OWL Schedule 2020
Download RWA OWL Calendar 2020
September
7th September – 2nd October
PEN A KICK-ARSE SHORT STORY IN 9 EASY STEPS WITH LIBBY M IRIKS : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGWN
How hard can it be to write a short story? It has to be easier that writing a novel because, well, they’re short … right?
But just because there are less words in a short story, it doesn’t mean it takes any less skill to engage and satisfy your reader.
Short stories do, however, take less time to write. So if you’re struggling to learn the ins and outs of how to write a novel, try penning a short story first and take the time to practice your craft before attempting a longer work.
Learning how to write a submission-worthy short story means you’ll develop the skills you need to create well-rounded character arcs and construct interesting and well-paced plots. You’ll also learn how to make every word count—so much so that it’ll become second nature to know when to show and when to tell. It goes without saying, then, that you’ll keep your reader hooked and turning pages until the very end.
Now that we’ve established how learning to write a short story will benefit you in the long term, set yourself up for success this competition season by joining Libby M Iriks for Pen a Kick-arse Short Story in 9 Easy Steps. RWA’s short story competitions, Sweet Treats and Spicy Bites open in January, so this course will give you plenty of time to craft and polish the perfect short romantic tale. Put yourself ahead of the pack and enrol now!
If that’s not enough to entice you, perhaps this will: all course participants will have the opportunity to submit their stories anonymously for peer and presenter feedback. Plus, they will go into the draw—with opportunities to earn extra entries throughout the course—to have their completed short story professionally edited by Libby.
Pre-course preparation
The course is designed for those writers who are still developing their craft. All concepts will be explained for those who come with little writing experience, and in some cases, I’ll point participants to online resources and articles that further explain concepts.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
Participants will need to dedicate somewhere between 15-25 hours to this course, which includes planning, drafting and editing their stories, as well as giving feedback to their peers. The workload will be heaviest in the second week of the course when participants draft their story and in the final when participants are providing feedback on their peers’ complete stories.
Presenters Bio
Libby M Iriks is the commissioning editor of romance for Vulpine Press and offers freelance editing services at Perfect Pear Editing and Proofreading. She writes small-town romance where the chemistry sizzles and love is forever.
The first short story she ever penned, Breaking Free, was a placegetter in RWA’s Little Gems competition in 2016.
Another of her short stories, His Luminous Gemstone, caught the attention of a reviewer who had this to say: “This story has it all—a powerful plot, an interesting male lead, a strong sexy female, and fabulous settings. It’s superbly written!”
All participants of Pen a Kick-arse Short Story in 9 Easy Steps will receive a free copy of His Luminous Gemstone.
TAKING THE PLUNGE: YOUR BOOK SUBMISSION PACK WITH JANET GOVER : PITCHING
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGWU
Taking the Plunge – your book submission pack.
You’ve written, rewritten, edited and edited again. Now your book is ready – but how do you get it out there into the world?
For those planning the traditional route to a publishing career, this course looks at how to catch the attention of an agent or editor in the best possible way. You will emerge from this course with a ready to go submission pack.
Everyone hates writing a synopsis, but a good synopsis is key. Multi-published and international award winning author Janet Gover will help you write an eye-catching synopsis.
Your submission letter is the start of your professional career as a writer. Janet will help you develop a ‘business mind-set’, to make that agent or editor want to work with you.
The course will look at how to deal with that rejection letter and what to do when you get a yes. After the crying and celebrating, you need to know what comes next.
Along with hints and tips from someone with more than a decade of experience in the industry, you will also submit a synopsis and submission letter for review and feedback.
In the highly competitive publishing world, agents and editors are looking for a reason to say ‘Yes’ to your submission. This course will help you give your book the very best chance of success
Pre-course preparation
This course would be of most benefit to attendees who have a book ready , or almost ready. For submission.
Course Type
Pitching.
Hours of Commitment
Each week’s material will take under an hour to properly review. Exercises will take as long as students wish to devote to them.
