The Muse Online Writers Conference
The ONLY online conference of its kind!
2009 Upcoming Workshops
This page is being updated. Bookmark and come back often to see what else we'll have in store for you on October 12 - 18th.
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.
PITCH SESSIONS:
We are pleased to announce
the newest division to the Muse Online Writers Conference - PITCH SESSIONS
You'll get the opportunity to pitch to one of our publishers at an appointed
time during the conference. More details to be revealed at a later date.
The pitch will involve no more than five minutes with a publisher to present a
maximum of a 100 word pitch. Each publisher will listen to pitches from 12
writers (unless otherwise specified below) so it's a first come first served
basis. Do not send in your requests until the announcement goes out to all who
register for the conference that the Pitch Session applications are now being
considered. The date and time in EST will be given and only if you can make
that time slot should you send in an application so as not to close out this
opportunity for another writer. This site is being updated and more publishers
and information will be published.
4RV Publishing
Mon - Oct 12 - 9pm EST
Sat - Oct 17 - 9am EST
Publisher - Vivian Zabel
Submission guidelines
2 hour Pitch Sessions - 24 spots
Novels: mystery (all sub-genres, but no graphic violence), romance (no graphic sex), mainstream, historical, Christian, sci-fi, fantasy, action/adventure
Nonfiction
Young Adult
Junvenile/middle grade books
Children's books
Black Velvet Seductions
Sunday - October 18 - 2pm EST
Publisher - Laurie Sanders
Submission Guidelines
1 Hour - 12 spots
Genres: Romance and its sub-genres. Please read their guidelines.
Breathless Press
2 1-hour sessions - 24 spots
Monday Oct 12 - 2pm EST
Wednesday Oct 14 - 12pm EST
Genres: We are looking for manuscripts that fall into (but are not limited to one) either: romance or erotic (or any subgenre of the two). We also accept m/m stories.
Submission Guidelines
Caryn Wiseman - Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Thursday - Oct 15 - 12pm EST (9am Pacific time)
1 hour = 12spots
Children's books
Caryn has been an Agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. since early 2003, and has sold over 85 books. She handles children's books only: young adult and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction, chapter books, and picture books (fiction and non-fiction).
Caryn's particular interests include: humorous chapter books and middle-grade fiction; "boy" books; YA that falls at the intersection of commercial and literary; YA that is edgy without being gratuitous; non-institutional biography and other unique nonfiction for children and teens; and African-American and Latino-themed literature in all children's and teen age groups. She would love to see more contemporary multicultural MG or YA fiction�books that deeply explore another culture, as well as books in which the ethnicity of the character is not the issue; magical realism, urban fantasy, or fantasy that is very much based in reality (no maps needed); sports fiction that has a hook other than the sport, for girls and boys; page-turning thrillers; and realistic fiction with an environmental theme. She is always open to terrific children's work that doesn't fit these categories, however. For fiction, a fresh, unique voice is paramount. A literary bent to a well-crafted commercial story in which ordinary characters find themselves in extraordinary situations would capture her attention. She loves nonfiction that reads like fiction; that has a great "story behind the story". She does not represent adult projects at all. Please do not query her regarding adult work.
Crescent Moon Press
Monday - Oct 12 - 9am EST
Wednesday - Oct 14 - 1pm EST
Friday - Oct 16 - 9pm EST
Three 1 hour Pitch Sessions - total=36 spots
Genres: romantic science fiction, fantasy and paranormal
Submission Guidelines
Damnation Books
Friday - Oct 16 - 6:30pm EST
1 hour Pitch Session - total=12 spots
Eternal Press
Wednesday - Oct 14 - 8pm EST
1 hour Pitch Session - total 12 spots
Freya's Bower
Monday - October 12 - 1pm EST
Publisher - Marci Baun
will be hosting Wild Child Publishing pitches at the same time
Submission Guidelines
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: An erotic and romance publisher, Freya's Bower has been in business since March 2006. You will find straight erotica, straight romance, and romantic erotica in nearly every genre.
Freya's Bower's titles can be purchased at Fictionwise, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon, and at Freya's Bower.
Known for quality, Freya's Bower publishes some of the finest romance and erotica on the Internet.
Weaving passion into words -Freya's Bower.
Larsen Pomada Literary Agency
Wednesday Oct 14 - 2pm EST
Agent: Laurie McLean
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: Fiction and Nonfiction. Please check their guidelines.
Check Laurie McLean's guidelines before sending your pitch.
"I handle adult genre fiction and middle grade/young adult children's books. I prefer email submissions of the first ten pages followed by a 1-2 page synopsis in the body of your email. I do not open attachments unless I request them. I try to reply to email queries within four weeks, although that could lengthen if I am out of town or especially busy. Like I am now. Please add an extra couple of weeks to my regular time as I am swamped with submissions.
Query my colleagues Michael Larsen for non-fiction and Elizabeth Pomada for
literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction/romance, narrative
non-fiction/memoir, historical fiction and mysteries at larsenpoma@aol.com
Lyrical Press
October 14 - Wednesday
6pm EST
Publisher: Renee Rocco
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Check their submission guidelines
Genres:Lyrical Press, Inc. is a New York based small press owned by the husband and wife team of Frank and Renee Rocco. Our goal is to provide authors with a reliable and pleasant home for their books and offer readers an eclectic mix of quality titles. LPI publishes in both electronic format and Print On Demand for select titles over 70,000 words.
Sites:
http://www.lyricalpress.com
http://www.onceuponabookstore.com/
http://lyricalpress.com/Forums/index.php
http://lyricalpress.blogspot.com/
The MacGregor Literary Agency
Thursday - Oct 15 - 7pm EST
Literary Agent - Chip MacGregor
Submission Guidelines
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Morrigan Books
Saturday - Oct 17 - 1pm EST
Publisher - Mark S. Deniz
Submission guidelines
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: We are prepared to consider all forms of dark fiction works, including - but not limited to: Young adult, urban fantasy, psychological horror, supernatural tales and dark fantasy.
Red Rose Publishing -
Wednesday - Oct 14 - 9am EST
Head Content Editor - Ansley Blackstock
Submission guidelines
I hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: Romance and its sub-genres - mystery - fantasy - dark fiction - chick lit - Interracial
Samhain Publishing
Tuesday Oct 13
2pm EST
Submission guidelines
Submissions Editor -Lindsey Faber - Managing Editor
1 hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: all genres of romance and erotica, as well as fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction with strong romantic elements
Wild Child Publishing
Monday - October 12 - 1pm EST
Publisher - Marci Baun
Submission guidelines
will be hosting Freya's Bower Publishing pitches at the same time
Genres: Wild Child Publishing, a mainstream publisher and parent company of Freya's Bower, has been online since September 1999. Since its inception, Wild Child Publishing's goal has been to offer high quality, entertaining reading material. We love a well-written, fast-paced story that compels us to finish the tale to find out what happens.
We focus on quality, and our catalog reflects that. While not large, it's growing, and our readers are very happy with our books. Willing to take a chance on good material, you won't find what we have anywhere else. Exciting, fresh, frightening, gripping are just a few of the adjectives used to describe our books. Step into our world - the world of the wild child.
Break free -read wild!
White Rose Publishing
Friday - Oct 16 - 3pm EST
Senior Editor - Nicola Martinez
Submission guidelines
1 Hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: We publish inspirational romance in lengths between 7500 and 100,000 words:
We consider all romance sub-genre, however every story must focus on the romance and must also feature a strong faith element.
