. When many people think about the life of a writer, they envision said writer dressed in comfortable yet designer clothes, sitting on the balcony of their posh but understated mansion that overlooks a pool and possibly the scantily clad pool boy—or girl. Said writer sips a fruity drink from a martini glass while typing their next masterpiece in between calls from their agent, movie studios and oth...
	Duration: 13 days	Writing Life	$10 /$20

2	Want Style? Get Grammar - 101		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat Duncan. This is a track for complete beginners in grammar. It includes a review of very basic grammar including parts of speech, capitalization and punctuation. Students will learn to identify their most common sentence pattern types and learn how sentence patterns and variety in sentence structure will improve the flow and rhythm of writing. What's a style or a voice and where do I get one? Whether...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Editing	$10 /$20

2	Want Style? Get Grammar - 101 - 303		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat Duncan. Take all three sections of the Want Style? Get Grammar Series and Save! Three two week classes with a one week break in between - here's what you get: Section 101 - What's a style or a voice and where do I get one? Whether you "get" grammar or not, your style and voice come from how you use grammar. This grammar-based style-enhancing workshop is for writers who don't "get" grammar or for tho...
	Duration: 55 days	Editing	$25 /$50

9	Weather Warning! Brainstorms Ahead!		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sharon Mignerey. Do your characters seem like the same old same old that you’ve thought of before? Are the situations you’ve put those characters in the same ones you’ve read a hundred times before? If you answered yes to either of those questions, this is the workshop for you. This is a fun, highly interactive workshop designed to recharge your creative batteries ... and give you some useful techniques in doin...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

9	Talking Back to Your Brain: The Art of Asking Questions		(Workshop)
	Susan and Harry Squires. Recent discoveries in the physiology of the brain explain how we can get stuck in unproductive ruts. Each of us actually has three brains—reptile, mammal and human—that developed separately over hundreds of millions of years. Learning how to let one part of your brain talk to the other can get you moving on a writing project or in other areas of your life without triggering that fear response that...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	FREE /FREE

9	Galloping Off To See The Elephant: Spinning an Historical Set in the American West		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Revenge. Rivalry. Colts and cattle. Winchesters and winning hands. Gold and guts. The American frontier west of the Big Muddy has been the stuff of which legends are made since dime novel publishers of the 19th century snapped up stories and distributed them to eager readers. And even once the western frontier was declared closed – extinct -- in 1890, the American West was still a place to fascina...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

16	Creating 3-D Action Scenes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Teresa Bodwell. Every action scene needs to be Deep, Definite and Dynamic. Layers of emotion give the scene depth. The action must be clear and definite to carry the readers along for the ride. Finally, the scene must be energetic and forceful. Dynamic scenes create a reality that puts the reader right in the action. Join multi-published author Teresa Bodwell for discussion and writing exercises that will...
	Duration: 27 days		$15 /$25

16	Witchcraft for the Paranormal Author		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Blake. Have you ever wondered about the differences between historical witches and modern-day Wiccans? Are you curious about familiars? How do you create a witch character for fiction? Deborah Blake can answer these questions and many more with her class about witchcraft and creating a character practicing the magical arts. • You will learn how to create witch characters for different genres includin...
	Duration: 26 days	Genre	$15 /$25

16	Intro to Screenwriting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sally Walker. Ever wanted to translate an interesting story into a screenplay? In these eight lessons, Sally J. Walker will teach you the essentials of Hollywood-style storytelling, characterization, all-important script formatting, novel adaptation, scene and beat construction, dramatic dialogue and bare-bones narrative. Guidelines to marketing will also be discussed. Resources and formatting examples will ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

23	Loglines, Blurbs and Premise		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Virna DePaul. Learn the difference between a hook, tagline, logline, blurb, premise, and high concept pitch. In addition, find out how you can use them as a framework for a synopsis. Finally, learn the five ingredients for crafting a big book, high concept, same but different story, and how to capitalize on these ingredients in a logline, blurb, or premise. Origins laquee mixo...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Query/Pitch	$15 /$25

