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A DEEP DIVE INTO SCENE STRUCTURE
WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

Though many writers know the basics of scene structure, they fail to make their scenes do all the work they can do, taking the path of least resistance instead of challenging themselves—and their characters and stories—to greater heights. In this class, we’ll dig into the foundational element of story construction, the scene, and examine ways in which every aspect of the scene can perform multiple functions, creating richer and more dynamic moments that lead to a much more satisfying work.

ADVANCED CHARACTER ARC
WITH DONALD MAASS

A protagonist’s arc of change is the emotional underpinning of any story.  In this webinar we’ll dive deep into arc: its basis, development, placement and connection to plot.  We’ll turn arc into struggle and tie its resolution to the climax. We’re explore how to make your protagonist’s transformation one that’s unique, difficult and—finally—moving.  Change doesn’t come easy, but writing it is practical craft.  Bring your work-in-progress. It will be the focus of our work. 

ADVANCED MICRO-TENSION
WITH DONALD MAASS

Micro-tension is the action of making readers uneasy, causing them to seek relief by reading on.  Many writers rely on plot to do that, but micro-tension works in many ways.  In this hands-on workshop, we’ll look at creating micro-tension through dialogue, inner POV, sub-text in scenes, reader anticipation, dread, plot fore-shadowing, moral cloudiness, atmosphere, social pressure, language and more.

ADVANCED VOICE WITH DONALD MAASS

The range of narrative voice in most manuscripts is sadly limited. Commanding narrative voices, however, seize readers’ attention and carry readers beyond plot to deeper levels of engagement—and challenge. In this hands-on workshop, learn to use the advanced dimensions of voice that master novelists use to make their novels sing, surprise, and sweep us away.

ALCHEMY AND THE ART OF REVISION WITH HENRY NEFF

Many writers, even those who claim otherwise, dread revision. The reasons are clear enough; revision can often come across as homework, a necessary evil, or even an unkind verdict of a writer's capabilities or a story's potential. But revision doesn't have to be a dreary exercise; it can be as wondrous as alchemy. Effective revision can transmute a leaden draft of promising but unrefined ideas into a golden manuscript ready for submission. But achieving this depends as much on one's attitude and mindset as it does any process or technical skills. In this seminar, we will embrace revision's role and possibilities, cast aside the baggage, and tackle revision using an approach that will have you working with energized purpose.

ANCHORING THE UNREAL, ELEVATING THE REAL
WITH DONALD MAASS

Stories can be torn between two opposing intentions: capture life or elevate drama. Great stories do both, but how? Fables, dystopian stories, altered realities, unlikely events, and fantastic worlds may elevate stories but what gives such stories relatability? Relatable people, places and events may be easy to believe but how do they heighten reality? Whatever your story intention, explore the methods of heightening in this hands-on webinar.

AWE, SURPRISE, INTENSITY & HORROR: HIGH IMPACT FICTION WITH DONALD MAASS

Let’s face it, many pages in many manuscripts are forgettable. Whole novels can pass by us, readable and acceptable but not powerful in impact. Other novels, however, grip us with intensity, intrigue, wonder, joy, terror and more. High impact doesn’t derive only from plot tricks. It can be infused in POV characters themselves. Learn the root reasons for high impact, and how to use them, in this hands-on webinar.

BACKSTORY IS FORE-STORY
WITH DONALD MAASS

Much emphasis is put on characters’ back stories.  How heroes and heroines are shaped, and the basis for their arcs of change, are of course important.  However, backstory matters most when it bears directly upon what must happen in the present.  Even more, it can drive characters toward plot events beyond what’s outlined and into the higher realm of eternal human struggles.  In this hands-on webinar, find out how to go beyond backstory to enliven fore-story.  Knowing where your characters come from is only the start of seeing where they can go.

BEYOND ARC: WRITING THE JOURNEY OF SELF WITH DONALD MAASS

Character arc—the journey of change and transformation—is a powerful story element but it is not, by itself, what makes a novel universal. Change fixes modern flaws but some certain rare novels have endured across time, cultures and literary eras. Why and how? From Greek myths to existential novels to The Life of Pi, the quest for self-discovery and self-understanding has taken readers on the most profound human journeys of all. This hands-on webinar will show you methods of capturing what is timelessly human.

