Here are the 3rd Quarter classes from master teacher
Laurie Schnebly Campbell
online: THE ALPHA MALE, FROM ABE TO ZEUS and MAKING YOUR ALPHA FEMALE SHINE
(Aug. 6-17 & 20-31, two separate classes)
yosemiteromancewriters.com/ class-purchase
Readers love alpha males. Yet writers sometimes find it tricky to create an alpha male without falling into stereotypes. What MAKES an alpha male? (It's more than just power.) What challenges does he face? (The answers will surprise you.) How can your hero take on solely the alpha-male traits you want?
And what about alpha females? They've always drawn their power from more than just a top-dog mate. Still, even a real-life heroine who rules her world, whether that's a family or an empire, can't have ALL the answers or else there's no story. Here's how to shape her hidden weaknesses...and her hidden strengths.
blog: WHICH CAME FIRST?
(August 31) writersinthestormblog. com
The chicken. The egg. The idea. Here's why your story needs all three!
online: YOUR PLOT / CHARACTER / STORY BRAID
(Sept. 3-28)
writeruniv.wordpress.com/ classes
Weaving the different strands and levels of your story is trickier than making a simple braid, but the idea is the same: you need to give equal attention to every separate element that's part of the finished creation. Whether you're braiding the conflict and resolution of a thriller, romance, fantasy, mystery or any other journey of discovery, learn how to deliver the balance your readers expect.
live in Gilbert, AZ: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(Sept. 14) anwa-lds.org/conf/conferen
The entire March class in just one hour -- well, except for the homework. :)
blog: JUST LIKE ADVERTISING
(Sept. 21) romanceuniversity. org
Why is writing a synopsis like writing an ad? These 3 tricks make it easier.
live in Seattle: HOT TO PLOT
(Oct. 6) gsrwa.org/about-us/upcoming
Same as Sept. 14, but this time in the Northwest instead of the Southwest.
online: MASTER CLASS: YOUR COMPLETE SYNOPSIS
(Oct. 8-19)
writeruniv.wordpress. com/clas
No wonder so many writers have a tough time with the synopsis -- books and synopses require completely different skills! This limited-enrollment, hands-on class takes the techniques used by advertising copywriters (like Laurie) to sell ANY product, whether it's a bicycle or burger or book, and shows how those tools apply to presenting your work in a way that'll make readers want to buy.
Laurie Schnebly Campbell loves giving workshops for writer groups about "Psychology for Creating Characters," "Making Rejection WORK For You," "Building A Happy Relationship For Your Characters (And Yourself)" and other issues that draw on her background as a counseling therapist and romance writer.
In fact, she chose her website (www.BookLaurie.com) so people would find it easy to Book Laurie for programs.
But giving workshops -- for students from London and Los Angeles to New Zealand and New York -- is just one of her interests. During weekdays, she writes and produces videos, brochures and commercials (some of which feature her voice) for a Phoenix advertising agency. For several years she would turn off her computer every day at five o'clock, wait thirty seconds, turn it on again and start writing romance.
It finally paid off. Her first novel was nominated by Romantic Times as the year's "Best First Series Romance," and her second beat out Nora Roberts for "Best Special Edition of the Year." But between those two successes came a three-year dry spell, during which Laurie discovered that selling a first book doesn't guarantee ongoing success.
"What got me through that period," she says, "was realizing that the real fun of writing a romance is the actual writing. Selling is wonderful, sure, but nothing compares to the absolute, primal joy of sitting at the computer and making a scene unfold and thinking 'Wow! Yes! This is great!'"
After six books for Special Edition, she turned her attention to writing non-fiction -- using her research into the nine personality types to help writers create plausible, likable people with realistic flaws. Her other favorite activities include playing with her husband and son, recording for the blind, counseling at a mental health center, traveling to Sedona (the Arizona red-rock town named for her great-grandmother, Sedona Schnebly) and working with other writers.
"People ask how I find time to do all that," Laurie says, "and I tell them it's easy. I never clean my house!"
Laurie welcomes email from readers—send her a "Hello!"
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