23	Want Style? Get Grammar - 202		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat Duncan. This is a track for writers who know basic grammar, but get lost trying to work with complex grammar such as clauses and phrases. It includes a review of intermediate grammar with an emphasis on how to ensure that what you write is understood without a struggle. Looking for ways to improve your style without losing your unique voice? This style-enhancing workshop is for writers who want to ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Editing	$10 /$20

30	Builiding a Grog		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez, Tonya Kappes and Lee Lopez. Group + Blog = GROG Have you thought about starting a blog but feel like you don’t want the commitment? Have you considered joining other writers and doing a blog together? Have you wondered what will make your blog stand out from the crowd? To make a grog successful, certain elements must be in place. This 3 week class will take you through the P’s of building a grog. Week 1: P...
	Duration: 20 days	Promo	$15 /$25

30	Dialogue Basics: "Who's Talking Now?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Terry Odell. Agents and editors often seek out passages of dialogue when evaluating submissions. This workshop will begin with a brief overview of the rudimentary rules of dialogue, including its function in a manuscript. The focus on the workshop will be to show authors how to use dialogue, as well as point out some of the pitfalls that will lead to rejection. Topics will include, but are not limited to: ...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

31	Aliens to Zombies: Creating Real Paranormals with a Twist		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Raquel Rodriguez. Whether your alien needs a crash course in mechanics or your Zombie needs a little TLC, twist your Frankenstein creations for more interest and lovability. Does your werewolf have fleas? Is your vampire drunk on the same-old same-old? Does your witch need spell check? Whether your alien needs a crash course in mechanics or your Zombie needs a little TLC, learn to twist your Frankenstein crea...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

June 2011 Events
6	Writing the Realistic Female Cop		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lee Lopez. In the workshop I will cover what isn’t seen on television or in movies. How the female cop feels about her job, her partners and how it affects her psyche and her family. It all is very different then what happens to her male counterparts. We’ll dive into on the job relationships, the gossip, and working with other females and how that works. I’ll also touch on procedures that often are wrong ...
	Duration: 20 days	Genre	$15 /$25

6	Creating Great Villians and Villainesses		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Pamela Jaye Smith. A great Villain may kill your heroine - but nothing kills a story faster than a weak antagonist. In this course we will explore different types of Antagonists: anti-heroines, seducers, pirate queens and rebels, bumblers, psychos, vampires, ghosts and aliens, and more. Learn to use back-story, world view, and the Lure of the Dark Side to create rich, compelling opposition for y...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

6	The Hero’s Journey		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. The Hero’s Journey, based on Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey, is part of our collective unconsciousness. The steps along the way ensure the reader gets to the end of your book and guarantees reader satisfaction. This course will use popular movies and heroes to explain and reinforce the steps and essential elements of the hero’s journey including the ordinary world, the call to adv...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

6	SPINOFFS! Enjoying More Time With Your Favorite People – Your Characters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. What’s a writer to do when a character tries to remake their place in a story? Or they get their own fan club? Or you simply liked them so well you can’t let them just fade away like a footnote in a book where they didn’t have a starring role? You write a SPIN-OFF – that’s what! How does a Spin-Off differ from a sequel or a series? Well, for one thing, you usually didn’t have it in mind wh...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

6	Romance Novel Gestalt		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. The most satisfying novels are the ones written so tightly that every word, every description, every piece of dialogue is there for a specific reason, everything working in harmony. There are no loose plot threads, no extraneous scenes or pointless characters, no filler dialogue. But how do you achieve that seamless texture? We read books and attend workshops on plot, theme, voice, characters, ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

13	Building a Successful Submission Package		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. We will explore in detail the components that make up a submission package: query or cover letter, synopsis, chapters submitted, bio, endorsements, and marketing plan. By the end of the workshop, participants should have at least a draft of each component.
	Duration: 13 days	Query/Pitch	$15 /$20

13	I’m Back From Conference, What Do I Do Now?		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tina Gerow. Get ready early....Many an excited and exhausted author has returned from a writer’s conference with new knowledge, experience and business cards in hand. But with all the terrific contacts and information available at conferences – how do you make sense of it all once you get home? This workshop will give you some strategies to leverage all the great information gleaned from the conference to ...
	Duration: 13 days	Promo	$10 /$20

