BURN THOSE BUNNY
SLIPPERS & BECOME THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE!
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
Organize
Your Writing Life with Cheryl Malandrinos
Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s 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.
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?
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.
Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile
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.
Writing the Short Screenplay: From
Concept to “Fade Out”.
"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
·
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
The
Rest of the Story with Beverly Stowe McClure
Beverly will show you how to write middles and endings for children and teens
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s 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.
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,
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.
Organize
Your Writing Life with Cheryl Malandrinos
Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile
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
*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.
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.
It’s All About You! Writing
Personal Stories wiith Carol Celeste
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
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT
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.
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.
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.
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.
Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile
Platform? Brand? Marketing? What are
you talking about? with Audrey Schaffer
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"
(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!
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.
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT
How to
Critique Like a Pro with Carol J. Amato
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.
Creative Block Buster for Poetry with Lisa Gentile
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s
CHAT
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.
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
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
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT
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.
HOW TO
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN'S BOOK "HOOKS" AN EDITOR.
By Margot
Finke
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
REMEMBER: illustrations take care of the details.
<><><><><><>
There’s a LOT more to HOOKING an editor – so let’s CHAT
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!
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
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
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 RoaringBuilding 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!
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:
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.
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
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 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.
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
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
Make sure that final polish
is throughout your manuscript:
Let’s chat about, VOICE,
CHARACTER ENRICHMENT and FOCUS
And that’s just the
beginning. . .
<><><><><><>
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!!
<><><><><><>
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!
Making Money Between Books---
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.
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
Meet Dindy Robinson - Publisher of Swimming Kangaroo Books
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.
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
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.
(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!
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?
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
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.
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.
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,
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”.
"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
·
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