The Wild Rose Press
Sunday - Oct 18 - 10am EST
Editor-in-Chief - Rhonda Penders
Submission guidelines
1 Hour Pitch Session - 12 spots
Genres: all romance genres. We only
publish romance but we have paranormal, erotic, sweet, and everything in
between. We publish short stories and full-length novels. Our short
stories are electronic only, but anything over 65K goes to print as well.
TWILIGHT TIMES BOOKS
Wed - Oct 14 - 9pm EST
Publisher: Lida Quillen
I hour pitch session: 12 spots
historical, literary, mainstream, New
Age, YA and non-fiction books.
http://twilighttimesbooks.com/subs.html
Paladin Timeless Books
fantasy, mystery, paranormal romance,
SF/F, SF romance and suspense
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. Info is updated often as Presenters information is received.
PUBLISHERS/EDITORS:
4RV Publishing:
Come and meet the publisher, editors, and writers of 4RV Publishing, nominated 4th in the Preditors & Editors 2008 Voting Polls. Find out what they seek.
Vivian Zabel, publisher
Janelle Zabel, vice-president
Jacque Graham, head of editorial department
Beth Reinke, author of A Wish and A Prayer, In My Bath
Aidana WillowRaven, art director, illustrator
Beverly Stowe McClure, author of Just Breeze Crystalee Calderwood, Angeline Jellybean,
Crystalee Calderwood, author of Angeline Jellybean
Caelaach McKinna, author of Lion in the Living Room
Elysabeth Eldering, author of State of Wilderness, State of Quarries
Holly Jahangiri, author of Trockle John Lance, soon to be released Priscilla Holmes Ace Detective,
John Lance, author of Priscilla Holmes Ace Detective
Katie Hines, author of Guardian
Kevin Scott Collier, author of Whispering Wally
Mandy Hedrick, illustrator of Alistair by Harry Porter
Nancy Sharpe, author of If Wishes Were Fishes Nikki Shoemaker, illustrator soon Lemur Troops and Critter Groups
Nikki Shoemaker, illustrator of Lemur Troops and Critter Groups
Booksforabuck.com - meet Rob Preece, publisher of Booksforabuck.com
Breathless Press: Come and meet the publisher, editors, and authors of Breathless Press all week and ask them writing questions:
Justyn Perry - Publisher of Breathless Press
Rochelle Weber - Head of Editorial and author of Futuristic/Contemporary Romance
Honoria Ravena - Acquisitions Editor and author of Paranormal Romance
Mary Corrales - author of Contemporary Erotica
Shiela Stewart - author of Paranormal Romance
Crescent Moon Press: Publisher of Romantic Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Paranormal is pleased to offer a series of one day workshops by its award winning author.
"Isabo and
Leanna's Chaos Theory
Guide to Non-Linear Worldbuilding"
A fun and
fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants way to look at building complex, rich, and fully
realized worlds with multi-published and award winning fantasy
authors Isabo Kelly and Leanna Renee Hieber. Leanna and Isabo will
throw a bunch of delicious ingredients into a swirling soup of creativity to
get your mind out of the box and into another world!
http://www.isabokelly.com/aboutme.html
http://www.leannareneehieber.com/
"It's in the
Atmosphere"
Leanna Renee Hieber,
whose work in fantasy fiction has
been described as "so descriptive it will dance before your
eyes" (RomanceNovel.tv)
full of "ethereal, lyrical, lush prose," (Kathryn Smith, USA Today Bestselling Author) will share some tricks of
the trade and answer questions in building a compelling,
lasting atmosphere to make readers feel they're right there in the pages
with your characters.
http://www.leannareneehieber.com/
Breathing Life Into
Your Phantom
her
presentation will provide an overview of a few famous literary ghosts, and
offer tips on keeping your phantoms real. Presentor Penelope Marzec,
author of romantic ghostly tales will share her insight and inspiration on
building romantic chilling stories Conference attendees will
be encouraged to bring their own insight and stories to the
forum. http://www.geocities.com/pennyspen/
Creating Memorable Characters
Award Winning Author, Judi McCoy,
presents a workshop offering ideas on how to create characters with a past,
present, and future. Characters so meaningful your readers will
remember them long after they finish the book. www.Judimccoy.com
Using history in sci fi and fantasy in your novel.
Casandra Cade, author or Betrayed By the Gods, will lead a full day program
on how to incorporate and "edutain"
useing history as a base for sci fi and fantasy novels. http://cassandracade.com/
DON'T
KILL YOUR EDITOR with Jane Toombs, award winning
and multi published author will lead a program on the Crescent Moon Forum
entitled Don�t Kill Your Editor.
Yes, editors can be wrong. But not very
often. Like authors, they hate to be yelled at, put down or confronted
belligerently. Of course you don't do any of those things to your editor.
But do you commit any of the following nefarious acts?
1. Inadequate research?
2. Use weak inner and/or outer conflict or none
at all?.
3. Force your characters to behave in ways they
really wouldn't, or forget where they are?
4. Smear purple prose around?
5. Wallow in and out of order
sequences? .
6. Let characters all speak in the same voice?
7. Preach?
8. Be vague and flaccid?
9. Sprinkle lots of word errors around.
10. Forget some or all of the five Ws and the H
along with the five senses?
Want ten ways to remember not to make any
of these deadly mistakes? Then join Jane and she'll make sure you don't.
Damnation Books
Kim Richards - publisher
Lisa J. Jackson - Editor and author of Non-Fiction articles, Poetry, and book on local NH history
Cinsearae Santiago - author of Dark Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Horror (including Comedic Horror)
Eternal Press Publishing
Meet the editors and authors of Eternal Press Publishing:
Lisa Logan - Senior Acquisitions Editor
Sheryl Connelly - Marketing Manager
Amy Gallow - author of Contemporary & Paranormal (science fantasy) Romance
Andrew Richardson - author of Dark Fiction/Horror
Angela Lam Turpin - author of Paranormal Romance, Chick Lit, Young Adult, and Contemporary Fiction
John Bushore - author of Horror, Science Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Children's, Poetry
Trent Kinsey - author of Horror, SciFi, Paranormal
Guardian Angel Publishing
Donna M. McDine - Children's author
www.donnamcdine.com
meet the editors and authors of Red Rose Publishing all week, ready to answer your questions about the publishing house and/or the genres they write:
Lea Schizas (Head Line Editor, author of YA, Paranormal, Middle Grade, Mystery),
Raven Starr (author Liaison, author of Interracial and Paranormal IR Romance ),
Aline de Chevigny (author of Paranormal, Historical/Time Travel, Contemporary, Thriller/Suspence)
Angel Martinez (author of Erotic Fantasy, M/M Fiction),
Antonia Tiranth (author of Fantasy Romance and Erotica),
Carol Preflatish (author of Romantic Suspense),
Debra Kayn (author of Mainstream Romance),
Debra Sue Denson (author of Historical Saga - Adventure, Action, Romance)
Delilah K.Stephans (author of Paranormal)
Franny Armstrong (author of Paranormal Romantic Suspence, Paranormal Romantic Comedy, Paranormal Romance 40+)
Ginger Simpson (author of multi-genres)
Honoria Ravena (author of Paranormal Romance)
Jane Beckenham (author of Contemporary/Historical and Time Travel Romance),
Kim Smith (author of Cozy Mysteries and Romance)
Laura Breck (author of contemporary Romance/Mystery),
LaVerne Thompson (author of contemporary SciFi, Fantasy, and Interracial Romance),
Lisa Lipkind Leibow (author of mainstream fiction)
Nancy Famolari (author of mainstream Romance and Cozy Mystery),
Sally Royer-Derr (author of Romance and Romantic Suspense),
Sandra C. Stixrude ( author of mainstream Science Fiction)
Tara Newlands, (author of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy)
Twilight Times Books: Meet Lida Quillan, publisher of Twilight Times and her editors and authors all week long. Ask them specific writing questions based on the genre they write, or find out all about Twilight Times and what they are searching for:
Lida E. Quillen
http://twilighttimesbooks.com
Publisher/Executive editor
Carol A. Guy
http://www.geocities.com/cguy1943/carolguy
editor and author of Paranormal Mystery and True Crime
Dr. Bob Rich
http://bobswriting.com
editor and author of both Fiction and Nonfiction
Toby Fesler Heathcotte
http://www.tobyheathcotte.com
author of Self-help/Paranormal
Linda M. Langwith
http://www.lindalangwith.com
author of Mystery/Suspense/Timeslip
Celia A. Leaman
http://www.devonshirebabe.com
author of Literary/Mainstream/Women's Fiction
Erica Miner
http://www.ericaminer.com
author of Mystery
Beverly Stowe McClure
http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com
author of Young Adult/Children
Stephanie Osborn
http://www.stephanie-osborn.com
author of Science Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
Robina Williams
http://www.robinawilliams.com
author of Fantasy
Darrell Bain
http://www.darrellbain.com
author of Science Fiction/Humor/Mainstream
Bob Boan
http://www.bobboan.com
author of Literary fiction
Aaron Paul Lazar
http://www.legardemysteries.com
author of Mystery
Daniel C. Starr
http://danielcstarr.blogspot.com
author of SF
The White Rose Publishing staff and authors will be available
for general Q&A, etc., but will also give a short
"presentations" during the week.