BEYOND THE FIVE SENSES: EXPLORE THE 21 SENSES FOR YOUR CHARACTERS
WITH BETH BARANY

Many authors think that a strong plot and compelling characters are enough to make their stories work. But actually, you need to build an emotional connection with your readers, immerse them into the story world, and make them care deeply so they will keep turning the pages. Humans are wired for story. This happens due to our natural ability to match and mirror. Scientists call this mechanism “mirror neurons.” How can we take advantage of this in our writing?

Through discussion, lecture, and short exercises, we will explore this via the five senses and beyond. In fact, we will discuss more than 21 senses. We’ll cover how to use these senses to clarify your setting, enhance character goals and motivations, and focus in on cadence and rhythm, all to heighten and strengthen the reader connection. With each of the senses we cover, you’ll practice on your own material, and I’ll offer feedback. You’ll walk away from workshop with specific tools and experience you can implement in your fiction to craft compelling prose.

BEYOND THEME: CAPTURING LIFE IN 4-D WITH DONALD MAASS

There is theme and then there is meaning. Theme persuades, makes a point, or delivers a message. Meaning, however, aims not to change us but to convey the human condition. Meaning’s point is not to say how we can be different, but to affirm that we are all the same. Great novels can do both, but how? In this hands-on webinar, learn where the 4th dimension of storytelling resides on the page and how your story—no matter how different, entertaining or speculative it may be—can become the story of us all.

Bits and bobs from a bestselling author with grace burrowes

A successful romance author develops skills that can be put to good use in any form of genre fiction--how to write a romantic scene, novellas for fun and profit, how to morph this book's villain into the next book's protagonist, how to use values conflicts to create the blackest of black moments, how to exploit family dynamics for series purposes, and more. 

Grace Burrowes has written dozens of best-selling romances, and has been lurking in craft workshops for years. She offers discussion, writing exercises, and examples that illuminate how the romance writer's bag of tricks can help your readers fall in love with your genre too! 

BLACK AND WHITE AND READ ALL OVER
WITH DONALD MAASS

Black-and-white characters and conflicts are simplistic, obviously, but the truth is that drawing strong dichotomies in your cast, plot dilemmas, uneasy choices, forks in the road, moral questions, and more can bring extra dynamics to a story.  In fact, such elements are already present in your novel. But are you using them to maximum effect?  Discover the methods of oppositional thinking in story construction in this hands-on webinar.

CHALLENGE YOUR READERS/CHANGE THE WORLD WITH DONALD MAASS

Fiction opens our minds and stirs our hearts…but not necessarily. There are steps and stages to reader transformation: intriguing the mind, winning the heart, disrupting assumptions, challenging values and affirming the good. A world- or history-changing novel leaves readers not just with questions but with convictions and resolve. Portraying an issue is only the start. The full reframing effect depends on much more. Find out what and how in this hands-on webinar.

CHARACTER DYNAMICS: ACTION FIGURES WITH DAMON SUEDE

Bestsellers start with fascinating people. In this session, we’ll take your fictional folks to the next level with a simple, powerful technique that will strengthen your plots, your hooks, and your voice. Go beyond looks, persona, and boilerplate traits so you can build the perfect cast to dazzle your readers. Compelling characters boost your writing process and anchor your career at any stage. Whether you like to wing it or bring it, you’ll leave this workshop with a new set of practical, hands-on tools to populate your pages and lay the foundations of unforgettable fiction.

CHARACTER MATTERS WITH SHEREE GREER

There are characters we love and characters we love to hate. To love or hate a character, we have to be invested in the character; we have to know them to have feelings about them. In this workshop, writers will explore what it takes to craft compelling, complex characters who come alive on the page. With in-session writing prompts and small group exercises, writers will take a deep dive into their characters, learning what makes them tick, what makes them sick, and what makes them smile. You'll get to know your characters from the inside-out, giving you the flexibility, the compassion, and the patience to see them through the personal journey or exciting adventure that is your novel or short story.

COME WITH ME — SETTING AS JOURNEY FOR WRITER AND READER WITH SHEREE GREER

When readers aren’t sure of where or when they are in a scene, they can become disoriented or frustrated, resulting in loss of interest and ultimately abandonment of the story. In this webinar, we’ll explore what it means to invite our readers into the world of our work, the where and when of our story. Using setting, we can build an authentic, immersive world where readers feel included and invested in what happens next. From understanding setting basics to crafting scene immediacy and manipulating time, we will discuss and practice techniques for bringing our settings into the conversation of what makes scenes and narratives work.

