Plan your next year of writing courses, blog reading, and virtual retreats!
blog: WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN?
(July 29) writersinthestormblog.com
If the answer is too obvious, why keep reading? Unless it’s for a prize...
If the answer is too obvious, why keep reading? Unless it’s for a prize...
online: BUILDING TENSION
(August 10-21) https://groups.io/g/Tension
The ticking clock. The infamous day. The elusive stranger. The sizzling glance. The unbreakable promise. The haunting memory. The forbidden love.
Tension is what keeps readers awake far too late at night, and what makes them rave about your book even before they reach the final page. How do you create that kind of tension? Think of a story you’ve already started writing, or are just beginning to plan, and see how to build…build…build….
blog: MORE THAN ADVENTURE & LUCKIEST THIRTEEN
(Aug. 25) originalitybydesign.
(Aug. 26) writersinthestormblog
What more could readers want besides a free-class prize? Well, let’s see…
blog: MORE THAN ADVENTURE & LUCKIEST THIRTEEN
(Aug. 25) originalitybydesign.
(Aug. 26) writersinthestormblog
What more could readers want besides a free-class prize? Well, let’s see…
online: THE HERO’S JOURNEY, FOR HEROINES
(Sept. 1-26) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
(Sept. 1-26) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
Christopher Vogler identified 12 steps for daredevil heroes who explore the outside world and return with the elixir. But a character whose emotional journey leads to flowering change instead of physical adventure, as described in Kim Hudson’s 13 steps, will embark on a journey filled with other -- more internal -- challenges. For writers whose heroine faces her own less traveled road to discovery, this class offers a fascinating map.
Zoom: VIRTUAL RETREAT WEEKEND
(Oct. 10-11)
email BookLaurie@yahoo.com
Holler if you’d like to be on the waitlist!
online: GROWING YOUR HEROINE
(Oct. 12-23) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
Zoom: VIRTUAL RETREAT WEEKEND
(Oct. 10-11)
email BookLaurie@yahoo.com
Holler if you’d like to be on the waitlist!
online: GROWING YOUR HEROINE
(Oct. 12-23) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
This limited-enrollment master class picks up where September’s ends, focusing on the heroine’s journey through everything she needs to overcome from beginning to end. Starting with a “stick figure” and moving to your work in progress, chart the route she’ll use for transcending her weak points -- as well as those of people she cares about -- while avoiding both the false triumph and false disaster of her own story.
online: THE ALPHA MALE, FROM ABE TO ZEUS
(Nov. 2-12) hearts through history
online: THE ALPHA MALE, FROM ABE TO ZEUS
(Nov. 2-12) hearts through history
Readers love alpha males. (Maybe not for a real-life marriage, but for a book of romantic adventure there’s nothing better.) 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? Get ready to find out…and maybe to fall in love.
And, yep, December is always a no-classes holiday. Which seems contradictory.
online: PERFECT PITCH
(Jan. 4-15, 2021, only for members of Sisters In Crime Guppies) sincguppies
And, yep, December is always a no-classes holiday. Which seems contradictory.
online: PERFECT PITCH
(Jan. 4-15, 2021, only for members of Sisters In Crime Guppies) sincguppies
Are you pitching your work at a conference? In an email? By letter, by phone, by chance if you run into someone browsing for a good book? The techniques will be slightly different for each situation -- and while writers tend to feel more anxiety when pitching face-to-face, it’s useful to have a plan of action for every possible scenario. Whether you’re pitching an agent, editor, interviewer, publisher or regular reader, learn how to make it a good experience for you both!
online: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
(Jan. 18-29, 2021) rwasd com
online: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
(Jan. 18-29, 2021) rwasd com
Whether it’s the first rejection, the 50th-book slump, or just not getting the story you want, frustration is part of every writer’s life. For some, it’s a nuisance; for others, it’s the end of a career. For anyone determined to make 2021 a Better Writing Year, this class offers both practical and psychological techniques for dealing with rejection, writer’s block, frustration, motivation, and other issues that keep writers from loving their craft.
online: HIS & HERS MYERS-BRIGGS
(Feb. 1-12, 2021) hearts through history
online: HIS & HERS MYERS-BRIGGS
(Feb. 1-12, 2021) hearts through history
Just about everyone has taken the Myers-Briggs quiz identifying their own personality type. It works equally well for characters who, even with their own individual traits, still show aspects of those various personalities in your novel. Naturally, each type has intriguing and attractive elements that make readers want to see more, as well as some problematic issues that’ll keep their story conflict coming…and going…and coming…
blog: PLOTTER + PANTSER = PERFECTION
(Feb. 26) writersinthestorm blog
blog: PLOTTER + PANTSER = PERFECTION
(Feb. 26) writersinthestorm blog
How to combine the advantages of each method…plus a free-class-prize!