Presenters Bio
Janet Gover is the author of 13 published novels. She has twice been a RuBY finalist, has won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award (UK) and several Romance Writers of America chapter awards.
She is the organiser of the RNA (UK) New Writers Scheme and a specialist in online training in her non-writing life.
She draws on her experience growing up in rural Queensland for her Australian romances. As Juliet Bell, she co-authors darker relationship novels inspired by great English classics.
October
5th October – 30th October
800 WORDS: WRITING FOR MAGAZINES WITH TANYA NELLESTEIN : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGWN
Pssst … wanna make some cash? While you’re waiting for that multi-book publishing contract, why not supplement your income as a freelance writer?
Learn the how to hook an idea, structure an article and pitch it to a publication – and (hopefully) get paid for your efforts! This course is full of insights and practical guides to help you develop your prose into journalistic genius – from developing a story idea, targeting a publication, structuring a great piece and pitching it to an editor. There will be loads of opportunities for getting feedback, and giving it as well. Who knows, maybe you’ll even win a ROMA?!
- Pssst … wanna make some cash? While you’re waiting for that multi-book publishing contract
Pre-course preparation
If learners have a particular publication in mind to pitch to, I suggest reading back copies.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
1.5 – 3 hours/week depending on how much interaction they choose to take part in, how much research they want to do and how quickly they write.
Presenters Bio
Tanya Nellestein has studied Freelance Journalism and her work has appeared in Sunday Life and NSW Business Chamber quarterly magazine Courage, as well as being a regular contributor for Blush Magazine. Tanya is also an accomplished presenter and workshop facilitator and has almost completed a CERT IV in Training and Assessment.
CHARACTER-LED PLOTTING WITH SAMANTHA BOND : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGZS
Do you love writing but find that you either:
- a) have trouble coming up with ideas for stories, or
- b) start stories only to run out of steam part-way through?
I had both of those issues once too.
In fact, the main thing that scared the bejesus out of me when I started my first novel was knowing just what to write. I had the kernel of an idea and a few characters, but how was I going to spin this into 300-400 pages of novel? “Outline it”, I was told. Plot it out so you don’t have to face the terror of the blank page.
Great advice, if you know how to do it.
Join me for this OWL all about character-led plotting and you’ll soon find it a cinch!
Because she’s awesome, I’ve drawn inspiration from iconic chic lit character, Bridget Jones, to demonstrate ideas and explain the concept of character-led plotting. And to demonstrate that character-led plotting works for just about every type of story, not just Rom Com’s, I’ve also used iconic 80s action movie Die Hard to show it in, ahem, action in action stories.
By the end of this OWL, I want you to understand what a plot is, how it functions in fiction, and how you can generate plots in your own writing. Never again should you fear the blank page because, once you’ve done this course, when someone wisely advises you to “outline it”, you’ll know exactly how.
It’s gonna be a blast with big knickers!
Pre-course preparation
Watching both Bridget Jones’ Diary and Die Hard would help, but not necessary.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
This depends on how active students want to be. Some prefer to read the notes and lurk in the background, which is fine. Others like to submit homework and engage in discussions. Approximately 1 hour to 3 hours per week depending on individuals.
Presenters Bio
Samantha Bond is a reformed corporate lawyer, now writer, public servant and enthusuiastic writing mentor. Her creative work has been published in numerous literary journals, anthologies and magazines. She has an Advanced Diploma of Professional Writing, and taught at TAFE as a creative writing tutor for five years. She also runs creative writing workshops, has taught for Romance Writers of Australia, RW America, SavvyAuthors, and Flinders University. As a reviewer since 2008 for Indaily and Glam Adelaide, Samantha has had over 250 articles published. Finally, Samantha is a busy mum of two littlies, is an unapologetic chocolate addict, believes that Buffy would so slay Edward (which perhaps shows her age), and is a writers’ festival groupie. If you’d like her services, she’s contactable through her website, www.samanthastaceybond.com.