DEATH TO THE SNOOZER: CRAFTING COMPELLING PLOTS
WITH HENRY NEFF

A compelling plot is essential to commercial fiction. It propels the narrative, sets the pace, and provides opportunities for characters to grow as they strive to achieve something meaningful. No one wants to write, much less read, an incoherent mess or yawn-inducing bore. This workshop will help you avoid these fatal flaws by charting a story path that not only sparks a reader’s interest but builds it by utilizing worthy stakes, sound structure, lively pacing, shocking twists, and satisfying payoffs. No more messes, no more snores — just engaged readers asking that most gratifying question: “What happens next?”

DEMYSTIFYING VOICE: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO DISTINCTIVE STORYTELLING
WITH HENRY NEFF

This webinar operates on two basic principles: The first is that writing with voice is not some divine gift reserved for a select few; it is a skill available to all. The second is that any skill—no matter how nuanced or nebulous—can be nurtured and improved. With these principles in mind, this webinar will take a pragmatic approach to voice development. We will demystify voice by breaking down its core components and analyze examples from famous works to make these elements—and their effects—perfectly clear. Next, participants will do some exercises to assess not only their particular skillsets but also their voice-related goals and preferences. And finally, we will discuss strategies to sharpen these skills, identify areas where they can be applied, and discuss practical approaches for doing so. The result? Better writing and (more importantly) better storytelling!

DETOUR, CLASH, POSTCARD: MASTERING THREE PRIMARY SCENES
WITH DONALD MAASS

Scene structure can be expressed as goal, opposition and outcome. However, that over-simplifies it. Scenes enact change either of circumstances, understandings or relationships. Each scene type has a distinct intention and a different narrative effect. In this hands-on webinar, explore the methods that make each type of scene stand out.

DIY ARCHETYPES
WITH DONALD MAASS

What makes characters iconic?  Borrowing from mythology, history, and popular culture is well and good, but what if retellings are not your approach?  How can characters be iconic when they are wholly modern?  In this hand’s on workshop, we’ll explore the methods of first identifying, then elevating human qualities, dilemmas, and conflicts to a universal plane.  Any character can become iconic, if you know how to do it.

EMOTIONAL STORYTELLING
WITH Lorin Oberweger

More than any other way to experience art, reading is a deeply empathetic experience. We read to FEEL, to experience an emotional journey on the part of a character who is able to right wrongs with which we also struggle or, at least, to which we can also relate. In this hands-on webinar, Lorin will take you through techniques to help you create a rich emotional experience for your reader. We’ll explore ways to: anchor your story in a strong, keenly felt premise; craft an immersive viewpoint; bring real personality to your narrative voice; stir reader emotions with simple descriptive details; create an emotionally powerful query, and much more.

EMOTIONAL TIPPING POINTS
WITH DONALD MAASS

Most authors want their novels to be emotional rollercoasters.  Few novels actually are.  What causes (in readers) emotional highs and lows?  Going beyond immersive POV, this workshop explores emotional “tipping points”, story moments in which characters’ emotional worlds—and ours—are rocked.  Every story has emotional gold to mine, including loss, betrayal, despair, hope, surrender, catharsis, beliefs shattered and reborn, mysteries posed and solved, spirits awakened.  If you are looking for a deep emotional experience for your readers, this workshop is the place to start.

ENTERTAINING VERSUS ILLUMINATING WITH DONALD MAASS

The two primary purposes of fiction are not mutually exclusive. This hands-on workshop explores the fiction of genre, heroes, heightened worlds, and stirring themes in parallel with the fiction of realism, regular people, ordinary places, and nuanced meaning. Learn the practical methods of making opposing literary values work together to create upmarket novels that simultaneously stimulate minds and keep pages turning.

EXPLORING THE INTERIOR WITH SHEREE L. GREER

One of the keys to strong character-driven stories is drawing out the motivations, intentions, and desires of our characters. In this webinar, we'll engage in writing exercises and generative prompts that challenge us to get up close and personal with the characters at the core of our stories.

FATE VERSUS DESTINY: THE TWO MASTER STORIES WITH DONALD MAASS

Protagonists fall into two categories: Those to whom things happen, versus those who make things happen. Fate. Destiny. But there’s a danger: characters of fate can be passive, while characters of destiny can become cartoonish. It doesn’t have to be that way. In this hands-on workshop, learn the underlying secrets of universal journeys and practical ways to elevate your protagonist regardless of type.

