Time To Brush Up Or Learn New Writing Skills?

 
If you're brushing up on writing techniques or want to learn some new ones, Laurie's classes are a great place to start. I speak from experience!

online: MORE THAN SETTING: WORLD-BUILDING

(February 7-18, 2022)

rwakissofdeath.org/product/more-than-setting-world-building/

       Of course your book needs a setting that contributes to the story, but your characters’ story world goes far beyond just the time and place they occupy. It’s also the people who surround them, the expectations they take for granted, the rules that infuriate them, the attitudes they share with their society -- whether or not they realize it -- and more. All those elements belong in your story world’s setting, and here’s how to build a world that works.

Zoom: MAKING INTROVERTED CHARACTERS INTERESTING 

(February 19, noon-1pm Eastern/9-10am Pacific)

get link & handouts by emailing Laurie at address on booklaurie.com

       Free for anyone who makes any size contribution to any (not-the-usual) charity they feel like God has in mind.

online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION

(March 7-April 1)

writeruniv.com/classes/plotting-via-motivation/

       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 11-22)

writeruniv.com/classes/onemaster-class-from-plot-to-finish/

       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: CHOOSING THAT FATAL FLAW

(April 16, 4pm Eastern)

https://contemporaryromance.org/workshop/choosing-that-fatal-flaw

       The ideal flaw isn't totally random, tossed in at the last minute to keep a character from being Too Perfect. Instead, it's built right into their personality -- which means it's guaranteed to create turmoil that’ll keep the plot moving, along with a flip-side asset that'll enable your character to triumph in the end. See what kind will work best for your people, whether they're starring in a current story or taking the lead in another to come.

Zoom: DYNAMIC DIALOGUE & DELICIOUS DESCRIPTION

(April 23, 9am Pacific): AgedToPerfectionRomanceWriters.com/workshops/

       Use whichever of the Ds you’re better at to improve your work on the other.

Live retreat in San Antonio: SPRING GATHERING

for details, email Laurie at address on booklaurie.com

(April 28-May 1) Morning workshops, afternoon consultations (four individual half-hours with each of eight writers), and time for writing...plus relaxing!

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.

Class Flash ~ 1st Quarter Class Schedule From Laurie Schnebly Campbell!

online: HIS PERSONALITY LADDER

(Jan. 6-17, 2020)

heartsthroughhistory.com/workshops/his-personality-ladder/

    Track your hero’s arc through the seven core steps he’ll need to climb during his journey from a not-yet-heroic character to one who’s fully earned his victory by the end. Of course, the heroine has her OWN ladder to climb, often in parallel stages...until the finale, when they reach their ultimate triumph. (There’s even a ladder for the villain, although he seldom makes it to the top.)

online: PROMOTION FOR YOUR PERSONALITY

(Feb. 4-15, 2020)

sinc-guppies.org (Sisters In Crime membership required)

   There are so many ways for writers to promote their books, nobody should have to do something that feels uncomfortable for the kind of person they are. Looking at the five birth-order positions, three subtypes, and nine personality types shows which style best reflects you -- AND which kinds of promotion will come more naturally, so you won’t have to dread all the activity that comes with releasing a new title or building a brand.

online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION

(March 2-27)

writeruniv.wordpress.com/classes

    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 6-17)

writeruniv.wordpress.com/classes

    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.

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.

Class Flash ~ Laurie Schenbly Campbell's Classes

These are some of the best writing classes out there. 

Why? 

Because Laurie gives you individual help ... if you do the homework and turn them in.  Which to me is worth every penny I've spent on her classes. 

 Hey, Santa....are you listening?

online: PLAUSIBLE PROBLEMS
(Nov. 4-15)
heartsthroughhistory.com
Writers who discover the versatility of enneagrams, the nine personality types and subtypes, are fascinated by how easy it is to identify their existing characters and create new ones -- each with uniquely heroic and distinctive traits, as well as a fatal (or not so fatal) flaw that naturally brings them into conflict with other characters AND with themselves.

online: HIS PERSONALITY LADDER
(Jan. 6-18, 2020)
heartsthroughhistory.com
Track your hero’s arc through the seven core steps he’ll need to climb during his journey from a not-yet-heroic character to one who’s fully earned his victory by the end. Of course, the heroine has her OWN ladder to climb, often in parallel stages...until the finale, when they reach their ultimate triumph. (There’s even a ladder for the villain, although he seldom makes it to the top.)

online: PROMOTION FOR YOUR PERSONALITY
(Feb. 3-14, 2020)
sinc-guppies.org There are so many ways for writers to promote their books, nobody should have to do something that feels uncomfortable for the kind of person they are. Looking at the five birth-order positions, three subtypes, and nine personality types shows which style best reflects you — AND which kinds of promotion will come more naturally, so you won’t have to dread all the activity that comes with releasing a new title or building a brand.

online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(March 2-27)
writeruniv.wordpress.com/ classes
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!”

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.

Class Flash ~ Last Quarter Class List for Laurie Schnebly Campbell

 Want an early Holiday Present?  Gift yourself a Laurie Class!!

online: MASTER CLASS: YOUR COMPLETE SYNOPSIS
(Oct. 8-19)
writeruniv.com/classes
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.
online: CHALLENGING COUPLES IN LOVE
(Nov. 5-16)
https://www.rwa.org/e/in/eid=801
While it's easy to create conflict between characters whose kingdoms are at war, everyday life can be equally full of conflicts... even when everyone in the situation is an inherently likable, decent person. But the same conflicts that often trouble fictional couples -- plus the same solutions recommended by counselors -- can work equally well for writers and their mates, not to mention other people in their lives.
online: CREATING YOUR HERO'S FATAL FLAW
(Jan. 7-2/1, 2019)
heartsthroughhistory. com
The ideal flaw isn't totally random, tossed in at the last minute to keep a character from being Too Perfect. Instead, it's built right into their personality -- which means it's guaranteed to create turmoil that'll keep the plot moving, along with a flip-side asset that'll enable your character to triumph in the end. See what kind will work best for your people, whether they're starring in a current story or taking the lead in another to come.

Laurie's Bio:
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!"

Class Flash ~ Upcoming Online Writing Classes Taught By Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Classes at Romance U, Writer University, and SINC taught by Laurie Schnebly Campbell, one of my all-time favorite instructors.

online: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
(Jan. 2-26, 2018)
tucsonrwa.org/online-classes/
    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 2018 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.

blog: SERIOUSLY, SERIES?
(January 12)
 romanceuniversity.org
    If one book is already hard, how on earth can you keep a good story going?

online: WRITING A SERIES
For Sinc Guppies(Jan 30-Feb 10) 
sinc-guppies.org/
For everyone  (Feb. 12-23)
 https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/WritingSeries/info
    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 what 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.

online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(March 5-30)writeruniv.wordpress.com/classes
    Any of us could write a book in which characters get shipwrecked on an uncharted desert isle. We've seen what seven such characters would do…over and over and over again. But what would YOURS do? If you nail down any character's motivation, it doesn't matter whether the ship capsizes or lands safely three hours later. Your characters will create a plot from whatEVER happens, because you've got their motivation built in from the very beginning...and here's how to do it.