Rogers, Arkansas

April TBA The First Page/Character

The First Page will be in the morning session.

So you’ve got a terrific story idea!  You sit down at your computer and begin to … stare at a blank screen.

For many writers, the greatest challenge is not creativity, story concept or imagination. No, their most daunting hurdle is simply how to get started.

This is not surprising because your story’s beginning—your First Page—is the most demanding key to a successful tale. Your First Page sets the tone, voice and narrative style that govern the balance of your manuscript. Without a strong and well-crafted beginning, the greatest story idea will fail to hook readers, agents, or publishers.

In this workshop…

You will learn how to insure your beginning (First Page) is right for your story—and for your readers. Topics include the critical questions you must resolve before you begin to write: story arc, voice, point of view and narrative urgency. You’ll also learn the specific rules every writer must know for successful storytelling.

This workshop will give you precise methods to address the questions above, plus many more. Each technique is explained in a detailed, organized manner, complete with useful demonstrations. The accompanying workbook/reference book will be an invaluable resource on your writer’s desk.

Character will be in the afternoon session.

We read, it has been said, to experience other lives. Characters are the vehicle through which we experience these alternate realities. If a reader is to empathize with a character, to care about him, and through him to enter into and experience the story, that character must be authentic and memorable.

In this workshop…

You will learn fourteen (14) effective techniques to create authentic characters who will draw your readers into your story. Learn multiple ways to reveal a character’s personality, appearance and manner, thoughts and motivations. Learn to use dialogue to show a character’s state of mind? What do his actions tell your readers? How does your character react to conflict? What is his agenda? What are his vulnerabilities?

You’ll also learn how to layer these techniques to create three-dimensional characters and how the important concept of narrative urgency arises from the character.

Love ’em or hate ’em, your characters must stir the emotions of your readers!

This workshop will give you precise methods to address the questions above, plus many more. Each technique is explained in a detailed, organized manner, complete with useful demonstrations. The accompanying workbook/reference book will be an invaluable resource on your writer’s desk.

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May TBA     Dialogue & Setting 

Dialogue will be in the morning session.

• What to Say
• How to Say it

 Setting will be in the afternoon session. 

• Setting – More than a Place Setting – Friend or Foe? 
• The Four Elements to Research How to Research