The Muse Online Writers Conference

The ONLY online conference of its kind!

This page is being updated. Bookmark and come back often to see what else we'll have in store for you on October 13 - 19th.

To figure out your time zone LINK HERE.
Chats are one hour long workshops unless otherwise specified. Please make sure to prepare your questions ahead of time by reading the handouts you will have on hand by midSeptember. Everyone who registers for the conference will be receiving a schedule to pick and choose your workshops. Only once you've registered for your workshops will you be given the username and password to the Handout page.

CHATS ONLY

MONDAY - OCTOBER 13

9AM EST

BURN THOSE BUNNY SLIPPERS & BECOME THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE!

with Susanne Rose

This workshop is for anybody contemplating chucking their day job to become a full-time writer and will benefit those who have already taken the plunge but feel like they're going in futile circles instead of progressing toward publication. 

Be sure to download the handout to find suggestions for homework and join us for the workshop to explore these topics and more:

Why it's important to dress for success and treat writing like a "real" job

How to look and sound like a pro from the very first day 

What's the difference between a goal and a dream?  How to set realistic benchmarks to measure your progress

How to ensure you'll keep that daily appointment with yourself and produce a quota of words/pages even when the muse is on strike 

Facing the fear of rejection and submitting what you write

Making sure all your eggs aren't in the same basket (i.e. not submitting to just one type of market that might disappear without warning)

I look forward to working with you at THE MUSE 2008 ONLINE WRITERS CONFERENCE!

Susanne Rose


10 AM EST

Organize Your Writing Life with Cheryl Malandrinos

Do you wish you had more time to write?  Are you sick and tired of wading through mounds of research, unopened mail, and books to find what you need for your next writing project?  Does the thought of meeting a deadline stress you out?  Then this is the workshop for you!  You’ll find ways to increase productivity through time management, organization, and stress management.  You’ll get tips on how to avoid distractions, how to balance your career and your family life, create an organized work space, and how to relieve stress so that you can make the most out of your writing time.  This and so much more when you register for Organize Your Writing Life today!

10AM EST

 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.

12PM EST
Query Letters! Editing them perfectly for a great first impression with Carolyn Howard-Johnson


2PM EST
Seek Your Bliss with Pat Harrington
The workshop is for the writer who feels tentative or unsure, as in "Who am I to think I can write?"  
Every story is predicated on the old "Hero's Journey."  (And that is both the feminine and masculine hero.)  Writers need to seek their own bliss as a means and a target for their writing.  The "Hero's Journey" has been described by Joseph Campbell as being in all cultures and throughout time.  The goals of this workshop, then, are to:
 
    *  Give you permission to seek your bliss;
    *  Provide some resources and tools to energize you to begin the hero’s journey to bliss;
    *  Encourage you embrace the creative spirit that is within, and which is always regenerating, if
        allowed.


4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


5PM EST

The Magic of Magic:

How to Create (and use) a Magic System with Christina Barber

Join award-winning, multi-published author, Christina Barber on the wondrous journey of creating your own magic system.

Learn how to use ancient mythologies or other systems of magic to bend, shape and create your own unique system of magic. Whether for use in epic fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy or futuristic (sci-fi blend), this class will help you create your own magic!

8PM EST

Show and No Tell with Dindy Robinson

Editors often tell writers to “Show, don’t tell,” but what do they mean by this? What is the difference between showing and telling, and how, exactly, do you show your reader what is happening?



TUESDAY - OCTOBER 14

9AM EST
 

The Art and Science of Self-Publishing

with Susan K. Stewart

Whether your book is for a small niche market or a broad audience, it is easier than ever before to self-publish a quality product. Susan provides details of publishing for an audience smaller than 50,000; smaller even than 500. She covers building a quality product, cost, and marketing.


10AM EST

 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.

1PM EST
Red Hot Internet Publicity with Penny Sansevieri
 
If you think you have your Internet marketing covered with just a web site, you might be missing out on a bucket of Internet gold. This class is packed with information with everything from creating the perfect web site to demystifying keywords and how to create a great blog. We’ll also discuss how to turn web site visitors into customers and how to maximize your internet promotional efforts through blogs, internet articles, chat groups, and ezines.
 
  • The secret to getting thousands of hits on your web site and then converting them into sales!
  • Top internet promotion techniques that won’t cost you a dime!
  • The Virtual Author Tour™, how you can “tour” yourself on the net
  • How to get print media from your Internet campaign
  • Learn how to expand your platform and sell more books!
  • How to create a campaign that will last for months, not days
  • How to create a web site that sells your book
  • Podcasting and blogging demystified!
BONUS: We’ll even include some hints on how to market yourself on Craig’s list!


2PM EST

Exhibiting at Trade Shows and Book Fairs on a Shoestring Budget with Carol J. Amato

Exhibiting at trade shows and book fairs is a great way for any author to get exposure for his or her work, but doing so can be prohibitively expensive.  How can you take part in these professional events and keep your wallet intact? This session shows you how to be a force at these shows and how to have a great-looking booth on a shoestring budget.


2PM EST

Writing the Short Screenplay: From Concept to “Fade Out”.

with Kristin Johnson

 

"I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter."—Blaise Pascal

Cell phone movies. YouTube videos. JibJab creations. Short films are everywhere, and unfortunately, to paraphrase Theodore Sturgeon’s Law, ninety percent of them are crap. If you’ve ever thought of creating an Internet short film sensation, or if you want to take it one step further and create a short film screenplay to shop around to producers, festivals and contests, this is the course for you. In this course, we’ll explore:

·        The good and the bad of Internet and other short films

·        How to determine if your idea can make a good short film

·        What’s off-limits in short-films (here’s a hint: nothing)

·        How to deal with backstory and exposition

·        How to write a film with no or minimal dialogue

·        Creating a short film from concept to logline to finished script

·        Submitting your short script to contests and advertising it on sites such as InkTip.com

Course Requirements:

·        Screenplay template for Word OR a scriptwriting program such as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter

·        Familiarity with script format— http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/howtoformatascreenplay has the basics, or you can Google “script format”

·        An idea that just might be expressed in five to ten minutes, or better yet, two minutes or less

·        Read your instructor’s contest finalist short screenplay “Daniel’s Letter From Heaven” and the script for the Oscar-winning short film “My Mother Dreams the Devil’s Disciples in New York

·        Watch at least two short films on the Internet. My recommendations:

a)      “That Guy,” http://la.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=30256288

b)     The Montana Meth Project ads, http://notevenonce.com/View_Ads/index.php.

c)       “Little Claus and Big Claus,” http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/little_claus_and_big_claus.html

d)     “The Tell-Tale Heart,” 1953: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4s9V8aQu4c

3PM EST
The Rest of the Story with Beverly Stowe McClure
Beverly will show you how to write middles and endings for children and teens


4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


5PM EST

The Magic of Magic:

How to Create (and use) a Magic System with Christina Barber

Join award-winning, multi-published author, Christina Barber on the wondrous journey of creating your own magic system.

Learn how to use ancient mythologies or other systems of magic to bend, shape and create your own unique system of magic. Whether for use in epic fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy or futuristic (sci-fi blend), this class will help you create your own magic!