Topics:
Differences & Similarities between writing inspirational contemporary and
historical romance
What is a romance?
Developing and writing a series
Promotion
The difference between CBA inspirational guidelines and "Edgy"
Christian romance
How to infuse humour into your stories.
Proposals that work
Editors & Authors:
Nicola Martinez, Senior Editor
Jamie West, Editor
Rhonda Gibson, Author
http://www.rhondagibson.com
Inspirational romance: historical and contemporary
Kara Lynn Russell, Author
http://karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/
Inspirational contemporary romance
Pamela S Thibodeaux, Author
website links: http://pamelathibodeaux.com Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
genres: Inspirational "with an Edge" romance/WF/Creative
non-fiction
Teri Wilson, Author
website links - www.teriwilson.net
genres - Inspirational, chick lit, romance for pet lovers
Come and meet the editors and authors of Wild Rose Press all week.
WORKSHOPS:
12 Stages of the Writer's Adventure with Beth Barany
In this workshop, based on The Hero's Journey, you will:
-- discover a clear path from inspiration to completion
-- gain confidence in your writing instincts
-- create more time and space to enjoy the book writing process
-- delight in the creative adventure, both its ups and its downs, and more!
Each day will have short homework, and the workshop leader, Creativity Coach, Beth Barany, will answer questions and give feedback.
To prepare, sign up and download the report here: http://writersadventureguide.com/.
Your personal Writers AdventureTM Guide, Beth Barany empowers writers to actualize their writing dreams through her classes, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. She is currently working on a young adult fantasy trilogy. An experienced teacher, she has taught writing in Paris, France and in the San Francisco Bay Area. More info at: http://www.bethbarany.com.
Adding Suspense with JD Webb and Pepper Smith
Want to add some pizzazz to your writing? Try working in a little suspense. In this week-long hands-on workshop, find out what suspense is�and isn�t. Multi-published authors JD Webb and Pepper Smith offer you the chance to learn by doing, and show you how to fine-tune your work to bring out the suspense.
Article Marketing with Jan Verhoeff
How to market your business online without Pay Per Click Advertising and Make money from your writing, over and over and over.
Assaulting A Writer's Thinking with Lea Schizas
Join me for an exciting weeklong forum where I'll assault the way your writer's mind might work...in a positive way.
Have you wanted to finish a novel in a month?
Have you felt frustrated and angry over a review or critique?
Do you feel overwhelmed at times with commitments?
Unsure if your manuscript opener is enticing and feel stuck in 'Nowhere Land'?
Do people think your main character is nothing more than a stick person?
These are just some of the areas I'll be covering and answering questions all week long.
WARNING:
I don't sugarcoat. I tell it like it is so if you feel you don't have
the stomach for this course, then you MUST register for it. I'll
toughen you up!
BEFORE
COPY EDITING with Claudia Suzanne
Improve
your writing and your chances of literary success by learning these vital
manuscript phases:
1.
How to chart and correct nonfiction structure
2.
How to plot-map and correct fiction structure and character problems
3.
How to convert passive & static voice into active prose
4.
How to convert static narration ("tell") into active demonstration
("show")
Share your manuscript or practice on sample excerpts. But be forewarned: you'll never look at writing the same way again.
BEING THE PRIME CONTRACTOR - BUILDER
OF WORLDS AND OTHER STUFF
What's this Prime Contractor
business? First, and most important,
this handout and my presence in this magnificent online conference is not
intended to teach anyone how to write science fiction or anything else. There are loads of folks who profess to be
adept at that. And I am not here to
critique anyones work, although some of my commentary may be critical, even
brutal at times. Its purpose is to help
writers avoid falling into the traps that make their stories slide into the
realm of fantasy and keep science savvy editors (there are some) from dumping
your manuscripts into the round file or punching the delete key. I am also an editor and, believe me, editors know
where that delete key is. It's also
intended to help readers know the difference between what we'll call real
science fiction and stories that use the SF heading but are far from SF. A lot of fantasy gets listed as SF and SF is
the most convenient dump in most bookstores and libraries (where they should
know better) for anything off-beat. As a
matter of curiosity, have you ever noticed how books on alien abductions,
bizarre ideas about the face on Mars, and other books like them end up in the
nonfiction sections of bookstores and libraries? Titles like My Little Brother was Eaten by
a Crazed Abdominal Snowman find their way there, too. Ya gotta wonder.
We'll also explore the language used
to help readers and writers understand some of the jargon not taught in any
schools I know of, but is used a lot in science fiction. Stuff like the
We'll be discussing the building
blocks of SF and how they are fit together to build believable worlds, and to
populate them with credible critters.
The foundations and influencing forces of intelligence and logic will be
explored. We will look at what forms
life might take in the back woods of far off (and far out) imaginary
worlds. And we'll even come up against
the "M" word. That's right - mathematics. "What," he shouted, "I need math to write
science fiction?" Well,
yeah,sometimes. But it's no different
from anything else, eh? If you�re going
to be talking about flying, you had better know something about it or have an
experienced pilot for a good friend. It
pays to have science geek friends when working in this genre, or know where and
how to look it up.
In essence, we are going to be delving into the architecture of worlds and their inhabitants, worlds of the imagination -imagination constrained within the framework of sound science. Can we do that? Sure. It only takes a bit of creative thought (what my mother used to refer to as daydreaming) and a whole lot of research or, to put it another way, how you become The Prime Contractor.