FICTION THAT TRANSCENDS OUR TIME
WITH DONALD MAASS

In our extreme times, it feels like fiction cannot compete with reality. Its aim is too low and its effect too small…but it doesn’t have to be that way. Anxiety and helplessness can be integral elements in any story. This workshop shows how to use them—and other difficult emotions—to give shape to a novel that becomes a profound journey toward meaning, a courageous quest toward the high goals of endurance, acceptance and the ultimate prize: self-knowledge.

FREEDOM OF MASTERY
WITH DONALD MAASS

For many, the process of novel writing involves doubt and anxiety, a fear of not “getting it right.”  Master novelists do not have such fear.  Their confidence is born not just of experience, but of conviction that their voices are necessary, their worlds are real, their characters are alive, and their stories will change us.  Furthermore, they know the methods of making agents, editors, reviewers, award committees and producers sit up and pay attention.  Learn the means of mastery in this hands-on webinar.

Holding the River: When to Create
Narrative “Traction” and When to Let the Reader Fly
with Lorin Oberweger

Effective pacing, like voice, can sometimes be an “I’ll know it when I feel it” proposition, but there ARE practical considerations in creating an efficient narrative flow. In this workshop, we’ll look at the issues of when to use exposition and when to employ more observable dramatic action; what kinds of scenes demand to be slowed down and savored and what scenes can be dispensed with more quickly; when--and if--we need aftermath or sequel scenes; and how to get a handle on the overall pacing of our novels, creating a sense of escalation and stronger drive as we move toward our story’s climax. Bring writing implements and expect to work hard and have fun.

How nothing becomes everything with donald maass

Every novel must deal with a certain amount of routine business.  Daily life can be deadly on the page but why in some novels is it rich with meaning?  How does what’s ordinary become suffused with significance?  Word magic partly explains it but not completely.  This hands-on webinar will reveal the secret methods of digging high meaning from the familiar clutter of life and exploding fireworks in the night-minds of readers.

how to write riveting sex scenes that leave your reader wanting more with CAROL DESPEAUX FAWCETT

Have you ever read a sex scene in a novel and cringed? Maybe you felt embarrassed for the author? If you want to make sure your readers don’t have that experience with your writing, please join my masterclass in how to write provocative, emotionally authentic sex scenes—whether these scenes are on or off the page. I’ll share how to create an immersive experience for your reader, how to evoke mood, how to use the power of emotions to evoke physical intimacy, how to write a sex scene that arises organically from your story, and much more. You’ll learn the difference between gratuitous sex and authentic encounters that move the story forward. I’ll also give you a list of sensual words and phrases (and show you how to use them) that won’t make your readers wince but will keep them riveted and wanting more.

Immersive poV made easy with donald maass

Are you afraid to “tell”?  Is it challenging to get emotions on the page?  Have critique friends told you to cut interior passages and keep the plot moving?  Is your narrative voice neutral or generic?  Such storytelling issues are solved by mastering the methods of Immersive Point-of-View.  This hands-on webinar will reveal Immersive POV’s methods and applications.

IMPERFECT HEROES AND EXCELLENT ANTI-HEROES
WITH DONALD MAASS

Heroes have issues, and anti-heroes have codes.  The fundamentals of flawed and dark protagonists are well known, but beyond the basics lie many possibilities for creating imperfect characters who fascinate us.  In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore new methods of making non-traditional characters feel heroic.  Crooks, bitches, killers, and monsters have all captivated us.  So have characters with unfamiliar backgrounds and value systems that we, at first, may find strange.   Learn how to turn characters we might dislike into characters we will love.

INNER VERSUS OUTER: MASTERING IMMERSIVE POINT OF VIEW
WITH DONALD MAASS

The interior life of characters and their inner journeys (often called the emotional arc) are powerful novel components but come with challenges. How does interior life become necessary reading rather than a drag on pace? How does an arc fit in a plot-driven novel, especially in a series? This hands-on workshop will show you how the “interior stuff” can become the most compelling part of your WIP.

it’s closing time: opening and closing chapters with sheree greer

How do we get readers to keep turning the page? How do we create the momentum that keeps readers saying, “one more chapter” even though it’s 2 a.m. and they need to get some sleep? How do we structure our chapters in ways that serve the overall dramatic tension of the novel? In this interactive writing webinar, we will explore how chapters work and their function in longform storytelling. In examining the way chapters open and close, we will develop strategies for creating and sustaining compelling plot movement in our work.