8PM EST

Writing for the Trades (How to Make Money Writing Non-fiction)

with Linda J Hutchinson

What are “the trades” and how do you make money writing for them?  Register for this intensive workshop on how to make money writing non-fiction while, like most of us, you are waiting to sell film and international rights to your bestselling novels. 

Linda J. Hutchinson has been writing for construction, parenting, volunteerism, food, and writing print and online magazines – or “trade” journals – for the past four years.  She makes a steady income writing about moving dirt, setting girders, pouring concrete, diverting traffic, getting muddy, and getting it right.  She’s been paid to write about dangerously obsolete bridges that carry up to 500,000 cars, trucks, and big rigs per day, about rocking “crack babies”, mystery meat, her family (which is not always appreciated), and most things in between.

No matter what your background, there is a “trade” journal or magazine in existence that is just waiting for your input – and they will pay you to write for them. 

What are “the trades”?  How do you write for them?  How much can you make?  (Hint:  Many of the trades pay between 10 and 30 cents per word, and pay an additional amount for photographs.)

We’ll discuss AP Style, MLA Style, Chicago Manual of Style, and the inverted pyramid.  Then we’ll take a look at where to find opportunities for your writing, how to snare the assignments, and how to approach your prey. 

We’ll also discuss how to cyber-stalk your interview subjects without pi**ing them off. 

If you’d like to see examples of what these editors are looking for, visit www.lindajhutchinson.com.  An abundance of live links to sold articles may be found on the Published Clips page.

9PM EST

Wham, Bam, Thank You, Ma'am: Cutting to the Chase and Writing First Chapters That HOOK

By Sara Reinke

Did you know that prospective editors and agents sometimes make their decision as to whether or not to contract your work based on the first page of your manuscript? Some decide by the end of the first paragraph, and some even by the first sentence. Your book needs to start with a bang, a sure-fire hook to catch a reader's interest. In this fun-filled, fast-paced chat, learn the tricks of the trade for writing short-and-sweet, down and dirty first chapters that grab attention and don't let go.
 

WEDNESDAY - OCTOBER 15


10 AM EST

Organize Your Writing Life with Cheryl Malandrinos

Do you wish you had more time to write?  Are you sick and tired of wading through mounds of research, unopened mail, and books to find what you need for your next writing project?  Does the thought of meeting a deadline stress you out?  Then this is the workshop for you!  You’ll find ways to increase productivity through time management, organization, and stress management.  You’ll get tips on how to avoid distractions, how to balance your career and your family life, create an organized work space, and how to relieve stress so that you can make the most out of your writing time.  This and so much more when you register for Organize Your Writing Life today!

10AM EST

 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.

11AM EST

Virtual Book Tour with Karina Fabian

Your book is published!  You've sent out the media releases and the review requests.  Now what?  You want to get the word out, but you don't have the money or the time to take it on the road.

Time to get on the Information Highway with a virtual book tour.  Karina Fabian (www.fabianspace.com) will teach you the basics of setting up and conducting a book tour on the Internet.  We'll cover:

          *Finding websites that target your audience

          *The many ways of getting your book mentioned on-line from comments on a blog to interviews, chats, podcasts and more.

          *Presenting yourself effectively on-line.

          *Following up.

Karina has had wonderful success with her two virtual book tours to promote her catholic SF anthology, Infinite Space, Infinite God.  (http://isigsf.com)

12PM EST

Fine Tuning the Senses with Jane Bernard

Fine Tuning the Senses is how to break through writers block.  This approach to writing will connect you with your intuitive voice.   

Using the techniques in this course which are based on Fine Tuning, Connecting With Your Inner Power, you will recognize that intuition is your internal guidance system for accessing clarity.   Part of the discovery of Fine Tuning is that it is easy.  Importantly for each of us, clarity leads to a sense of self-recognition and accomplishment.

We have the answers to our writing conundrums, and they¢re at our finger-tips.  Fine Tuning helps open the door to the spark that drives your writing.  Through Fine Tuning you will recognize that spark driving you, connecting with the passion to write is your intuition. 

Fine Tuning the Senses workshop includes a series of interactive writing exercises using the 5 senses culminating in the creation of a platform connecting with our 6th sense, intuition.

This workshop is intended to be fun, educational and inspiring. 

Objective: Focusing on the senses turns the key, opening doors to your imagination. Fine tuning the senses lets you access the passion you have that enables you to clarify your message. Upon completion of this workshop, you will feel empowered and inspired as a writer and a communicator.


2PM EST

It’s All About You! Writing Personal Stories wiith Carol Celeste

Everyone has stories to tell and there are many ways to tell them. This workshop will focus on the personal essay. Personal essays are articulate, insightful stories from our lives, narrated in enticing prose to entertain and inform readers, whether family or the public. Writing our stories frees up buried emotions and thoughts, giving rise to epiphanies about how we have lived our lives. And it’s good for our health! In this workshop you will learn tips for writing personal essays that satisfy the writer through self-exploration and entertain the reader by using literary techniques. If publication is your goal, you'll learn how to identify print and online publications that publish what you write and how to submit your work. A daily writing prompt will be posted on the forum. Forum and chat.

3PM EST
Got Inspiration? with Barri Bumgarner
This interactive workshop taps into the well of imagination, ideas, and inspiration. Have you ever wondered where authors get their ideas? Do you struggle with ideas of your own? Or are your ideas all the same? To find the best ideas to explore as a writer, the adage is true: write what you know. But exactly what do you know? Come join author Barri L. Bumgarner to find out…


3PM EST
Meet Rhonda Parrish, editor of Niteblade Magazine and some of her writers

4PM EST

What Aspiring Writers Need to Know

With Marie Delgado Travis

At the first Muse Global Conference, award-winning writer Marie Delgado Travis shared her tips and experiences with aspiring writers. Now, two years wiser, she again shares information on how to succeed in writing by really trying! Join her for an honest, heart to heart chat on such topics as getting published and self-publishing, building a platform as a writer and overcoming writer's block and rejection. Half big sister, half fairy godmother, Marie's chat may well give you, the aspiring writer, the encouragement needed to pursue your dreams. For more information on your cheerleader / presenter, visit Marie's web site at www.mariedelgadotravis.com


4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


5PM EST

Laugh, your short story needs it with Ron Berry

Have a knack for writing short stories? But, does the opening grab the attention of the reader? Do your readers fall asleep reading them? I’ll help you with a few tricks I’ve learned about how to add that needed punch. Need ideas for short stories? I can help there also. If you write stories only about one or two topics, why not branch out? Expand your comfort zone into areas you know about but don’t realize. You’re the expert at lasagna, but what about that time it landed on the floor? To save embarrassment, write it third person, blame the cat. There’s a million stories out there. Help us write them.


8PM EST

Plotting your Novel: One Way to Get from Point A to Point Z and all the Places In Between with Dindy Robinson

You’ve got a story and you’re ready to put it on paper, but how do you handle all the side roads without losing sight of your main destination. This workshop will show you ONE way to organize your novel.

9PM EST

Writing Sex  -- “Hands on”  with Kassie Burns

If you want to learn how to write an effective sex scene, come prepared to participate. Writers in this workshop will be “caught in the act” – i.e., required to write a sex scene and submit it for critique.

Kassie Burns, a multi-published author of sensual SF and fantasy romance, will conduct the workshop and offer her feedback on what you’ve written.  She will remove all identification from submissions so they will be completely anonymous to other members of the group.