Bipolars Don't Twitch:
Mental Illness Workshop with Cathy Chance
Have a character with a
disorder? Then workshop all week with Cathy Chance and flesh your character out.
Building Blocks of Fiction Writing: Characterization and Plotting with Tambra Kendall
Creative Calisthenics with Terri Main
CRIT GROUPS 101 with Missye K. Clarke
• OVERVIEW:
--What to Scout For:
--Good Fit/Bad Fit/How To Spot
--Originally Called "Writing Groups"
• MECHANIX:
--Create One Yourself (if no groups offer the same writing you do, make your
own group).
--Not Everyone Needs a Crit Group (can get writing partners, beta-readers or
freelance editors starting out and willing to read your MS for free for a swap)
--Trial and Error (Interview them and try them out/on for size, as they're
you).
--Never Crit a Crit -- unless they're intentionally being malicious (and it
serves no use but to boot your ass (it's happened to me, but it felt good to
tell off the pompous one everyone else was dying to do but didn't.)).
--Timeframe (how long are you willing to wait through revisions/how often to
meet?)
--Always Say Thank You (yeah, even to the jerk-offs).
--How Many Groups Do You Need?
--Better to Give. . . (offer more crits than you receive)
--.. . .When Received, Let it Digest (wait a good day before replying)
--Online, In-Person, Which is For You? (depends on you/your personality).
--"Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid. . . " (take which crits make
the most sense, which that won't misunderstand your intent of the writing
rules, and toss the rest from the writers that have no ability, are clearly
beginners (even if talented), and just don't plum make any sense.) Graciously
thank them, too -- and in private, toss their notes.
• FINAL WORDS:
--Offering crits will improve your own writing. . . and not ever passive, part
of speech or lack of showing/telling is wrong. It depends on which story you're
trying to offer that'll dictate how to execute your voice, style and grammar.
• Q n A: self-'splanatory :).
Decorate Your Work with
Sprigs of Humor with Ron Berry
Even the darkest of drama’s
work better with bits of comedic relief. Let me help add that dash of laughter
or a teaspoon of smile. A good book is like a fine meal, refined, yet tasteful.
Using the laughter formula, ingredients can be added as needed. There are parts
of the main course that will repeat throughout your book, as will the other
‘chapters’. When you put that first word, that first sentence to hook the
reader, your goal is to whet their appetite, as do appetizers prior to a main
meal. With that, let us now open the cookbook and start, well, cooking.
Appetizer
As you start laying out the
story, sprinkle in one or two lines to get a smile from your readers.
Use a touch of humor as a
character or place divider.
By this I am referring to
when you finish describing one character or place and before you start another.
Not all books have this feature.
Main Course
As the action gets intense,
save your readers by a humorous interlude.
Some scenes may be hard to
show and need to only be told. Break the slowness of the flow with a laugh or
two.
Nonfiction can benefit from
humorous interludes.
Dessert
You’re near the end of a
dramatic scene; the plot has thickened and is almost solved. Increase the
suspense with a laugh.
The plot is solved; the hero
or heroine has done what needs to be done. Bring your readers back to reality
with a smile.
Hors Deouvres
If there is an epilogue, make it a bit
less serious with a simple laugh line.
Use humor to add a fine finishing touch
to the book.
Not all of the ingredients fit all books. Look for parts of your work
that can be spiced up or enhanced with a bit of humor. Many of the above
ingredients will repeat themselves throughout the book.
Dialogue Workshop with Devon Ellington
Good dialogue is one of the foundations of good
writing. This week-long workshop
consists of exercises and homework teaching techniques to provoke sparkling
dialogue that will reveal and build character, move along plot, reveal backstory,
and enhance setting. There will be daily
exercises and homework, each developing a different use of dialogue in overall
story. Participants will post short
scenes for constructive comments from both the instructor and fellow
students. This is a participatory
workshop, not a lecture.
Editing and Book Design: What Happens When You Have Finished Writing
Your Book with Jill Ronsley
What does a writer need to know when he or she has finished
writing a manuscript? If the author plans to submit to a publisher or agent, he
will probably want his text to be edited by a professional editor. What is the
role of an editor? What questions do you have about editing? If you are self-publishing
your book, what do you need to know? What are book design and typesetting? Do
you need an illustrator? How do you choose a printer? I will be available to
answer your questions, and I look forward to meeting you at the Muse Online
Writers Conference.
Jill Ronsley is an editor and book designer for small and medium-size
publishing companies and for writers. She works on nonfiction, fiction and stories
for children. Books that she has edited and designed have won awards
such as the Benjamin Franklin Award,
Foreword Magazine Award and Mom's Choice Award. Her company is Sun
Editing & Book Design (www.suneditwrite.com).
ATTENTION: Workshop would not include submitting to publishers or agents, as participants will find that information from many other experts at the conference.
Facing your
fear of writing with Tamlyn Leigh
One of the biggest obstacles on a writer's path is their fear.
It can be of anything related to writing: fear people won't like their stories,
fear they aren't good enough. In my workshop I want to offer tools to break
through that fear, and get everyone writing!
Website: http://tamlynleigh.com/
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.
Finding Your Writing Voice Through Personal Essays
with Ann Hite
How does a writer find their voice? While there are many good answers, Ann Hite suggests 'the voice' is something writers carry in their own events, their history. So, what better way to find its unique quality, than through the writing of personal essays? This class will challenge a writer to write from within, to go deep, to the bone. Attendees will be encouraged to write two personal essays and submit them for review. Critiques from Ms. Hite will be given to all essays submitted.
First Pages and the YA market with
Kim Baccellia
Most
editors and agents have one thing in common.
If the first chapter or even page of your manuscript isn't hooky enough,
then it's an automatic 'no.' Kim Baccellia will share some tips she's seen
on how to make your first page stand out.
She'll also share from her reviewer experience, trends she's seeing in
upcoming YA.
Kim
Baccellia is the author of the multicultural YA fantasy EARRINGS OF
IXTUMEA. Her YA paranormal CROSSED OUT
will be coming out later this year. She's
a reviewer for Enchanting Reviews and YA Books Central. She's also been a panelist for the Cybils-
Children and YA Blogger Literary awards-for the past three years in which she
helped judge over 100 books. Currently
she's shopping around a tween fantasy/romance and working on the sequel to
CROSSED OUT. Find out more at her
website www.kim-baccellia.com
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR YOUNG CHARACTERS
Think about the books you've read. Do you have a favorite character? If so, what is it about this particular hero or heroine that makes you remember him/her? Is it personality? Attitude? Goals?
Whether your characters are humans, animals, toys, the weather, or other, they must be characters the readers will love, hate, cheer for, boo, identify with, and remember long after they've read the final words of your story. So how do you develop characters that keep the reader glued to the pages, holding their breath to see how the hero/heroine gets out of the trouble they're in, or achieves his/her goal, or doesn't?
In my workshop, we'll discuss how to get to know your characters: their secrets, their fears, their wants, their disappointments. And they may surprise you with what they tell you. See you in October.
How To Promote When You Don't Know How with Jamieson Wolf
You've written a book and a publisher has agreed to
publish it. Congratulations! But now the real hard work begins.
Now you're going to have to promote that book.
Most authors are unaware that they will have to do
the majority of the promotion for their book themselves.
This seven day workshop will teach new and
established writers how to promote their novels using new media to get
themselves known and to establish a brand!
