Workshops

Anyone can claim it, but what makes your book a legitimate bestseller? How do you build a buzz that gets people talking and makes your book stand out from the rest? And how much weight does that “Bestselling” and “Award-winning” title really carry? We’ll explore all of that and more, as well as discuss legitimate lists and provide tips to get your book a spot on those lists.

Other topics to be discussed:
• What’s the real deal on The New York Times Bestseller’s List?
• What are some other bestseller’s lists to target?
• Why movie producers are looking for bestsellers.
• What constitutes a bestseller in this evolving industry?

What do you do when there is too much to do and too little time? Balancing Life & Writing includes techniques for effective time management and recommended strategies for establishing priorities to achieve writing goals. Time grabbers and time stretchers will be discussed. Areas for maintaining a healthy balance will be explored, including family, work, friends, spiritual, intellectual growth, healthy bodies and FUN!!! Participants will identify their balance tippers and determine a plan for restoring balance in their lives. Level: both new and seasoned writers can benefit from this fun & interactive session.

Statistically, your website’s “About” page is where most of your initial Website traffic will go. The world asks, “What is so special about you?” The content on your About page represents your official response.

In this workshop, participants will be walked through the anatomy of persuasive copy. These tools will serve as guidelines from which bios, one-sheets (an at-a-glance of their qualifications, professional highlights, and unique platform), and promotional post cards are effectively crafted. We will highlight the values that represent who you are and uncover your core essence. We will craft ideal positioning questions, learn the flow of persuasive writing, and dive into proven strategies for rising above the noise of the Web through well-written copy. This session offers verbal instruction and partnered activities. Level: Intermediate level writing skills are required, as this workshop will not cover basic grammar and syntax.

This workshop will address the importance and process of working with a literary agent. You’ll learn what makes a query letter pop and techniques for crafting a knockout book proposal as well as what a platform is, but why you need to have one. We’ll discuss competitive and comparative titles and identifying whether there are other published books that are similar to yours in some way as well as how to strategically self-publish if you would like to get published by a big publisher in the future. Level: beginner to intermediate.

Where will your writing fit into the broad range of industry possibilities? Toni Morrison’s novels are dense and demanding, while Danielle Steel’s novels are easy and straight forward. In 30 years Morrison has written nine novels and Steel has written seventy-nine. Clarity and depth are two areas that distinguish these two authors. Clarity connects to not only the power of words, but the simplicity of words. Depth involves the intensity of language and visual imagery. In this workshop we will compare and contrast the work of these two authors, discussing useful strategies and completing relevant exercises. Level: beginner to intermediate.

You know or have been told that you’re a “little left to center” — somewhat strange or need therapy for that wacky gene that dominates your being. Well, perhaps you really should be writing comedy. Whether you’re a professional or born with wit, it won’t matter if you intend on writing a comedy novel but cannot convey it on paper. This workshop will help filter through minds cluttered with the funny views of life’s journey, peeling away at the onion called Observations — Experiencesem> to see if you can write words of laughter or tears and sometimes both successfully. By the end of this workshop, attendees should be able to convey a humorous event taken from the oral delivery to the written using setup and delivery techniques.

If not there’s always therapy or the church’s annual Family and Friends Day, your family reunion or even a funeral. Level: beginner to experienced.

This workshop will identify true cases of writer’s block and explore the causes, including personality traits, approaches to writing and work habits, and the writer’s fund of knowledge about the subject matter. We will enumerate specific cases of writer’s block and discuss cures for symptoms. Particular attention will be given to the writer’s personal work habits that may precipitate or nurture writer’s block and useful approaches to changing unproductive work habits. Level: beginner to intermediate.

In this hands-on workshop, attendees will learn to format and upload a novel for publishing on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (.mobi format), Barnes and Noble’s PubIt (.epub format), and Smashwords (.doc format). Attendees are encouraged to bring tablets or laptops with Microsoft Word and Calibre (free download at calibre-ebook.com) installed.

Two bestselling authors with extensive media experience will teach you the tricks of the trade when it comes to securing media coverage. Whether you’re an author, an event planner, or an entrepreneur, your book, product, or event can benefit from media coverage. Media coverage (a.k.a. earned media, vs. advertising or paid media) is a cost-effective means of marketing. Press releases are important but remember, the release is just one step in your campaign to secure media coverage. In this interactive workshop you will learn cost-effective methods to help spread the word about whatever it is you are promoting.