The scene you submit can be from a work in progress or written just for the workshop. However, Kassie does need to receive all scenes at least a week before the workshop begins. So sign up early and she’ll send you further details on how to submit your sex scene for feedback.

Kassie Burns currently has nine published sensual novels with publishers such as Loose Id, Samhain, Changeling Press and Extasy Books. Her Web site is: http://www.kassieburns.com

THURSDAY - OCTOBER 16

9AM EST

Frugal Writer’s Guide to Web Sites

with Susan K. Stewart

Every writer knows that a web site is essential for marketing. Whether you write books or articles, are a beginner or best-seller, a Internet presence is necessary. Learn the 5 Ws and H of building a web site. It is easier and cheaper than you think.


10AM EST

 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.


11AM EST

Platform? Brand? Marketing? What are you talking about? with Audrey Schaffer


12PM EST

A Blueprint for Your Creative Space through the Power of  Feng Shui with Anna Maria Prezio, Ph.D, author of "Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster"

Do you know where your most creative and productive areas of your house or office are located?

Do you know your most auspicious colors? How, when and where to use them?

A small change in your office or home work area can make the difference from being blocked to a creative flow.

The Principles of Feng Shui can help you call in the Muse and allow your intuitive power to manifest abundant creativity.

Power and Prosperity through Feng Shui and Color, a special report, will be provided to guide you through the process.

Creative space helps us connect to our innermost artistic creativity.  You'll know at least one way to harmonize your chi so that

your creativity can flow easily and effortlessly.

Get rid of those pesky ghosts that are holding you back from creating your materpiece.

Bonus: "Ten Rules to a Serene & Ghost-Free Environment" from Anna Maria's new book, "Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster"


1PM EST

On Becoming a Professional Amateur with Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

(A chat workshop and forum by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, member SFWA/HWA, multi-published author of fantasy and science fiction)

To be an amateur in the original sense of the word simply means to do something for love, though our culture has added the rider, "not for pay." An amateur writer, then, is generally taken to mean one who’s not paid for her efforts.

“Amateur” has also come to mean someone who lacks polish, skill and craft. Synonyms for “amateurish” include: unprofessional, sloppy, inept, slipshod, clumsy, crude. That doesn’t sound good.

To me, being a truly amateur writer—a lover of writing—means you love your craft enough to have a professional attitude toward it, a desire to do it with the highest level of skill you can. So, how do you make your craft reflect true amateurism and not the other kind? By weeding out the signs of amateurism and cultivating craft.

In this workshop, I'd like to offer some ideas on how to spot the "weeds" of amateurism in your writing, such as:

·        Sloppiness

·        Language Abuse

·        Mixed Metaphors

·        Character acrobatics

·        Black box scenes

·        Enter stage right

·        Disappearing (or uni-tasking) characters

·        Narrator as Barney or Why you should keep reading after kindergarten.

·        Serendipity

And more!



3PM EST
Cheap and Easy Book Marketing with Shel Horowitz:
Powerful online and offline strategies to get your book noticed in the marketplace, from the author of Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers.


4PM EST
WRITING ABOUT MOVIES with Betty Jo Tucker
This "Writing about Movies" workshop/chat covers the basic steps in writing a cohesive, insightful and entertaining movie review.

4PM EST

Creating Memorable Characters Chat

With Marilyn Meredith 

After you read the handout, ask any question that you might have about creating memorable characters. When creating your characters, you need to know what happened to them in their past to make the actions they take in the conflict they are faced with in your novel or short story.

You should know your characters well enough that they are more real than any of your family members or friends. After all, you know their innermost thoughts, something you never really know about the people you are with from day-to-day. 

Marilyn is the author of two mystery series: The Deputy Tempe Crabtree series and the Rocky Bluff P.D. series written under the name of F. M. Meredith. She has taught this class for several writers’ conferences including Epicon and Public Safety Writers Association. She’s a member of Epic, Sisters in Crime, PSWA, MWA, WOW, American Authors Association, and California Writers Club.

http://fictionforyou.com


4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


7PM EST
Book Proposals that Sell with Terry Whalin
Meet Terry Whalin for an hour long chat on book proposals.

7PM EST

How to Critique Like a Pro with Carol J. Amato

So you’ve joined a critique group and you’re reading or listening to the other members’ manuscripts. What are you supposed to be looking for? What are you supposed to say? This session will tell you what you need to know to critique the various genres of fiction and nonfiction books and articles.

8PM EST
Faith in Fiction with Maya Bonhoff and Karina Fabian

Award-winning authors, Maya and Karina, will discuss incorporating real and imaginary religions into your fictional world.

How to create new religions, how to write about real ones respectfully, incorporating details. 

A handout will be posted, and questions taken during a chat.


FRIDAY - OCTOBER 17

10 AM EST

 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.

1PM EST
Meet Deron Douglas - Publisher of Double Dragon Publishing
Find out what books DDP seeks, what makes the cut and what doesn't. You'll have an hour with the publisher so begin jotting down your questions now.

4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


7PM EST

Dialogue Workshop with Devon Ellington

Dialogue is meant for the ear, but written for the eye.  Learn to make your characters’ words sing on the page and enchant your readers.  We will spend the week doing daily 1-2 page exercises building techniques for creating dialogue, cutting out the boring bits, eavesdropping, using cadence to define character, and building from scene to scene.  There will be daily assignments, a mix of participants bringing in scenes on which they’ve worked and creating new material.  Those who have taken the workshop previously can use last year’s workshop as a building block; those who are new to the workshop don’t need to feel as though they’ve missed anything.

This is a week-long online workshop.  The online chat is IN ADDITION to the workshop.  We are not doing actual exercises in the online chat; we are discussing tips, techniques, and process.

8PM EST
World Building with Karina Fabian

EPPIE-winner Karina Fabian (www.fabianspace.com) guides you through creating realistic worlds you'll want to write about and your readers will want to read more of.  You'll be given questions to guide you in imagining your world, suggestions for modeling your world on current or historical worlds, and exercises to make your worlds seem real.  Karina has three major universes she's created to play in and has even created a website for her Dragon Eye, PI world.  (Come visit at www.dragoneyepi.net.)

9PM EST

How to Sell to Yourself

with VS Grenier

It‘s more than writing a good story or article when it comes to being noticed by publishers and editors. Think about it, how many bad books are out there making money? How many awful articles have you read in recent publications? Do you wonder how these writers are getting published and you’re not? Do you think it has to do with the catch 22 system? In some ways it does, but knowing how to sell yourself is key. You’re not just a writer, you’re a Salesman! And the product you’re selling is Yourself!

VS Grenier’s background in merchandise marketing has played a key role in how she sells herself as a writer and editor. Her ezine, Stories for Children Magazine wouldn't be making the head way it has over the past year if it wasn't for the tips she’s learned in marketing product.