I WANT WHAT I WANT WITH SHEREE GREER

Desire is the driving force of story. Exploring what our characters want is the first step in building dramatic tension that compels readers to turn the page. Whether the desire is concrete--like a new lover or better job, or abstract--like redemption or revenge, the act of wanting something or someone inspires decisions and provokes action. Writers will learn techniques and participate in exercises to identify a character's central desire, explore the implicit and explicit stakes associated with that desire, and use that desire as a tool of craft. Through interactive free-writing activities and small group discussions, writers will develop a clearer understanding of how a character's desires inform plot movement, central conflict, and dialogue.

KEEP THE WIND IN YOUR SAILS: HOW TO GIVE, TAKE, AND WORK WITH FEEDBACK
WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

While it’s certainly possible for writers to exist in a solitary vacuum, trusting only their own judgment in vetting the success of the story they’re telling, most of us rely on—and grow through—feedback from others. Whether it be critique group partners, beta readers, or paid professionals, quality criticism often means the difference between okay and extraordinary. But finding smart, supportive help with our work isn’t always easy, and it can be particularly difficult to make sense of what feels like conflicting advice, especially within standard critique models.

In this hands-on workshop, we’ll discuss: how and where to find trustworthy critique partners; how to take charge of the critique process; what questions to ask during each phase of the drafting process; how to sort through and prioritize feedback; and how to stay attuned to our “non-negotiables,” ensuring that we keep in touch with the hearts and souls of our stories in a way that helps us maintain momentum and belief in our work.

MINING CHARACTER: THE ART AND SCIENCE BEHIND GREAT PROTAGONISTS
WITH HENRY NEFF

Readers spend more time with a story's protagonist than anyone else, yet many protagonists are bland, generic characters that lack the flair or charisma of sidekicks and villains. It doesn't need to be this way. Whether your MC's meant to be a scintillating hero or an unlikeable Scrooge, there are ways to craft protagonists that convey a sense of depth, relatability, and intrigue. By examining examples from literature and introducing some repeatable techniques, the webinar's aim is to give writers a practical foundation for upping their MC's game and crafting protagonists that not only merit the spotlight but make a lasting impression on readers.

MOTIVATION MATTERS: REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR WRITING ONE CREATIVE STEP AT A TIME
WITH WENDY H. JONES

Often, we find our writing mojo has flown out of the window, or we find it being pushed aside by the pressures of life. The age old saying—if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’e always got—is never more true than when staring at a blank screen. Even if writing block is not an issue, improving your motivation can help both your word count and creativity soar. 

This workshop will take participants through multiple motivational and creative strategies, with breaks to incorporate and try some of the strategies as the session progresses. This will be an interactive session, with exercises for the participants to complete and opportunities for feedback and discussion. Using aspects of Neuro Linguistic Programming, it will help participants to think in new and more creative ways. 

MYSTERY, SUSPENSE, ROMANCE, ADVENTURE, QUEST
WITH DONALD MAASS

No one wants to write pulp fiction, but everyone wants to write novels that appeal and endure. Often, classic novels are founded in or draw upon timeless story patterns: quest, adventure, romance, suspense and mystery. In this hands-on webinar, you’ll find these hidden elements in your WIP and discover ways to enhance them…not to make your novel pulpy, but to make it more irresistible for readers now and into the future.

NARRATIVE DRIVE FOR NO-PLOT NOVELS AND SAGGING MIDDLES
WITH DONALD MAASS

What do you do when your plot is stalled or, worse, when there’s no obvious plot in the first place?  How do you counter-act the “spinning wheels” effect in middles and give even stuck characters a sense of dynamic drive?  In this hands-on workshop, we’ll look at the methods of transforming inaction into drama.  Using the secret power of seeking, any story can electrify readers no matter how overtly quiet or slow.

NLP FOR WRITERS WITH BETH BARANY

Learn how NLP, or neurolinguistic programming, boosts writing productivity and writing quality for authors. It's a gentle tool fostering self-acceptance while achieving desired outcomes effortlessly. Perfect for writers seeking to enhance their skills, in this workshop you’ll gain practical techniques to clarify your creative goals, expand your writer toolkit, and conquer writing challenges. Turn your writer’s dream into today’s actions. Satisfying, successful, calm, and connected – it’s all within reach with simple tools for your creative life.

NON-LINEAR, DUAL-TIMELINE, AND MULTI-POV PLOTTING WITH DONALD MAASS

Multi-track stories present unique challenges. How much of one timeline versus another? How can you artfully distinguish various POV’s? If you shift back and forth in time—or if you scramble or reverse time altogether—what’s the best pattern? Heading each chapter with a date stamp or character name is not enough! Learn the methods of sophisticated, multi-track storytelling in this hands-on webinar.

