plotting

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...

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...

In Those Who Forget History: Using Backstory to Enhance Your Novel, students will examine how to use backstory effectively to enhance their stories using elements of a character’s past. We will cover: · What is Backstory? · Flashbacks and how to use them. · The Five Ws of...

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...

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...

Lots of writers have heard of the Hero's Journey, which is based on the work of Joseph Campbell. But there's also a Heroine's Journey, which is based on the story of the Sumerian goddess, Inanna, an epic that describes her descent into the underworld. The heroine’s journey is not so much about...

Learn the three parts of a mystery and where to include what and when. Steve will show you how to outline and use free writing techniques to craft a winning mystery short. What makes a good mystery, and how to be an idea machine. How to craft openings that hook your reader, and twist endings...

Craft an Emotionally Charged Story That Will Resonate with Readers Emotional impact shouldn't be dropped into your novel as an afterthought or forced upon your story with a pair of pliers and an iron grip. It should be carefully sewn into the fabric of the story to create tension-filled moments...

This workshop material is for beginning and intermediate writers, but all are welcome! Having a good foundation in fiction writing skills is vital. Our goal is to keep readers turning the pages and buying more of our books. Join me as we learn and discuss the techniques of characterization and...

This class focuses specifically on the middle of your story, the bulk of the action that takes place after the set-up and builds up until you reach your “disembarking point” and the book’s ending. How do you crank up conflict and emotion without writing yourself into a corner? How do you...

Award-winning editor Brenda Chin has worked in the romance industry for more than 32 years. Throughout her many years with Harlequin, she had the opportunity to work with some of the best writers in the business, often buying their first book. Brenda is offering her expertise to help authors go...

Do you struggle with getting started? Are you a pantser who has always wanted to try plotting? Do you wish you could write faster? In this class, USA Today Bestselling author Ivy Quinn will take you through the steps of creating a detailed thirty chapter or so outline for your novel so that...

Are your stories sounding kind of similar? Do you find yourself gravitating to the same hunky hero and tough but sweet heroine? We all do it, we find something that works and stick with it. And that can be great, for a while. Nobody wants to read the same plot or the same characters. Naturally...

If you would like an easy and quick way to create your story, Wordy Writer Organizers are a great way to do so. You’ll know for sure if your story idea is strong enough to get to your resolution aka THE END. If you want to know more, sign up for our free class here on Savvy Authors!

How do you get from page one to the final page in your novel, novella, or short story? You treat it like you would when making vacation plans, that’s how. Or, at least, it’s one way to look at it. And it’s the way I look at the journey when writing – in particular when it comes to my novels...

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...

A class designed to take the idea and opening scenes of a story and turn it into a full-fledged finished product. Using a method involving character needs and oppositions, writers will learn to churn out a list of ideas, create detailed scenes from those ideas, and figure out the best ending...

Learn how to keep the middle of your book from suffering from the Sagging Syndrome. Get secrets of how to make your plot move along more quickly through the middle. Learn the basics of subplots and how they can be utilized to get the most out of your characters. Find out how you can use dialogue...

This course will focus on the basic building blocks of every story; the scene. It’s a course that works bests for plotters, writers who outline their story, and pantsers, writers who have a mental hold on the scope of their story but perhaps not a detailed outline. Writers will learn how to set...