Some topics that will be covered will be: Twitter,
Blogging, Web Sites, Facebook, Virtual Blog Tours, Book Videos and more!
The world of the Internet is a fantastic tool for
writers; you just have to know how to harness it. That�s what this workshop is all about.
How To Promote When You Don't Know How will teach you
how to promote your work and create an author brand in new and exciting ways.
Don't know how to promote? Find out how!
www.jamiesonwolf.com or his blog www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com
How to Write Power Sentences with June Diehl
You've developed real-life characters, learned to do more showing than telling, reworked description to become woven into characters and action, know how to write hooks and cliffhangers, make use of metaphors, flashbacks, and other devices ..But what about something that is the basic of all good writing: sentence structure? What power does your writing have without the use the different types of sentences and putting them to the best use you can?
Learn how to combine lyrical and rhythmic phrases and sentences with commercial and genre fiction, work description into the action of your story, and make use of sentence structure that creates suspense. This can separate a good writer from a great writer.
HINT: Did you know that you CAN write dramatic and effective LONG sentences? Long sentences are not outdated if you know how to write ones that adds power to your writing.
How to Write Your Bio, Get a Headshot & More with Sheri Gormley
Whether you are an aspiring or published author,
your never-ending magnum opus will be your biography—and you will probably need
more than one. Unless you can afford a publicist, you will need to learn how to
put your best foot forward on your website, a book jacket, a blog or guest
appearance throughout your career. This workshop will teach you how to
"bang your own drum" with class, style and professionalism. You will
learn about:
• What to say (and not to say) about yourself
• Tailoring your bio for your audience by setting up a "snippet"
library
• Why you need a good head shot (and how to get one)
• Extending your promotional efforts with press releases
• How to write a reusable "positioning statement" (hint: it's derived
from your biography)
• Where & how to post search-engine friendly press releases for free
And much, much more! If want to learn about
professional self-promotion, you don't want to miss this workshop hosted by
Sheri Gormley.
Sheri Gormley (www.sherigormley.com) is the
Director of Marketing & Promotions at Virtual Tales (www.virtualtales.com),
a small press publisher of original eBooks, eSerials and paperbacks. She has
over 20 years experience writing executive biographies, press releases and
coordinating corporate photo shoots, videos and portrait sessions at companies
such as MTV Networks, Seiko Time, Fujitsu Microelectronics and Onboard Systems.
She lives near
Infusing
The Romance Novel With Emotional And Sexual Tension with Laurie Sanders
The
romance genre is different from other fictional genres. In the romance genre
the ending is defined by the genre (at least according to RWA definition.) We
know when we pick up a romance novel that no matter how dark it looks for the
hero and heroine at the outset, they are going to end up at the end with the
happily ever after ending.
What
this means is that readers don't read romance novels to find out what happens at
the end. Instead, they choose romance because they want to be assured of that
happy ending and they want to share vicariously in the journey of the hero and
heroine as they meet, struggle, begin to fall in love, struggle again, and
eventually overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their happily ever
after.
The
heart of the romance plot is the ebb and flow of two kinds of tension -- sexual
tension and emotional tension. It is crucial to incorporate both kinds of
tension into the romance novel.
In
this workshop we will cover the basics of both kinds of tension and how to
incorporate them.
- We will look at character, plot, and the ways
that characters and plot work together to provide the perfect atmosphere
to build emotional and sexual tension.
- Plot devices that fuel emotional and sexual
tension
- An overview of sexuality in romance novels --
sweet -- sensual -- erotic -- beyond vanilla erotic -- where does your
book fit -- where do you want it to fit?
- Spicing up a manuscript for the erotic market --
it can be done -- how?
- Sexual tension isn't just sexual -- sexual
tension has an emotional context as well -- Blending sexual and emotional
components
- Once you have the ingredients for emotional and
sexual tension -- then what?
- Deep point of view is the key -- Using deep
point of view to show internal character motivation, which builds conflict
and emotional tension -- Using deep point of view to show sexual
attraction, which builds sexual tension.
- Sexy is in the eye of the beholder -- don't be
afraid to share your view of what's sexy
- Choosing the details that show and build sexual
tension
- Choosing the details that bring in the emotional
component
- Maintaining/building sexual tension and
emotional tension after the characters have consumated their relationship
- Blending emotional/sexual tension for the happy
ever after ending your readers are craving.
Laurie
Sanders is the founder and Editor-in-Chief at Black Velvet Seductions
Publishing. She writes and lectures frequently on the use of deep point of view
as the lack of deep point of view in the manuscripts she receives is the most
common reason for rejections at her firm.
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. AVAILABLE ALSO IN CHAT - DATE & TIME NOT SCHEDULED YET
How to Get Your Screenplay Noticed in
Join award-winning horror author, Christina Barber and learn to create works that keep readers up at night. Learn to create believable monsters, tense fight scenes, and foreshadowing, which will keep your reader turning pages.
Non-Verbal Communication - How to Be Aware of and Use It
By Margaret McGaffey Fisk
While most writers use body language to some degree, often it is based on a gut-level, instinctive knowledge which limits the ability to manipulate the readers' experience in a deliberate way. At the same time, non-verbal communication has the ability to add subtlety and complexity to, and even to contradict, what the reader learns from dialogue and basic description. This workshop offers an introduction to increasing your awareness of the non-verbal signals occurring around you followed by a few exercises that hone your comfort level in using this form of communication to add depth to your writing. The exercises and your work will be posted on the forum. A related chat session (Non-Verbal Charades) will be offered on Friday Oct 16 at 1pm EST.
Note: If you took my course at Forward Motion, feel free to join in again. Though the theme is the same, I have designed new exercises for this workshop so the two build on each other rather than being repeats.
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. That doesn’t sound bad, does it?
“Amateur” has also come to mean someone who lacks polish, skill and
craft. Synonyms for “amateurish” include: unprofessional, sloppy, inept,
slipshod, clumsy, crude—none of which sounds very 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.
I'd like to offer some ideas on how to spot the "weeds" of
that bad amateurism in your writing.
Pet Writing for the Beginner with Carolyn Ettinger
You know your writing is the cat's meow, but you just can't seem to get that first freelance article published. Perhaps you're barking up the wrong tree! Pet writing is an excellent market for the beginning freelancer and animal enthusiast. This workshop will teach you where to look for article ideas, what pet publications are and aren't looking for, how to define the right market for your article, and the challenges and opportunities the pet writing market presents.
Pre-Publisher Book
Marketing with Karina Fabian
These days, it's no
longer enough to have a great book idea or even a great manuscript. More and
more, publishers are looking for authors who are ready to market--or who are
already buiding a market base. They ask about marketing in pitch sessions and
book proposals. How will you answer?
Pre-Publisher Book
marketing will look at four aspects of the marketing process that you can do
even before your manuscript is ready to submit.
We'll talk about finding and reaching your target audience, determining
your "brand" and platform, building an online presence, and putting
those ideas into a marketing approach that will tell publishers you are serious
about getting your book to readers.
Pump Up Your Opening with Earl Staggs
We've all seen them in action. Maybe you're one of
them. I'm talking about browsers. They open a book, read the first
page, then put that book aside and pick up another one. We have to face
it. If we don't hook the reader on that first page, we'll lose them.
So what does it take to hook a reader in the opening of a
book or story? Two things: good writing and the promise of a good
story ahead.
Good writing is difficult to define. We may not even
notice it when we see it, but we notice when it's not there.