OUR WORLD IN YOUR NUTSHELL
WITH DONALD MAASS

Some novels seem to be powerfully about us and our current situation, no matter how far-removed, historic, or fantastic their settings may be.  What makes novels relevant?  What causes us to connect?  How do some novels reach across decades, even centuries, to tell us timeless truths?  In this hands-on workshop, discover how to give your WIP the elements that will reach readers around the globe and for countless years to come.

POINT OF VIEW: VOICE AND CHARACTER THROUGH A CREATIVE KALEIDOSCOPE WITH SHEREE GREER

Many times, we are certain who our protagonist is and how to tell their story, but do you ever wonder what hidden gems can be found in exploring various vantage points in your draft work? Changing point of view as a creative exercise can help us blast through writing blocks, identify stakes in stalled plots, and uncover motivations for lead and supporting characters alike. Through discussion and writing prompts, we’ll use point of view as a way to explore voice, character development, and plot movement by exploring how different vantage points can reveal much-needed nuances and complexities in our prose.

POWER SCENES WITH DONALD MAASS

Beyond the basics of scene structure—POV character, goal, obstacles, atmosphere—lie less obvious scene strengths, such as parallel changes, character turns, shadow scenes, phantom layers, and the cognitive and emotional rewards that propel readers onward. Discover the elements of advanced scene craft in this hands-on workshop.

PUTTING YOUR WORLD TO WORK WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

The world of your story is not only a container for drama and character growth but a potent—and often underutilized--source of story movement, personal and public stakes, conflict, character history, and more. In other words, your story world is more than where your story takes place. It can be the reason your story happens at all. It can inhibit or help your protagonist. It can create—or denote—change. And any story, whether it’s high fantasy or raw reality, contains a multitude of worlds to plumb for plot and character development. In this hands-on webinar, we’ll do just that, looking at all our possible story worlds, from macro to micro, for inspiration to make our stories richer and more expansive than we imagine.

RESEARCH FOR WRITERS WITH SHEREE L. GREER

In this interactive, generative webinar, we'll explore research as an element of craft. From composing research questions and developing organization techniques to accessing historical archives, and (re)visiting personal artifacts, we will examine the ways research can spark, support, and sustain our creative ideas.

RETHINKING SCENE & SEQUEL: THE RHYTHM OF FICTION WITH DAMON SUEDE

Every story has a heartbeat. This workshop gets up close and personal with the bones of bestselling fiction based on Dwight Swain's revolutionary approach to storytelling….with a fresh look at how it can revitalize your process. Whether you call it “scene and sequel,” “disasters and decisions,” or “action and reaction,” this fundamental storytelling pattern allows you to pace your plot, escalate your action, and find your story’s heat and flow with a clear structural strategy that simplifies the process of planning, drafting, and revising your book.

REVISIONS 2.0 WITH GRACE BURROWES

When it comes to revisions, the devils--and the diamonds--can lurk in the details. Join Grace for an evening devoted to the subtle tweaks and twiddles, often overlooked by editors and CPs, that can morph your writing from solid to scintillating. We will look at before and after revisions, tackle some of our own prose, and look at why and when to break a few rules. Bring your questions and your darlings--and prepare to have fun with what can be the most important part of the writing process!

Secrets, Mysteries and How to Build Them
with Donald Maass

Mysteries are not just for crime fiction.  They are a potent tool in any story.  But what is a good mystery, and how is one constructed?  This webinar will examine little intrigues and large puzzles, plus the riddles of character psychology, social conspiracies, unexplained phenomena, historical secrets, and more.  Keeping reader intrigue high is a primary story goal.  Secrets, mysteries, puzzles and more are critical tools in a writer’s toolbox.

Secrets of Series Characters
with Donald Maass

Great series characters live long in our imaginations. How is that effect achieved?  In this webinar we’ll explore the methods of unresolvable conflicts, distinctive strengths, high resolve, fatal flaws, and more.  At the same time, we’ll examine how each plot gets under a main character’s skin, plus the importance of sidekicks and secondary characters who provide contrast or supply your series protagonist’s missing dimensions.

seeing it: crafting richer scenes in fiction and nonfiction with sheree greer

Crafting rich scenes that engage the senses are essential in storytelling. Scenes make up the plot points, which make up the movement of the story. Each scene should have a purpose, and that purpose on a broad scale is to move the story forward. In this webinar, we’ll read scene excerpts and discuss our individual strengths and challenges in scene composition. Using what we notice in our work and the work of others, we’ll develop approaches to setting, sensory detail, dialogue, and point of view to deepen our relationship to the scenes in our work.