November
2nd November – 27th November
THE ART OF INTERVIEWING WITH TANYA NELLESTEIN : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGXK
Interviewing someone and turning their words into a fascinating article is easy – if you know how! The Art of Interviewing is full of ideas, tips for success and practical advice on how to facilitate a great interview and turn it into a magazine article. (Or newsletter or blog piece!)
This OWL is a great follow-on from the 800 Words OWL, or it serves as a stand-alone course. However, there is greater emphasis on learning to interview and write a profile feature than on getting it published in a magazine. There will be loads of opportunities for getting feedback-and giving it as well.
Who knows, maybe you’ll even win a ROMA?!
The art of interviewing – it’s more than just a chat!
Pre-course preparation
If learners have a particular publication in mind to pitch to, I suggest reading back copies.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
1.5 – 3 hours/week depending on how much interaction they choose to take part in, how much research they want to do and how quickly they write.
Presenters Bio
Tanya Nellestein has studied Freelance Journalism and her work has appeared in Sunday Life and NSW Business Chamber quarterly magazine Courage, as well as being a regular contributor for Blush Magazine. Tanya is also an accomplished presenter and workshop facilitator and has almost completed a CERT IV in Training and Assessment.
CREATIVE JOURNALING WITH LILLIAN ROSE : MINDSET
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGXR
Unsure of what to write? Can’t get started with your writing? Not finding the time to write?
Join the creative journaling workshop and be inspired to get writing. Learn to play with words, deal with your inner critic, become more self-aware of your writing process, observe your surroundings, and use memories as a way to get the words flowing on to the page.
Participants can expect to:
- learn methods to push past writing blocks
- try new methods of writing through journaling
- to write without goals in mind, to connect with the creative process for themselves, and to cultivate this, so they can apply what they learn with their goal-driven writing.
Join like-minded people and get ready to create with words.
Pre-course preparation
Nil.
Course Type
Mindset.
Hours of Commitment
2 hours (depending how much writing participants choose to do).
Presenters Bio
Lilliana Rose has a Masters in Science, a Graduate Diploma in Education and Counselling, a Masters in Creative Writing, and is currently a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at Flinders University. She is a bestselling Amazon author with over 40 poems and ten fictional novels published under pseudonyms, and two poetry collections. She has over 10 years experience teaching in high schools (teaching biology and science), primary schools (teaching ESL) and mentoring TAFE students in creative writing. Lilliana has presented a series ‘inspirational journaling’ workshops locally which she started through the Meetup Group with nearly 400 members.
NEWSLETTER KNOW-HOW WITH BREE VREEDENBURGH : MARKETING
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGIJ
PLEASE NOTE: This OWL was scheduled for June but due to unavoidable circumstances has been postponed until November.
Do you need an Author Newsletter but don’t know how to go about it? Heard about mailing lists, but not sure what they are for? Confused by all the different options out there?
Then Newsletter Know-How is for you.
Practical steps to help you:
- Understand what an Author Newsletter can do for you and your potential readers
- Decide what you want from your Author Newsletter
- Decide which platforms best suit your needs
- Build your first Subscriber List and Sign Up Form
- Set up your Welcome Sequence
- Set up your Newsletter Template, to make your monthly newsletter a breeze to manage
- Get your Author Newsletter out into the world!
Pre-course preparation
None – the course will start from the very beginning of the process.
Course Type
Marketing.
Hours of Commitment
Participants should be prepared to put 20 hours of work into the course over and above the lecture times. Yes, it is a high commitment course.
Presenters Bio
Bree Vreedenburgh is a qualified business coach and romance writer. She built her first mailing list to 3000 members in just three months, then dismantled it and started again.