The promise of a good story ahead means the reader is
enticed to continue reading to find out what happens on the next page and the
one after that.
Does the opening of your novel or story have good writing
and the promise of a good story ahead?
Let's find out. In this workshop, you can submit your
opening page -- up to 500 words of a novel or story in any genre.
The rest of us will offer comments and suggestions to help make your opening
the one browsers can't put down.
Research with Susan K. Stewart
Everything I Need to Know is on the Internet
The wealth of information on the Internet
is amazing. It’s not called The Information Super Hiway without good reason.
Research is more than a Google search. It still requires getting out of the
chair, and away from the computer.
Susan K. Stewart will take you back to
the basics of research. She will show you not just how to do Internet research,
but also how to combine it original document sources, interviews, and roaming
the stacks at the library.
Be prepared for some quick assignments to learn the skills.
"Schizophrenic Doesn't Mean Multiple Personality" with Joyce Anthony
"So, you want to be a Freelance Writer" with Bob Medak
Information and articles about the pitfalls of entering the business of freelance writing and finding work at bidding sites and online sources, possible pay and things like that.
True Lies - Writing
Covert Training and Missions for Fiction Writers with D.S. Kane
So, you're writing something
in fiction requiring black ops. Probably a thriller, but it could be anything.
What are the characteristics of a real covert operative? How do they train, and
where? Which nationalities have a 'secret police force'? Who are the best spies
in world history, and what made them memorable? This session will present answers
to those general questions, and offer you the opportunity to ask questions of
someone with a bit of first-hand expertise in the intelligence business.
Someone who writes fiction with covert operatives as the primary characters.
Specifically, this session
will cover:
The
history of Espionage;
An Overview of the World's Secret Police Forces including their organizational
structures;
Covert Training (focused on the
Personality Profiles for Spies, Assassins, Analysts, Terrorists and
Cyber-terrorists;
Tradecraft Countersurveillance, Surveillance, Cyberterrorism and Sundries;
and
How to Pace Fiction using Covert Operatives.
D. S. Kane is the pen name
of a writer who did a bit of work for the Fed, worked in four countries, and
had first-hand contact with the top management of one of the world's most
feared financial institutions. The bank in question funded terrorism and held
the accounts of most major global espionage services. As CFO of a major
Using Social Media to Attract Readers with Cheryl Corbin
Writers have to do more of their own promotion these days if they want to sell books. Fortunately, the Internet provides great opportunities for finding new readers. Learn how to use popular social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and others to find new readers and connect with them in this week-long workshop guaranteed to jumpstart your online presence.
Using TLC for Writers...to go AFTER the Money with Dyanne Davis
Visual
Storytelling for Picture Book Art with Wendy Martin
What makes a piece of art a picture book illustration? This workshop will
discuss the technical aspects of what makes a series of illustrations work in
the picture book format. Things like character consistency, page flow,
visual interest, and page turning suspense are all part of a good plan.
Participants will be asked to create a thumbnail rough of a well known fairy
tale to share with the class.
Website Makeover with C.F. Jackson
WebsiteMakeover.com
helps authors who are non techie / non web designers just like you understand
and better utilize book excerpts, subscriptions forms, book reviews and videos
on websites, to capture more subscribers, readers, and sells. We have helped
many authors generate more sells and subscribers. With Website Makeover
Workshop, you can more effectively sell online by learning how to market your
book online by creating a website with a purpose. The question is this: What if
everything you believed about your website was wrong?
And to help you
learn more about how to improve your website and achieve greater results, we're
inviting you to claim your Free Website Makeover Workshop eCourse when you
visit http://www.FreeEcourse.WebsiteMakeoverWorkshop.com
C.F. Jackson is
an author, website makeover trainer, and graduate of Georgia Southern
University with a degree in criminal justice. Originally from
When Viewpoints Stray...So Do Readers with Phyllis Campbell
"
"Whether subtly or drastically different from reality, science fiction and fantasy stories take place in their own worlds. It could be a near-future science fiction thriller based on current politics or an other-world fantasy with elves, dwarfs, and giants, but they still have elements of a world not quite our own. These worlds need rules, history, language, and geography. This workshop will discuss these topics and more as we strive to create believable worlds for our stories. "
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. If you’ve ever thought of creating an Internet (Catholic) 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 “My Mother Dreams
the Satan’s Disciples in New York”.
·
Watch at least two short films on the Internet such as “The Tell-Tale Heart,”
1953: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4s9V8aQu4c,
The Montana Meth Project ads, http://notevenonce.com/View_Ads/index.php, and
“That Guy,” http://la.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=30256288,
anything from http://www.thesmalls.com/,
as well as http://io9.com/5352238/five-short-films-that-should-get-big-screen-treatment
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
Writing a Teacher's Guide to
Accompany Your Children's Book with Carol J. Amato
Teacher's guides help to differentiate your book from the pack and open the doors to school markets and teacher's guides aren't that hard to write! Learn about different formats, how to go beyond the scope of your book, and how to find and comply with state standards. Author Carol J. Amato bring samples, tell you about easy, do-it-yourself technology that will enable you to produce professional-looking, kid-and teacher-friendly guides, explain how to publish them yourself or pitch the idea to your publisher, and provide innovative ideas on how to market them.
Writing for love and Money with Dyanne Davis
I write for the love of it might sound nice but Walmart doesn't accept
those sentiments when you're trying to pay your bill. While waiting
for the answer on your great American novel there are many other
markets that pay in cold hard cash. I'm going to show you where some
of them are, how to submit and of course I'm going to show you what to
look out for. If you're interested in getting paid for doing what you
love, join me. I'll show you where the money is.
What are "The Trades"? How do I write for them? How much money can I make?
We'll discuss the different styles each type of "trade" might require and then we'll take a look at where to find opportunities for your writing, how to snare the assignments, and how to approach those you'll need to make contact with.
We'll also discuss how to cyber-stalk your interview subjects without p*ssing them off. (I promised Lea I'd address this very important part of the business.)
Everything I'll be sharing with you has been learned first-hand in my quest to make money as a writer.
I've been freelancing, writing for print and online media, on a regular basis for several years now. But when I first started writing again and began to do some investigating,
I found very quickly that my "Honey, it will only take one great book that gets sold and made into a movie to set us up for life," wasn't real realistic.
Fiction doesn't help pay the mortgage - at least not right away, and for some - it never will.
Join me for a fast and furious workshop - and dig in at the week-long forum - where the real work gets done!
Writing Love Scenes That Sizzle with Tambra Kendall
Writing with Impact with Dr. Bob Rich
Some
writing takes you into a world of the author's design. How do you make your
words create this magic? Learn a few standard tools in an interactive week-long
email exchange with an award-winning writer. So far, Bob has published 14
books, 4 of which have won international awards.
Look
him up at http://bobswriting.com
WRITING RESOURCES 101 by
Mary Andrews
This 'teach-em-how-to-fish'
workshop will cover three main topics facing writers:
LEARNING THE CRAFT,
HOW TO BECOME PUBLISHED,
& WAYS TO PROMOTE ON AND OFF
LINE.
The week-long
forum will break down these subjects into daily doses and provide valuable
resources. All attendees are encouraged to add their favorite sites, comments,
and advice.
The workshop will provide class participants with a diversified list of resources to answer business and craft
oriented questions as they .arise.
CHATS ONLY
Monday - October 12, 2009
1pm EST
Fine Tuning Your Senses with Jane Bernard
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.