13	Want Style? Get Grammar - 303		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat Duncan. This is a track for advanced students of grammar. Students should feel comfortable with basic grammar and have a basic understanding of clauses and phrases. Students will learn to identify common grammatical errors as they relate to advanced writing topics in dialogue, exposition and point-of-view. Take charge of your style and make your voice shout! This workshop is for writers who want to ...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Editing	$10 /$20

20	The Romantic Screenplay 101		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sally Walker. Novelist-Editor-Screenwriter Sally J. Walker will walk you through an 8-Session course on the fundamentals you need to understand BEFORE you actually tackle a romantic screenplay. This is not a course on formatting, screenwriting technicalities, fundamental concepts of screenwriting itself or how to adapt your novel to a screenplay. This is a course about "how to think" a romantic story in a cin...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

20	Putting Wings On the Back Story to Keep Your Novel Soaring		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Teresa Bodwell. You're at a party with someone you have met for the first time. He decides to tell you his life's story: the uncut version. How long does he keep your attention? Even if his story is an interesting one--climbing Mount Everest, or canoeing across the Atlantic Ocean--your mind will wander as you wait for him to take a breath so that you can excuse yourself to the bathroom, the bar, to call you ...
	Duration: 28 days		$15 /$25

27	Editing with an Editor		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat O'Shea. One of the fastest ways to get your manuscript rejected is to submit one that needs substantial editing. Grammar and punctuation are important, but they aren’t the only things that give your manuscript a quick trip to the rejection pile. Learn editors’ pet peeves and how to avoid them as well as how to tackle overall manuscript revision and still keep your sanity.
	Duration: 27 days	Editing	$15 /$25

27	The Proposal		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Lee Lopez. The Proposal is a 2009 romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock as Margaret Tate, and Ryan Reynolds as Andrew Paxton. In this comedy about a tyrannical boss (Bullock) who blackmails her assistant (Reynolds) into marrying her, so she can stay in the country. She's Canadian with an expired visa, and he's Alaskan with a loving family. There is just as much wrong with this potentially funny love story...
	Duration: 4 days	Craft	$7 /$10

July 2011 Events
5	Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Cornelison. Here's my blurb: Beth Cornelison will deconstruct "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" to examine how to create a memorable flawed characters and show how their flaws set up story conflict and internal conflict. She will show how well-constructed plot points force characters to make choices and learn from mistakes. Through these tests in a character's growth arc, he learns and ...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

5	Writing in the Active Voice		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Active Voice means Showing verses Telling. It has everything to do with keeping the reader engaged and part of the action verses one step removed. In a nutshell, the passive voice places the character away from the action rather than placing him/her in the thick of the action. Strong and powerful verbs are the key. In this class, we’ll generate a list of powerful, active verbs, will practic...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

5	I Hate to Write a Synopsis		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sharon Mignerey. Just back from Nationals? Pitched to the editor or agent of your dreams and now have a request for the manuscript and synopsis? Then this workshop is for you. Sure some people like to write a synopsis. For most writers, the task is about as appealing as jumping into a frozen lake during sub-zero weather--even though some people like that, too. This workshop helps participants identify th...
	Duration: 27 days	Query/Pitch	$15 /$25

5	Pissing Off Editors or How Not to get Published		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Linnea Sinclair. So many workshops deal with what writers must do to get published. So few detail the mistakes that can be deadly. Award winning author Linnea Sinclair donned her reporter’s fedora and interviewed over two dozen acquisition editors, agents and pros in the publishing industry in order to learn what strikes fear in an editor’s heart…and what guarantees a manuscript won’t make it out of the sl...
	Duration: 29 days	Query/Pitch, Editor/Agent	$15 /$25

11	Managing POV		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Shannon Donnelly. Third person, first person, multiple viewpoints, single--all of it can be confusing. What works? When to change? And how do you take POV so deep a reader feels everything a character feels? This workshop will cover some basic elements of POV control, including how to make better choices for which character's viewpoint to use and how to write deep POV that compells a reader's attention. E...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

