gmc

Learn the secrets of creating plot twists that surprise readers and keep them turning pages. Topics covered include: What is a twist and why are they important? Dissecting twists to see their inner workings. All about turns, reveals, reversals, and red hearings. Creating twists that move your...

A weak conflict is the number one reason why manuscripts get rejected. Learn how to make yours bulletproof. Too much internal conflict? Or not enough? What about external conflict? How do you make it believable? And which is more important? In this class, we’ll cover… · The various types...

Revision Breakdown (Three Parts) Revision is a difficult process that a lot of writers struggle with, so in this series of workshops, we’ll walk through the process, focusing on one section of the novel at a time, demystifying and the process and making it fun, too. Each workshop will focus on...

Have you ever wanted to write a series? Do you have an idea so big that there’s no way you can fit it into only one or two books? Then this class is for you. From writing a trilogy to writing a twenty plus book series this class will help you figure out where you want to do. - Figuring out your...

Every writer, but especially beginning writers, have trouble keeping their plots moving. We've all heard about the "sagging middle" and other gotchas authors run into, but how do you avoid these pitfalls? In this workshop you'll learn tried and true techniques for making sure your reader...

A strong character arc is the key to getting readers emotionally invested in our stories. In this workshop we'll learn how to craft character arcs that will create a transformative experience not just for our characters, but for readers too.

Goal, Motivation and Conflict are building blocks for storytelling. This workshop will break down GMC as it applies to the internal, the external and romantic goals, motivations and conflicts for your story. Starting with internal goals, then adding external goals for your main characters to...

As R.L. Stein once said, “Every story ever told can be broken down into three parts: the beginning, the middle, and the twist.” But crafting a good plot twist is certainly easier said than done. In this workshop, you’ll come to understand the inner workings of a plot twist, what makes them so...

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...

What makes YA paranormal different than adult paranormal? What makes YA different than other fiction? What do YA readers expect from your story? We’ll explore the differences from your story idea, story opening, middle, and end. In this workshop, we’ll discover how character, plots, and setting...

Some people are angst junkies. They like their stories chock full of heart-ripping drama and trauma. Others like their angst just a delicate sprinkling on their story, nothing too intense. What do these two extremes have in common? Angst (at whatever level) only works when it fits your...

Fiction, like nature, is all about change. So in a story, heroism requires more than being perfectly heroic, and even more than committing heroic acts. It also requires the ability to change under pressure, to grow into someone better even if it hurts. In the same way, creating a heroic...

If you, like me, are a Pantser with a touch of Plantser in your system, you’ve found there is a point when you aren’t sure what has happened that needs to be fleshed out and then wrapped up at the close of a story. Sometimes it’s a small thing, but sometimes it’s much larger. Particularly if...

An emotional arc is the journey that a character’s emotional state of mind undertakes during a scene. A typical emotional arc has a beginning in which the character is feeling a certain way, an end in which their emotional state of mind has undergone a change, and a turning point that triggers...

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...