craft

In romance, tropes are a vital part of storytelling. But what exactly are tropes? Why are they important? If you’re a writer struggling with how to effectively use tropes, this workshop is for you. The major romantic tropes, what they are & how to use them How to choose one or more while...

Research. Some of us love it, some of us hate it, but we all have to do at least some research for our stories, whether it’s historical events, local hangouts, or wars. In Digging Deep: Researching Your Novel, I’ll introduce you to various research methods, as well as different options for...

It's a real conundrum. We want our characters to be "sympathetic"-- someone the reader cares about and roots for. But paradoxically, sometimes the more we TRY to make them good and admirable, the more saintly they become, the less the reader likes them. It might be envy, or resentment, or an...

Maybe you feel you’ve got the elements of a story down but still struggle with language and how to use it to tell an effective story. In this workshop, we will take a closer look at: The key traits of good writing (organization, word choice, voice, and writing conventions like grammar) How to...

From 2-D Archetype to 3-D Characters—Exploring Universal Personality Patterns for Your Unique Characters Popularized by Carl Jung, an archetype is usually understood in literature, art, mythology and fairy tales to be a recurrent symbol, motif, or role with patterns of behavior, often across...

Imposter syndrome can affect everyone, even successful and popular writers. But when your self-doubt starts to creep in, it’s crucial that you learn how to fight back. In this workshop, we’ll look at some of the causes of imposter syndrome as well as some tips and tricks to help you stay on...

If you’re like most writers, you’ve probably taken a number of classes and read even more about writing snappy dialogue. That’s not this class. This class will focus on using dialogue to define your characters. The most important thing to remember when you’re creating character is to make them...

Writing a series takes time and commitment. After all, any series is going to take you years to complete at the rate most authors release. So is it worth it? Absolutely. Why? Because readers love series books. If you're going to do a series, what do you need to know? Main topics covered will...

Do you want to write a funny novel or short story? Or perhaps you'd like to add humor to the book you've already written? If so, then this is the course for you. Some of the areas covered in this two week course, include-- The difference between funny and humorous. What makes something fun to...

In this workshop, we will explore what these hard-to-define terms mean and how to use them to form the underlying framework for powerful stories and impactful marketing. Learn how to twist tropes, weave in theme, and build a compelling premise that can be used in promoting the finished book.

Side characters are an important component in your story. You want them to be interesting, but not take over the story, right? In this workshop, you’ll learn some tips and tricks to creating useful secondary characters. Lesson One: Basics about secondary characters Lesson Two: The Sidekick –...

Crank up the efficiency and get that novel, short story, article or script DONE. Through exercises, evaluations, tips and technologies, you can learn to write faster. Discover how to break through blocks, get ideas, develop plots, draft and polish in less time without losing quality.

Great fiction isn’t only make-believe. Incorporating facts (history, science, medicine, archaeology, etc.) can enliven and deepen a story, contribute to rich world-building, and establish trust between reader and author. Whether you’re writing a futuristic fantasy, a historical romance, or...

Do you have trouble with telling the reader the story instead of showing it? If so, join the crowd. This is one of the most common mistakes in writing. But there’s hope. In this two week workshop, I will Show you how to tell which mode you’re in Tell you how to fix the problem Show you how to...

From well-worn fairytales to far flung fantasy, the tradition of drawing from beloved stories to create new and striking iterations has a long history. At the core of this story obsession are familiar tropes and relationship dynamics that keep us coming back to similar stories time and again...

A threshold is any point of entering. The line between here and there. Also called limen, it is any point or line or place between what is and what will be, or between what was and what is now, often that defining moment of no return. Thresholds are important in the structure of story and are...

Develop your characters and create backstory using emotional wounds and inner conflicts. What motivates your character? What are the traumas that might be inspiring them to take certain actions? How to determine what wounds make sense for your characters and your story Raise the stakes in your...

Do the names Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Ben Aaronovitch, Lisa Shearin, Mike Carey, Karen Marie Moning, Jonathan Howard, Kate Griffin, Kevin Hearne, Daryinda Jones, or Benedict Jacka ring a bell with you? They are merely some of the many writers who mix magic, paranormal, supernatural, and...

Conflict is the reason stories happen. Conflict is keeping a romance from blossoming, a hero from reaching his goal, a villain trying to stop a hero, or even a killer from being stopped. Nine times out of ten a book falls flat because the conflict is non-existent and in this one-week course...

Take Your Characters From Flat to Fabulous: Creating Characters Your Readers Will Love will examine how to take a character from a flat, formless idea to a living, breathing, three-dimensional person that readers can root for, care about, and fall in love with. We will cover: · The...