As writers we are a product, not just our books. Many writers aren't successful because they don't know how to sell themselves; let a lone their writing. In this workshop we’ll cover:

·        Query and Cover letters

·        Writing a Synopses

·        Websites

·        Blogs

·        Newsletters

·        Marketing Strategies

1.    FREE Media Releases

2.    Cross Promotion

3.    Book Signings

4.    School Visits

5.    Word of Mouth


SATURDAY - OCTOBER 18

2PM EST

Epublishing and the YA market with Kim Baccellia

So you want to write YA? Writing the book is the easy part.  Kim Baccellia will share some things she's learned from epublishing her YA multicultural book, EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA. With either a small press or epublisher, it's up to the author to do the marketing.  She will share some things she learned on PR and how to get the buzz out there on your book.  Also she will share from her reviewer experience, trends she's seeing in upcoming YA.

Kim Baccellia is the author of the YA book EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA.  She's also a YA reviewer for Enchanting Reviews and has been a panelist for the Cybils-Children/YA blogger literary awards-for the past two years in which she helped judge over 100 books.  Currently she's working on a tween fantasy/romance.  Her website is www.kim-baccellia.com


4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


SUNDAY - OCTOBER 19

1PM EST

BEFORE COPY EDITING with Claudia Suzanne

 

Misplacing a comma or dangling a participle won't knock you out of the land-a-publisher contest -- but poor structure and static writing will.

 

Poor structure is the number one reason nonfiction books don't sell. It's the number one reason for novels, too, except in fiction, structure is called plot and characters. 

 

The number two reject reason for all books? Static writing. More than "show, not tell," more than active verbs and lyrical passages, static writing is all about  phrasing and ridding yourself of those academic "rules" you learned in school that no longer apply in 21st Century prose.

 

Learn how to correct your structure and brighten your prose from Claudia Suzanne, a ghostwriter who's worked on over 100 books -- including NY Times Bestsellers, award-winning novels, and her own internationally acclaimed title, This Business of Books (5th Edition in progress).

4PM EST

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


8PM EST

Secrets of the Professional Freelancer with Bev Walton-Porter

Jump-start your freelance writing career; STOP dreaming and start DOING. There are NO aspiring writers -- if you write, then you ARE a writer. The only question is at what level are you writing: Novice -- intermediate -- professional? This workshop can help writers of all experience levels revamp and retool their methods and approach to freelancing.  

In her real-time workshop and all week long in the forum, you'll learn how to:

* Avoid the biggest mistake made by new freelancers

* Generate salable article ideas on a consistent basis

* Master the query letter - each and every time!

* Diversify your writing for more sales 

* Effectively target appropriate markets for your work

* Use rejection letters as a motivational tool

* Determine if you're ready to make the leap to full-time freelancer

Have specific questions about writing you'd like answered? Bev welcomes any and all questions about writing and publishing in general, from freelancing articles to authoring nonfiction and fiction books. What do YOU want to know about? Drop by and ask!


9PM EST
Writing the Short Story with Lea Schizas

For the entire week we'll explore various areas each day:
  • Why you need a great beginning
  • What makes for a memorable character
  • Using dialogue to move your story forward and removing taglines
  • Wrapping up your foreshadows for a satisfying ending
  • Finding a publisher-the do's and do not's
During our chat workshop, the entire hour will be devoted to answering questions so make sure you have your questions ready.

10PM EST
Conference Farewell Party

ALL WEEK FORUM
The all week forum will consist of individual workshop rooms for each of the Presenters courses. The link to the private forum and its password will be given once registration for workshops have concluded.

A Blueprint for Your Creative Space through the Power of  Feng Shui with Anna Maria Prezio, author of "Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster"

Do you know where your most creative and productive areas of your house or office are located?

Do you know your most auspicious colors? How, when and where to use them?

A small change in your office or home work area can make the difference from being blocked to a creative flow.

The Principles of Feng Shui can help you call in the Muse and allow your intuitive power to manifest abundant creativity.

Power and Prosperity through Feng Shui and Color, a special report, will be provided to guide you through the process.

Creative space helps us connect to our innermost artistic creativity.  You'll know at least one way to harmonize your chi so that

your creativity can flow easily and effortlessly.

Get rid of those pesky ghosts that are holding you back from creating your materpiece.

Bonus: "Ten Rules to a Serene & Ghost-Free Environment" from Anna Maria's new book, "Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster"


Adding Suspense with Authors J.D. Webb and Pepper Smith

Want a little more pizzazz on that page?  Get hands-on, practical experience in turning the mundane into something more in this week-long workshop.

The Art and Science of Self-Publishing with Susan K. Stewart

Whether your book is for a small niche market or a broad audience, it is easier than ever before to self-publish a quality product. Susan provides details of publishing for an audience smaller than 50,000; smaller even than 500. She covers building a quality product, cost, and marketing.

BEFORE COPY EDITING with Claudia Suzanne

 

Misplacing a comma or dangling a participle won't knock you out of the land-a-publisher contest -- but poor structure and static writing will.

 

Poor structure is the number one reason nonfiction books don't sell. It's the number one reason for novels, too, except in fiction, structure is called plot and characters. 

 

The number two reject reason for all books? Static writing. More than "show, not tell," more than active verbs and lyrical passages, static writing is all about  phrasing and ridding yourself of those academic "rules" you learned in school that no longer apply in 21st Century prose.

 

Learn how to correct your structure and brighten your prose from Claudia Suzanne, a ghostwriter who's worked on over 100 books -- including NY Times Bestsellers, award-winning novels, and her own internationally acclaimed title, This Business of Books (5th Edition in progress).


Book Marketing on the Internet with Denise Cassino

So, you’ve written a book and shopped it around to a load of publishing houses only to be rejected over and over. Now it sits. You’re considering self self-publishing, print on demand, and going it alone. That’s great, but once the book is in print, what do you do then? This workshop is about how market your book online.


Bring Your Characters to Life with Jan Verhoeff

Bring your characters to LIfe...with dialogue in five steps.

Rip Roaring
Page Turning
Edge of the Seat
Heart Stopping Dialogue
Steals the Story!


Building Your Author Platform

with Jamie Engle and Pauline Baird Jones

“Author Platform” is one of the buzz phrases floating around publishing houses. Besides looking at how well-written a book is, editors are looking at the author’s platform, or how well they’re connected to their community of readers. They’re looking to see if the author has a built-in audience - a community they can tap - for book sales and promotion. We’ll discuss what exactly an author platform is, how you begin to build one and how your platform ties in to book promotion and sales.

 

BURN THOSE BUNNY SLIPPERS & BECOME THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE!

with Susanne Rose

This workshop is for anybody contemplating chucking their day job to become a full-time writer and will benefit those who have already taken the plunge but feel like they're going in futile circles instead of progressing toward publication. 

Be sure to download the handout to find suggestions for homework and join us for the workshop to explore these topics and more:

Why it's important to dress for success and treat writing like a "real" job

How to look and sound like a pro from the very first day 

What's the difference between a goal and a dream?  How to set realistic benchmarks to measure your progress

How to ensure you'll keep that daily appointment with yourself and produce a quota of words/pages even when the muse is on strike 

Facing the fear of rejection and submitting what you write

Making sure all your eggs aren't in the same basket (i.e. not submitting to just one type of market that might disappear without warning)

I look forward to working with you at THE MUSE 2008 ONLINE WRITERS CONFERENCE!

Susanne Rose


Celtic Magic with Kim Richards

Stories with a Celtic flavor, whether they are fantasy, romance or any other genre, need to ‘get the magic right’.  What’s a writer to do when the web presents conflicting information, laden with opinions?