11	Reading Like a Writer		(Workshop)
	instructor: Kelle Truby. Reading like a Writer is a three week workshop designed to approach the standard elements of craft from a top down perspective. Rather than study definitions of Show vs. Tell as it relates to Character, POV and Dialogue, we will piece together our own deeper understanding of craft by analyzing examples these techniques we find in good writing. A sample text that illustrates a particular elemen...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	$10 /$20

11	GMC and Stakes		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Virna DePaul. Learn the key ingredients for making your characters three dimensional and believable. Goal, Motivation, and Conflict are key because together they make your characters act, but more importantly, they enable your characters to undergo a critical transformation. Learn how to break GMC down by story, act, and scene. In addition, learn how to effectively use high stakes to keep your reader engaged...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

11	Legally Blonde		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Chris Redding. Follow along as I use the Hero's Journey to show why the store of Elle Woods works and resonates with all of us.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

18	Build to Suit: Fiction Worldbuilding for Writers		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Raquel Rodriguez. Easily create a unique Universe for your fiction story. From contemporary society to paranormal worlds, each story (or series) should have a universe all it's own. This workshop shows how to create a basis and build logically on a stable foundation from social mores to taboos, ethics and values. Explore what works and what doesn't, how to keep track of everything, and how to add that unique s...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

18	The Basics of Romance Writing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tambra Kendall. Come and explore the diversity of the romance genre. Learn writing techniques needed to begin your manuscript or assist you further in an ongoing project. Information on creating characters, plot and scene and sequel are a few of the areas explored in this course. The levels of intimacy and how to write a love scene are also covered
	Duration: 14 days	Craft, Genre	$10 /$20

25	Advanced Screenwriting Concepts thru Genre Needs		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sally Walker. "The more you know, the more you find out you DON'T know" is the adage driving this intense 12 week course taught by working screenwriter Sally J. Walker. Ten cinematic concepts will be examined as exemplified in ten movie genres. Some of the concepts are the do's and don'ts of plotting, scene structure and sequencing, subplot development, characterization for Character Arc, succinct dialogue, a...
	Duration: 69 days	Craft, Genre	$50 /$65

25	The Blurb: Mother of All Promotions		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Marilynn Byerly. A blurb is the pithy description of your novel in a query letter, the short "elevator pitch" used at a writer's conference, the log line for online promotion, and the all important back cover copy for a published novel. Without a great blurb, a novel won't be noticed by agents and editors. Marilynn Byerly--creator of a blurb system used by university publishing courses, publishers, and man...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$15 /$25

August 2011 Events
1	Story Structure		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kat O'Shea. An interesting and exciting beginning will draw readers in, but how do you keep their interest high throughout? A well-plotted story will keep them turning the pages and make them eager to read your next book. Both plotters and pantsers will benefit from knowing how to structure a story that readers can’t put down. Learn about different story structures, such as the 3-Act and the Hero’s Journey, a...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

1	The Big Sleep		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Jodi Henley. The Big Sleep Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall Nymphomania! Pornography! Violence, Murder—and a plot that refuses to be dumbed down. The Big Sleep is a multi-layered, paranoid whodunit that runs like an express train on meth. Scripted by William Faulkner—yes, “that” William Faulkner—The Big Sleep is the noir that broke all the rules. A triumph of voice over logic, it contains unforgetta...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

8	Sweet Home Alabama		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Chris Redding.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

8	Editing for Success		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. During the workshop you’ll learn how to devise an editing plan so you can complete your revision in a defined amount of time. Ways to keep you moving forward with your revision goals. What are the areas that you should look to be editing: grammar, punctuation, setting, characterization, plot, POV, theme, and description.
	Duration: 13 days	Editing	$10 /$20

8	The Scottish Highlands		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Vallar. The majesty and beauty of the Scottish Highlands provide many a backdrop for historical novels. Out of the mists rise proud Highlanders who value honor and duty above all else. Their steadfastness and sorrow arouse deep emotions in us. Although the odds are against them, they fight for their beliefs, knowing they may not survive, but unwilling to be branded cowards. The Romans, English, and Lowlan...
	Duration: 55 days		$15 /$25