Under the pen name Bree Verity, she writes History and Romance with a little Magic, and can be found at www.breeverity.com
Previous OWLs
DIY YOUR AUTHOR WEBSITE WITH WIX WITH CATHERINE BILSON : MARKETING
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGIW
Want an author website without having to deal with the daunting WordPress, and don’t know where to start? Wix is a super-easy interface to use, and you can even get started for FREE, adding your purchased domain name later (the only expense you’ll incur).
In this course, we’ll walk through creating a site from scratch, with multiple pages, blogs, social media links and even monetising your site with Amazon Associates all covered. You’ll get feedback and advice as you expand from a single ‘landing’ page to multiple pages, all designed to help readers fall in love with you, the author.
Pre-course preparation
Choose the domain name you want to eventually use and see if it’s available. Consider purchasing through GoDaddy (cheapest option) if you think it might get snatched out from under you!
Course Type
Marketing.
Hours of Commitment
4-8 hours; 1-2 hours per week for 4 weeks.
Presenters Bio
Born and raised in the UK, Catherine Bilson studied electromechanical engineering and even worked briefly as a rocket scientist (yes, really!) before throwing it all in and moving to Australia with the love of her life. Today, she writes historical romance as Catherine Bilson and steamy contemporary romance as Caitlyn Lynch, wrangles two sports-mad sons and works part-time in disability support.
CREATE PAGE-TURNING TENSION WITH SANDY VAILE : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGIS
Have you been told your character isn’t engaging or that special something is missing from your story?
The Create Page-Turning Tension workshop is for fiction writers who want to hook readers and compel them to keep turning pages all the way to the end.
Uncertainty is the ultimate weapon against readers abandoning your story, because it exploits their innate curiosity. Learn what readers need from you to fully commit to a story, so you can squeeze every bit of emotional angst from your characters.
You’ll be writing angst-ridden tension in no time!
This workshop will give you the skills to:
- Know how to build tension to enhance conflict, pace and character development.
- When to release information for the maximum effect.
- Develop hooks, from killer openings to cliff-hanger endings.
- Appreciate the role of emotions in creating tension.
- Identify opportunities to increase uncertainty.
What people are saying about Sandy’s workshops:
“Helpful, practical and inspirational, Sandy’s workshop took my writing to the next level.”
“I loved Sandy’s dedication to giving the best feedback possible. It’s made a huge difference to me already.”
“The workshop was well structured, with information provided at an appropriate pace to enable participants to absorb it and apply it to their own work.”
“I liked the friendly nature of the learning experience.”
Pre-course preparation
This workshop is suited to aspiring writers, assuming basic English skills.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
1-2 hours per week, plus chats.
Presenters Bio
Sandy Vaile is a motorbike-riding daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body. She writes romantic-suspense for Simon & Schuster US and empowers modern writers to produce commercial quality fiction.
Sandy is an experienced course presenter with a decade of experience in the industry. She prides herself on providing a nurturing learning environment that enables participants to truly absorb the material and apply it to their own work.
In her spare time, Sandy composes procedures for high-risk industrial processes, judges competitions, runs The Fearless Novelist Facebook group, and offers coaching and critiquing services.
AUTHOR BUSINESS PLAN WITH LAUREN CLARKE : BUSINESS
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGID
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a template you could follow to map out a business plan for your author career?
In this OWL, editor and author coach Lauren Clarke provides just that, helping you to create a business plan that will take you into the next financial year and set marketing, planning, financial, and strategic goals to put you ahead of the pack. With plenty of opportunity for feedback and prizes to be won, you can expect to leave this course with a business plan you can follow to keep your career on track in the future.
Pre-course preparation
Nothing is required.
Course Type
Business.
Hours of Commitment
Approx. one hour per week, with the opportunity for more – there are bonuses available.
Presenters Bio
Lauren Clarke is an editor, coach and teacher for traditional and independent authors. She works with a range of authors, some USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers amongst them. You can find out more at www.CREATINGink.com.