Presenter, Kim Richards has waded through all that for you. She has written a chapter on Celtic Magic in an upcoming book about writing magic to be released this fall from Dragon Moon Pres.  This workshop, based upon that chapter, gives an overview of types of Celtic magic and discusses the uses of spells, runes and ancient Celtic life. Topics include: druidism, symbolism, tree runes and more.


Creating a Fiction Submission Package with June Diehl

First – Are you ready to submit your work to a publisher? If so -- Where do I find a publisher’s submission guidelines? What should you include in your submission to a publisher? Do you need a query letter? Synopsis? Chapter-by-chapter outline? Why do publishers want an outline? What is a tag line and how do I use it? What should I say if I’ve never been published? What should be on your submission checklist? Bring plenty of questions to help make your submission a successful one!


Creating An Impressive Writing Website

With Linda Jo-Martin

This workshop will contain basic and intermediate level information on setting up and organizing a website or blog to promote your writing. Participants can ask questions about web design, search engine optimization, website content, blogging, or any other aspect of owning and developing a writer's website.


 Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile

Stuck? Do you have a poem that seems like it just won’t spring to life? Are you trying to complete your first chapbook? Whether you have a draft, a note, an idea, or an image, you can move your work forward. Join creativity coach Lisa Gentile for a 5 day workshop on busting through creative blocks. You will have the opportunity to generate new poems, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what your material is telling you.

Creating Stories to Reshape our Lives with Chandra Ghosh Jain

We are motivated to take decisions, consciously or otherwise by the stories we hear or repeatedly tell. Stories we tell about ourselves and those that other people tell about us deeply affect how we live. When other people talk about us it is often termed gossip. And even the toughest of our celebrities are not immune to it.

Telling our stories of pain once or twice is healing. Repeating these tales makes us allow one part of our lives determine how we see ourselves. Stories personal or cultural shape our perceptions. In fact stories of the collective often slide into dogma and propaganda when viewed from one perspective. There is a truth in the saying 'The people who tell the story shape our culture.'

 Historically many retold stories slip from pain and suffering into inciting violence against another religious sect. So we witness so many cultural and ethnic clashes the world over.

  Stories help us to heal- it tells us of how to find strength to rise above this and how we want to put an end to cruel and endlessly retaliatory world.

The workshop will be divided into interactive sections on:

  1. Folktales and their influence on our lives
  2. Classics and Us
  3. Retelling a dream

Dialogue Workshop with Devon Ellington

Dialogue is meant for the ear, but written for the eye.  Learn to make your characters’ words sing on the page and enchant your readers.  We will spend the week doing daily 1-2 page exercises building techniques for creating dialogue, cutting out the boring bits, eavesdropping, using cadence to define character, and building from scene to scene.  There will be daily assignments, a mix of participants bringing in scenes on which they’ve worked and creating new material.  Those who have taken the workshop previously can use last year’s workshop as a building block; those who are new to the workshop don’t need to feel as though they’ve missed anything.

This is a week-long online workshop.  The online chat is IN ADDITION to the workshop.  We are not doing actual exercises in the online chat; we are discussing tips, techniques, and process.


Epublishing and the YA market with Kim Baccellia

So you want to write YA? Writing the book is the easy part.  Kim Baccellia will share some things she's learned from epublishing her YA multicultural book, EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA. With either a small press or epublisher, it's up to the author to do the marketing.  She will share some things she learned on PR and how to get the buzz out there on your book.  Also she will share from her reviewer experience, trends she's seeing in upcoming YA.

Kim Baccellia is the author of the YA book EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA.  She's also a YA reviewer for Enchanting Reviews and has been a panelist for the Cybils-Children/YA blogger literary awards-for the past two years in which she helped judge over 100 books.  Currently she's working on a tween fantasy/romance.  Her website is www.kim-baccellia.com


eTreasures Publishing

Come and meet Vickie Kennedy and some of her authors all week long and find out what eTreasures seeks in manuscripts.

Exhibiting at Trade Shows and Book Fairs on a Shoestring Budget with Carol J. Amato

Exhibiting at trade shows and book fairs is a great way for any author to get exposure for his or her work, but doing so can be prohibitively expensive.  How can you take part in these professional events and keep your wallet intact? This session shows you how to be a force at these shows and how to have a great-looking booth on a shoestring budget.


Fine Tuning the Senses with Jane Bernard


Fine Tune Your Writing with Patrika Vaughn

Patrika will cover the 7 most common problems that keep manuscripts from being accepted (fiction or nonfiction), and how to avoid or cure them.


Frugal Writer's Guide to Web Sites with Susan K. Stewart


"Green" Your Writing for Profit and Posterity with Lisa Logan

Profit, profit, PROFIT! As writers we all want it. Author promotion consultant and home/writing environmentalist Lisa Logan discusses how writers of all genres can utilize eco-friendly methods of writing, submitting, and promoting their work to increase profits, expand target audience...AND save the planet! An absolute must for writers looking to spike their profit margin, protect the environment...or both.

Hard and Soft Science Fiction; how they differ from other literary forms and how they are similar with J. Jacobs Richards

Write-up:  J. will respond to questions and comments regarding the elements of solid science fiction (hard and soft) in its basic forms.  Remember, there are no such things as dumb questions, only dumb answers.  Any sort of commentary is welcomed as long as it deals with subject matter as defined in the title of this forum.


Helpful Editing/Grammar Tips With Dr. Bob Rich

Join Dr. Bob Rich for a weeklong workshop to help you tighten your manuscripts.


“Hooking Your Fiction Readers on Page One”

with Book Doctor Anita D. McClellan http://www.anitamcclellan.com

In the opening segment centered on published fiction, we explore as readers how and why we react to opening lines as we do. Then we are going to consider willing and anonymous participants’ first pages (250 words maximum) of original, unpublished, long or short fiction for general readers in order to see where these pages lead us as readers. By the end, you will have a sense of how to hook your reader on your page one. You may choose at any point to join the discussion of a first page. You may also find that just reading, thinking, and listening is enough for you to determine how to hook readers on your fiction’s first page.


How to Critique Like a Pro with Carol J. Amato

So you’ve joined a critique group and you’re reading or listening to the other members’ manuscripts. What are you supposed to be looking for? What are you supposed to say? This session will tell you what you need to know to critique the various genres of fiction and nonfiction books and articles.


HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.

By Margot Finke

Mid Gades and YA 

Make sure that final polish is throughout your manuscript:

Let’s chat about, VOICE, CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS

And that’s just the beginning. . .

<><><><><><>

Picture Books

If you are writing in rhyme:

Make sure the meter is smooth and repeated.

And then, there are those rhyming words. . .

Just rhyming is NOT enough!!

<><><><><><>

Non Rhyming PBs

Keep the word count WAY under 1,000 words

Always think “illustrations”

Don’t waffle on!

REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.

<><><><><><>

There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT


How to Sell to Yourself with VS Grenier

It‘s more than writing a good story or article when it comes to being noticed by publishers and editors. Think about it, how many bad books are out there making money? How many awful articles have you read in recent publications? Do you wonder how these writers are getting published and you’re not? Do you think it has to do with the catch 22 system? In some ways it does, but knowing how to sell yourself is key. You’re not just a writer, you’re a Salesman! And the product you’re selling is Yourself!