15	Mastering GMC and MRU: The Muscles and Molecules of Storytelling		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jill Elizabeth Nelson. The familiar phrase “put some muscle into it” applies to storytelling as much as to manual labor. The goals, motivations, and conflicts (GMC) of the characters propel a story along, much like the muscles that move the human body, sometimes in vigorous action, sometimes in slight but significant gestures. Without GMC, we writers have no story to tell, but once we set up the GMC for each character, ...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

15	Kate and Leopold		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Caroline Clemmons. In this workshop we will use the movie “Kate and Leopold” to probe a story. What makes it work? How do we deconstruct the craft and technique and discover ways to make our own books more relevant and successful? By examining “Kate and Leopold,” we will—hopefully—come to understand the process of constructing a book that enthralls readers and sends them rushing to buy our next novel. Even if you’v...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

16	What a Wicked Web We Weave - A Spider's Approach to Subplots in Storytelling		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Theresa Meyers. The difference between writing and writing big has to do with adding multiple layers to your stories. But how do you weave a story with multiple threads that interweave into an intense read without losing track or weaving in too much? In this course you’ll: * Discover the uses for subplotting * Learn spiderweb plotting board techniques for tracking multiple subplots * Find ways...
	Duration: 14 days	Craft	$10 /$20

29	Editing - The Rest of the Story		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Grammar working? Check. Spelling correct? Check. Manuscript done? NO! There’s more to editing your manuscript than simply checking an art to editing your manuscript. Is your story engaging? Do you show instead of tell? Are your transitions effective? Do you end scenes and chapters with a hook? Looking for these elements is part of the edition process. This course will give yo...
	Duration: 27 days	Editing	$15 /$25

29	Joe by Larry Brown		(Deconstruction Workshop)
	Instructor: Genie Davis. Not your average Joe. A great character driven novel that proves suspense and thrills can come from character and create action. We'll be focusing on how in this class.
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$7 /$10

29	Feng Shui for Characters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Raquel Rodriguez. Learn and implement my personal method of Feng Shui fixes to motivate and enhance your characters. You've heard it for writers, businesses and homes, now you can Feng Shui your characters! Learn traditional concepts and the basis of Feng Shui and utilize techniques I have developed to give added depth and dimension. Solve character problems and gain new insight into what makes them tick. Thi...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

September 2011 Events
5	Beyond Fangs: Creating New & Interesting Paranormal Characters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Deborah Blake. Want to write a paranormal romance or urban fantasy, but don’t want to be just another Vamp in the crowd? Yearning to create a completely original paranormal character, but don’t know where to start? Author Deborah Blake moves beyond Vampires to delve into a wide range of paranormal folk who don’t need to hide from the sun. From Witches to Weres, Fae to Phantasms, this class will explore the alter...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

5	Steamed Up: The Anatomy of Writing Steampunk		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Toss another shovel full of coal on the fire, it’s time to get steamed up with steam punk, one of the newest “societies” around. What qualifies it as a society? Let’s see, there are graphic novels, jewelry, apparel, home accessories, music, movies, video games, roll playing games, and, oh, yeah, novels all circling around the essence of steampunk. And if you loved the Robert Downey Jr. SHERLOC...
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	$15 /$25

5	Mythic Structure for Writers: Empower Your Heroic, Fantasy, and Adventure Fiction		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Barany. The origins of story telling date far back into the mists of time. We are story telling creatures. And some of the most compelling tales have been handed down to us through the oral tradition and are now know as fairy tales, folktales, myths and legends. When we tap into these mythic and ancient structures we touch something deep in our readers and create powerful and unforgettable tales. And if y...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

5	Yes, You Can Quit Your Day Job		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. Do you dream of working at home every day, sitting at your computer in your sweats communing with your muse? It's not an impossible dream no matter what your situation. With some careful planning and a lot of self-discipline, you, too, can look forward to Monday morning as a stay-at-home writer. In this workshop, we'll discuss making the transition to self-employment while meeting financial and ...
	Duration: 13 days		$10 /$20

