NEORWA Upcoming Workshops
SEPTEMBER 2010
CAN THIS MANUSCRIPT BE SAVED
INSTRUCTOR: Susan Meier
WHEN: September 6 to September 19
WORKSHOP:
Can This Manuscript Be Saved? Rejected? Can’t get an agent? Can’t sell, even though your critique partners LOVE your work? Susan Meier reviews the seven most common rejection catch phrases and explains why you and even your critique partners can't spot them, then shows how determining whether your book's trouble is a story, scene or word problem is the first step on the road to recovery.
Following the assignments at the end of each lesson, attendees will learn how to "skim-read" their manuscripts quickly, marking specific problems with post-its. Susan also demonstrates how to use a storyboard, a list of twenty and a one-paragraph blurb to create a plan of attack for fixing your book's trouble.
Susan can't revise or rewrite your manuscript for you, but with her tricks you'll not only see how to revise the book of your heart; you'll also see how published authors are able to write four, five and even six books a year without breaking a sweat!
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Susan Meier is the author of over 40 books for Harlequin and Silhouette and one of Guideposts' Grace Chapel Inn series books, The Kindness of Strangers. HER BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS won the More Than Magic Contest, Sweet Contemporary Category. Her books have been finalists for New Jersey’s Golden Leaf and National Reader's Choice Awards and Cataromance.com and Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Awards.
Her Pregnancy Surprise an October 2007 release was both a Walden Books bestseller and a bookscan bestseller!
Her 2009 releases are MAID IN MONTANA, THE MAGIC OF A FAMILY CHRISTMAS and COUNTRY TWIN CHRISTMAS in the Enchanted Christmas anthology for Harlequin Romance. To learn more about Susan visit her website at http://www.susanmeier.com.
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OCTOBER 2010
ALL ABOUT AGENTS
INSTRUCTOR: Kara Lennox
WHEN: October 4 to October 15
WORKSHOP:
Your literary agent is likely to be the most important person in your writing career, yet most authors will agree it's harder to get a good agent than it is a good publisher. Agents sell books, yes, but they do so much more. This workshop will deal with every aspect of professional representation, including how to select an agent from the hundreds out there, how to approach them, how to sign with one, what you can expect in the agent-author relationship, and how to end a relationship with an agent that isn't working out (as frequently happens despite due diligence). Over the course of her career, Kara has experienced a variety of agent relationships, and she will share some of her personal experiences as well as those of her writer friends (identities shielded, of course!)
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Best-selling author Kara Lennox (a.k.a. Karen Leabo) has written and published more than 50 contemporary romance novels. Her books have been translated into 19 languages and published in twenty-plus countries around the world. Kara has also written hundreds of magazine articles as well as brochures, press releases, business plans, advertising copy, and ten as-yet-unproduced feature screenplays. Kara lives in Southern California with her writer-publisher husband, a neurotic cat, and a geriatric, obsessive-compulsive cockatiel.To learn more about Kara visit her website at http://www.karalennox.com. _____________________________________________________________________
NOVEMBER 2010
PUTTING WINGS ON YOUR BACKSTORY
INSTRUCTOR: Teresa Bodwell
WHEN: November 1 to November 12
WORKSHOP:
You’ve met someone at a party. He decides to tell you his life’s story -- the uncut version. How long does he keep your attention? Even if his story is an interesting one--climbing Mount Everest, or canoeing across the Atlantic Ocean--your mind will wander as you wait for him to take a breath so that you can excuse yourself to the bathroom, the bar, to call you mother-in-law. Anything to get away!
In much the same way, the reader will want to escape your novel if you bore her with backstory. And she doesn't need an excuse to walk away. It is all too easy for her to put the book down and never come back.
How then, can you convey information about your character’s past to the reader? This workshop will consider different techniques for keeping your story moving forward while providing the reader with crucial information about the past. We'll look at examples from books and movies and try some hands on writing exercises to practice creating flashbacks as well as weaving backstory into dialogue and internal monologue.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
After serving in the U.S. Army, where she helped make the world safe for John Phillip Sousa music, Teresa Bodwell received her Bachelor's Degree from UCLA and J.D. from The University of Oregon School of Law. In over two decades as an attorney she has prosecuted bid riggers, defended consumer rights and helped clients through the nightmare of divorce. When she read her first romance novel, Teresa found a place where happy endings are guaranteed. She finds that writing love stories adds balance to her life. Teresa is the author of two western historical novels and a novella in the anthology, My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys. She lives with her family in western Montana where she teaches law and serves as a Girl Scout volunteer. Visit her website at http://www.tbodwell.com. _____________________________________________________________________
DECEMBER 2010
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU: Adding Realistic Law Enforcement & Legal System Elements Into Your Novel
INSTRUCTOR: Kerri Nelson
WHEN: December 6 to December 17 (6 lessons posted over 2 weeks)
WORKSHOP:
Who doesn't love a hot cop hero? Want to make his cop talk and attitude sound authentic? What about evidence collection or a courtroom scene? Need a little legal know how to make your book more exciting or suspenseful?