online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(March 2-27) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(March 2-27) writeruniv.wordpress.com/
Here’s what writers have said about the course in previous years: “I never thought I could plot my entire book from start to finish, but here it is. This is AWESOME.” / “This month has truly changed the way I think about writing. I wish I’d taken Plotting Via Motivation before giving up on my earlier novels.” / “Now that I look back in the notebook where I wrote all my homework, I realize I’ve got my book right here!”
online: FROM PLOT TO FINISH
(April 5-16)writeruniv.wordpress.com/
online: FROM PLOT TO FINISH
(April 5-16)writeruniv.wordpress.com/
For anyone who’s taken Plotting Via Motivation online or in person at some point, this group gets you plotting a brand new or already-begun book (using your completed 14-point worksheet) from start to finish. No need to prepare a new story idea, character bios, goal charts or anything else, because you’ll see how to plot an entire book -- and actually have it ready to type -- by the end of this hands-on workshop.
online: SHOWING EMOTION
(May 10-21) https://groups.io/g/Emotion
Everyone knows how important it is to show rather than tell. But when it comes to showing emotion, that can be…well, tricky. How do you keep from going over the top and making readers roll their eyes? How do you avoid not going far enough and sending their attention downhill with every word? Learn the tricks of conveying emotion for readers of whatever genre you’re writing and how to find the right balance between plummeting, purple prose, and perfection.
online: WRITING A SERIES…
(June 7-18, only for members of Sisters In Crime Guppies) sincguppies
online: WRITING A SERIES…
(June 7-18, only for members of Sisters In Crime Guppies) sincguppies
It's one thing to write a stand-alone novel. It’s another to write a sequel, a trilogy, a box set or an open-ended series that’ll continue for as long as you want. While great storytelling is great storytelling no matter the format, there are techniques to keep in mind when writing a series that will not only keep your readers on board through every story, but keep you from burning out while they’re still waiting for more.
As always, July is a vacation month. La la la…
As always, July is a vacation month. La la la…
AUGUST Q&A
Q: Should I focus on one specific internal problem, or several problems, while these characters struggle with the plot events (and their relationship)?
A: Either way, you can keep the tension building -- and if those several problems turn out to be connected, that’s all the better. Things will keep getting worse and worse and worse, and every attempt at making them better might SEEM to work out for a while but doesn’t solve the problem after all.
This is what we want happening as your characters struggle with whatever the external situation and their internal conflict/s might be.
And regardless of what's happening on the action front, we can be pretty sure that it'll have SOME effect, good or bad, on their relationship.
* Maybe things look good, which makes them appreciate each other more.
* Maybe things look bad, which makes them realize they need each other.
* Maybe things look good, which makes them suspicious of each other.
* Maybe things look bad, which turns them against each other.
You don't need to use ALL those possible responses (whew!) every time something in the external action looks better or worse. But keep in mind those are handy options for upping the stakes anytime you want to increase the tension -- OR give readers a moment of relaxation -- regarding the characters' relationship.
So you can sure use a relationship as one way of building tension...but if you’ve got a solo protagonist, you can build just as much tension in the ways coming up next!
Laurie, figuring different readers appreciate different kinds of tension which makes it even more handy that they all need the same techniques
A: Either way, you can keep the tension building -- and if those several problems turn out to be connected, that’s all the better. Things will keep getting worse and worse and worse, and every attempt at making them better might SEEM to work out for a while but doesn’t solve the problem after all.
This is what we want happening as your characters struggle with whatever the external situation and their internal conflict/s might be.
And regardless of what's happening on the action front, we can be pretty sure that it'll have SOME effect, good or bad, on their relationship.
* Maybe things look good, which makes them appreciate each other more.
* Maybe things look bad, which makes them realize they need each other.
* Maybe things look good, which makes them suspicious of each other.
* Maybe things look bad, which turns them against each other.
You don't need to use ALL those possible responses (whew!) every time something in the external action looks better or worse. But keep in mind those are handy options for upping the stakes anytime you want to increase the tension -- OR give readers a moment of relaxation -- regarding the characters' relationship.
So you can sure use a relationship as one way of building tension...but if you’ve got a solo protagonist, you can build just as much tension in the ways coming up next!
Laurie, figuring different readers appreciate different kinds of tension which makes it even more handy that they all need the same techniques
Laurie's Bio:
Laurie Schnebly Campbell published half a dozen romances with Harlequin, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for “Best Special Edition of the Year,” before discovering the only thing she loves more than writing is working with other writers. So she started giving workshops every month, online and in-person, and now has a special area on her bookshelf full of books with acknowledgments from authors who’ve loved her classes.
Laurie Schnebly Campbell published half a dozen romances with Harlequin, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for “Best Special Edition of the Year,” before discovering the only thing she loves more than writing is working with other writers. So she started giving workshops every month, online and in-person, and now has a special area on her bookshelf full of books with acknowledgments from authors who’ve loved her classes.
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