We will outline effective methods to help you generate media coverage in your area.
We will discuss exactly what reporters are interested in and how you should target your pitch.
We will teach you how to place your book, product, or event, in the most desirable position to attract the coverage you need.
We’ll tell you how to shine once you’ve snagged that interview and become a go-to person when the press is in need.
We will outline effective methods to help you convey important points during your interview.
We will discuss how to speak in precise, short sentences that are most appealing for soundbites.
We will teach you how to make the very most of the short interview and maximize your exposure.

This is an interactive workshop, so come prepared to work. Bring your well thought-out questions regarding generating coverage for your book, product, or event. We will stage a mock interview and illustrate its effectiveness. This is a workshop you do not want to miss!

Yes, you’d love to get a $10,000 grant, we all would. But let’s be real, it probably won’t happen. Arts dollars are tight in the best of climates and in the present economy funding for the arts is anemic. So, what can you do? A lot! The good news is that whether you reach your goal with one grant of $10,000 or 100 contributions of $100, 1,000 donations of $10 or even with in-kind or bartered services—IT ALL ADDS UP! This interactive and fun workshop presents a myriad of ways to fund a worthwhile project-even if you’re not a 501(c)3 organization (there are even work-arounds for that!) We will also discuss fundraising basics, sponsorships, establishing successful collaborations, developing long-term partnerships and the real cost of getting funding. Cliché or not, where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Keeping a journal is good practice. After all, writers write. However, journals may be used in many other ways for enhancing writing abilities, including for material to use in your stories. In revisiting your journals, you’ll see themes that can be used, conflicts which can be developed, and resolutions to those conflicts—all the elements that can be used when writing fiction or nonfiction. Level: beginner.

This workshop will guide you through the steps to take in preparing your book for publication, from deciding what size book and binding to use through finding and choosing a graphic designer. Additionally, we’ll cover instructions and guidance on how to create unique, outside-the-box concepts that make your book stand out on the shelves. The session will also include hands-on, interactive activities and Q&A that will help you feel confident that you are putting your best foot forward when completing your creations. Level: beginner to intermediate.

This workshop is an informative and engaging presentation tailored specifically for writers and independent publishers who want straightforward, clear, and concise answers to the most common and pressing legal issues in the publishing industry. After attending this workshop you will understand:

• how copyright is created and protected
• what is considered a fair use in print and on the Internet
• what can and cannot be copyrighted
• how legally to refer to real people, places, and events in one’s own work
• the real deal about the myth of the Poor Man’s copyright
• the critical timing of when to register your work with the Copyright Office
• the most common contracts involved in securing, licensing and transferring copyright and other rights
• things to consider when you are sealing the deal

Level: beginner to intermediate.

This session explores how writers can successfully set themselves up as career writers in a way that allows them to eventually walk away from their 9-5 jobs and develop a career as a PAID, professional writer. Attendees will gain more knowledge about an array of opportunities that enhance their professional writing life while honing their crafts. Level: beginner to experienced.

Memorable writing, be it detrimental or positively liberating, is born out of the passion of the one holding the pen. What is the gift the world has yet to open via the absence of the pen in your hand?

This session will provoke you to go within in order to identify not only what you’re passionate about, but how to determine your true reason for writing about it, the appeal/necessity of what you intend to write, and how to create framework that will support the thesis of the storyline. Whether the subject matter is informative, engaging and entertaining, you will discern what you wish the reader to take away from the work and if you’re able to write beyond your comfort zone to effectively defend the controversial project. Level: beginner to experienced.

Hiring a professional editor is the most important step you will take when producing a published work. It is not a step that should be skipped or skimped. In this session you will learn the importance of hiring an editor and how to choose the right editor for your work. Knowing when your manuscript is ready for editing is essential to the editing process, saving you time, money and energy. Also, understanding which editing advice you should take or leave from your editor will eliminate stress and frustration during the revision process. Current tools like Microsoft Word Track Changes have revolutionized the editing process and will expedite the revisions of your work—come learn how. 

Now that you have worked tirelessly to write your book it is time to move to the most important stage of producing it—editing. This workshop will improve your book’s publication chances and enhance marketability. Level: beginner to intermediate.

While the act of writing can be a lonely one, the art of networking is not. This short introductory course to creative networking will give the introverted writer an instant extroverted make-over. The seven easy-to-remember tips we’ll cover will get anyone through a tough social situation. Level: beginner to experienced.