3pm EST
Creative Block Buster 2 with Lisa Gentile
This workshop picks up where the 2008 Creative Block Buster for Poetry left off. This program is for all genres. As in 2008, the workshop will include a week-long forum and a week-long chat. In the 5-day forum, participants will use a workbook that draws on activities that writer and creativity coach Lisa Gentile facilitated during the 2007 and 2008 conferences to move their work forward. Participants will have the opportunity to generate new work, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what their material has to say. In the accompanying 5-day chat, participants will collaborate with Lisa and each other to tackle another level of creative blocks—those that creatives commonly face when presenting their work to find an audience. Are you ready to break through to the next level?
4pm EST
World Building with Karina Fabian
Award-winning 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's worlds have generated stories that have been published in
anthologies and magazines. Her especially popular Dragon Eye, PI world has its
own website and newsletter. (Come visit
at http://www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi.)
5pm EST
Online Pitching with Karina Fabian
Pitching in the MuseCon? Make
your best impression with these tips for Karina Fabian. Karina had organized
online pitches for the Catholic Writers Conference Online and as timekeeper has
been a "fly on the wall" for the private sessions. She'll share what
she learned from watching others and from publisher feedback.
6pm EST
Red
Hot Internet Basics: Touring Yourself Online with Penny Sansevieri
If you're ready to market your book online but don't know where to start you'll love this class. We'll look at creating and launching your very own Virtual Author Tour. During this class we'll look at:
- How to find sites to pitch yourself to
- How to set up a social networking page
- How to find bloggers and contact them
- Crafting your pitch
- Networking online, how to do it and why you *must* network with bloggers
- What is social book marketing and how to use it
Come with ALL of your Internet questions, this class will get them answered!
7pm EST
Going deeper: how to write poetry on a deeper, more powerful level with Magdalena Ball
Calling all serious poets! This is your chance to work with a published, award winning poet and teacher, and turn your good poems into great ones. This isn't for the faint hearted. As anyone who has taken a class with Magdalena before knows, she'll work you hard, pushing you to go deeper, remove the chaff, and bring out the unique power of your own poetic voice. Please come with your own poems, and/or a pre-class exercise available in the free book that comes with this course, and we'll spend an hour working hard together. At the end of this class, you'll be revelling in your own unique strength and capabilities as a poet, producing memorable, publishable work that is far more intense than you've ever written before.
8pm EST
"So, you want to be a Freelance Writer" with Bob Medak
Information and articles about the pitfalls of entering the business of freelance writing and finding work at bidding sites and online sources, possible pay and things like that.
Tuesday - October 13, 2009
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:
Plot,
Action and Turning Points with Patrika Vaughn
It's been said
that there are fundamentally only two stories: Cinderella and Jack & The
Beanstalk
This workshop
will explore these plots, examining the difference between story and plot, and
the jobs of your beginning, middle and end. We'll look at the Harry Potter
series, examining why these books have become among the best-selling books in
history.
11am EST:
The Frugal Book Promoter Talks Twitter with Carolyn Howard-Johnson
12pm EST:
Rachelle Gardner -Literary Agent
http://www.wordserveliterary.com/
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
4pm EST:
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
5pm EST:
Virtual Book Tour Chat 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
*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.tripod.com.)
6pm EST:
Come and meet Lyrical Press and find out what they seek in manuscripts.
Will host a one hour Pitch Session, as well, on the 14th. More details above.
7pm EST:
Come and chat with literary agent Chip MacGregor. Mr. MacGregor is the founder of the MacGregor Literary Agency.
8pm EST
9pm EST:
Passive vs Active: How to Turn Dull, Limp, Lifeless Prose into a Mesmerizing Story that Sizzles as it Yanks Your Reader off the Couch and into the Action with Dindy Robinson - publisher of Swimming Kangaroo Books
10pm EST:
Blogging With The Characters We Write And The
Characters We Know - How To Create And Sustain A Two (Or More) Author
Character Blog.
Join authors Barbara Romo and Sherri Godsey as they share the fun, pitfalls and consequences of co-authoring a blog from the viewpoint of characters from different books and different genres. Link: Barbara Romo at www.barbararomo.com and Sherri Godsey at www.the-dragons-vision.com/. Joint character blog at http://www.dragonsandaliens.blogspot.com
Wednesday - October 14, 2009
10am EST:
Research with Susan K. Stewart
Everything I Need to Know is on the Internet
The wealth of information on the Internet
is amazing. It’s not called The Information Super Hiway without good reason.
Research is more than a Google search. It still requires getting out of the
chair, and away from the computer.
Susan K. Stewart will take you back to
the basics of research. She will show you not just how to do Internet research,
but also how to combine it original document sources, interviews, and roaming
the stacks at the library.
Be prepared for some quick assignments to
learn the skills.
11am EST:
Brainstorming/Q & A about Synopsis Writing Tips for Fiction Submissions with Anita McClellan
Struggling to boil down your polished 100,000-word fiction manuscript into a 300-word synopsis just for your query letter and submission package? Take part in this free-ranging discussion for experienced and emerging novelists of the keys to creating a submission-directed synopsis. We will address questions such as, Who uses/needs a fiction synopsis during the submission process? What should a synopsis do for an agent, acquiring editor, in-house publishing staff (editorial, design, marketing, sales)? What does a useful synopsis include--or omit? What is the indsutry-standard format for a synopsis? Suggested reference (may be out of print, so try used-book retailers and libraries or email the publisher): McCutcheon, Pam. Writing the Fiction Synopsis: A Step by Step Approach (Memphis, Tenn.: Gryphon Bks for Writers).
2pm EST:
When Do Promotions Begin? with L. Diane Wolfe
Too often, promotion fails
to enter a writer's mind until after the book's completion. Before putting pen
to paper, we need to consider the potential market and be sure our book fills a
real need! Who will purchase our book? Do we know how to reach our audience?
What about tie-ins and endorsements? L. Diane Wolfe will entice you to discover
the real and honest potential of your work!
3pm EST
Creative Block Buster 2 with Lisa Gentile
This workshop picks up where the 2008 Creative Block Buster for Poetry left off. This program is for all genres. As in 2008, the workshop will include a week-long forum and a week-long chat. In the 5-day forum, participants will use a workbook that draws on activities that writer and creativity coach Lisa Gentile facilitated during the 2007 and 2008 conferences to move their work forward. Participants will have the opportunity to generate new work, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what their material has to say. In the accompanying 5-day chat, participants will collaborate with Lisa and each other to tackle another level of creative blocks—those that creatives commonly face when presenting their work to find an audience. Are you ready to break through to the next level?
4pm EST:
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
Meet Rob Preece, publisher of Booksforabuck.com - come and find out what he's seeking for publication, ask him writing questions
7pm EST
Writing for the Trades: How to Make Money Writing Non-Fiction - And How NOT to P*SS Off Those You Need to Interview! with Linda J. Hutchinson
What are "The Trades"? How do I write for them? How much money can I make?
We'll discuss the different styles each type of "trade" might require and then we'll take a look at where to find opportunities for your writing, how to snare the assignments, and how to approach those you'll need to make contact with.
We'll also discuss how to cyber-stalk your interview subjects without p*ssing them off. (I promised Lea I'd address this very important part of the business.)
Everything I'll be sharing with you has been learned first-hand in my quest to make money as a writer.
