Not all critique groups are created equal. A good one can ignite a writer’s passion for the craft, while a bad one can smother creativity and motivation like a wet blanket over a cold fire. This workshop addresses what to look for in critique groups, how to make a critique group work for you, and at what stages your work should be brought to critique. It also covers how to accept and use criticism, how to give it (and how not to), and knowing when it’s time for the group to dissolve. One-hour or Two-hour… Read Article →
Posts Tagged: writing
Short stories provide tight, quick access to characters and narrative. Good ones encapsulate all the working pieces of a novel: voice, setting, story arc, etc. We’ll examine what to stretch, what to ditch, and what to add to turn your beloved short story into a full length novel manuscript. One-hour or Two-hour options Requires projector, screen, Mac dongle, dry-erase board, and markers Request this workshop on the Contact Me page.
A writers conference holds layers of value. Beneath the shiny, tempting surface of workshops and query sessions lies the deeper, richer motherlode of networking. Conference veteran Bowen Gillings will lead you through how to work it so that, by Sunday lunch, key people know you and want to know you better. This interactive workshop will provide valuable, practical lessons in goal setting, socializing, and self-promotion. We’ll role play on how to push without being pushy, how to be focused while staying casual, and how to hold someone’s attention without seeming to monopolize the conversation. Learn… Read Article →
Go to any writers conference and there will be a set of workshops on the business side of writing. They’ll cover marketing and promotion, book deals and contracts. You’ll learn about newsletters and mailing lists and the infinite techniques used to build your readership. Because that’s what you want, right? You want readers. You want fans. I want readers. Every author who puts their babies out there, exposed to the world, wants them read (and reviewed, please!). Readers equal sales. They fuel the desire to produce and publish more. They keep the pressure on to… Read Article →
Thousands of articles have been written about the benefits of physical exercise. You can make a list two pages long and still not cover them all. Big ones include improved cardiovascular health, increased strength and durability, better immune system, weight management, and having pants that fit. The benefits go beyond the physical and also include mental clarity, focus, and, my favorite, expanded creativity. I walk the dog for 30-45 minutes just about every day. These walks give me time to tune out the world and tune into my mind. I get to reflect on my… Read Article →