SHOW/TELL SOLUTION
WITH Lorin Oberweger AND Donald Maass

Nearly every writer is admonished to “show don’t tell,” only to puzzle over the fact that of course you have to tell readers quite a bit of your story. First, we’ll define and look at passages of show—action, dialogue, and then tell—description and the rest of narration. To arrive at a publishable novel or memoir, you’ll need to learn two advanced techniques: Show-Tell and Tell Well. The skill of when and how to show/tell or tell well intersects with decisions you’ll make about pacing, dialogue, character development, imagery, genre and much more. In this workshop, you’ll learn the many criteria for how to successfully use these techniques, and have a chance to apply what you learn on your writing.

SOUND AND SYMBOL: HOW TO USE POETRY TO DEEPEN YOUR PROSE WITH CAROL DESPEAUX FAWCETT

In this webinar, we’ll dive deep into how poetry can add sensory engagement to your prose. You’ll create metaphors and extended metaphors for your works in progress. You’ll learn how to construct sentences in the most effective way possible using cadence, repetition, and sound. You’ll focus on specificity in language to create imagery that deepens character development and emotion. Poetry forces the writer to think about language and every word used in a more direct and articulate way. It places emphasis on the creative properties of language as a way of communicating emotion, suggesting meaning, and creating a mood. This will be a fun, hands-on workshop with plenty of time for writing.

TENSION AND DESIRE: HOW YOUR CHARACTERS’ DEEPEST LONGINGS MAKE FOR PAGE-TURNING FICTION WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

In this class, we’ll explore the landscape of internal and external goals, overarching desires, emotional wounds, and unacknowledged longings. We’ll parse their different functions and explore how they can best be employed on a scene-by-scene and page-by-page basis. We’ll also discuss when desires should be made overt to the reader and when they should operate in sub-text.  Additionally, we’ll work with desire as a tool for creating tension, building apprehension and investment via dialogue, exposition, internal monologue, and more. Prepare for some hands-on work!

The Bigger Canvas and How to Use It
with Donald Maass

A novel takes place in a wider world, but that doesn’t mean we always see that.  In this webinar we’ll develop your WIP’s story world in terms of landscape, history, society, customs, beliefs, hidden rules and more, turning those elements into story conflicts and dramatic events.  When characters are built of more than just their back stories, a novel achieves greater scope and higher meaning.  Find out how.

The EIGHT LACKS THAT TORPEDO GOOD MANUSCRIPTS
with Donald Maass

What triggers rejection of manuscripts is often not what’s “wrong” but what’s missing.  In this hands-on webinar, we’ll explore eight areas in which most manuscripts could be strengthened: overly sequential narration; scene intention; set up; emotional surprise; invisible arc; under-developed secondaries; strength of voice; prose values; and the elusive element called fearlessness.

The End is the Beginning
with Lorin Oberweger

As writers, we’re often guilty of noodling around with our story openings FOREVER, but what about our endings? In this generative workshop, we’ll talk about—and play with writing—story endings that serve as a powerful target for the rest of your narrative. We’ll ask ourselves what makes for a potent and resonant ending. Other topics covered: how to weave all of your plot threads and plot lines together and how to decide on the order for doing so; how to decide on last images/last lines; how to bring things full circle from your opening; how to avoid disappointing the reader; and how to clarify and underscore your protagonist’s emotional journey at story’s end. Please bring a novel or picture book with an ending that really worked for you, your current work-in-progress, and a notebook or laptop (or both) for some writing of your own! 

THE ONES WE LOVE TO HATE WITH HENRY NEFF

Forget the family dog; a writer's best friend is their villain. Not generic, mustache-twirling goons but unforgettable adversaries who challenge not only the hero but also the reader. Far more than plot devices, villains are a golden opportunity for writers to expand their toolkit, undermine reader assumptions, and shatter taboos. A great villain doesn't merely elevate a story; she can carry it. Given their potential, this seminar will take a deep dive into iconic baddies from literature and film. Together, we'll survey the landscape, identify villain archetypes, and peek under the hood to see what makes them so compelling. Once we're brimming with knowledge, we'll apply it to our own stories and explore creative ways to raise the villain's game as well as our own.

the other plot: life’s journey with donald maass

How does any story become the reader’s story?  How is universal human experience actually captured on the page?  Plot moves along story events but what propels a character’s human journey?  And what actually is that journey in the first place?  Discover what lifts a novel above its plot and lends it a force and meaning that transcends time, place and the narrow focus of its topic.  A hands-on webinar.