I've been freelancing, writing for print and online media, on a regular basis for several years now. But when I first started writing again and began to do some investigating,
I found very quickly that my "Honey, it will only take one great book that gets sold and made into a movie to set us up for life," wasn't real realistic.
Fiction doesn't help pay the mortgage - at least not right away, and for some - it never will.
Join me for a fast and furious workshop - and dig in at the week-long forum - where the real work gets done!
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.
2pm EST
Online Marketing for Authors: Build a Platform and Sell More Books with Stephanie Chandler
Just about every agent and
editor asks the inevitable question: What's your platform? Award-winning
author Stephanie Chandler decided to answer this question by building her
platform online. In this engaging and informative presentation, she shares the
lessons that every author can use to build an audience using the Internet.
3pm EST
WHAT WRITERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOOK DISTRIBUTION with Jerry D. Simmons
Why distribution matters. There is a tremendous amount of confusion among writers about the term 'distribution' and many spend thousands of dollars with nothing to show for it. I'd like to dispel the myths and offer the realities of the market when it comes to book distribution.
4pm EST
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
6pm EST:
"Schizophrenic Doesn't Mean Multiple Personality" with Joyce Anthony
9pm EST
12pm EST
The 10 Most Common Mistakes Made by New Children's Writers with Laura Backes, Publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers.
1pm EST
Non-Verbal Charades By Margaret McGaffey
Fisk As an adjunct to the Non-Verbal
Communications Workshop, this chat session will give you an opportunity to
exercise your new skills in a fast, dynamic environment. Like traditional charades, the
participants will be asked to guess the emotion being offered, but the one
tagged cannot use any "emotion" words.
Only body language and non-verbal methods are allowed to convey the
emotion well enough for it to be guessed.
It should be fun and a relaxing way to incorporate what you've learned
through the workshop.
Note: If you took my course at Forward Motion, feel free to join in again. Though the theme is the same, I have designed new exercises for this workshop so the two build on each other rather than being repeats.
3pm EST
Creative Block Buster 2 with Lisa Gentile
This workshop picks up where the 2008 Creative Block Buster for Poetry left off. This program is for all genres. As in 2008, the workshop will include a week-long forum and a week-long chat. In the 5-day forum, participants will use a workbook that draws on activities that writer and creativity coach Lisa Gentile facilitated during the 2007 and 2008 conferences to move their work forward. Participants will have the opportunity to generate new work, enliven existing pieces, and find new ways to hear what their material has to say. In the accompanying 5-day chat, participants will collaborate with Lisa and each other to tackle another level of creative blocks—those that creatives commonly face when presenting their work to find an audience. Are you ready to break through to the next level?
4pm EST
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
Writing a Teacher's Guide to
Accompany Your Children's Book with Carol J. Amato
Teacher's guides help to differentiate your book from the pack and open the doors to school markets, and teacher's guides aren't that hard to write! Learn about different formats, how to go beyond the scope of your book, and how to find and comply with state standards. Author Carol J. Amato bring samples, tell you about easy, do-it-yourself technology that will enable you to produce professional-looking, kid-and teacher-friendly guides, explain how to publish them yourself or pitch the idea to your publisher, and provide innovative ideas on how to market them.
8pm EST
How to Write Power Sentences with June Diehl
You've developed real-life characters, learned to do more showing than telling, reworked description to become woven into characters and action, know how to write hooks and cliffhangers, make use of metaphors, flashbacks, and other devices ..But what about something that is the basic of all good writing: sentence structure? What power does your writing have without the use the different types of sentences and putting them to the best use you can?
Learn how to combine lyrical and rhythmic phrases and sentences with commercial and genre fiction, work description into the action of your story, and make use of sentence structure that creates suspense. This can separate a good writer from a great writer.
HINT: Did you know that you CAN write dramatic and effective LONG sentences? Long sentences are not outdated - if you know how to write ones that adds power to your writing.
Saturday - October 17, 2009
11am EST
Decorate Your Work with
Sprigs of Humor with Ron Berry
Even the darkest of drama’s
work better with bits of comedic relief. Let me help add that dash of laughter
or a teaspoon of smile. A good book is like a fine meal, refined, yet tasteful.
Using the laughter formula, ingredients can be added as needed. There are parts
of the main course that will repeat throughout your book, as will the other
‘chapters’. When you put that first word, that first sentence to hook the
reader, your goal is to whet their appetite, as do appetizers prior to a main
meal. With that, let us now open the cookbook and start, well, cooking.
Appetizer
As you start laying out the
story, sprinkle in one or two lines to get a smile from your readers.
Use a touch of humor as a
character or place divider.
By this I am referring to
when you finish describing one character or place and before you start another.
Not all books have this feature.
Main Course
As the action gets intense,
save your readers by a humorous interlude.
Some scenes may be hard to
show and need to only be told. Break the slowness of the flow with a laugh or
two.
Nonfiction can benefit from
humorous interludes.
Dessert
You’re near the end of a
dramatic scene; the plot has thickened and is almost solved. Increase the
suspense with a laugh.
The plot is solved; the hero
or heroine has done what needs to be done. Bring your readers back to reality
with a smile.
Hors Deouvres
If there is an epilogue, make it a bit
less serious with a simple laugh line.
Use humor to add a fine finishing touch
to the book.
4pm EST
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
6pm EST
Meet D.S. Kane (Check out his TRUE LIES all week forum for more information)
8pm EST
Meet Kim Richards, publisher of Damnation Books
Sunday - October 18, 2009
1pm EST
Come and chat with the Mark S. Deniz, publisher of Morrigan Books
4pm EST
Write as Tight as
Granny's New Girdle with Margot Finke
My workshop will help
you FOCUS on what's important, CUT what does nothing
but add to your word count, and mine your thesaurus for POWERFUL
VERBS and EVOCATIVE ADJECTIVES.
HOOKS make editors
drool! You'll need a first page HOOK, plus another at the
end of every chapter. And don't allow paragraphs to
7pm EST
First Pages and the YA market with
Kim Baccellia
Most
editors and agents have one thing in common.
If the first chapter or even page of your manuscript isn't hooky enough,
then it's an automatic 'no.' Kim Baccellia will share some tips she's seen
on how to make your first page stand out.
She'll also share from her reviewer experience, trends she's seeing in
upcoming YA.
Kim
Baccellia is the author of the multicultural YA fantasy EARRINGS OF
IXTUMEA. Her YA paranormal CROSSED OUT
will be coming out later this year. She's
a reviewer for Enchanting Reviews and YA Books Central. She's also been a panelist for the Cybils-
Children and YA Blogger Literary awards-for the past three years in which she
helped judge over 100 books. Currently
she's shopping around a tween fantasy/romance and working on the sequel to
CROSSED OUT. Find out more at her
website www.kim-baccellia.com
9pm EST
Assaulting A Writer's Thinking with Lea Schizas
Join me for an exciting weeklong forum where I'll assault the way your writer's mind might work...in a positive way.
Have you wanted to finish a novel in a month?
Have you felt frustrated and angry over a review or critique?
Do you feel overwhelmed at times with commitments?
Unsure if your manuscript opener is enticing and feel stuck in 'Nowhere Land'?
Do people think your main character is nothing more than a stick person?
These are just some of the areas I'll be covering and answering questions all week long.
WARNING: I don't sugarcoat. I tell it like it is so if you feel you don't have the stomach for this course, then you MUST register for it. I'll toughen you up!
10pm EST
Conference Closing Party