Having trouble plotting your novels? Tired of your work being rejected because your novel idea doesn’t stand out? Want to use your brand messaging to create your writing legacy? Then you need to master plotting. This workshop will WORK your plot into shape. If you’re new to novel writing, attend this workshop, so you can start your writing journey on the right road. If you’re an intermediate author, take this workshop to boost your skill-set and buttress your brand. This workshop is interactive. You will work in groups, gain a critique partner, and experience a plotting brainstorming session with your peers. Level: beginner to intermediate.

Writing is about the connection between reality and fantasy. We have all had an abundance of experiences that we can use in our writing. How do we shape these experiences into a good story? This workshop will explore many of the potential structural elements all around us as we embrace the connection between nature and experience. These exercises can be effective whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. The workshop will cover various elements like: nature, music, colors, seasons, food, ancestors, rituals and others. Level: beginner to intermediate.

Writing is a craft. As with most crafts, skills improve with practice. This workshop will present the mechanical skills necessary to prepare scripts for television and film, using the standard, industry-accepted format for feature films. This workshop is designed to develop your ideas, story outline, and set you on the right path toward completing the first draft of your screenplay. Each student will write an original short film. In this workshop the attendee will learn essential elements such as plot structure, character, and dialogue during the bulk of class time. Previous writing experience is not necessary. Level: beginner.

Thirty-minute writing warm-up sessions at dawn focusing on utilizing all five senses to get the creative juices flowing.

“THE END!” Your latest artistic work has wowed your family, friends, and critique group. Your dreams of a Broadway hit or at least a national tour are within reach and you are going for it! But wait! Even dreams require money, time, and resources. Let’s set the ‘stage’ for your success. Staging the Page is an interactive workshop specifically designed to increase that chance. The information, resources, and exercises in this workshop will help you make informed business decisions in areas like budgeting, casting, funding, marketing, and venues to move your project and career to the next level, including ideas on expanding into other media and markets. Whether you are producing a stage play, a book promotion scene or trailer, Staging the Page will help make that transition easier. Level: for all experience levels.

How to use your website(s) to effectively promote yourself and your work. Your website is the ultimate social media tool, your home online and the first step in online marketing. And because it can work for you while you sleep, it deserves some serious upfront attention. We’ll cover the key elements to address on every website, whether you’re doing it yourself or paying someone to do it for you, and this includes the core mistakes that most website owners make. Bring your laptop or pen and paper because you will leave with a website plan. Level: beginner and intermediate.

An interactive session with publishing executive and literary consultant Ifalade Ta’Shia Asanti offering participants 20 years of experience on the nuts and bolts, as well as the must-do’s and don’t do’s in submitting a book for consideration of publication.

Writers who have the first draft of a manuscript completed have the opportunity to workshop their query letters, one page book synopsis or one paragraph book pitch (also known as the elevator pitch) with literary consultant, acquisitions editor and media professional, Ifalade Ta’Shia Asanti. Participants explore how to properly identify genre, how to choose the right publisher to submit your manucript to and manuscript submissions 101. Participants will also participate in a query writing exercise with feedback from session facilitator. Level: beginner to intermediate.

Many authors, including Anita Heiss, weave real-life experiences, events, and people into their fiction. Depending on the degree of ‘real-life’ portrayed in a novel, it may be deemed ‘faction’ (fact and fiction). The key to successfully writing in this way is methodology and the ethics the author brings to the process. In this session, Anita who has been part of developing protocols on writing about Indigenous Australia, will walk the group through the principals relevant to ethical writing as well as giving practical examples from her own research, writing, and ‘approvals’ process. Level: beginner to intermediate.

Attendees of this session will be introduced to the ‘Investment Writer.’ It is the Investment Writer who is unafraid to infuse passion into their craft by taking the reader where they’ve never gone before. This will be accomplished through developing and enhancing skills that set the stage for the writer who will dare to write works with depth that provoke thought, establish a platform for action, promote positive growth in the reader, and inspire opportunities for healing. Level: beginner to experienced.

In this workshop you will learn how to recruit, select, and use test readers for your book or other writing project. We’ll discuss what makes a good test reader, how to find and select your readers, what technology to use to protect your work, and top do’s and don’ts for working with them. Examples of invaluable feedback from actual test readers will be shared, and we’ll conduct a 10-minute clinic, crafting a test reader strategy for one participant’s book idea or project.

Additional confirmed and alternate workshops include:

• Structure & Style – Sharon Ewell Foster
• Character, Emotion, Voice & Viewpoint – Sharon Ewell Foster
• Writing for TV — Brian Egeston
• Characterization lab – Jeanette Hill