THE PRO TEN: TECHNIQUES TO TAKE YOUR NOVEL FROM OKAY TO “OH, WOW!” WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

In this comprehensive workshop, we’ll explore a wide range of techniques guaranteed to give your work a boost. Topics we’ll tackle: truly understanding “tension on every page;” creating powerful personal and private stakes as well as solid and credible motivations for your protagonist; distinguishing between authorial vs. character goals in a scene and story; how to make your protagonist as interesting as your villains and sidekicks; and creating structure when you aren’t a structure person (“organic structure”). Be prepared for a fast-paced but meaty presentation.

three modes of story imagination with donald maass

Stories have many origins but are visualized by writers in three main ways: 1) the movie in the mind, 2) marker moments, and 3) springing from words themselves.  The way in which your novel unfolds in your mind influences how you write it, but can also shortchange your story.  In this hands-on webinar, learn how story visualization differs for every writer and how to tap into alternate ways of imagining a tale.

TIME, PLACE, INFLUENCE, AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
WITH DONALD MAASS

Is your novel playing it safe?  Are you cheating readers by delivering what they want—and which perhaps anyone could write—or are you delivering a story that only you can create?  All novels, genre or otherwise, are subject to the pressure to please.  However, to truly grip readers requires originality, using the unique elements that come entirely from you.  In this hands-on webinar, you’ll develop story tools made from your own background, mind and heart.  The strength of story is the strength of you.

To arc or not to arc
WITH donald maass

Character arcs are a fundamental story component, but not every protagonist needs one.  Some, such as series protagonists, simply are who they are.  How do arcs bring about change and, in their absence, how do unchanging characters become dynamic?  If there aren’t demons to vanquish what keeps readers interested?  Discover the nuances of arc, anti-arc and no arc in this hands-on workshop.

Try a little tenderness with grace burrowes

Grace Burrowes will explain why almost any story can benefit from the addition of a romantic arc, and describe exactly what a romantic arc is (and is not). She will present exercises to help unlock the potential for a romantic thread in your story, and detail how to handle the five turning point scenes on the road to a happily ever after. Her webinar will also cover the purpose and craft behind those hot scenes (even Amish romance has 'em), as well as common potholes in romance writing, and how to avoid them. Finally, we'll discuss how a romantic arc has the potential to both thwart and accelerate the growth of individual characters. 

UNSTUCK IN THE MIDDLE
WITH LORIN OBERWEGER

This workshop will explore strategies to help keep promising early chapters from melting into a mushy middle. Topics include: vetting your premise to make sure it’s sound and can carry a story filled with escalating stakes and complications; developing fully formed characters whose backstories, desires, and motivations are powerful enough to support a compelling narrative; deepening and expanding conflict so that it’s capable of driving a novel; making certain the story operates at varying dramatic temperatures to ensure a vivid emotional experience for the reader; and more!

When your book hates you and other challenges to lasting creativity with grace burrowes

Our objective as authors is to write one good book, but the stretch goal is usually to follow that up with more good books. In an ideal world, our creativity works like the Sorcerer's Apprentice, so the writing matures from a tantalizing trickle to a mighty river of beautiful prose and brilliant plots. 

The world is not ideal. Slumps happen, life intrudes, the gears of inspiration need lubrication. Grace Burrowes, author of more than one hundred books, will discuss the habits that characterize creative people, how to adapt those habits to the writing life, and how to avoid writing "the same book twenty times."

WRITING THROUGH GRIEF, CHAOS, AND INSTABILITY WITH JASON SITZES

There are times in the lives of writers when sitting to put words on paper seems futile. What if life circumstances have us overwhelmed by grief or instability? What if we don’t trust ourselves to tell our stories? In this webinar, we will: 1) Examine writers through the ages who have found inspiration through instability. 2) Work on exercises where we take our characters to places where they must push through impossible situations, raising stakes and tension within our stories. 3) Reflect on our progress in the first part of the year and make promises to ourselves heading into the second part of 2024, with a reminder of what we can control: our productivity. A webinar with personal challenges and exercises to hone your craft.