VS Grenier’s background in merchandise marketing has played a key role in how she sells herself as a writer and editor. Her ezine, Stories for Children Magazine wouldn't be making the head way it has over the past year if it wasn't for the tips she’s learned in marketing product.

As writers we are a product, not just our books. Many writers aren't successful because they don't know how to sell themselves; let a lone their writing. In this workshop we’ll cover:

·        Query and Cover letters

·        Writing a Synopses

·        Websites

·        Blogs

·        Newsletters

·        Marketing Strategies

1.    FREE Media Releases

2.    Cross Promotion

3.    Book Signings

4.    School Visits

5.    Word of Mouth

This is a week long workshop where each member will share ideas, writing exercises, and much more, with a virtual chat on Friday, October 17th at 9pm to 10pm Est.


How to turn your poetry into a saleable chapbook with Magdelena Ball

This workshop will cover all aspects of polishing and organising poetry into a chapbook sized collection with cover and endnotes, submitting it for publication, or self-publishing (both options explored and information and tools provided), collaborations with artists, and promoting.  If you're a poet, this is the workshop you need to attend to turn that wonderful poetry into something concrete and saleable.  If you've got at least 20 poems ready for publication, this workshop could end up with you having a book for sale on Amazon!


It’s All About You! Writing Personal Stories with Carol Celeste

Everyone has stories to tell and there are many ways to tell them. This workshop will focus on the personal essay. Personal essays are articulate, insightful stories from our lives, narrated in enticing prose to entertain and inform readers, whether family or the public. Writing our stories frees up buried emotions and thoughts, giving rise to epiphanies about how we have lived our lives. And it’s good for our health! In this workshop you will learn tips for writing personal essays that satisfy the writer through self-exploration and entertain the reader by using literary techniques. If publication is your goal, you'll learn how to identify print and online publications that publish what you write and how to submit your work. A daily writing prompt will be posted on the forum. Forum and chat.

The Magic of Magic:

How to Create (and use) a Magic System with Christina Barber

Join award-winning, multi-published author, Christina Barber on the wondrous journey of creating your own magic system.

Learn how to use ancient mythologies or other systems of magic to bend, shape and create your own unique system of magic. Whether for use in epic fantasy, dark fantasy, contemporary fantasy or futuristic (sci-fi blend), this class will help you create your own magic!

Laugh, your short story needs it with Ron Berry

Have a knack for writing short stories? But, does the opening grab the attention of the reader? Do your readers fall asleep reading them? I’ll help you with a few tricks I’ve learned about how to add that needed punch. Need ideas for short stories? I can help there also. If you write stories only about one or two topics, why not branch out? Expand your comfort zone into areas you know about but don’t realize. You’re the expert at lasagna, but what about that time it landed on the floor? To save embarrassment, write it third person, blame the cat. There’s a million stories out there. Help us write them.

Magic Ink with Raven Bower

Learn the ins and outs, do’s and don’ts of writing the screenplay. This
workshop will cover the basics:

Format
Story Telling in Movies
The differences between novel writing and writing the screenplay
What Hollywood means by High Concept
Characters
Voice
Who to contact once your screenplay is done

This will be an open and casual class in which your questions and
discussions are encouraged.

Making Money Between Books---either between book sales or waiting for that first book sale!

with Loree Lough and Robin Bayne

Loree Lough and Robin Bayne discuss ways writers can sell articles, essays, devotionals and other works to earn money between book sales. Revising and reselling can be a profitable venture for a writer.


Managing your Book Writing Business with Pauline Baird Jones and Jamie Engle

While mastering the art and craft of writing is critical to being a successful author, it is also important for authors to realize - *before* they enter the marketplace - that an author is also a small business owner. Effective business management can help prevent mistakes that can lead to loss of money, time and/or loss of control of intellectual property rights. Come explore the business side of writing as we discuss crafting your business plan, market research, accounting and taxes, creating good will, building an author platform and finding your fit in the publishing world.

Media Room Basics with Karina Fabian

If you don't have a media room on your author's website--or if you're not letting the site itself do that for you, you are missing on a cheap, easy and important part of advertising.  This seven-day course will walk you through the basics of your media room, for its look to its content.  Karina will post the lessons and take questions. She will critique 5 rooms at the end of the workshop. (first-come, first-served, sigh-up on first day of conference)

Meet Vivian Zabel - Publisher of 4RV Publishing

You'll get an opportunity to find out what 4RV Publishing is seeking in ways of storylines. You'll have an opportunity to grill the publisher and some of her staff all week long.

Meet Dindy Robinson - Publisher of Swimming Kangaroo Books

Ask the Swimming Kangaroo Books? What do we look at when we consider manuscripts? What kind of query letters do we like? Does flattery get the writer everywhere?

Meet Rob Preece, publisher of Booksforabuck

Rob Preece will be available all week answering questions on what a publisher looks for in a manuscript. Booksforabuck accepts various genres and he'll be available to answer all of your questions.

Meet the organizers and authors of Novel Sisterhood

Novel Sisterhood’s mission is to provide a place for our members to get to know one another. We strive to help all members learn more about the writing industry, whether they are interested as a reader or want to become better writers. We aspire to provide a friendly place to share, find support and make life-long friends.

Our authors are all genre’s and walks of life. We band together to help each other with support, workshops, mentorship and a critique group.

Chat group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/novelsisterhood/

Smaller Mentor group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/novelsisterhoodmentor/

Critique group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NovelSisterhoodCritique/

Discussion/Workshop group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Novel_Sisterhood_Discussions_Workshops/

web site

http://www.novelsisterhood.com

and our blog

http://novelsisterhood.blogspot.com/

 Our authors will attend to offer the opportunity to tell other writers their background, how they became a writer, what obstacles they had to overcome to get where they are. We will be available for questions all week long.


Meet Rhonda Parrish - Publisher of Niteblade Magazine

Rhonda Parrish, the founder and editor of Niteblade Fantasy and Horror Magazine is ready, willing and able to answer all your questions about the magazine. What makes her happy as an editor, what makes her sad, the difficulties, the triumphs – cliché as it may be, the sky is the limit. Find out how your submission can make it through.


On Becoming a Professional Amateur with Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

(A chat workshop and forum by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, member SFWA/HWA, multi-published author of fantasy and science fiction)

To be an amateur in the original sense of the word simply means to do something for love, though our culture has added the rider, "not for pay." An amateur writer, then, is generally taken to mean one who’s not paid for her efforts.

“Amateur” has also come to mean someone who lacks polish, skill and craft. Synonyms for “amateurish” include: unprofessional, sloppy, inept, slipshod, clumsy, crude. That doesn’t sound good.

To me, being a truly amateur writer—a lover of writing—means you love your craft enough to have a professional attitude toward it, a desire to do it with the highest level of skill you can. So, how do you make your craft reflect true amateurism and not the other kind? By weeding out the signs of amateurism and cultivating craft.

In this workshop, I'd like to offer some ideas on how to spot the "weeds" of amateurism in your writing, such as:

·        Sloppiness

·        Language Abuse

·        Mixed Metaphors

·        Character acrobatics

·        Black box scenes

·        Enter stage right

·        Disappearing (or uni-tasking) characters

·        Narrator as Barney or Why you should keep reading after kindergarten.