12	Find Your Character’s Motivation through Finding Nemo, Cars and Up		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Alice Osborn. What does your fictional character really want? How do you create memorable characters so fresh and clever your reader will always remember them? Disney/Pixar films such as Finding Nemo, Cars and Up have created the most believable characters in twenty first century film. In this three-part workshop we’ll study these films so they can tell us how to create riveting and complex main characters who ...
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	$10 /$20

26	Show vs Tell – How to Convey Emotion Thru Desciption		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jaye Roycraft. Characterization may be the heart of a story, but you can’t have a character existing in a vacuum. There has to be a world in which the character lives, and it has to not only be a believable world (whether historical, contemporary, or futuristic) but it has to be well-written. The technical aspects of a book are just as important as characterization and plot, and good technical writing is more ...
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	$10 /$15

October 2011 Events
2	Deep POV		(Workshop)
	Instructor Jill Elizabeth Nelson. Have you ever read a book that drew you into the main characters' minds and hearts so completely that you felt as if you were experiencing the story inside their skins? Didn't your reading pleasure hit a new high? You knew those characters from the inside out. Their experiences were your own. Why? How did that happen? What did the writer do to gain that affect? Join suspense author, Jill Elizabeth...
	Duration: 29 days	Craft	$15 /$25

3	Indepth Revisions		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. This course is interactive. Participant and instructor will work together to revise several scenes from the participants WIP based on the concepts taught in the editing class (Is your story engaging? Do you show instead of tell? Are your transitions effective? Do you end scenes and chapters with a hook?). Lessons will be brief as most of this course is hands-on with participants’ WIP. B...
	Duration: 27 days	Editing	$15 /$25

3	Bringing Pirates to Life		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Cindy Vallar. Peter Blood in Captain Blood, Long John Silver in Treasure Island, and Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean conjure up images of buried treasure, black schooners, wooden legs, eye patches, vibrant parrots, walking the plank, and swashbuckling swordsmen. Are these accurate portrayals of pirates? Some are, some aren’t. This workshop explores the differences between the reality and my...
	Duration: 28 days	Genre	$15 /$25

3	Aim High, Shoot Straight: Achieving Your Writing Goals		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kara Lennox. If you want to write but you can't seem to get motivated or find the time, or if you're writing but not getting where you want to be in your career, if you're jumping from project to project without a clear focus, this workshop is for you. Veteran author Kara Lennox will present her plan for focusing in on what you really want from your writing career, then show you how to formulate concrete, ach...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$10 /$20

3	You have the Right to Remain Silent		(Workshop)
	Instructor: John Foxjohn. In this interactive class, John Foxjohn explores with the students the difference between an interview and an interrogation—techniques in interrogations and things not to do, and what an arrest is. He’ll also cover the Miranda warnings. Like all of John’s classes, he encourages class participation and questions.
	Duration: 6 days	Genre	$10 /$15

10	Re-visioning Your Manuscript (How to Revise at a Deep Level)		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. This workshop moves beyond the surface level revision: how the different craft elements might be woven together to help enhance the theme and produce a better story; the deeper levels of characterization, mood, and tone; comparing your plot against mythic structures to see if you have the elements needed for a successful story; the proper use of flashback, backstory, and metaphor; and evaluating c...
	Duration: 21 days	Editing	$15 /$20

10	Foreshadowing and Other Tricks to Improve Your Writing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Theresa Meyers. Time to add tools to your writer’s tool box! Take your writing to the next level with techniques and tips used by the pros to add depth and pacing to their work. In this course you'll: * Discover what foreshadowing is and how it works to improve writing. * Learn how to utilize the techniques of screenwriters for on-screen and off-screen action to heighten tension, create a faster mo...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$15 /$20

24	Celtic Knot Work: Weaving Together Characters And Plotting		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Tambra Kendall. Learn how characterization and plotting weave together to make your story come alive. Outline of lessons and discussion topics: Characterization 1. Character profile questions and interviewing your characters 2. Creating backstory and when to use it 3. Character is Action 4. **GMC: Goal, motivation and conflict. This will also be discussed with plot. 5. Writing strong characters and viewp...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