Kerri will use her experience and education in the legal field to show you how to sound like an expert when you add the legal system or law enforcement characters into your own novel.
Learn "cop talk", criminal evidence procedures, anatomy of a lawsuit, and more!
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Kerri Nelson has always been passionate about reading books but when she wrote her first poem in the second grade, she discovered her love of writing. At the age of sixteen, she became a columnist for her local newspaper as the high school correspondent for the weekly "Panther Tales" column. She won the Outstanding Young Journalist of the Year Award for her efforts.
After an education and career in the legal field, Kerri began to pen romantic suspense novels with a legal or law enforcement theme. She is a true southern belle and comes complete with her dashing southern gentleman husband and two little belles-in-training. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her baking homemade goodies for her family, feeding her addiction to blogging online or designing custom made book trailers. Kerri is an active member of Romance Writers of America as well as numerous Chapters including Southern Magic, Futuristic Fantasy & Paranormal, Hearts Through History, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.
Visit Kerri’s website at http://www.kerrinelson.com
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JANUARY 2011
ARCHETYPES VS. STEREOTYPES
INSTRUCTORS: Sue Viders and Becky Martinez
WHEN: January 3 to January 14
WORKSHOP:
There has to be more heroic styles than just the Alpha male. This workshop will discuss the sixteen archetypes from Sue's book, The Complete Writers Guide to Heroes and Heroines, Sixteen Master Archetypes. Each archetype will be discussed in depth.
ABOUT THE INSTURCTORS:
Sue Viders is an international art-marketing consultant and popular writing teacher. She has taught numerous classes in writing fiction both online and on site. She is the author of more than 20 books. Her books for writers include Heroes and Heroines, Sixteen Master Archetypes, which has become an often-recommended source for romance writers, and Ten Steps to Creating Memorable Characters. She has also developed the Deal-A-Story card game, which is a writing tool that can help authors brainstorm their story ideas before they start to write and help to strengthen manuscripts already in production. To learn more about Sue, visit her website at http://www.sueviders.com.
Becky Martinez is an award-winning former broadcast journalist and published author who teaches classes to writing groups and conducts online writing workshops. Her first romance was an Aspen Gold finalist and she contributed a short story to an anthology that was a 2007 New Mexico Book Award finalist. Her new romantic suspense Deadly Messages will soon be available from The Wild Rose Press. With Sue Viders, Lucynda Storey and Cher Gorman, she co-authored the writing book, Ten Steps to Creating Memorable Characters. She is working with Sue Viders on a new book on plotting that will include the introduction the Plotting Wheel. _____________________________________________________________________
FEBRUARY 2011
THE CONFLICT GRID, TOOL FOR SUCCESS
INSTRUCTOR: Lyn Cote
WHEN: Feb. 7 to Feb. 18
WORKSHOP:
If you don’t have conflict, you don’t have a story. With Kathy Jacobson’s CONFLICT GRID, you will learn to uncover every possible conflict inherent that keep your hero and heroine apart. No more sagging middle. No more trouble crafting a true black moment. No more trouble finding the unifying theme that gives your romance power, no matter what subgenre you write. The CONFLICT GRID also clarifies the basic elements of your romance so that you can pitch it to an editor and give her exactly the info she needs to assess whether it’s a winner or not. The CONFLICT GRID, filled out in full, also provides you all you need to write a proposal. It can be your main planning tool for character and plot. Once you learn it, you’ll wonder how you did without it!
The CONFLICT GRID is just one tool developed by Kathy Jacobsen AKA Kathy Lloyd in her full writing course, A NOVEL APPROACH, available for download in PDF form for $25 at http://www.kathyjacobsen.com.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
When Lyn Cote became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Long years of rejection followed. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen by Steeple Hill. Lyn has had over twenty-five novels published since then. In 2006 Lyn's book, Chloe, was a finalist for the RITA, one of the highest awards in the romance genre. Lyn’s brand “Strong Women, Brave Stories,” always includes three elements: a strong heroine who is a passionate participant in her times, authentic historical detail and a multicultural cast of characters. Now, Lyn spends her days writing books that show the power of divine as well as human love.
Lyn helped found two RWA chapters: Heart of Iowa Fiction Authors in 1994 and Faith, Hope & Love Inspirational Chapter in 1997. She served as president of both. She is an active member of Wisconsin Romance Writers. Lyn has also written three articles for the RWR on the inspirational romance market and one on Classic Romantic Conflicts. Lyn has also taught regional and national workshops for RWA. Visit her online at http://www.LynCote.net.