·        Serendipity

And more!

On Becoming a Successful Fantasy Author by Rosalie Skinner

Do you think you could handle being a Fantasy writer? Can you see yourself working from home, meeting deadlines that you set, choosing a target audience, meeting people, marketing, and taking control of your future? Do you love to write? Are imagination and research skills your strong points? 

Becoming a published Fantasy author has never been easier. Hundreds of new writers are published every year. Fantasy is a popular genre and the scope for new writers to break into this market is growing.

Rosalie Skinner offers insights into how she became a published Fantasy author. With her popular Fantasy series ‘Exiled: The Chronicles of Caleath’ in the hands of Enspiren Press, Rosalie shares valuable hints and tips, gathered during her journey from amateur writer to published Fantasy author.

Organize Your Writing Life with Cheryl Malandrinos

Do you wish you had more time to write?  Are you sick and tired of wading through mounds of research, unopened mail, and books to find what you need for your next writing project?  Does the thought of meeting a deadline stress you out?  Then this is the workshop for you!  You’ll find ways to increase productivity through time management, organization, and stress management.  You’ll get tips on how to avoid distractions, how to balance your career and your family life, create an organized work space, and how to relieve stress so that you can make the most out of your writing time.  This and so much more when you register for Organize Your Writing Life today!

 

Kennedy New Media Presents:

Podcasts, Websites, and Virals, Oh My!

-How New Media Can Improve Your Business-
 

In today’s world of technology just about everyone has a computer and just about everyone who has a computer has the internet. With the ever-falling price of technology plus our increasing dependence on it, not taking advantage of what it has to offer isn’t just viewed as being “old-school” or “purist.” It’s viewed as being behind the times or even being obstinate. On the other hand those who embrace new technology are called trendsetters and visionaries. They are crowned internet celebrities and awarded the all-important commodity – popularity. Popularity sells books, merchandise and some have even parlayed it into acting, writing, or even full movie productions.

There is little to lose and much to gain from exploring New Media. The good news is, even in the worst case scenario you are still better off than you were. But how do you do this? It’s much simpler than you think. You do not need to be a technical guru nor do you need to have a web-designer on hand. If you can type in a word processor, you can run a website. If you can put your thoughts down on paper, you can have a podcast. If you have a video camera, you can make a viral video that can potentially make your face, product, or brand known to the masses. 

This workshop will address the basics of how to break in to new media. It is aimed at those who are new to new media as well as those who have a moderate level of exposure. Those attending the workshop will receive a free one-hour consultation and assessment courtesy of Kennedy New Media.

Tim Kennedy is a New Media Consultant and President of Kennedy New Media. He has helped many people take their businesses into the realm of new media. For more information and links to his work, go to www.kennedynewmedia.com.


Platform? Brand? Marketing? What are you talking about?  with Audrey Shaffer

Branding…that's sticking a hot iron curlicue on your rump, right? Leaves a mark so everybody knows who you belong to. Kind of like a tattoo, but without the pretty colors.

One part of that relates to the type of branding we're talking about:  "everybody knows".  That's what a writer needs, to be known by everybody. 

If no one knows about you, you won't have sales. Plain and simple. The time to get your name known is before you have something to sell.

Once your book comes out, you don't have much time to get it into the hands of buyers. Most traditionally published books are on the shelves three months or less. You need to have your platform established and buyers ready and waiting.  

How do you do that?

By branding and marketing yourself. 

If you self- or e-publish, you have a longer sales life. But ALL the promotional efforts are on your shoulders. When your book is released, it's a bit late to start promoting. You need to be known long before you have anything to sell. 

Audrey Shaffer has several brands. Sign up for this workshop, and learn how to build a brand of your own.


"Query Letters! Editing them perfectly for a great first impression."

with Carolyn Howard-Johnson

You've written your story, your poem, your book. What now? You've tackled your craft like a professional but when it comes to introducing yourself to the decision makers—the marketing and editing part of your work—you may show a lack of expertise with seemingly  innocuous departures from accepted procedures  Like using a cover letter when you need a query. In this Muse Online seminar, you'll learn ten things to avoid other than the obvious (that is, making grammar or spelling errors or committing the sin of including a typo! (-: ). Attendees will be encouraged to further their search for perfect marketing through great editing with Carolyn Howard-Johnson's double award-winning book The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success.


Red Rose Publishing - Meet the staff at Red Rose Publishing and ask questions about the editing process, and what they seek in manuscripts.

Wendi, publisher of Red Rose Publishing, Lea Schizas, Editor in Chief, and editors: Rochelle Weber, Marguerite Lemons, Violet Bowen, Cher, Brissa Ryan, and Belle will be around all week to answer your questions.


Short Stories - Tall Tales with Jamieson Wolf

The course is Short Stories, Tall Tales presented by Jamieson Wolf, a multi-published author. Jamieson will show you how to string several
short stories into one book. Jamieson has been a presenter since the first conference and the testimonials to his course have been A-1.
Jamieson has a few goodies in store, as well.


THE REST OF THE STORY

WRITING MIDDLES AND ENDINGS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

with Beverly Stowe McClure

You’ve written a killer query letter. The editor/agent asks to see the opening chapters. He/she loves them and says to please send the whole manuscript. Weeks (or months) later your SASE returns home with a very nice letter from the editor/agent, but she has to decline your work because…. 

The editor/agent liked your first chapters enough to ask for the rest of the story, so where did you go wrong? Join me in October, and we’ll look at ways to make those middle chapters grab the editor and not let her go until the end.

See you then.


Using Descriptions Effectively

with Margaret McGaffey Fisk

As writers, we are constantly told to avoid the white room or floating heads effect, but what exactly does that mean?  Can we throw a bunch of descriptive phrases at the scene and leave it at that?

Description, like any other writing element, is a tool to evoke emotion, ground readers, reveal subtle secrets, and perform half a dozen tasks.  It should never just sit there; it should illustrate the decisions you've made for the setting.  Crafting the description involves what to show, how to show it, how to link different elements together into a cohesive picture.  The choices you make can turn a fluffy romance into a Wuthering Heights gothic, an impending suicide into a family reborn. 

It's not enough to describe what is there.  Writers need to use every element effectively, from lighting and weather to the clutter on a workaholic's desk, as they create the scene, mood, or tension necessary for this specific story.  Telling details help distinguish your story from the next in the editor's pile.

For this week-long workshop, we will complete a set of exercises designed to explore description with an eye for identifying and emphasizing those telling details.



The Value of a Writing Forum with Linda Barnett-Johnson
 
I am the assistant editor of Long Story Short; www.longstoryshort.us
 
Last year we had fun getting to know how to overcome some of our writing problems. This conference I’ll even have more exercises on: Show Don’t Tell, Hook, Getting Ideas, Characters, Point of View, Descriptions, Senses, Resolution and Conflict and more. These are some of the things we learn in posting a story each month at Long Story Short’s Writing Forums (LSS). We have fiction, poetry and novel forums where everyone posts a story and gives feedback, then posts a rewrite; give feedback and then a final. I also send contests, call for submissions and markets each month for you to send out your work. It’s a great way to make new writing friends and get published. I look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your writing goals.