NEWSLETTER KNOW-HOW WITH BREE VREEDENBURGH : MARKETING – POSTPONED UNTIL NOVEMBER
ROMANCE EDITING DONE RIGHT WITH EBONY MCKENNA : EDITING
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGHN
You’ve written the draft, now what? Let Ebony McKenna show you how to become objective about your own writing and edit your romance novel until it shines like a diamond.
Whether chasing a traditional deal or self-publishing, authors need to deliver a great read to their audience. It’s a crowded marketplace out there. A beautifully edited novel will put your titles way ahead of the rest, and build your readership.
Ebony has run this OWL a few times now and it works a treat. Yes, it is hard work, but the results are worth it. Participants will learn all the stages of editing (there are many) and know what to look for in their manuscripts. Most importantly, they’ll develop the tools to fix issues with their writing.
Pre-course preparation
A first draft, or at least half a draft. Can be any length, doesn’t have to be 50k. This also works for novellas.
Course Type
Editing.
Hours of Commitment
At least a couple of hours a week, as editing is not something you can do all that quickly.
Presenters Bio
Ebony McKenna is the author of 8 young adult rom-coms including the RuBY-winning The Girl and The Ghost, and multiple non-fiction author guides. She loves helping authors achieve their dreams.
FINDING YOUR CREATIVE WRITING ENERGY WITH CATHERINE EVANS & KIM PETERSEN : MINDSET
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHGHV
Do you ever get stuck when writing? We have and we’d like to share the alternate activities we’ve used to reclaim our creative writing energy. Practical, simple, sometimes called wacky, we invite you to give them a try.
We will look at:
- Mindfulness.
- Meditation.
- Reading aloud.
- Using divination tools (e.g. pendulum, oracle cards, tarot cards, runes) to come up with alternate ideas.
- Using crystals to help with focus, creativity and confidence.
Join in to see what might unlock your creativity.
Catherine has presented writing workshops for the South Coast Writers Centre, Romance Writers of Australia and local libraries. As Cate Ellink, she presented a 2019 OWL on Getting Comfortable Writing Sex. She has also presented workshops, classes, talks and presentations on other topics such as computers, agricultural research, soil acidity and fertility, landscape use, farm management and farming systems.
Together, Kim and Catherine have presented a workshop on Self-Publishing for the Shellharbour Library, and a talk at the Nowra Library. They present a weekly YouTube video and podcast show. Recently, they were invited to speak at the April 2020 WriteHive online global convention. Kim has been a guest on many international podcasts (e.g. Kelton Reid’s The Writer Files) and blog posts (e.g. The Creative Penn).
Pre-course preparation
Nothing is required. Just turn up with an open mind and be willing to try things.
Course Type
Mindset.
Hours of Commitment
It’s entirely up to participants. If they want to come and collect the notes, that’s fine. If they want to be more interactive, we’re open to weekly chats as well as discussions in the classroom.
Presenters Bio
Kim Petersen and Catherine Evans live in different towns on the south coast of NSW. Kim writes urban fantasy, paranormal and dystopian fiction. Catherine writes rural romance and has a naughty pseudonym, Cate Ellink, who writes erotica and erotic romance. After meeting at a writing workshop, they combined and have written and published two books together, Untamed Destinies and Creative Writing Energy: Tools to Access Your Higher Creative Mind. They are building a community of writers helping each other maintain their creative writing energy.
THE RHYTHM METHOD WITH ABIGAIL NATHAN : EDITING
Booking Link: www.trybooking.com/BACXB
From action beats to the way a sentence flows; from the back-and-forth patter between two characters to the pulse of tension thrumming behind the scenes, a story’s rhythm can shape the tone and atmosphere of a story and bring it to life, but how do you find those patterns when you’re busy trying to obey all the writing “rules” out there?
THE RHYTHM METHOD will guide you through different techniques to tighten your text, improve your pacing and find the rhythm in your writing. Each week we will demystify some of those pernicious writing “rules” and you’ll learn tips and tricks to tighten your text and find your story’s rhythm.
Who the course is for: Writers of all levels who want to improve their writing skills and push their manuscript to the next level.
