gmc

Every writer knows that a story without compelling conflict is one readers will put down. But how do you decide which internal and external conflicts your characters should face both individually and together? In this course we'll discuss types of conflict, when different obstacles should be...

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...

Developmental edits are the first edit writers skip, but the first thing mentioned in reviews. If your story feels weak, your opening isn’t strong enough to hook readers, your plot goes haywire or your characters feel like cardboard—you need a dev edit. Join developmental editor Jodi Henley as...

Did you know that fifty percent of all books bought every year are in the Romance Genre? There’s a reason Romance is so popular not just with women but with men as well. Have you ever wanted to write a romance? Or maybe you just want to add a love interest to the book you’ve already got going...

If you plan before you begin your draft or plan during the drafting part of your writing process, we’ll cover many of the techniques that you can use to help make your drafting go smoother. If you current do no or little planning before or during the writing of the story draft, we’ll explore...

Throughout this 3-week workshop, writers will learn the ins and outs of worldbuilding and how to properly integrate information into their story. Week one will focus on macro-worldbuilding: how the world is shaped, what political powers are in play, and how religion and technology appear in the...

What is the function of a scene in a story? It can have many, but it must do something to drive the story forward. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to write tighter scenes and ensure that each one is serving your larger story. We’ll look at different kinds of scenes, such as action scenes...

Many writers understand GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) well enough, but still don't use them to their greatest advantage to improve their stories. In this course we'll talk about each aspect of GMC and how to maximize them, then how to make sure they work together. Lesson One: Quick primer...

You’ve no doubt heard of many different ways of plotting a piece of genre fiction. Things like outlines, beat sheets, three act play, and who knows what else. But have you ever considered math as a guideline? Dexterity in mathematics is not a requirement, you’ll no doubt be relieved to know...

When we start writing, we have an idea of how our readers will react to our stories. Do we want them to laugh? Cry? Gasp? Compose angry letters in their heads because how dare we? And what is the key to making that happen in the story? We create our characters and their internal journeys with...

What is subtext and why is it important to fiction? How does something that lingers beneath the surface of a story have such a profound impact on the reader? Discover how you can deepen your fiction and add complexity to your story and characters. Subtext creates experiences that connect to your...

In this month-long, twelve-lesson class, NYT best-selling author, Angela Knight, demonstrates how she plots, writes, and revises a short novel. Where Brainstorming to Revision dealt with the short story, in this class Angela digs into novel construction. She uses a combination of video...

The first draft of a novel needs consistency and continuity: the more the better the novel will be. Mind-maps offer a way to gain that consistency. What if you knew how to create mind-maps to ensure that consistency? And that continuity? What if you had a way to make sure your characters...

Presenter: Beth Daniels, aka Beth Henderson, J.B. Dane, and Nied Darnell What gets a story talked about around the water cooler, over that latte or flavored coffee, over the milk shake or diet drink? For those who watched as well as those who read GAME OF THRONES, it was when George R. R...

Looking for a way to add conflict and suspense to your novel, chapters, and scenes? Then this workshop is for you. Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, you can apply this easy-to-use technique as you draft, during revision of your WIP, and even as a way to break through writer’s block. In...

Plotting and pantsing seem like two different ways of writing, but most of us actually use a combination of both. If your writing style veers toward being a pantser, you may still want some idea of where you're going before you start. How do you go about making a plan without stifling your...

Fairy tale retellings are very popular for a reason. They use tropes and characters that we're familiar with. For instance, the Cinderella story is a common one across cultures and centuries. Learn how to use these familiar and beloved characters in stories and give them a different twist. 1...

Plot a Romance Novel in 2 weeks. Set your book up for success with detailed character outlines that deepen story connection and worldbuilding. You're familiar with some plotting, but still unsure you're taking the right path... learn a structure that's simple to grasp and easy to use for any...

The basic building blocks of romance fiction are conflicts: internal, external, and romantic. Strong conflicts drive readers to keep reading in order to discover who wins. No matter how beautiful the writing is, if the conflict isn’t strong enough, the reader will get bored and go read...

Over the next ten days, we're going to take a deep dive into developing and shaping your story’s plot based on your protagonist's motives. We will review the essentials of character interiority and explore techniques to help develop your story’s structure. This course will help writers of all...