What Writers Need to Know About Publishing with Jerry D. Simmons

Publishing is an extremely competitive business and writers have a multitude of choices on how to market and publish their book. I will introduce authors to the traditional marketplace of corporate publishing, go behind the scenes of the big companies and explain how they publish and why it’s important to understand the business, how to make good decisions about publishing and marketing, ways to compete effectively for sales, how to exploit the weaknesses of the biggest New York publishers, how to attract the attention of the big publishers and how to have control of your writing and still gain access to retailers on a national basis.   

His book, WHAT WRITERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLISHING, is available on his website, www.WritersReaders.com.


Websites, Search Engines and Internet Marketing for Authors with Marshall Turner

Join Marshall Turner, President of Turner Technology, Inc. and creator of WebforAuthors.com for an open discussion on the effective use for websites, search engines and internet marketing for authors. Some of the topics will included analysis of website traffic, how search engines rank your site and how to increase visibility of your website.


Worldbuilding with Kim Richards

Creating a believable world is more important in science fiction and fantasy than any other genre.  This workshop touches on the basics a writer needs with hints and tips for enriching that world and making the creation process fun.  Expanded from last year, we have exercises and the lessons offered as a podcast.

Based off of The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction isbn:  978-189694439-5

From Dragon Moon Press.  The chapters on sub-genres and worldbuilding are by presenter, Kim Richards.


World Building with Karina Fabian

EPPIE-winner Karina Fabian (www.fabianspace.com) guides you through creating realistic worlds you'll want to write about and your readers will want to read more of.  You'll be given questions to guide you in imagining your world, suggestions for modeling your world on current or historical worlds, and exercises to make your worlds seem real.  Karina has three major universes she's created to play in and has even created a website for her Dragon Eye, PI world.  (Come visit at www.dragoneyepi.net.)


Writing News Releases with Forrest Schultz

Find out how to string your words in a news release and get attention


Writing for the Trades (How to Make Money Writing Non-fiction)

with Linda J Hutchinson

What are “the trades” and how do you make money writing for them?  Register for this intensive workshop on how to make money writing non-fiction while, like most of us, you are waiting to sell film and international rights to your bestselling novels. 

Linda J. Hutchinson has been writing for construction, parenting, volunteerism, food, and writing print and online magazines – or “trade” journals – for the past four years.  She makes a steady income writing about moving dirt, setting girders, pouring concrete, diverting traffic, getting muddy, and getting it right.  She’s been paid to write about dangerously obsolete bridges that carry up to 500,000 cars, trucks, and big rigs per day, about rocking “crack babies”, mystery meat, her family (which is not always appreciated), and most things in between.

No matter what your background, there is a “trade” journal or magazine in existence that is just waiting for your input – and they will pay you to write for them. 

What are “the trades”?  How do you write for them?  How much can you make?  (Hint:  Many of the trades pay between 10 and 30 cents per word, and pay an additional amount for photographs.)

We’ll discuss AP Style, MLA Style, Chicago Manual of Style, and the inverted pyramid.  Then we’ll take a look at where to find opportunities for your writing, how to snare the assignments, and how to approach your prey. 

We’ll also discuss how to cyber-stalk your interview subjects without pi**ing them off. 

If you’d like to see examples of what these editors are looking for, visit www.lindajhutchinson.com.  An abundance of live links to sold articles may be found on the Published Clips page.

 

Writing for Kids and Getting Published with Guardian Angels Publisher - Lynda S. Burch


Writing for the Pet Publications with Tina Trawley


Writing for Young and Old Poets with Alan Toback

Poetry ... exciting and new 

Hop on ... writing words so true

Young or old ... you will joyfully endeavor

Many a winner ... life’s rhyme speaks forever


Writing Sex  -- “Hands on”  with Kassie Burns

If you want to learn how to write an effective sex scene, come prepared to participate. Writers in this workshop will be “caught in the act” – i.e., required to write a sex scene and submit it for critique.

Kassie Burns, a multi-published author of sensual SF and fantasy romance, will conduct the workshop and offer her feedback on what you’ve written.  She will remove all identification from submissions so they will be completely anonymous to other members of the group.

The scene you submit can be from a work in progress or written just for the workshop. However, Kassie does need to receive all scenes at least a week before the workshop begins. So sign up early and she’ll send you further details on how to submit your sex scene for feedback.

Kassie Burns currently has nine published sensual novels with publishers such as Loose Id, Samhain, Changeling Press and Extasy Books. Her Web site is: http://www.kassieburns.com


WRITE THAT COZY! with Kim Smith

Have you ever wanted to write a cozy mystery? Don’t know the various parts that make cozies and capers different from their more intense suspense thriller cousins? Want to have a character sketch that will keep your paper people on track? Join in the fun as Kim Smith leads this informative workshop with discussions and writing assignments to get the bones of a cozy mystery within your grasp!

We will:

Discuss the mystery genre and its subgenres

Analyze a cozy mystery (participants should read “On What Grounds? by Cleo Coyle) and be prepared to discuss its various parts

Create a character sketch for protagonist and antagonist or villain

Set your story and discuss what works and what doesn’t

Write a plot summary of your WIP or idea and discuss

Discuss clues, red herrings, and the difference between both

Share resources for writers, offer critiques,  and discuss queries and the submission process


Writing the Short Screenplay: From Concept to “Fade Out”.

with Kristin Johnson

 

"I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter."—Blaise Pascal

Cell phone movies. YouTube videos. JibJab creations. Short films are everywhere, and unfortunately, to paraphrase Theodore Sturgeon’s Law, ninety percent of them are crap. If you’ve ever thought of creating an Internet short film sensation, or if you want to take it one step further and create a short film screenplay to shop around to producers, festivals and contests, this is the course for you. In this course, we’ll explore:

·        The good and the bad of Internet and other short films

·        How to determine if your idea can make a good short film

·        What’s off-limits in short-films (here’s a hint: nothing)

·        How to deal with backstory and exposition

·        How to write a film with no or minimal dialogue

·        Creating a short film from concept to logline to finished script

·        Submitting your short script to contests and advertising it on sites such as InkTip.com

Course Requirements:

·        Screenplay template for Word OR a scriptwriting program such as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter

·        Familiarity with script format— http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/howtoformatascreenplay has the basics, or you can Google “script format”

·        An idea that just might be expressed in five to ten minutes, or better yet, two minutes or less

·        Read your instructor’s contest finalist short screenplay “Daniel’s Letter From Heaven” and the script for the Oscar-winning short film “My Mother Dreams the Devil’s Disciples in New York

·        Watch at least two short films on the Internet. My recommendations:

a)      “That Guy,” http://la.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=30256288

b)     The Montana Meth Project ads, http://notevenonce.com/View_Ads/index.php.

c)       “Little Claus and Big Claus,” http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/little_claus_and_big_claus.html

d)     “The Tell-Tale Heart,” 1953: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4s9V8aQu4c


Write Your Bio with Sheri Gormley

Writing the Short Story with Lea Schizas


For the entire week we'll explore various areas each day:
  • Why you need a great beginning
  • What makes for a memorable character
  • Using dialogue to move your story forward and removing taglines
  • Wrapping up your foreshadows for a satisfying ending
  • Finding a publisher-the do's and do not's
During our chat workshop, the entire hour will be devoted to answering questions so make sure you have your questions ready.