31	Shattering the Mirror of Your Character - How to Use Backstory Effectively		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Theresa Meyers. We work so hard to make our characters three dimensional, but what without giving in to the temptation to do huge amounts of backstory dumping into our stories, how do we get it across? In this course you’ll: * Discover when and how to use backstory to improve pacing * Learn techniques for interweaving backstory with action, inner thought and dialog * Find ways to make your c...
	Duration: 13 days	Craft	$10 /$20

31	Faeries and Dragons Along the Silk Road and Beyond		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Eilis Flynn. Here's something you may not realize: You can find faeries and dragons all over the world, in one form or another. Here's a trip along the Silk Road and beyond, taking a look at the many ways these creatures of myth and legend can be found, under many different names and many different guises and in ways that may surprise you.
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$25

31	Plotting for Pantsters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels. Fingers are flying, the story is just spilling out of them, line after line appearing on the monitor then – all of a sudden, the story peters out. How does one to get from the last word written to the next thing that is supposed to happen when that something hasn't occurred to the flying fingers yet? What's a writer to do? In Plotting for Pantsers we'll go over: storyboarding, different deg...
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	$15 /$25

November 2011 Events
1	Medieval Ireland 1150 - 1450		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sheila Currie. You want to write a novel set in Ireland and don't how to make trouble for your hero and heroine? This is the course for you. In the Middle Ages, Anglo-Normans came to fight for one king in Limerick, liked what they saw and didn't go home. They conquered and occupied much of Ireland. To the kings of England, conquest was a good way to employ the martial spirit of their young men. But the...
	Duration: 36 days	Genre	$15 /$25

1	Internal vs External Conflict		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. CONFLICT is the most crucial to your story. You can have characters without strong goals or motivations, and conflict will still keep the story moving forward. But even if you have the greatest characters ever, solid goals and motivations--but no conflict, chances are your story will stall. Stories that succeed without conflict are few and far between. Conflict is the key to advancing ...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

7	Blockbusting: Putting the Joy Back in Writing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Laurie Schnebly Campbell. At some point, almost all writers suffer from the inability to tell the story they want. Part of writer's block is a lack of joy in the process. So counselor Laurie Schnebly Campbell looks at the causes -- including exhaustion, boredom and fear of success -- and the benefits of this block. Writers finish this session new awareness of what works for them, and renewed inspiration for returning to th...
	Duration: 11 days	Craft	$20 /$25

7	Worldbuilding - Swearing/Speaking in Alien Tongues		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Linnea Sinclair. A unique and fun way to add realism to your SFF world building is to watch how your characters insult each other…or other species. Whatever your alien culture values or disdains can be used to create epithets and derogatory remarks—and be used to unobtrusively teach your reader about your world. The same holds true with constructed languages. Look at how Klingon has become a reality in o...
	Duration: 7 days	Craft, Genre	$15 /$20

21	Motivation		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Misa Ramirez. Question: Why do people do what they do? Answer: Because they have something at stake, or something to lose (or gain) by their actions. Understanding the importance of motivation is key to crafting compelling characters. This course will look at characters in television and movies, deconstructing the motivations behind their actions. Once the concept of personal stakes is un...
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	$15 /$25

28	Developing a Monthly E-newsletter		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Alice Osborn. Want a cost-effective way to build your business by nurturing your present and future customers? Then create an e-newsletter. In this challenging economy, writers should consider the e-newsletter as a vital part of their marketing plan to distinguish themselves from the competition and allow potential readers, agents and editors to get to know them. In this 2-part workshop Alice will discuss devel...
	Duration: 13 days	Promo	$10 /$20

w r i t e r s h e l p i n g w r i t e r s

Member Log-in

Special Events

Lori Wilde's Book-in-a-Year Mentoring Course for Authors of Commercial Fiction

From The First Step to Complete Novel in a Year

NEW! 6-month Fast Track Mentoring Course with Lori Wilde

Essential Aspects of Your Author Blogsite

Pitch to Editor Angela James of Carina Press

Writing the Dark Hero

Advertisements

August 2010 Events

2

2

16

23

30

30

30

September 2010 Events

2

5

5

5

5

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

7

13

13

13

13

20

20

20

20

20

20

27

27

27

27

October 2010 Events

3

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

11

11

11

15

18

18

18

18

18

25

25

November 2010 Events

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

7

8