During this course you will work on your existing manuscript and:
- See how rhythm can drive a scene.
- Learn how to make a dialogue sandwich.
- Discover how to eliminate redundant writing.
- Find out how to recognise filter words, passive voice and showing/telling.
Pre-course preparation
Participants should have at least a partial manuscript that they can work on during the course.
Course Type
Editing.
Hours of Commitment
Minimum 2 hrs/week (To go through materials and complete exercises. Additional time for forum participation).
Presenters Bio
Abigail Nathan has run Bothersome Words Editing & Writing Services for over ten years. She has edited for Australian trade publishers, including HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Harlequin, Escape and Hachette, as well as UK publishers including Little, Brown Book Group, Hachette and Gollancz, and small presses in the USA. She also works regularly with emerging and self-publishing writers — editing, mentoring, and helping them to develop their work. She can be found online as @BothersomeWords on Twitter and Facebook
Discover more at: www.BothersomeWords.com
SPELL CASTING: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CRAFT OF WRITING : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHFFT
Most writers aren’t born with magic in their fingertips. While a rare few have a natural instinct for storytelling, the rest of us need to hone our craft. This class introduces tools to sharpen your skills.
The best books casts a spell over readers, stealing them away from every day to let them live in someone else’s head. What are the tools and tricks used by wordwitches to create this magic? What should an apprentice wordsmith know?
This workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of craft including story, characters and worldbuilding, voice and writing style.
Specific lessons include:
- Wordsmithing
- Deep Point of View
- Editing
- Character Goal, Motivation and Conflict
- World Building
- Plot Points
- Romance Beats
- Movement and Flow
Pre-course preparation
An orientation class for writers ready to enter competitions or mystified by their feedback.
Course Type
Craft.
Hours of Commitment
As an introductory course, it’s more about them choosing how deep they want to go. 1-2 hours a week would be plenty.
Presenters Bio
An internationally award-winning writer, Karina Coldrick started penning Empire Strikes Back fan fiction as a seven year-old and hasn’t stopped writing since.
Originally from Perth, Australia, she met her husband-to-be when studying in the UK. After deciding they needed castles more than sunshine, Karina and her family moved to the Emerald Isle where they now live near the river Shannon. She writes romantic fantasy and contemporary romance.
BUILDING YOUR ONLINE AUTHOR PROFILE WITH KATE LARSEN : BUSINESS
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHFGC
It’s more important than ever for writers to think about building an online author profile – even before they’ve been published. Join literary-sector leader and social media evangelist Kate Larsen to find out what options are available to you online, how to use them to your best advantage, and how to balance your writing time alongside the time you need to spend building your brand.
Learning outcomes
- Find out why you need an author platform.
- Look at what options are available to you online.
- Explore ways to engage with online communities and audiences.
- Get tips on how to build your author brand and manage your reputation.
- Discuss the sticky issues of working online, such as pseudonyms and copyright concerns.
Google says Versions of this course have previously been delivered for Writers SA and Writers Victoria (of which I am a former Director and CEO). Feedback from those workshops was overwhelmingly positive: “Great content – plenty to ponder and act on outside the workshop.” “It helped focus my mind on the message I want to portray in my online ‘brand’.”
“The purpose/audience/what/how exercise was excellent. I had a real lightbulb moment with this that I need to change my blog to have a clearer message/unique point.” “Kate is an excellent presenter. Easy to listen to and very knowledgeable.” The course is unique in that it not online combines theoretical information with practical activities, but also with an individualised review and feedback on participant’s existing online profiles. The content draws on my broad professional experience as a literary-sector leader, my own practice as a writer and poet, and my genuine passion as a digital evangelist and advocate for online creative communities.
Pre-course preparation
While you do not already need to have an online platform to participate, the workshop will not include technical how-to guides to setting up websites or social media accounts.
Course Type
Business.
Hours of Commitment
7 hours (approximately 1 hour per session and 1 hour of homework after sessions 1, 2 and 3).
Presenters Bio
Kate Larsen is a writer, arts manager and non- profit/cultural consultant. Her work has been published or commissioned by The Relationship is the Project, Guildhouse, Asialink Arts, Australia Council for the Arts, Kill Your Darlings, Overland Journal, Arts Centre Melbourne, and anthologies, magazines and blogs in Australia, Asia and the UK. An advocate of online creative communities, her alter ego Katie Keys wrote and posted a daily poem on social media for over a decade. She is also a former Director of Writers Victoria, Co-convenor of the Arts Industry Council of Victoria and CEO of Arts Access Australia.
CRAFTING COMPELLING CHARACTERS WITH LAUREN CLARKE : CRAFT
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHFUS
Compelling characters are essential to every story.
In this course, Lauren Clarke dives into the mechanics of what makes your characters tick and how to ensure you have characters readers love (or love to hate). Lauren has been editing books for independent and traditionally published authors for more than 10 years, some NY Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers amongst them. She has a workbook titled The Novel Handbook that dives into the crafting of character, a subject that Lauren is passionate about.
Participants will:
- Develop their character-to-reader connection skills
- Find their protagonists’ perfect matches, romantic and otherwise
- Establish a strong dialect for their characters and work out how much to use it
- Lock in a solid goal, motivation and conflict for their protagonists
- Work out how much of the character to put on the page
- And more.
Pre-course preparation
Non.
Course Type
Craft
Hours of Commitment
Approx. one hour per week, with the opportunity for more – there are bonuses available
Presenters Bio
Lauren Clarke is an editor, coach and teacher for traditional and independent authors. She works with a range of authors, some USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers amongst them. You can find out more at https://www.creatingink.com/
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITIQUE WITH HEIDI WESSMAN KNEALE : EDITING
Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/BHFVE
Critiquing or beta-reading the work of others is a marvellous way of helping one another become better authors. But how do you know if you’re giving the best feedback you can?
In this workshop, Heidi shares how to give useful critiques and teach analytical skills that will allow you give more constructive critiques and become a better beta-reader. Learn how to:
- Analyse the elements of fiction.
- Effectively critique the five areas of structure–Craft, Setting, Character development, Plot, Dialogue.
- Effectively talk about what needs improvement in a story and what is working in a story (including figuring out why it works).
- Differentiate between emotions, opinions, and reality (is this a bad chapter because the craft is not mastered, or do you just not like it because you hate Cowboy Romance?).
- Critique the work and not the author (and how not to take it personally if you’re the one being critiqued).
- Use the Review features in Word for commenting on a chapter.
- Offer suggestions for improvement without rewriting an author’s work.
Modern critique styles are based on the Milford Method of critique, developed in the 1960’s. While the original method was designed for a face-to-face workshop structure, these same methods have been adapted to online critiquing techniques.
First week will be an in-depth covering of the modern Milford Method, with the second through fourth weeks applying them in a workshop environment, including reviews of critique technique. Each participant will contribute a chapter of no more than 4000 words each week for critique by their fellow students.
Knowing how to give constructive critique will improve one’s mastery of the craft, enabling the author to step back from their work and have good, objective analysis. These skills are also useful if one is to judge a contest or become a professional book reviewer.
Pre-course preparation
Participants need to have three chapters of a novel-in-progress (or three short stories) of no more than ~4000 words to workshop. One chapter a week will be critiqued.
Course Type
Editing.
Hours of Commitment
3-5 hours per week, as I expect them to participate in critiquing chapters from their fellow participants.
Presenters Bio
Heidi Wessman Kneale studied fiction as part of her Film Studies degree at the University of Utah. She spent more than fifteen years as an active participant in the Online Writing Workshop, and has written several articles on the Milford Method. She is not above giving her honest opinion about a piece, but knows how to deliver that opinion in a way that will benefit an author. After all, she wants you to be successful.